42128 - Heavy-Duty Tow Truck

[Ngoc Nguyen]

All information so far:

- 42128
- Heavy-duty Tow Truck
- American style
- Orange, White, Blue, LBG with yellow on the pneumatic elements
- Outriggers apparently with mini linear actuators
- Triple rear axis
- 2017 pieces
- 149,99€
- Aug 2021

Go nuts

Edited July 4, 2021 by Ngoc Nguyen

[Jundis]

Continuing the discussion from the 2021 Set Discussion thread:

Without a battery box, this would be way overpriced for a set with 49.5 wheels, as we recently had the rather 42098 with 49.5 diameter wheels for the same price, which had 2493 pieces (truck, trailer and car). But I also don't think they will go for Arocs scale in this one, as it would be even higher priced. My guess is around 1200...1400 pieces (about the same as 42108) and a dumb battery box. This box has two connector ports, but my wish would rather be the use of one motor and a gearbox. We maybe only get the articulation of the boom and retractable towing platform as functions, hopefully even two more functions for back end stabilizers and winch. The term "heavy duty" can be disregarded, as it doesn't really mean a thing for TLC...

[msk6003]

Maybe mini 42070 with new tire, yellow wheel, dark azure color?

[1gor]

14 minutes ago, msk6003 said:

Maybe mini 42070 with new tire, yellow wheel, dark azure color?

With tire from Jeep? Somehow inspiration from 42008 or 8285 sets are imho most likely, but we all can be wrong...and it is very hard for me to have clear idea what it would be, just that it probably would be Mack scale...

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Imma repost my own speculation for this set here.

Heavy Duty Tow Truck should be the next one in the midscale truck lineup. At 149.99 EUR, it share the same retail price with 42078 and 42098. A 4-axle 1000-piece truck at that scale only costs 100 EUR, like 42112. So I guess it either comes with a secondary vehicle, probably a car at the Corvette scale, or is motorized. The car can have a switch that lock and unlock the rear axle, so that when the axle's locked, the tow truck can properly demonstrate the towing function. And if it's motorized, then the Osprey battery box will finally return.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Ngoc Nguyen

[msk6003]

21 minutes ago, I_Igor said:

With tire from Jeep? Somehow inspiration from 42008 or 8285 sets are imho most likely, but we all can be wrong...and it is very hard for me to have clear idea what it would be, just that it probably would be Mack scale...

Yes jeep tire.

20 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

So I guess it either comes with a secondary vehicle

Maybe main tow truck with some corvette scale car for towing?

[Maaboo the Witch]

"Heavy Duty" implies some kind of tough off-road vehicle.

[Void_S]

Just now, Maaboo35 said:

"Heavy Duty" implies some kind of tough off-road vehicle.

Or just something is able to pull something heavy... I agree with Jundis that "heavy duty", "4x4" an other similar things may come as marketing "tasty" wording rather a real description.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to see this vehicle, tow trucks (not just cranes) were presented long time ago (I prefer to skip the 42070 set as it wasn't a proper tow truck due its ridiculous weakness) and now we got longer actuators, new pneumatic and many other tasty part that may bring something new to "heavy duty" machinery. In a positive way, I believe.

Forklift 42079 even being not a truly "heavy duty" loader, was an amazing example of cargo machinery and capable to lift really heavy loads.

[Maaboo the Witch]

Just now, Void_S said:

Forklift 42079 even being not a truly "heavy duty" loader, was an amazing example of cargo machinery and capable to lift really heavy loads.

42079 is a heavy-duty forklift. Compare it to a typical forklift.

[1gor]

Well when you search for Heavy Duty Tow Truck you will get this

https://www.google.com/search?q=Heavy-duty+Tow+Truck&client=ms-android-motorola&sxsrf=ALeKk01BojmAPL5gEqZ34MrVl9lZJN7CdA:1609927802154&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiSnYu2iIfuAhVtmYsKHf6sCHkQ_AUoAXoECA8QAw&biw=1261&bih=1793&dpr=3

Question is European or U.S. truck?

Edited January 6, 2021 by I_Igor

[Maaboo the Witch]

Just now, I_Igor said:

Well when you search for Heavy Duty Tow Truck you will get this

https://www.google.com/search?q=Heavy-duty+Tow+Truck&client=ms-android-motorola&sxsrf=ALeKk01BojmAPL5gEqZ34MrVl9lZJN7CdA:1609927802154&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiSnYu2iIfuAhVtmYsKHf6sCHkQ_AUoAXoECA8QAw&biw=1261&bih=1793&dpr=3

Question is European or U.S. truck?

It'll likely be European. TLG only seems to do an American rig once in a blue moon.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

The 3 previous trucks all come with extra pieces that demonstrate the functions and increase the playability of the set.

- 42078 has a container
- 42098 has a car
- 42112 has cement pieces

Therefore I think the tow truck will come with a towable vehicle to serve those same purposes.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Ngoc Nguyen

[1gor]

25 minutes ago, Maaboo35 said:

TLG only seems to do an American rig once in a blue moon.

(I'm afraid we will hear singing China moon sooner than we thought)

[pleegwat]

Heavy-duty suggests to me a tow truck targeted at towing trucks, rather than cars. However, if a towed vehicle is included, I'd expect it to be a car since the price seems too low for two truck-scale vehicles.

[chlego]

9 hours ago, msk6003 said:

Maybe mini 42070 with new tire, yellow wheel, dark azure color?

