eric trax Posted January 13 It's time to show something agricultural. This time it will be a rather unusual JCB Fastrac 3185 tractor and an Oehler ZDK 180 trailer. The tractor model has been on my shelf for almost two years, so it's time to show it. For comparison, a photo of the original: JCB Fastrac 3185 I must admit that the Fastrac series are some of my favorite tractors. I remember being fascinated by them in agricultural newspapers as a child. What impressed me the most was the fact that they could accelerate up to 80 km/h. These tractors are loved or hated mainly because of their appearance. The 3185 is definitely my favorite. I started building it when it was already known that agricultural tires with a diameter of 81 mm would appear with the 42129 set. The frame was built quite quickly and is significantly different from my previous tractors. I removed the front three point hitch and added a front pendular suspension. The tractor is powered by an L-motor, turns using a servo-motor, and the lift and PTO operate two M-motors. Everything controlled by Sbrick. Then I started building the cabin, which has a rather specific shape. I managed to reproduce it quite well and I am fully satisfied with it. The cabin, of course, has an equipped interior with two seats. The biggest problem I had was with the design of the tractor's hood. It has a specific arch at the front with gille and thin frames on the sides. First, I made it with a sticker, but during one of the exhibitions I came up with the idea to use rounded 1x2 plates. It was a good decision. From the beginning, I didn't plan on making a building manual for it due to the complicated shape of the cabin. I finally changed my mind. This required further corrections, but they were implemented quite efficiently. My reluctance to follow the instructions was also caused by the printed fenders that @SaperPL made for me. Not wanting to cause problems for people who would buy the instructions, I built equivalents from Lego, which increased the number of elements by 130 bricks. The final effect, especially after using the stickers, is great and I must admit that it's probably my favorite tractor now :D OEHLER ZDK 180 Such a long delay in the publication of Fastrac was also caused by the lack of a machine to complete the set. I wanted to build a construction trailer, but I decided that it would be quite similar to my previous Krampe BigBody 550. I did not have traditional trailers in my collection. I kept thinking about an unusual color that would contrast nicely with the yellow tractor. I chose OEHLER ZDK 180. I decided to build the box with 23405 panels, which imitate the sides of the dump box well. Surprisingly, the dimensions of these elements matched the dimensions of the model quite well. The dump box had to be reinforced, of course, otherwise the load would burst it from the inside. I used additional strips so that it is now very stable. The visual effect well reflects the appearance of a real trailer. The dark turquise color is slightly different from the one used in Oehler trailers, and in the photos it looks much bluer than in reality. The dump box also has a side locking mechanism that works like in a real machine. The difference is double-side tipping.The real trailer box tilts in three directions. At the beginning of the construction process it also tilted backwards, but the use of a medium linear actuator made the whole thing very unstable. Finally, the box is lifted by two small linear actuators powered by the M-motor. The maximum load I tested was 4.5 kg. I must admit that this is quite an impressive result. Another interesting fact is that I used 67.8x27 tires, which are a bit larger than they should be, but because they are wider than the 62.4 mm tires, they significantly improve the overall appearance of the model. JCB Fastrac 3185 building instructions: https://reb.li/m/169365 Oehler ZDK 180 building instructions: https://reb.li/m/169574 Photo gallery and video presenting all the models' functions: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Magical Duck Posted January 14 Both the tractor and trailer are nothing short of stunning! Excellent work as always Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1gor Posted January 14 Fastrac looks very nice and clean. Somehow I have expected more functionalities, but I saw it few years ago as prototype chassis... Anyway I like the looks. When Dominator will be released then I can finally finish my 1:18 Fastrac 8330. Kind regards Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jurss Posted January 14 I'm more impressed by that trailer than fastrac. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jundis Posted January 14 The details are really astonishing on both models! Also the steering angle is so nice, did you use the new gear hubs? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1gor Posted January 14 1 hour ago, Jundis said: The details are really astonishing on both models! Also the steering angle is so nice, did you use the new gear hubs? Here you can see more... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eric trax Posted January 14 15 hours ago, 1gor said: When Dominator will be released then I can finally finish my 1:18 Fastrac 8330. I think that nothing bad would happen if you used identical tires on the front and rear axles :) 15 hours ago, Jurss said: I'm more impressed by that trailer than fastrac. Fair enough! I like the trailer so much that I bought bricks for a second copy to test the instructions :D 10 hours ago, Jundis said: Also the steering angle is so nice, did you use the new gear hubs? I used old hubs. The turning radius is small because the tractor does not have front drive. This allows the front wheels to turn so much Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
