CHEAP and QUICK 8043 enchancements!

[Out of Sight]

I thought I'd share this...

While others are focusing on their ultimate 8043 with 3 and even 4 IR receivers, and countless motors, I'll give a much cheaper mod for your stock 8043 to make it slightly better, within 5 min without breaking the bank and my what an improvement!

My focus was, better rotation point for the oversized 10 x 18 bucket, more proportional boom length, and less saggy butt in the rear.

Moved rotation point of the 10 x 18 bucket with a help of 1x9 Liftarm (thanks to few helpful fellows on Eurobricks )The bucket is held in place by 5L axle and technic bushing to give a proper liftarm thickness so it wont wobble.

To retain the same dipper arm length, the unused 1x11 liftarms (more on that later) are placed so sandwiching the stock 1 x 15 liftarm. The L 3 x 5 liftarms are no longer used. The lever arms are still stock 1x7 liftarms and 1x5 thins.

Rotation angle has improved. This is the best compromise between breakout force and tilt angle. For a more extreme tilt angle, swap the 1x7 liftarms with 1 x 9 bent liftarms but I found this too much leverage hence less breakout force.

Next is the boom. Due to the increase overall dipper length by moving the rotation of the bucket, the main boom will be too short. To bring it to a much better proportion and functions, I replaced the foremost 1x11 liftarms and use a 1x15 instead. This will increase the boom by 4 length. The LA is intact but extended with a combination of 1x3 & 1x4 thin liftarms to give an exact 4L extension, so boom-dipper articulation remains. The axle for the LA's bucket is increased from 2L notched to 6L..again exact 4L extension. To give slight added torsional rigidity I placed 1x7 in between. See pic.

Next is the saggy butt problem! Due to all the weight being focused as a counterweight on the rear of the hull, the single 1 x 13 has a hard time holding the turntable, and you can almost see it bends because of the weight, hence the saggy rearend, very notable when running heavy Ni-MH battery like mine. I added 1x4 liftarm with studs connector here so the weight of the turntable is now acting on two beams. It helps to support the weight. As you can see the hull is now near level. It also reduces that nodding and buckles of the whole superstructure when the excavator is moving

All these for just :

Liftarm 1 x 15 (2) = 1.40

Liftarm thin 1 x 4 (3) = 0.24

Liftarm 1x7 (2)= 0.60

Liftarm thin 1x3 (2) = 0.12

Liftarm 1 x 4 thin w/stud connectr (2) = 0.16

Bushing 1/2 (4) =0.32

6L axle (1) = 0.05

3L axle (2) = 0.08

Technic pin long friction ridges (2) = 0.14

2L axle notched (2) 0.08

Total US$3.267..and the improvement shows.

The big guy can now REALLY brag over the small guy..

Improved digging depth..I can reach the lower steps now.

The whole arm fully extended is almost on par with the length of the 8265..so now they can shake hands from behind..or holding hands while makin' out...or whatever the picture suggests hahahaha :laugh:

The mood was set by Katy Perry's hits 'Fireworks' while doing this mod.

Edited January 31, 2011 by Out of Sight

[Tobbe Arnesson]

Haha, love the humor. We need a thread for photos like that!

[BrickDemon]

nice! thanks. great pictures as well.

Do you also feel like the designer forgot to finish the left side of the frame of the body? (between the left track and the body) I felt it should have been symetrical to the right side so I also changed/added some parts there. I will make pictures if my excavator is back together.. (still waiting on some parts)

[Out of Sight]

nice! thanks. great pictures as well.

Do you also feel like the designer forgot to finish the left side of the frame of the body? (between the left track and the body) I felt it should have been symetrical to the right side so I also changed/added some parts there. I will make pictures if my excavator is back together.. (still waiting on some parts)

Yeah, I noticed that too, I have a feeling that the seemingly 'finished right side' is probably due to the driving gears assembly for the turntable and shifting mechanism. But the chassis itself is pretty solid, especially with that rectangular grey beam on the rear, although I agree it should have been finished better. Maybe LEGO is being cheap about throwing extra bricks or trying to save the environment by producing less plastic.

Let me see your pics of the finished left side

[davidmull]

The bucket looks a bit funny when on full reach but it does have better angle,nice mods well done but I'll be leaving mine stock as was intended,well done tho!

[Out of Sight]

To kill the akwardness, I have replaced the 1 x 9 liftarm on the bucket with a black colored one so it looks more integrated..and my MOHC (My Own Hacked Creation )of the narrowed 10 x 18 bucket should further give it a better look overall! I'll post it up once it's done!

[tusty]

Hi, Out of Sight. 8043 is my second set after 8258, I'm pleased with these kits. 8043 I did like you and I'm happy with the change:)

Here's the video.

All the gears, gear, keeping the axis is lubricated with silicone spray. Now everything works without any resistance, very lightly and smoothly.

Edited May 24, 2011 by tusty

[Paul B Technic]

Great work, I love the changes and the pictures to go with it.

Paul

[bord4kop]

Sweet

Nice work, thanks for posting these small mods. It does indeed improve the thing much.

Like the way you post and comment with the nice pictures :thumbup:

[grepin]

Thanks for the tips!

I'll definitely try this mod out

[antsiranean]

It's a nice mod (I think, I haven't really tried yet), but a few things are missing from the inventory list. Which is why I haven't really tried, I everything listed from Bricklink, but miss a few pieces. Here's a completed list, with corrections noted. And colors suggested

Liftarm 1 x 15 yellow (2) = 1.40

Liftarm 1x9 yellow (2) - for attaching the bucket

Liftarm thin 1 x 4 dark gray (3) = 0.24

Liftarm 1x7 yellow (2)= 0.60

Liftarm thin 1x3 dark grey (4) = 0.12 - 4 and not 2, for lengthening the LA

Liftarm thin 1x3 black (1) - for the saggy butt problem, goes between the two Liftarms w/stud connectors

Liftarm 1 x 4 thin w/stud connectr black (2) = 0.16

Bushing 1/2 (4) =0.32

6L axle (1) = 0.05

4L axle (1) - for attaching the LA to the dipper arm

3L axle (2) = 0.08

Technic pin long friction ridges (2) = 0.14

2L axle notched (2) 0.08

I think that should be it. Now I need to get a few missing parts from BL.

And that was my first, hopefully, usefull post on this forum. So far it's mostly been "I like this", "I like that" and "Help!"

[Jim]

Nice mods! Will try them out the next time I build it. Even thinking about buying a second set, because I love it so much. Everytime I see it, it amazes me!

[Out of Sight]

Wow, this is an old thread of mine..thanks guys, I'm glad you find it usefull

Anyway, for an even better bucket articulation and higher "load without spilling" loading capability, simply do this: swap the 1 x 7 liftarm which rotates the bucket to a 1 x 7 bent (4-4), like so...

See what I mean...I doubt you can reach taller height, while keeping the bucket flat (load not spilled) in a stock 8043. It reaches higher loading height than even the 8265 biggest official Lego Technic loader I think Now the 8043 is a much more versatile 'tool' and could possibly put the 8265 out of commission hahaha

[timslegos]

You should try building some attachments for your excavator (e.g. custom bucket, drilling hammer, compacter)!

tim

[LegoTechnic]

It's a nice mod (I think, I haven't really tried yet), but a few things are missing from the inventory list. Which is why I haven't really tried, I everything listed from Bricklink, but miss a few pieces. Here's a completed list, with corrections noted. And colors suggested

Liftarm 1 x 15 yellow (2) = 1.40

Liftarm 1x9 yellow (2) - for attaching the bucket

Liftarm thin 1 x 4 dark gray (3) = 0.24

Liftarm 1x7 yellow (2)= 0.60

Liftarm thin 1x3 dark grey (4) = 0.12 - 4 and not 2, for lengthening the LA

Liftarm thin 1x3 black (1) - for the saggy butt problem, goes between the two Liftarms w/stud connectors

Liftarm 1 x 4 thin w/stud connectr black (2) = 0.16

Bushing 1/2 (4) =0.32

6L axle (1) = 0.05

4L axle (1) - for attaching the LA to the dipper arm

3L axle (2) = 0.08

Technic pin long friction ridges (2) = 0.14

2L axle notched (2) 0.08

Loos great. I just ordered this set. I checked on bricklink to find the parts. Any easier way to search for the parts? There are so many.

I think that should be it. Now I need to get a few missing parts from BL.

And that was my first, hopefully, usefull post on this forum. So far it's mostly been "I like this", "I like that" and "Help!"

Looks great. I just ordered this set. I checked on bricklink to find the parts. Any easier way to search for the parts? There are so many.

Edited August 9, 2011 by LegoTechnic