42146 - Liebherr LR 13000 MODs and Improvements

[nerdsforprez]

You all knew it was only a matter of time, right?  

So many MODs and improvements I am sure.  This set will be an absolute case study in the ongoing debate of what really constitutes a Modifying a set versus Creating a whole new one.  Eager to hear what folks have planned.  I have my own thoughts, but in all honesty, any attempts for me to modify this set heavily depend on the frame prices once they are released on Bricks and Pieces... 

Edited July 28, 2023 by nerdsforprez

[Bartybum]

Aside from accurate proportions, I wanna see someone redo this completely without RC, only using a single battery box and distribution gearboxes, moving at a somewhat realistic slow speed. Heavens knows I won't be able to justify buying this set unless secondhand for cheap one day

Edited July 28, 2023 by Bartybum

[Davidz90]

  On 7/28/2023 at 11:24 PM, Bartybum said:

Aside from accurate proportions, I wanna see someone redo this completely without RC, only using a single battery box and distribution gearboxes

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I'm doing exactly that right now, although at a slightly larger scale; so far it seems to work well, although with a single M motor (that's all I have), the drive has two 1:24 reductions and a rather glacial speed (which is accurate so no problem for me). Not sure if that still counts as a mod when I'm just building it from ground up with the parts I have. So yeah, this will be a case study of recreating stuff from scratch indeed.

Edited July 29, 2023 by Davidz90

[Mr Jos]

  On 7/28/2023 at 11:24 PM, Bartybum said:

Aside from accurate proportions, I wanna see someone redo this completely without RC, only using a single battery box and distribution gearboxes, moving at a somewhat realistic slow speed. Heavens knows I won't be able to justify buying this set unless secondhand for cheap one day

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That would be already a big "-" point, putting a gearbox in it. If you then have to choose to operate the main boom, or smaller one, and switch the gearbox each time, you can't do smooth movements where both move at the same time and different speeds. That's exactly what I like about the RC models I make with Lego, making it move realistic because each function has its own motor. The size of this crane is big enough to get them inside anyway.

A good improvement for me would be using a gamepad to control this machine. Left joystick for driving (FWD/REV/LFT/RGT), right joystick for both boom movements (Main up/down/Sub up/down), L2+R2 buttons for turret rotation as they also can control the speed for smooth movements, left arrows array for the hook up/down. And then you still have enough buttons left over for special 'menus'. Like override button when it tilts to far (as in a real one, override button constantly pressed to go over 75% load limit, else it will not allow to move further away).

Edited July 29, 2023 by Mr Jos

[suffocation]

An RC distribution gearbox using three motors and the orange wave selector can easily run up to eight RC functions in pairs. For 42146 you could have left track/right track; main boom/secondary boom; hook/slewing. I guess the two remaining spots could be used for something fancy like a tilting cabin and an RC ladder - not sure they'd be realistic but hey, why let authenticity get in the way of coolness?

[aminnich]

What do you think would be a fair price for the new lattice/frame prices to make the boom longer? For reference the 5x7 frame sell for $0.89 and the 5x11 frame sell for $1.24.

[J159753]

  On 7/29/2023 at 8:58 AM, Mr Jos said:

That would be already a big "-" point, putting a gearbox in it. If you then have to choose to operate the main boom, or smaller one, and switch the gearbox each time, you can't do smooth movements where both move at the same time and different speeds. 

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There's no need for a gearbox to require either/or control of functions. Big Red and 42009, for instance, can both be easily modded to allow simultaneous control over different functions, much as 42042 was from the outset. That would be my ideal form of this set. The fun of direct control and its mechanical complexity would handily outweigh the jerkiness of having only ±100% control over motor speed.

 

 

[Davidz90]

  On 7/29/2023 at 11:46 AM, aminnich said:

What do you think would be a fair price for the new lattice/frame prices to make the boom longer? For reference the 5x7 frame sell for $0.89 and the 5x11 frame sell for $1.24.

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Ideally, they could cost around the same as 3x19 frames (somewhat similar size and complexity), but I'm afraid they will be much more expensive. I suppose that it could be cheaper to just rebulild all the booms with regular liftarms. For example lattice structure from 42042 set has the same cross-section and is probably not that dramatically weaker.

Edited July 29, 2023 by Davidz90

[nerdsforprez]

  On 7/29/2023 at 11:46 AM, aminnich said:

What do you think would be a fair price for the new lattice/frame prices to make the boom longer? For reference the 5x7 frame sell for $0.89 and the 5x11 frame sell for $1.24.

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Do we have a weight for them yet? A FAIR price would likely be around the 5x11vprice since they may approximate that weight. 

 

However,  I am sure TLG may add some sort of premium to the price because they're new molds...

  On 7/29/2023 at 12:14 PM, Davidz90 said:

Ideally, they could cost around the same as 3x19 frames (somewhat similar size and complexity), but I'm afraid they will be much more expensive. I suppose that it could be cheaper to just rebulild all the booms with regular liftarms. For example lattice structure from 42042 set has the same cross-section and is probably not that dramatically weaker.

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Oh wow....we said nearly the same thing...at the same time!!

