19 replies to this topic

[Mariko]

I went to TRU today to see if they had the Minifigure Collection set. They did not, but I ended up buying 7630, and thought I might do a review.

Set Number: 7639
Set Name: Front-end Loader
Price: USD $12.99 (this was at Toys R Us, so it's probably going to be a little cheaper elsewhere)

Front of the box:

Back of the box:


Inside the box: two polybags, one loose piece, and a very small sticker sheet:


Random instruction page:


Hey, look! More classic space hinges!


The build itself isn't terribly interesting, but there were a few small SNOT bits--the front lights:

And the back:


Here we come upon something interesting: the little piston-looking piece. The last page of the instructions show it simply dangling:

That would leave that piece looking like this:

Now, that would allow it to be a kind of stop to hold the raised arm in place:


However, I find it more likely that it should be attached in the way shown on the box:

I think it just looks better.
Here are two shots of the completed loader (I'll take some size comparison photos later):



EDIT:
Here is a picture of the loader next to the dump truck--quite a smashing pair, if you ask me. I'm glad that LEGO chose to release them as separate sets, but they really should be bought together.


A few interesting things to notice about the piston/brace/whatever it is.
The friction is enough to hold the bucket up when it is held higher than this:

When it's at this point, or any lower, the bucket begins to slip downwards. Fortunately, it is around this point that the bucket can be braced, allowing it to stay in place:


Also, it is necessary to disconnect the piston in order to dump the bucket's load from high up:

When connected, this is as far as the bucket can tip:


Conclusion:
This is a neat little set, but not extremely good as a stand-alone. In contrast with the dump truck--which came with rocks, a road sign, traffic cones, a barrier, and minifig tools--this set has no accessories whatsoever. However, it does look very much like a real front-end loader, and I would recommend it to anyone who is making a construction site, particularly if you do not own a loader.

Edited by Rick, 24 October 2011 - 07:19 PM.

[5150 Lego]

Great little review. I really like this new Loader, and think it will comliment the new dump truck very well. Going back to the piton thing, you have it attached to the bucket. IS there enough friction to keep the bucket up without it being braced?

[Mariko]

5150 Lego, on Dec 15 2008, 02:39 PM, said:

Great little review. I really like this new Loader, and think it will comliment the new dump truck very well. Going back to the piton thing, you have it attached to the bucket. IS there enough friction to keep the bucket up without it being braced?

I just checked it out, and the results were rather interesting--I just edited my first post, so now it answers your question, as well.

[VBBN]

Great review! Quick question, are the wheels hollow or are they solid rubber?

`La Empray VBBN

[Asuka]

Thanks for that fine review, Mariko.  
A very neat set with a satisfying amount of details in a, for the Construction subtheme, very charming size.  

[Zarkan]

Thanks for the nice review, Markio.  

The 2009 construction line continues to impress me, and this set is no exception. It's great that they are using SNOT in the vehicles, and the detail and overall design is excellent. This set seems to be a nice size - it looks like it will fit most towns fine.  

Oh, and the best part - the price is actually very reasonable. $13 for a 108 piece kit with some fairly big molds sounds fine to me!  

Edited by Grevious, 15 December 2008 - 11:55 PM.

[Mariko]

VBBN, on Dec 15 2008, 03:31 PM, said:

Great review! Quick question, are the wheels hollow or are they solid rubber?

`La Empray VBBN

They are hollow, but supported by rubber on the inside.

[WhiteFang]

A very good review which has explained the playing features very well.   I am still thinking whether to expand my construction vehicles and include it in my collections. I must admit that this is one of the better designed digger, especially the usage of the classic space hinge. It has been a long time since I saw this part. Thanks for sharing!

By the way, this Front-end loader does reminds me of the earlier Dozer review which I have done earlier. It does resembles the Classic Town's facade.  

[legobear]

Great thorough review, it was very enjoyable.

One question, what exactly is SNOT?  

Another one actually.....what then is a SNOT technique???

