Madoca 1977 Posted September 19 Posted September 19 (edited) Hello, everyone! Here is the first creation I have completed in 6 years. I used only pure LEGO parts and Powered Up components. Weight: 1475g (including 6 AA batteries) Features: - 2x L motor for propulsion - 1x L motor for steering - 1x M motor for High/Low gearbox - Self-locking differentials - Linked pendular suspension - Detachable body and removable top - Openable hood, doors, rear hatch and tailgate Video: The main feature is self-locking differential system. Basic idea was the same as I put into modified rm8's Toyota Hilux in 2019. When one axle articulates to the limit, orange shifter rotates and diff lock engages. This time I also added center diff lock which engages when axle linkage moves to the limit. Since both axles and the linkage between them move together, all three diff lock engage simultaneously when suspension couldn't soak up the bumps. Rear suspension travel is longer than front because the pivot of linkage is off-centered. Additionally, rear axle is positioned slightly lower than front. This can be done thanks to the flexibility of some connection point. Steering system has a pivot on the same axis as roll center of front axle. Therefore suspension movement barely causes bump steer. The upper body looks narrow because of one stud width of the edge of beltline like 42213 Ford Bronco. Last but not least unique feature is the way of fixing body to the chassis. First, hook the back side of grill on the front end of chassis. Then switch four levers to fixed position. In a way, this model is the successor to my Jeep Wrangler built in 2017. I tried to pack more features in the same wheelbase as Jeep. Eventually its heavier weight required the use of planetary hubs. Which means the model became powerful but very slow. Unexpectedly off-road capability wasn't so good. Since diff-lock system depends on the movement of suspension, it didn't work when any wheel lost their grip and started spinning even on a gentle incline or slippery surface. But I am happy with the result because I realized that I still could make something even after losing love, money and lots of hair! Building instructions at Rebrickable. Edited September 20 by Madoca 1977 Quote
Bartybum Posted September 19 Posted September 19 It's great to have you back :) I love how you used piston connecting rods as links for the pendular suspension, very creative part usage Quote
2GodBDGlory Posted September 19 Posted September 19 (edited) He's back! I too was blown away by the connecting rod part usage! At first I thought it was a 3rd party part, then I thought it was a different part, and then it struck me! It's also really interesting to see the triple auto-locking differentials. As you mentioned, maybe not the most practical off-road, but super cool to have done! Glad to see you're still building! While you're here, has there been any progress on instructions for your Land Cruiser 80? It's totally understandable if life is making it hard to put in the amount of time that would need, but it's definitely my favorite of your models! Edited September 19 by 2GodBDGlory Quote
Lipko Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Oh man, you are alive! I literally thought you passed away but never dared to check. And a very neat model! Great to have a legend back in business. Quote
N1K0L4 Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Welcome back! Awesome model, looks great! Interesting diff locking system, definitely works great when the surface has enough traction, but as you pointed out it struggles on low grip flat ground. I wonder if it could be made so it has 2 modes, automatic (like now) and locked for better offroad capability. Should we expect more models coming from you in less than 6 years? :) Quote
msk6003 Posted September 19 Posted September 19 13 minutes ago, Lipko said: Oh man, you are alive! I literally thought you passed away but never dared to check. And a very neat model! Great to have a legend back in business. LOL I thought same. Anyway, nice to see you again! great model as always! Quote
Aleh Posted September 19 Posted September 19 It cannot be! Missed you and your creations @Madoca 1977! Will definitely bild this beautity and i suppose technical flowlesness! Quote
EWay Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Youtube knows me well, you were the first suggested video on my homepage this morning, and I came here to check this out for more details... I was really impressed by the automatic diff lock there, and now I'm here I'm equally impressed by the connecting rod part usage! Quote
Jundis Posted September 19 Posted September 19 What a cool build, the chassis looks so clean and no unuseful additional part to see :-) How well does the 20t half bevel gear mesh with the 16t? Never thought of using this solution for narrow builds... Quote
mirrorbricks Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Huge comeback! Dif locking mechanism is just pure engineering beauty. Quote
Madoca 1977 Posted September 19 Author Posted September 19 Thank you for your kind words! Since I had abandoned old projects, I will have to build everything from scratch once again including Land Cruiser 80. But I learned there are plenty of useful new parts available nowadays. So new one could be better in terms of both functionality and appearance. As for the model, I found this kind of self-locking diff was not enough for driving on low-grip surface. It should be remotely locked when needed, or some kind of brake lock differential like Suzuki Samurai and Jeep Wrangler. Quote
Elysiumfountain Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Welcome back! Great job on this, there are so many cool techniques in there and the details are stunning! Quote
Igor1 Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Insane! Аnd welcome back! You can't imagine how many people love you and are waiting for you in Russia! You're a genius and a legend! Quote
Thirdwigg Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Welcome back @Madoca 1977. I hope that you are well, and life is treating you kindly now. It's great to see you again back in this place, and we look forward to more builds from you. Congratulations on this build. It's a great addition to your catalog with smart features, nice capacity, and just the right size. Well done. Quote
Zerobricks Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Woah, the legend is back! I'm happy to see you return with such an awesome model. How was the experience of returning to the Technic after so many years? Especially considering that so many useful parts have been released in the last 5 years. Quote
gyenesvi Posted September 19 Posted September 19 Wow, now that's a surprise, a pleasant one! When I saw the thread first, I thought somebody has revived an old thread, but I was wondering why I haven't seen this model yet. I didn't expect it would be a new one :) But it's great to see you and the new model. As all, I really like the suspension, the solution to connect the two ends. Also, the amount of articulation and the balance it would have. And a really nice property if the setup is that it does not need springs at the front, so there's a lot of space for all the motors without the springs intruding or limiting articulation. I also like the two-tone body, adds a really nice touch. I was wondering though, if you'd build it all in red, would you rather use the flat fenders of the new Bronco? I have also been entertaining the idea of building a Chevy Blazer for a while. It's quite boxy, so it has a lot of space inside for stuff :) Quote
thekoRngear Posted September 19 Posted September 19 The King of Off-roaders is back! Watching that jeep crawling is a pure joy! Quote
1gor Posted September 19 Posted September 19 First of all I'm very sorry for all your losses; unfortunatelly some things leave scars that never heal... About Chevy - great great model from you as usual. Unfortunatelly plastic has their limit, but you made best possible model. Quote
grum64 Posted September 19 Posted September 19 I absolutely love this but far more than that I love that you’re back building after such a torrid time. It can’t have been an easy journey but I hope it helped. Quote
ArtemyZotov Posted September 19 Posted September 19 You were the reason I got deep into LEGO Technic, and now I'm happy to see you are still in the game. Great job, sensei Quote
Timewhatistime Posted September 19 Posted September 19 14 hours ago, Jundis said: How well does the 20t half bevel gear mesh with the 16t? Never thought of using this solution for narrow builds... Apart from all the well-deserved praise...: Is this considered a legal connection/meshing? Quote
roeltheworld Posted September 20 Posted September 20 Another instant classic! Absolutely love the innovative piston links and automatic dif lock. Epic work! Quote
Jay Psi Posted September 20 Posted September 20 The legend never dies. Welcome back from your Dark Age, @Madoca 1977. Aside all the technical complexity, the MOC is excellently-proportioned as always. Quote
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