[WIP] 10x6 Foden S108 R4 Tractor Unit With Truck Mounted Crane

[Kiwi_Builder]

Hey all,

For the past few weeks I have been working on my latest project, a 10x6 Foden S108 R4 tractor unit with a truck mounted crane. I am about 70% of the way through and thought that it was about time that I released this project to the world. After having been given a request to build a truck with a crane on it so I thought I might as well go all out As the title implies it is a five axle beastie with the three rear axles driven by two L motors mounted on either side of the chassis and the two front axles steering through a servo motor. As the images show the truck has the chassis built, the rear stabilisers and the forward mounted crane attached, with the crane being a modified version of the 8258's crane, with two M motors mounted in it for movement which will be controlled from a control panel on the left side of the truck. Although the truck is already quite heavy without the cab attached, the hard coupled L motors appear to be able to drive the truck at a pretty decent speed with a reasonable amount of torque backing it up. The one main issue that I have found so far is that the crane, when fully extended, can only reach to the rear of the truck which is a bit of a pain with this being a tractor unit. This Flickr album I found by Hilifta/Mike Cornwall has images of what I am attempting to recreate. NOTE: Don't expect my MOC to have the same colour scheme as those in the reference images due to the limitations of the colours of my parts collection Enough of the rambling on about it, time to give you some idea of how it looks:

Then of course, we have the all important bottom shots

Things that I still have to complete are the front stabilisers, motorising the stabilisers to make them RC controllable, finish the rear bodywork and build the cab. I will hopefully have more photos to share with you soon, all advice and and comments are appreciated. As always more photos of this build and many of my others can be found on my Bricksafe: http://bricksafe.com/pages/Kiwi_Builder/Technic

Cheers

Edited May 16, 2015 by Kiwi_Builder

[Bricktrain]

looks good so far.

A Foden is an unusual choice, I know there is one in the North Island, I cant remember the company now.

You might want to strengthen the L motor mountings a little. I havent added rear stabilisers to my Hiab truck yet, it is hopefully going to be RC'd before this years show so will add some then, the hardest thing is making them compact enough so the rear overhang isnt too great, otherwise it is hard to build a strong enough gooseneck on the trailer.

[Kiwi_Builder]

The company that runs Fodens like this is Mackenzie Transport from Auckland. Never seen them in the flesh being in the other island like you though. Is it too late to join the displayers at the Christchurch Brick Show for this year?

[Bricktrain]

I worked with Mackenzies at the Auckland tunnel, I dont recall seeing a Foden 5 axle tractor with a hiab, they have mostly Freightliners, the Fodens were just tractor units, The Kenworth was a five axle but a rear mounted Hiab. I started at Smith Cranes as a hiab operator but am now a crane operator, mostly Franna AT20-3.

The registrations for the show close on the 24 May. There is also a LUG social event next weekend at my place doing a community build for a show display. http://lug4x2.org/

Go to the events page for the link to the registration page.

[Kiwi_Builder]

You operate a Franna? That's great to hear actually, I have been wanting to build one of those for a while but haven't been able find images because I've had no idea what they're called, only what they look like. I wasn't able to remember the number plate of one that went past so until now I haven't been able to know what it is to build it. And are you sure you aren't thinking of the ERFs that were just tractor units because in that Flickr album all the Fodens are either rigids or four or five axle tractor units with cranes on them and I can't see one ERF with a crane on it. Also, in your Brickshelf folder is that 8x6 tractor unit a recreation of the 8x6 Kenworth K104s that Smith Cranes run? And I reckon that with any luck I'll exhibit this finished model along with a trailer if I have the parts left over.

[Bricktrain]

Smith Cranes only have conventional Kenworths, a T600 I used to drive in the North Island, a T450 in Chch with a 544 Hiab midmounted is new on the road, and the T908 heavy haulage truck. Daniel Smith Industries has the cabovers, I think one was a tri drive and the other just a tag axle.

Mackenzies ERFs were tractors, I cant remember seeing a Foden five axle tractor but that doesnt mean they didnt have one. I havent seen the album you are refering to.

[Kiwi_Builder]

It's in the first post and right here: https://www.flickr.c...ith/6161598123/ From the looks of the descriptions under some of the images I think the five axle Foden tractors were sold on around 2012/2013. And whoops, right you are, I meant to say DSI Bloody two heavy haulage/lifting companies with Smith in the name. Anyway I'll have a project update posted at some point tomorrow. I struck one problem while working on the Crane controls while watching the rugby in that the wiring in one of my two PF switches has broken so that it only works in certain positions, without a spare switch to replace the broken one I'm going to have to hope that the switch doesn't give up completely before the show in July.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Kiwi_Builder

[Bricktrain]

I found the album, it was from 2012, one of the photos had a comment that the Fodens were about to be replaced with Freightliners.

I worked for Daniel before I worked for Tim. Albert also owns Smithbridge but is now based in Australia. They are all brothers.

[Kiwi_Builder]

Yeah I have a relative who knows Daniel from working at the weighbridge up in Waipara as a CVIU officer. I'm pretty sure that one of the brothers owns Smiths Hire too.