[Kliq]

Very well done review!  Nice clear pictures.  This set looks very good compared to other, more hollow looking sets.

legobear, on Dec 16 2008, 01:54 AM, said:

Great thorough review, it was very enjoyable.

One question, what exactly is SNOT?  

Another one actually.....what then is a SNOT technique???

SNOT = Studs Not On Top

So a SNOT technique would be any method used so that the studs aren't facing upwards.

[Mariko]

VBBN, on Dec 15 2008, 03:31 PM, said:

Great review! Quick question, are the wheels hollow or are they solid rubber?

`La Empray VBBN

I feel it is necessary to add that, though they are hollow, they feel more like solid rubber tires.

[legobear]

Thank you Klig, now I get it    finally, as this term has been popping up everywhere  

[Shell-head]

Wow that looks really good, thanks for the pics.

[Erdbeereis]

Very good review!

While this set isn't perfect, it definitely is a nice small one and goes really well with the dump truck like you said.

The actual design of these construction sets are very nice, with some smooth edges that often seem absent in past city/construction sets. I will certainly try to pick up at least the smaller ones, the big ones don't appeal to me much at this point.

Thanks again for the review!

[Mariko]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone!  

Erdbeereis1, on Dec 16 2008, 08:24 AM, said:

The actual design of these construction sets are very nice, with some smooth edges that often seem absent in past city/construction sets. I will certainly try to pick up at least the smaller ones, the big ones don't appeal to me much at this point.

I feel rather the same way. The loader and the dump truck are all I'm going to get-- after all, I don't want the part of my city that is under construction to dwarf the completed part!

[julencin2000]

These space hinges were widely available in Pick'a'Brick of Legoland Germany this summer. Every implementation is welcome, of course ^^

Nice model, I like it a lot.

[Lego Amaryl]

It's a nice set, although I think these new City vehicles are too big for my classical town.
I like the back very much, with these new grill slopes.
A challenge would be to put pneumatic functions in it. The little pneumatic piston has more or less the same size of the "little piston-looking piece"...

[Freddie]

I got this set about a week ago, and I think I should voice my opinion about this set.

It's an excellent looking set, but not one that I planned to get. Yet, I saw it in the store along with 8401, and bought those. 8401 has since been assimilated with the rest of collection, but this one still sits at my table. Why? Because, unexpectedly, I like to play with it.

I don't play much with the other LEGO I have. It usually sits collecting dust on my shelves, because I either lack time, motivation and/or space to do so. My favourite sub-theme is trains, which requires vast amounts of space for a double-loop, space which I don't have. I also have trucks, and technic sets with billions of functions, but at most I might take it down just to examine whatever gadgets they might have. With 7630, I play.

I reckon this is probably one of the better sets LEGO has come out with in a while. I'm guessing it's my general fancy for machinery combined with this set's articulation, which allows it to corner smoothly, that does it. And because of that I'm going to get 7631 as well. Because then I'll have two sets, sitting on my desk, that I can actually have fun with, without needing time, space, motivation or even huge amounts of money for. And I consider that to be probably the most important aspects of LEGO, if not any toy. That it's fun.

And this one, 7630, is.

[Mariko]

Freddie, I agree--I have found that the "play value" of this set is incredibly high. It has grown on me a lot since I first reviewed it--and I liked it quite a bit then, too! The building experience was fun (and I love building), but the fun is sustained in the playability. Over the past year, I bought my good share of vehicle sets, to the point where I was tired of them, since it seemed that was all that TLG was putting out. But this is an exception--it's probably the best vehicle set I have bought.

Also, the bricks needed to fill the bucket are rather easily gotten--I was even able to fill mine with new dark grey pieces, and I've only been collecting those since my dark ages ended about a year ago.

[pacc]

It is odd that the piston was dangling in the instructions,
even more odd is that adding a 2x2 plate will make it completely secure and playable.

The problem may be that it strains the parts somewhat - but why didn't lego add a smaller technics knot to increase the lenght then ...

All in all a good value set with more playability than the more expensive dumper.
It also has good proportions and is excused in a 4 wide city with 6 wide trucks,
I made a drumroller a bit smaller than this set and the very big original.