Lifespan of motors, pneumatic cylinders and other working parts.

[Soluzar]

I've recently picked up a few new LEGO Technic sets, but my original experience was with the Technic sets from the late 80s and early nineties. For a while there I wasn't interested in new 'studless' Technic, but I've come around. To get to the point, my concern is for longevity. I still love those old time sets, and would like to build them again someday, either by assembling spare parts from Bricklink or by buying a whole set. The new stuff is fun, but the older sets will never leave my heart.

I'm wondering if the pneumatic cylinders / pump and the motors will eventually wear out. It seems logical that pretty much everything would eventually wear out from use, but then there's the question of whether the powered / pneumatic functions of a LEGO Technic model get enough use to wear out. I know I don't have the intention to run my models for hours on end. I want to try out the functions, and see it working, but I don't want to play with it for ages.

What do you think? Have you had parts like these wear out on you? There's a finite supply of replacements out there, I presume. The newer motors and pneumatic parts are different. Can they be substituted? Can you successfully build (for example) the 8862 Backhoe Grader using modern pneumatic cylinders and pumps, or is it 'period parts' or nothing? What about pneumatic hoses? New ones the same as the old? Even though this topic was touched upon in another recent thread, that one probably won't go into detail about compatibility of replacement parts, so I think that there could still be a use for this thread.

I don't have these same concerns for most 'historic' LEGO elements. While they can break, it seems unlikely in most cases unless they are abused. I've got some 20 year old parts that look new.

Edited January 20, 2013 by Soluzar

[timslegos]

I'm wondering if the pneumatic cylinders / pump and the motors will eventually wear out. It seems logical that pretty much everything would eventually wear out from use, but then there's the question of whether the powered / pneumatic functions of a LEGO Technic model get enough use to wear out. I know I don't have the intention to run my models for hours on end. I want to try out the functions, and see it working, but I don't want to play with it for ages.

What do you think? Have you had parts like these wear out on you? There's a finite supply of replacements out there, I presume. The newer motors and pneumatic parts are different. Can they be substituted? Can you successfully build (for example) the 8862 Backhoe Grader using modern pneumatic cylinders and pumps, or is it 'period parts' or nothing? What about pneumatic hoses? New ones the same as the old? Even though this topic was touched upon in another recent thread, that one probably won't go into detail about compatibility of replacement parts, so I think that there could still be a use for this thread.

Certain parts could definitely be replaced easily with their more modern counterparts (ex pneumatic cylinders). Other parts (ex micromotor) are much more rare and hard to replace.

tim

[Soluzar]

Certain parts could definitely be replaced easily with their more modern counterparts (ex pneumatic cylinders). Other parts (ex micromotor) are much more rare and hard to replace.

My instinct did suggest that the new cylinders should be easy enough to replace with new ones. I assume that the problem with the Micromotor is that it's much smaller than any other motors they have released. Is it prone to failure?

[timslegos]

Is it prone to failure?

Yes i believe due to the internal gearing they are prone to seizing up. I would love to own one but they are simply to expensive.

tim

[allanp]

I've had 2 micro motors fail, fixed one of them my dropping it! Pneumatic tubing is not a problem, they all fit. There are some cases there the old and new cylinders are not interchangerble with slight modification (due to the bottom end ofm the old one sometimes being used for stability), but it should be an easy fit and those cases are quite rare anyway so I wouldn't let that but you off, the newer ones seems to be better anyway. Valves on the other hand may be more tricky both to interchange and to get hold of the old one. Thankfully my old valves all seem to be working still, so they may not be a problem either.

[1974]

I've had 2 micro motors fail, fixed one of them my dropping it!

I'll try that then. I live 30 meters above ground, enough?

I have a love/hate relationship with these suckers. Yes, they can fit anywhere, but they're so low torque and gearing them down just makes them slower than a snail!

I'd kill(*) for TLG to make a small PF motor that attaches directly to an LA

(*) .. time, kill lotsa time ..