[Laika2001]

  On 7/29/2023 at 11:46 AM, aminnich said:

What do you think would be a fair price for the new lattice/frame prices to make the boom longer? For reference the 5x7 frame sell for $0.89 and the 5x11 frame sell for $1.24.

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I would say around 4€ for the 7x15 frame and 3,50€ for the 5x15 frame

[Bartybum]

  On 7/29/2023 at 7:43 AM, Davidz90 said:

although with a single M motor (that's all I have)

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Oh dear...

...I look forward to it

You might wanna look into getting an XL motor though hehe

[Davidz90]

  On 7/29/2023 at 2:12 PM, Bartybum said:

...I look forward to it

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Here it is :) (still work in progress but 80% done)

With enough gearing down, single m motor is capable of powering this monstrosity, although at a speed that is somewhere between glaciers and tectonic plates.

[Bartybum]

  On 7/31/2023 at 12:03 PM, Davidz90 said:

*snip*

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Well, I'm not sure I'd call that a mod of 42146 at this stage, but I'm VERY impressed regardless How long did that take you all up?

[Davidz90]

Heah, hard to call this a mod XD

Building took about 3 days, mostly the base. Whole thing is very minimalistic and skeletal (I don't have that many large frames) and a bit larger than it really should be with this truss design. When I complete all the rigging, I'll test the lifting capacity but I don't anticipate more than 1 kg.

One thing I noticed is that it is advantageous to make the ring on which superstructure rotates as flat as possible. I have only a single circular rack in the base and 6 ball pins sticking out of superstructure, riding in the gear rack ridge. While this has a higher friction than rollers like in Lego set, whole assembly is a lot flatter and less prone to bending. Also, due to stability reasons my slewing speed is very slow anyway, so a bit extra friction doesn't hurt.

[MisterB]

Hi all, i think its a nice functional model but mainly beams needs to be (at least) doubled in size at a minimum to give it a more realistic dimension. Also the model should be made a little more wider (maybe a nice mode to be able to make it wider for lifting and smaller for transport)

And wouldnt modding this kit not be more like making it more looking realistic from the outside (using tiles and non technic parts for more realistic details mainly for the central body of the crane).

Buying 2 and combining these would be a good base for better proportions..

 

reg mb

Edited August 4, 2023 by MisterB

[Laika2001]

  On 7/29/2023 at 12:16 PM, nerdsforprez said:

Do we have a weight for them yet? A FAIR price would likely be around the 5x11vprice since they may approximate that weight. 

 

However,  I am sure TLG may add some sort of premium to the price because they're new molds...

Oh wow....we said nearly the same thing...at the same time!!

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7x15 truss frame: 12g

5x15 truss frame: 9g 

[MisterB]

Ordered 2 sets - lets see how to combine these to make it somewhat taller, wider, and more realistic. Need some more counter weight.

[dannogo]

I (unfortanately) already received mine as a gift(!). 

I havent seen it discussed yet, when I start I'm going to use the yellow 42131 treads (7L instead of 5L). 

Anyone thought of that MOD yet? Any advice on increasing that "steering" mod by 2L?

[Davidz90]

  On 8/11/2023 at 5:02 PM, dannogo said:

I (unfortanately) already received mine as a gift(!). 

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While I'm not a fan of this set, I wouldn't complain about getting such a gift .

I'm not sure if this one has been already posted, someone used the yellow threads+longer booms here:

 

[dannogo]

Thanks. The video doesn't show it 'moving' though! Obvioulsy he just added the threads. hmmm. 

[MisterB]

  On 8/11/2023 at 5:58 PM, Davidz90 said:

While I'm not a fan of this set, I wouldn't complain about getting such a gift .

I'm not sure if this one has been already posted, someone used the yellow threads+longer booms here:

 

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Nice they combined 2 sets into one!

[Lego Tom]

Is anyone contemplating re-gearing the turntable to slow it down to a more realistic speed? 

[anyUser]

  On 8/16/2023 at 1:18 PM, Lego Tom said:

Is anyone contemplating re-gearing the turntable to slow it down to a more realistic speed? 

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I think It should be feasible to replace the 12:20 gear from step 9 by a 8:24 combination. Then you'll have to leave out the red 1L beams in step 10 o avoid collision with the new gear(s). I would replace the 5.5L axles by 6L ones (check step 73) and use a (full) bushing to adjust the height of the 24 tooth gear above.

This would almost have the angular speed (according to my calculation).

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by anyUser

[Lego Tom]

  On 8/16/2023 at 5:14 PM, anyUser said:

I think It should be feasible to replace the 12:20 gear from step 9 by a 8:24 combination. Then you'll have to leave out the red 1L beams in step 10 o avoid collision with the new gear(s). I would replace the 5.5L axles by 6L ones (check step 73) and use a (full) bushing to adjust the height of the 24 tooth gear above.

This would almost have the angular speed (according to my calculation).

 

 

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I was wondering about the possibility of using 8t in steps 11 and 40t in step 73.

Edited August 16, 2023 by Lego Tom

[Aleh]

Hello! Is it possible to operate this set using PS5 gamepad? How to do this?

Edited August 17, 2023 by Aleh