[MOD] 8275B Robotic Crawler

[JGW3000]

Recently I was thinking about BrickLinking all of the parts to build my own 8275 set, but instead decide to just build the B model, and also take the opportunity to change the color to all black, grey tracks, and some red bushings, which I thought would be more interesting. Also made some modifications to improve functionality and also some small additions as well.

The model

The biggest modification was to the supports for the tread - the original specified shorter, axle 4 supports with gears, not free to rotate, and the treads kept getting hung up on the gears. I changed this to axle 8 with two pin connectors to allow free movement of the treads over the supports. Design flaw probably due to the limited part availability on B-models.

You can see the wear on the pin connector due to chain links rubbing over the parts

bottom view, one roller built according to instructions, the other my mod

Added some lights and glow-in-the dark tiles to enhance playability

image recorded with the lights dimmed

Also had to add some parts to the undercarriage to strengthen the structure - the new parts are the grey beam and the two black beam 3L, for cross bracing.

Of course, not everyone was happy with the new color scheme

disclosure - some images PS'd to adjust contrast and saturation, color balance, and clean-up the background

BTW, this is my first posting of an actual build on EB, so any feedback / comments welcome!

Edited December 18, 2013 by JGW3000

[Blakbird]

I'd be interested to see your model, but my employer (and many others) blocks dropbox so I can't see the images. I like the description though! I am a little surprised you had problems with the treads on the B-model because I have had the B-model built for years and it works wonderfully.

[JGW3000]

Blakbird - sorry about that, I made an account in BrickSafe and linked pictures from there, hopefully this will work better. Possible issues with the treads - either the sprocket wheels move a bit on their axles, getting the treads out of alignment, or I made the support rods too tight, so that the smaller red insert parts didn't rotate freely - either case, works better with this fix.