For 149.99? Not sure bout that...

[Ngoc Nguyen]

9 hours ago, Jundis said:

My guess is around 1200...1400 pieces (about the same as 42108) and a dumb battery box.

I don't think this set will have any motorized function. 42108 can squeeze a battery box and motorized functions because it uses the old multi-function gearbox. There are two switches for four functions.

The Technic line has moved away from that style. Since 2016, all Technic sets with gearboxes use multi-direction gearboxes. One switch for one function. The downside of the new gearbox is that it takes up more space, and hence is reserved only for either big models or medium models with few functions. All the sets that have multi-direction gearboxes so far are 42042, 42054, 42055, 42066, 42082, and 42113. This specific condition removes the requirement for motorized functions in smaller models and relegates all of the functions to be manual, which arguably allows more freedom and creativity in the smaller set. None of the midscale trucks have motorized functions, and I don't think motorized functions are desirable or playable or even feasible for them either.

Potential functions for a tow truck are:

(1) Lowering & raising tow fork
(2) Lowering & raising rear outriggers
(3) Lowering & raising side outriggers
(4) Lowering & raising crane arm
(5) Extending telescoping second stage crane arm
(6) Moving winch
(7) Swiveling crane arm

A heavy duty tow truck with all 7 functions will look like this.

 

There have only been 5 A-model tow trucks in the last 20 years: 8285, 9395, 8109, 42008, 42070. The tabulation for the functions are as follows.

            (1)  (2)  (3)  (4)  (5)  (6)  (7)

8285     ✓   ✓         ✓   ✓   ✓
9395     ✓                          ✓
8109     ✓                          ✓
42008   ✓   ✓         ✓   ✓   ✓
42070   ✓   ✓  ✓    ✓         ✓  ✓

Since TLG never goes all in and cram all possible functions into a model, especially for a non-flagship, I think this set will have 5 functions. If a 42008 can carry 5 functions, then 42128 should as well, especially given the price. We can see tow fork (1) and winch (6) are most likely guaranteed. And if it has a winch, it will have a crane arm as well, so (4) is also very likely. I think it will have either rear outriggers (2) or side outriggers (3) but not both. If it has (3), then it will have swiveling (7). If it doesn't have (3), then it won't need (7), but may have telescoping extension (5) instead.

In short the function combination can be 1, 6, 4, 3, 7 or 1, 6, 4, 2, 5. Since 1 6 4 2 5 has been done twice, in 8285 and 42008, this thing may have 1 6 4 3 7 to carry the novelty value. Also, only one tow truck so far has swiveling.

As I reasoned above, 5 motorized functions with 5 multi-direction switch most likely won't fit a midscale truck. Also as stated in my previous post, the 3 previous trucks all come with extra pieces that demonstrate the functions and increase the playability of the set. Therefore my conclusion is that this set isn't likely to be motorized.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Ngoc Nguyen

[1gor]

@Ngoc Nguyen you forgot one very important function - steering 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Just now, I_Igor said:

@Ngoc Nguyen you forgot one very important function - steering 

Every truck and its grandma has the basic functions (steer, drive, fake engine, opening doors) nowadays already. 

[pleegwat]

@Ngoc Nguyen You didn't mention the possibility of motorized pneumatics. With the newest type of valves the valve block doesn't need to be very large, but I don't think motorised pneumatics with a significant number of functions fits in the budget. Manual pneumatics are a possibility.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

1 minute ago, pleegwat said:

@Ngoc Nguyen You didn't mention the possibility of motorized pneumatics. With the newest type of valves the valve block doesn't need to be very large, but I don't think motorised pneumatics with a significant number of functions fits in the budget. Manual pneumatics are a possibility.

Then they are still manual functions, which is what I was talking about. And manual pneumatics tow truck is sooo 2005.  

Edited January 6, 2021 by Ngoc Nguyen

[1gor]

9 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Every truck and its grandma has the basic functions (steer, drive, fake engine, opening doors) nowadays already. 

Well I could be (mathematically) grand parent ... 42008 did not have drive and fake engine which IMHO is the scale new set will be, but then I do not remember that LEGO used this kind of axle based engine...

[Ngoc Nguyen]

1 minute ago, I_Igor said:

Well I could be (mathematically) grand parent ... 42008 did not have drive and fake engine which IMHO is the scale new set will be, but then I do not remember that LEGO used this kind of axle based engine...

The nonexistence of axle-based fake engine is one reason. The other reason is that 42008 has a gearbox right in the middle of the truck and the drive train.

 

[JintaiZ]

On 1/6/2021 at 12:18 PM, chlego said:

For 149.99? Not sure bout that...

For around 2000 parts and no power functions, the price of $149.99 seems possible.

Edited January 8, 2021 by JintaiZ

[TinkerBrick]

Regarding the price I would suspect something like the 42008 Service truck.

https://brickset.com/sets/42008-1/Service-Truck

Considering the „Price per function“ ratio and its evolution within the last few years - it would certainly not include a motor or pneumatics. Can‘t have both - to expensive in the making.

Edited January 6, 2021 by TinkerBrick

[Bartybum]

8 hours ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Since 2016, all Technic sets with gearboxes use multi-direction gearboxes. One switch for one function.

God I absolutely hate this. It's such a massive waste of space. The way 42009 and 42043 do it is so much better

Edited January 7, 2021 by Bartybum