9397 Logging Truck available on Lego USA site

[DarkShadow73]

Well, it is finally officially available on the Lego S@H site, but still no plow/dumper instructions...wonder why...

[tduby]

Maybe I am getting cheaper but $139.99 seems really expensive I just don't see the value in that set I guess power functions must really add the expense of the set.

[timslegos]

Well there is already posts in another thread about htis. Member DLuders called lego and talked to several representatives who said that the b model instructions will not be availible until the set is officially on the S@H for the US. maybe lego just hasn't had time to upload the instructions yet.

tim

[DLuders]

The 9397 Lego Technic Logging Truck's PDF Building Instructions are available for download here (in 3 booklets): http://technic.lego.com/en-US/BuildingInstructions/9397%20Group.aspx .

[DarkShadow73]

DLuders-

These are the main model ones we got in the box, though, we are looking for the plow/dumper alternate model ones. Seems like they should have those available at the same time since somebody designed and built that model and it is listed on the back of the box. I kind of agree though, I didn't realize how little you got for the price. Its a great model, nevertheless, but it seems like it should have been about same MSRP as the 8070 Supercar from March of last year, they are about equal, $119 would have been a better MSRP. Of course I bought mine from TRU, which notoriously marks up their products, but I was thinking once it was released by S@H it would more line of $129 or so USD. If anybody has any luck in obtaining the plow directions, please post the links. Thanks...

The 9397 Lego Technic Logging Truck's PDF Building Instructions are available for download here (in 3 booklets): http://technic.lego.com/en-US/BuildingInstructions/9397%20Group.aspx .

[Paul Boratko]

Maybe I am getting cheaper but $139.99 seems really expensive I just don't see the value in that set I guess power functions must really add the expense of the set.

Do you know if Toys R Us has them in store yet..? My wife got an e-mail with a rewards member 20% off one item coupon this morning that is good all this weekend...

I was a little surprised myself at the price, as I figured Toys R Us had them jacked up $20, but it turned out it was only $10...

Edited March 2, 2012 by Paul Boratko

[Blakbird]

Do you know if Toys R Us has them in store yet..? My wife got an e-mail with a rewards member 20% off one item coupon this morning that is good all this weekend...

I was a little surprised myself at the price, as I figured Toys R Us had them jacked up $20, but it turned out it was only $10...

I bought mine at the LEGO store last night and built it. My first impressions are very good. It is much larger and more functional than I was anticipating. It is just as big as 8258 and 8285. Functionally, it is very, very similar to 8258 with 4 motorized functions including crane and outriggers, steering, engine, and diff. Personally, I do not find the price unreasonable for a model of this size. As a parts pack it is a gold mine of good stuff including a lot of rare or unique parts.

The gearbox is marvelous, though it is sadly hidden once the model is complete. The only technical complaint I have is the outriggers. Unlike previous models, the mechanism does not go over center so the outriggers cannot support any weight at all and do not stabilize the model.

Next step, modifications. So far here are my plans;

• Add dual wheels on the rear axles.
• Add a second differential.
• Support the M-motor in the rear so it is not hanging from the front and twisting its support beam.
• Connect the rear fenders so they cover the wheels.
• Finally, I've said it before and I'll say it again:

[DLuders]

@ Blakbird: Ha! I knew that you were going to say that it "Needs more logs." My piggy bank is empty right now, but if I had the money, I'd order some additional Reddish-Brown 56145 "Wheel 30.4 mm x 20 mm with Reinforced Rim" parts from "Lego Direct" (Lego Customer Service). One needs 8 ea. Lego Element ID 4618633 parts per log:

Or, I can just go out in the swamps and cut up some Bamboo stalks as "logs":

Edited March 2, 2012 by DLuders

[Wiseman_2]

I would definitely be buying this one right now - I rather like trucks and heavy equipment - but I just dropped £80 on the Supercar. Ah well, always later

[Blakbird]

@ Blakbird: Ha! I knew that you were going to say that it "Needs more logs." My piggy bank is empty right now, but if I had the money, I'd order some additional Reddish-Brown 56145 "Wheel 30.4 mm x 20 mm with Reinforced Rim" parts from "Lego Direct" (Lego Customer Service). One needs 8 ea. Lego Element ID 4618633 parts per log:

That thought has certainly occurred to me. That's what I did with the logging tractor; I ordered a bunch more 2x2 round bricks to make more logs. This makes the trailer look better, but in that case the claw is actually useless at picking them up because they just fall out. Too smooth. In this case, the crane and claw work better. I'd actually prefer to use more that 8 wheels per log because the logs are a little short. They don't span all 3 supports so the log tends to fall out.

