42128 - American tow truck MODS and improvements

[SNIPE]

It's that time again

Post modding ideas below, Here are my ideas (LDCAD pictures will follow soon)

Modded version A:

• Suspension with small travel using springs placed over axles
• Steered 4th axle
• Three outrigger modes: one side only, one end only, or all at once.
• Front Differential
• Differential on suspended axle but in a way that does not move the suspended wheels if they are raised, and that does not also cut off drive to the 3rd and 4th axle.

I could add steering on all axles as well as suspension but I have done this to almost ever model anyhow and I dont think it makes sense for something like this.

Modded version B:

• Full Power functions with pneumatics replaced with mechanical counterparts.
• RC using buwizz 2.0
• LEDs

Regards, Snipe

Edited July 3, 2021 by SNIPE

[suffocation]

I'd like RC drive & steering, with all the other functions motorised à la 42082 (and many more). There should be enough room to move the side outriggers forward and squeeze in a six-function distribution gearbox; another four can be crammed into the crane.

[SNIPE]

21 minutes ago, suffocation said:

I'd like RC drive & steering, with all the other functions motorised à la 42082 (and many more). There should be enough room to move the side outriggers forward and squeeze in a six-function distribution gearbox; another four can be crammed into the crane.

Yeah, a few years ago making this full RC would have been impossible, but thanks to new parts, it may be possible now (but stil hard).

I forgot to mention that the fuel tanks will be a motor but with system parts around it which disguise it as a fuel tank.

[Scoar Sonander]

A better idea than spring would be to use those rubber 2L beams, I'm currently using this in a modded version of the Mack Anthem set, and it proves to be very effective. Personally steering the fourth axle wouldn't provide extra playability. 

[SNIPE]

2 hours ago, Scoar Sonander said:

A better idea than spring would be to use those rubber 2L beams, I'm currently using this in a modded version of the Mack Anthem set, and it proves to be very effective. Personally steering the fourth axle wouldn't provide extra playability. 

It might be easier to parrelel park however, after all these vehicles in real life have to tow cars that are parked in narrow spaces and such.

IDK why, but whenever I see a tow truck I think of cars being reposessed, not if they have broken down, but these trucks are used for both situations.

Here is my progress so far, I think I can get away with fitting springs because rubber beams are more like shock absorbers than springs and are too mushy:

I could not find the new 10290 tires so I replicated having them doubled up by just overlapping the wider tires.

I also did the same with the 15L alternating beams to mimic two 11L alternating beams.

Still a load of work to do as nothing is properly connected as you can see.

Those white connectors will be a life saver for small steering, and I may also just use the springs axle as the steering pivot for the 4th axle. They also hold the CV joints in place and I will clamp the CV joints in.

The yellow 1x1 beams are just place holders for some sort of yellow conneceetor/beam because im not sure how they will end up connecting to the chassis yet.

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by SNIPE

[1974]

This sort of truck is not for towing cars, but other trucks. They're very costly and so is the hourly rate, no need to use this monster when you can use a much smaller trucks/jeeps to tow a car

These US trucks normally do not have sterring on that many axles, I don't think these are ever parallel parked

Springs at this scale means a total rebuild, so that's not a MOD, imho, but a new MOC

If I had this I'd like to have it fully pneumatic with a compressor and a dif in the lift axle (that disengages when it's lifted) while not messing too much with original chassis and cab

Oh, and lower the crane boom! Maybe motorizing the winches ..

I don't care about RC

[1974]

Another MOD would be to make a proper extending boom instead of that silly pre-made outrigger part. The boom should be much more like what we see on mobilecranes

Perhaps something with two 1x11 pneumatic cylinders in series?

[imvanya]

As one of the commenters mentioned in the 10290 Pickup Truck topic, using the new narrower wheels to get double wheels on the rear axles could be a nice mod. It may be tricky, though. I'll just copy my take on that from that topic:

Quote

 

My thoughts exactly, but some modding may be necessary – the wide wheel is only 1.5, not 2 times wider than the narrow one. From what I can tell, simply replacing the wide wheel with 2 narrow ones will leave them sticking out about 3/4 of a stud. It looks like you can make the middle axle 1 stud narrower on each side, but the assembly behind the rearmost wheel seems to be the main thing to work around: