Bought 2nd hand set 8275 - many split/broken bushes

[thesimp]

Hello, I just restarted my Lego Technic builds after a 25 year gap and bought the wheel loader 42030 to start with. That was a really good build to get to know the many new Technic parts and the way that designs are done in the Lego Technic world these days.

Then I found a 2nd hand 8275 - Bulldozer set for a good price. You can clearly see the design differences compared to the wheel loader. But when building this set I noticed that many of the technic bushes are split or broken completely. About 90% of all bushes in the set are broken this way. Is this normal aging for an older set? In my memory these bushes sometimes would break but now I have about 50 with these type on fractures, that seems a bit much.

 

Edited January 19, 2017 by thesimp

[M_longer]

It depends on how they were handled by previous owner. Check these connectors for cracks too:

[allanp]

This tends to happen when a model is left assembled for a very long time. 

[technic_addict]

4 hours ago, thesimp said:

Hello, I just restarted my Lego Technic builds after a 25 year gap and bought the wheel loader 42030 to start with. That was a really good build to get to know the many new Technic parts and the way that designs are done in the Lego Technic world these days.

Then I found a 2nd hand 8275 - Bulldozer set for a good price. You can clearly see the design differences compared to the wheel loader. But when building this set I noticed that many of the technic bushes are split or broken completely. About 90% of all bushes in the set are broken this way. Is this normal aging for an older set? In my memory these bushes sometimes would break but now I have about 50 with these type on fractures, that seems a bit much.

No, it is not normal and has been caused by low temperature and possibly low humidity.

 

[thesimp]

Thanks for the feedback. I already found someone locally via Bricklink that has cheap new replacements. Hopefully the new parts will be there in a day or so and then I can continue my build this weekend .

[Kristof]

As far as I'm concern, humidity shouldnt affect ABS parts to some great extent. Temperature may. I also have some technic models assembed for more than a decade and no signs of such splitting. 

Anyway, These parts are least of bother to buy replacements for, If nothing esle is damaged, its cool.

[teos]

I don't know if Technic parts are made out of a different plastic, but they do seem to have a greater chance of becoming brittle and cracking/breaking.  Maybe it should be more comparable to the old thin clips on plates and horse bardings and how those had a greater tendency to break.