The idea of using real wood is actually pretty good. Maybe I will do that. Should be able to find plenty of pine and fir around this area!

What I would really like to find is the parts that 2LEGOornot2LEGO uses on his trailers.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Blakbird

[dhc6twinotter]

I will for sure be buying this set...it looks like a great set. There are some really great parts in this.

As for extra logs, maybe a bunch of these parts could be used to make some logs?

[Blakbird]

As for extra logs, maybe a bunch of these parts could be used to make some logs?

Ah yes, the "palm tree trunk", often also used as an air horn. You could certainly make some logs out of these, but the scale would be a bit small for this truck. 3 or 4 studs is a good diameter for this scale.

[dr_spock]

TRU in Canada has a 20% off Technics this week. I don't see the truck on their website. Come to think of it, all the large expensive set like 8043 don't seem to be on their site now. I guess I'll drop by the store tomorrow. Maybe wooden chopsticks would make a good load for the truck. I think it could use a trailer.

[DarkShadow73]

@Paul- they weren't in any store around here, I have 4 of them nearby, but I haven't checked in a while anyway, I got them at TRU online. Technic seems to be a small niche at TRU now, I hardly ever see any of the larger sets in the stores anymore, just the smaller ones.

Do you know if Toys R Us has them in store yet..? My wife got an e-mail with a rewards member 20% off one item coupon this morning that is good all this weekend...

I was a little surprised myself at the price, as I figured Toys R Us had them jacked up $20, but it turned out it was only $10...

@dr_spock- it has been on the USA TRU website nearly continuously since end of January, went out of stock for a couple weeks, but it was still listed, then it has been in stock ever since, even the 8043 has been on there and in stock the whole time. Lego S@H has it available on the USA website since 3-1, I suspect their official release date from what I have gathered from this site.

TRU in Canada has a 20% off Technics this week. I don't see the truck on their website. Come to think of it, all the large expensive set like 8043 don't seem to be on their site now. I guess I'll drop by the store tomorrow. Maybe wooden chopsticks would make a good load for the truck. I think it could use a trailer.

@dr_spock - couple of ideas on just the wheels joined together as a log, the 8049 had a better setup with the 2x2x2 round bricks with axleholes in brown. Could probably get my hands on a bunch from Bricklink, but I've gotten a bit creative. I went to a hobby store and bought a bunch of wooden dowels, 36" length and careful cut them with a razor blade, takes a lot of them to make a load for the truck, but the dowels are like $.30 a piece at Hobby Lobby, a hobby/creative type store here in West Michigan. I also bought a bunch of copper pipes at a local Lowe's hardware store(any hardware store would do, but the big chains tend to have them cheaper) that are used in plumbing and used a heavier duty blade cutter to cut in lengths, I bought a few different sizes of pipe and also got some heavier grade, and cheaper, galvanized pipe or electrical EMT 1/2" metal conduit(I am an electrician by trade) and with a good electrical/plumbing cutter (the kind that tightens on the pipe and you twist the cutter round and round until it finally goes through). Works quite well. Cheaper, better looking than the wheels tied together with a long axle and more cost-effective than buying more wheels from BL'ers and all is available at a hardware store. EMT electrical conduit is thin-wall and usually comes in 10 foot lengths, but at Lowe's and some other chains, they have it in 5 foot lengths for us people with just cars, can't fit a 10 footer in my car without risking it going through the windshield if I stopped fast.