[Dafgek81]

Looks nice, I am from Holland and one thing strikes me, a lot off the Foden cabs look like dutch DAF truck cabs.

[Kiwi_Builder]

You get that because DAF bought Foden in the 90s I believe. When you look at the newer model Fodens you will definitely see the parent company influence. They are now both owned by PACCAR along with Kenworth and Peterbilt.

[D3K]

Looks promising!

I like the use of the 42009 outrigger design in the rear, very fitting Are you planning to make a pair up front as well? Also; is the crane the same as the one on 8258?

[Rishab N]

Nice start. I'm surprised the L motors can drive it. Seems like they're a lot more powerful then they seem

[Kiwi_Builder]

Thanks for the kind comments, I will hopefully have a project update up today

Looks promising!

I like the use of the 42009 outrigger design in the rear, very fitting Are you planning to make a pair up front as well? Also; is the crane the same as the one on 8258?

Yes I will be adding a pair on the front but that will be very difficult thanks to the lack of space so they won't be anything like the rear ones And yes, the crane is a modified version of 8258's crane. I added two M motors inside of the crane too make the raising and unfolding of the boom controlled by two PF switches on a control panel on the left side of the truck (One of those two switches decided to become very patchy as to whether they work or not and I don't have a spare...).

Nice start. I'm surprised the L motors can drive it. Seems like they're a lot more powerful then they seem

Yeah I'm quite pleased with how well they are working too, I didn't have space to install an XL motor in the middle of the chassis so instead I attached one L motor on each side of the chassis and hard coupled them together. They are geared down 2:1 to reduce their output speed which has left the truck doing a speed slightly faster than an XL motor while still having a similar level of torque.

[Kiwi_Builder]

PROJECT UPDATE:

Over the last couple of nights I have added the control panel on the left side of the truck between the front and rear axle sets and upgraded the drivetrain to add extra strength and a connection for the fake straight six to be attached to. Other minor details include a Ringfeder on the back for full trailers, I will hopefully have pictures up soon. I have reached a point where I need your opinions, I am planning on making a three axle extendable trombone semi trailer to go behind it but I don't have enough pieces in the right colour to build the deck, the options I have at the moment are: Make the deck out of yellow and red 5x11 panels (don't have enough to do a full length trailer so this option is least preferable), Making the deck of the trailer out of sheet metal or making a skeletal container trailer. My biggest issue with using the sheet metal deck is that I'm going to exhibit this model at the Christchurch Brick Show in July and I feel like a sheet metal deck would be frowned upon at the show. So at the moment the front runners are either the sheet metal deck or the skeletal container trailer. So please give me your input on what you would think would be my best option.

[Moz]

I'd definitely favour the skel over non-Lego, coz I'm a bit like that. The model so far looks good, don't spoil it by turning it into "Lego and some other stuff".

[Kiwi_Builder]

I'd definitely favour the skel over non-Lego, coz I'm a bit like that. The model so far looks good, don't spoil it by turning it into "Lego and some other stuff".

Yeah I agree with you completely with that, I have an offer from someone to loan the required 5x11 panels to build the extendable trombone semi trailer, so with any luck I will be able to make what I originally wanted, I'm planning on using a skeletal trailer on my next MOC

[Kiwi_Builder]

Sorry it took so long to put up another update with some pictures but I haven't had much time to work on it recently. Nevertheless, all the things I have done since last time are:

Changed fifth wheel design from mine to Efferman's locking design

Started building cab

Done prep work for RCing the rear stabilisers

Built three axle step deck semi trailer with full independent suspension and pneumatic landing gear

I was able to build the trailer thanks to Bricktrain loaning me the required panels for the deck, I decided to go for the stepdeck over the extending trailer due to the fact that with my remaining parts (still plenty but none of what I need for the trailer ) the trailer's chassis was designed in a way that prevented the extending mechanism from fitting, plus the trailer is already 104cm long. The photos are also better quality thanks to me using a proper camera instead of my phone

The full combination, which is about 1.4m long

The truck on its own

The control panel for the crane, with the switches for raising and lowering the two sections and the gear for rotating the crane

The rear of the truck with a 'Ringfeder'

Efferman's fifth wheel design between the truck and trailer

What I have got of the front of the cab so far

The trailer

The underside of the trailer

The axles without load

The axles with a load of hand

Axles with a light load and 'uneven ground'

Overview of the rear axles and the suspension system

A close up of one of the suspension modules, the front four modules use the soft suspension and the rear modules use the stiffer yellow suspension due to running out of the softer ones

The landing gear pneumatics

And finally the landing gear itself

As always these photos and more can be found on my Bricksafe, should make better progress from now on as that I have more spare time now.

[NXT45]

This looks like a nice project. Is it still under construction or did you take it apart?

[Kiwi_Builder]

Thanks NXT, I finished it in July last year and the complete model thread is here: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=112061&hl=

I made my first YouTube video for it and took it to the local Lego show