New Extending Boom part question

[xenologer]

Hi,

Was wondering about the new extending boom part. You can see it on the technic mini Rough Terrain Crane, and the new firestation's firetruck.

Hows that part work? theres definetly a hollow outer part, is the center piece that slides any technic beam? or is it a combined assembly thing where they stay together?

Hows the extension work anyway? does it 'click' into positions? any chance of using gears or levers to control extension, or is it purely a 'manaual' feature?

thanks, considering buying one of the new sets for this piece...

[simonwillems]

This new extending boompart is similar to the older version of this piece (used for example in set 6358).

The hollow outer part houses a studless technic beam that can be clicked into position, it seems very hard to mechanize/motorize this movement, it just has to happen manually.

The technic beam can be pulled out of the hollow beam entirely, the top of the boom holds the clicking system, this is also the only support the technic beam has. When retracted the back side of the beam leans down a bit, coming loose of the boom, this is not really meant to be...

It's a really interesting piece, and a picture of it would explain probably more than this entire story....

I hope you find this explanation useful.

[xenologer]

Thanks

I was looking at some of the pics and I think i see what you mean

the hollow 'sleeve' piece is open along the bottom except for a tab at the front where the beam gets held up.

So, can you swap any beam you want? or is that beam special to work with the click mechanism?

I was also thinking, that since the sleeve has an open slot at the bottom, maybe you can put a beam into it rotated sidways, so that you can attach a connector pin through the slot and into the beam holes and let it still slide

that might offer the ability to connect some kind of mechanical control to the extending beam....

All just based on pics though...so I'll let you tell me if the guess is good

[simonwillems]

You can fit any beam you want into the sleeve, as long as it's long enough, it his however not much use putting a beam inside that is shorter than the sleeve itself, and I wonder if there are any beams in production that are longer than the one supplied.

I don't think it is possible to put the beam in rotated, because the click-mechanism needs the holes of the beam to click on to, if you put the beam in this way I doubt it will get passed the click mechanism, but I have actually never tried this...

Good luck!

[xenologer]

Yup,

I bought the technic Rough Terrain Crane on my lunch break just now.

Looks like my idea doesn't work, because the beam's are slightly wider than they are tall, so it doesnt fit right into the sleeve sideways.

Ohwell, it's still a nice part. I guess I might use it to modify the Yellow Airport Firetruck from last year, the colors match....

Or maybe make a nice Cargo Lifter Truck (see the green 2007summer city set)... that should make good use of the 'hands-on' play action of this piece....

[Zaktan of the Shadows]

It has a Axonn and Brutaka legs pice tahts slidible. That could explain it.

-ZotS