42175 Volvo FMX Truck & EC230 Electric Excavator

[Jundis]

5 hours ago, mpj said:

Thanks for your feedback, what so you mean with "slag on the tracks"?

In step 39 in book 1 you listed 70 tread pieces - 35 per side. The whole track is very loose in this configuration. Going to 34 per side on the other hand is a very tight fit, which is hard to move, but is looking more realistic.

[mpj]

That is strange, in my model the tracks work perfectly. And from the photos you can see they are not loose. I think you are using old type of tracks and not the new "rubbery" tracks from the set? Maybe there is some slight difference between them?

[KLF]

Double bucket? It DOES exist! ;)

https://www.stvr.sk/televizia/archiv/3328/528353#106

[Repkovsky]

I have motorized the excavator using Circuit Cubes - 5 Cubit Motors and 2 Bluetooth Cubes.

 

Free instructions available at https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-248486/Repcovsky/motorized-ec230-electric-excavator-circuit-cubes/.

[gyenesvi]

On 2/3/2026 at 9:11 PM, Repkovsky said:

I have motorized the excavator using Circuit Cubes - 5 Cubit Motors and 2 Bluetooth Cubes.

I think this is pretty cool, has nice performance and seems playable. It shows that Lego should really make more compact electronics, that would be applicable to medium sized models, which could lead to cheaper and more playable RC sets.. Current ones are too bulky, and as a result mostly large and heavy, and as a consequence slow and less playable models can be built.

[msk6003]

2 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

I think this is pretty cool, has nice performance and seems playable. It shows that Lego should really make more compact electronics, that would be applicable to medium sized models, which could lead to cheaper and more playable RC sets.. Current ones are too bulky, and as a result mostly large and heavy, and as a consequence slow and less playable models can be built.

Cough spike essential cough

Earnestly, TLG unbelievably ruined C+/powered up.

[SNIPE]

Amazing MOD in such a small space. 

I wonder if we could MOD this further and add a motor + actuator for the bucket scoping, that would really show TLG how it's done!

I might tonight start working on cosmetic changes too

[Repkovsky]

6 hours ago, SNIPE said:

Amazing MOD in such a small space. 

Thanks!

6 hours ago, SNIPE said:

I wonder if we could MOD this further and add a motor + actuator for the bucket scoping, that would really show TLG how it's done!

I thought about this, and it may be possible but it would require some substantial changes. Powering the forward actuator is totally doable, but to get 3 motors in the superstructure for 3 actuators, the motor powering superstructure rotation must be moved to the base, since there is one free slot in the Bluetooth Cube there. With the current model size, there is not much space down there to fit it in elegant way, but I think everything could be solved by slight enlargement of the model, e.g. like the one proposed by @mpj earlier in this thread.

[SNIPE]

On 2/12/2026 at 9:42 PM, Repkovsky said:

Thanks!

I thought about this, and it may be possible but it would require some substantial changes. Powering the forward actuator is totally doable, but to get 3 motors in the superstructure for 3 actuators, the motor powering superstructure rotation must be moved to the base, since there is one free slot in the Bluetooth Cube there. With the current model size, there is not much space down there to fit it in elegant way, but I think everything could be solved by slight enlargement of the model, e.g. like the one proposed by @mpj earlier in this thread.

Or one or more motors can be part of the boom itself

Edited February 15 by SNIPE

[Repkovsky]

5 hours ago, SNIPE said:

Or one or more motors can be part of the boom itself

The problem is not about the space in the superstructure (one more motor is probably possible to fit there), but in cable connection between tracked chassis and superstructure - to allow free rotation it must be avoided. Then you need 3 motors in chassis and 3 in the superstructure.

[SNIPE]

18 minutes ago, Repkovsky said:

The problem is not about the space in the superstructure (one more motor is probably possible to fit there), but in cable connection between tracked chassis and superstructure - to allow free rotation it must be avoided. Then you need 3 motors in chassis and 3 in the superstructure.

I see,

The cables could go thru the turntable but this still is not ideal.