TRU in Canada has a 20% off Technics this week. I don't see the truck on their website. Come to think of it, all the large expensive set like 8043 don't seem to be on their site now. I guess I'll drop by the store tomorrow. Maybe wooden chopsticks would make a good load for the truck. I think it could use a trailer.

@Blakbird- that is a good idea, real wood would be the most realistic of all, but where I live I am in urban central without many limbs I could cut and create the look you did. Very impressive. Must be an MOC? Awesome looking truck...

That thought has certainly occurred to me. That's what I did with the logging tractor; I ordered a bunch more 2x2 round bricks to make more logs. This makes the trailer look better, but in that case the claw is actually useless at picking them up because they just fall out. Too smooth. In this case, the crane and claw work better. I'd actually prefer to use more that 8 wheels per log because the logs are a little short. They don't span all 3 supports so the log tends to fall out.

The idea of using real wood is actually pretty good. Maybe I will do that. Should be able to find plenty of pine and fir around this area!

What I would really like to find is the parts that 2LEGOornot2LEGO uses on his trailers.

[Blakbird]

For those interested, here is how the size of 9397 compares with other recent large Technic trucks.

[DLuders]

@ Blakbird: Can you estimate how much weight the 9397's Lift Arm can handle, if the Reddish-Brown "logs" are made longer? Can the grapple handle TWO logs at the same time? I've heard of people wanting to use EMT tubing (electrical conduit), copper tubing, and other materials as "logs"....

[dr_spock]

@dr_spock - couple of ideas on just the wheels joined together as a log, the 8049 had a better setup with the 2x2x2 round bricks with axleholes in brown. Could probably get my hands on a bunch from Bricklink, but I've gotten a bit creative. I went to a hobby store and bought a bunch of wooden dowels, 36" length and careful cut them with a razor blade, takes a lot of them to make a load for the truck, but the dowels are like $.30 a piece at Hobby Lobby, a hobby/creative type store here in West Michigan. I also bought a bunch of copper pipes at a local Lowe's hardware store(any hardware store would do, but the big chains tend to have them cheaper) that are used in plumbing and used a heavier duty blade cutter to cut in lengths, I bought a few different sizes of pipe and also got some heavier grade, and cheaper, galvanized pipe or electrical EMT 1/2" metal conduit(I am an electrician by trade) and with a good electrical/plumbing cutter (the kind that tightens on the pipe and you twist the cutter round and round until it finally goes through). Works quite well. Cheaper, better looking than the wheels tied together with a long axle and more cost-effective than buying more wheels from BL'ers and all is available at a hardware store. EMT electrical conduit is thin-wall and usually comes in 10 foot lengths, but at Lowe's and some other chains, they have it in 5 foot lengths for us people with just cars, can't fit a 10 footer in my car without risking it going through the windshield if I stopped fast.

I remember something called balsa wood. It is light and strong. I think you can get them in dowel form. They might be easier for Lego to lift than oak dowels. I have enough 2x2x2 brown round bricks to make one log. They came from the Lego Pirate Kraken Attack set's log raft.

For those interested, here is how the size of 9397 compares with other recent large Technic trucks.

Thank you for the comparison. It's always good to see the difference.

[sama]

Why is 9397 so expensive, its the exact same thing as 8070 (not in looks but content)?

[Blakbird]

@ Blakbird: Can you estimate how much weight the 9397's Lift Arm can handle, if the Reddish-Brown "logs" are made longer? Can the grapple handle TWO logs at the same time? I've heard of people wanting to use EMT tubing (electrical conduit), copper tubing, and other materials as "logs"....

The mini linear actuator is about at its limit lifting the existing log, so you wouldn't want to use anything much heavier. You could probably add a wheel or two to the length. The grapple will barely close on one log "sometimes it falls out", so two logs at once are out of the question.

I remember something called balsa wood. It is light and strong. I think you can get them in dowel form. They might be easier for Lego to lift than oak dowels.

Balsa wood does indeed have a very low density, but it is also very expensive in anything other than thin sheet.

[Porty]

The Unimog performs the same function better, IMHO.