TECHNIC Sets from 2010

[Blakbird]

Oh please let this be the explanation. Otherwise I would be really disappointed.

It seems likely to me that it is simply the on/off switch for the battery box. It may be difficult to access the switch without this extension.

[Sumendar]

As someone on the technicbricks already commented, the batterybox is the other way around, the lid/base colours are clear in some of the photos, the switch behind the box.

[Anio]

It seems likely to me that it is simply the on/off switch for the battery box. It may be difficult to access the switch without this extension.

No.

On this photo we can see easily that the switch of the battery box is on the rear of the excavator.

[Musikfreak]

I can't find the picture anymore. I think it was the 3. from technichbricks (the old ones before he changed it) - the one where the model wasn't behind glas but in a line with other models. If I remind correctly on this picture the red piece wasn't straight up but switched to one side. So I think it is a switch - it just has to be associated to the red stick on the remote.

Edited February 7, 2010 by Musikfreak

[Sumendar]

I had saved that picture, you're right. It is actually flipped towards the battery box, which would be consistent with a row of connected driving rings in front of motors under the battery box (I think you can see one of the motors in some of the pictures).

[Enilder]

i guess i better save up! i wish they released close to 2000 pieces...boo :(

[Anio]

If I remind correctly on this picture the red piece wasn't straight up but switched to one side. So I think it is a switch - it just has to be associated to the red stick on the remote.

I noticed that too.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Anio

[JunkstyleGio]

@ Anio!

Since there was mention of multiple other pictures on TechnicBricks, do you have those? I seem to have missed them....

Edit 2:

Never mind...

Found them already with Google cache!

Edited February 8, 2010 by JunkstyleGio

[backbone]

[LordGalewind]

American Toy Fair images are in...looks like we get to see almost everything finalized.

Check FBTB's Flickr Photostream to view em all.

Also piece count and prices are as followed:

8043 Excavator - 1123 Pieces - $199.99

8051 Motorbike - 467 Pieces - $39.99

8052 Container Truck - 686 Pieces - $69.99

8053 Mobile Crane - 1289 Pieces - $99.99

Dashing looks and functionality greatness. The prices are very reasonable...all except for the excavator. Comparing the 8275 Bulldozer (1300+ parts, 2 M-motors, 2 L-motors, 2 IR receivers, Battery Box, and controller) to the excavator(1100+ parts, 4 M-motors, 2 IR receiver, Battery Box, and 2 controllers)...the addition of one more remote control and four linear actuators may be what drove up costs so much. Even so with less parts but with more things crammed into it, I don't think $200 sounds very reasonable.

Edited February 15, 2010 by LordGalewind

[HyperBlade]

Direct link to the Technic photos in FBTB's Flickr Photostream

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=technic&w=40714885@N07

[CP5670]

A $200 price would be unprecedented in recent times. I don't think I will buy it at that price, as even at $150 it would have been a tough sell. The last time we had a Technic set that expensive was 8485 back in 1995, and TLG hasn't priced anything in the theme nearly as high again. If it does get released at $200, I would expect the price to drop sharply as we saw with 8063 for example.

Among the other sets, the crane looks like a good deal. That might be worth getting for parts even if you already have 8421.

[Sumendar]

Ah crap, at that price it will only be available in TRU (highest Lego prices in the city) here, if even there (they do stock mindstorms, so I'm hopeful). Still, will be buying. We get the privilege to pay through the nose anyway, so what's another 50 euros on top of 180-190? (crane truck's MSRP is 189€ here) Of course, there's the possibility that the price hike was NA only, or at least won't be as bad here.

[Sumendar]

Readable from the box "Remote controlled driving, stearing[sic] and turning", so that's the last fear of only back-and-forth movement dissolved.

[Siegfried]

Direct link to the Technic photos in FBTB's Flickr Photostream

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=technic&w=40714885@N07

Stunning pictures. You can practically build them!

The crane looks horrid from the rear, but I suppose it'll look better with the stabilisers retracted. It doesn't seem to have a drivetrain either.

EDIT: On the other hand this photo (taken by me in 2000) shows that a LTM 11200-9.1 (which has a similar stabiliser setup) looks odd from the rear too. Good work TLG!

[tomacwhite]

The Mobile Crane is kinda simple in its design, I was hoping for a more chunky look like the older model. No drive chain is a shame too, esp at the price and when comparing it to the recent Front Loader.

The worst part is the Excavator price, it will probably be £199.99 in the UK!! :| Ouch. The Crane Truck is £129.99 over here versus $149.99.

[Jetro]

The Crane Truck is

Edited February 15, 2010 by Jetro

[Tobbe Arnesson]

I'm so getting the excavator! I was hiding under a big rock when the Bulldozer arrived and need to get my hands on a both IR and linear actuators. Was considering s@h to get the PF-parts but now I'll wait for the excavator instead. :D

Seems TLG finally made some nice remote control stuff! :D

[Blakbird]

Some things I noticed:

Container Truck:

• Doesn't seem to actually have a container with full sides. More of a flatbed instead. Still, it looks like it can be unloaded.
  
• Blue panels, woohoo! I wish it had some of the big 1x5x11 panels in blue. though. I think Han's truck would look great in blue.
  
• Curved 11x3 panels in light gray.
  
• Red axle on the left side seems to be a clear gear (function) selector.
  

Motorcycle:

• Black and red panels.
  
• New wheels. Still can't tell if the tires are from 8420, but I don't think so.
  
• 40 tooth gear for rear sprocket.
  
• Interesting exposed crankshaft.
  

Excavator:

• LOTS of yellow panels.
  
• 4 linear actuators, 4 M-motors, 2 IR receivers, 2 controllers.
  
• I am surprised the treads are dark gray rather than black.
  
• The U-joint going to the linear actuator for the bucket (the one furthest out the arm) is operating at an extreme angle, almost 45 degrees. This will make it pretty inefficient but I assume LEGO has done the testing to make sure it won't bind. The output speed will be non-linear (jerky), but if it is slow enough you may not notice.
  
• The use of U-joints to send torque up the arm from motors in the chassis rather than having smaller motors located at the point of load means that there will be LOTS of U-joints. Every articulation point of the arm has to have a corresponding U-joint for each function passing that axis.
  
• I don't like the dark tan color of the new 3L axles with stop. Nothing else is that color so it doesn't fit. I guess I am getting used to tan on the pins long without friction and the axle pins without friction.
  
• I see more of the new idler (clutch) gears driving the main linear actuators.
  
• The red gear (function) selector looks manual, but the red lever on the controller suggests that it is used as a motorized function switcher. It may be that the red part on the model is just an indicator of the selected function. The angle of the sticker is a bit too oblique in the image to be able to tell which functions are switched, but I think it switches between the dipper and the bucket (two outer linear actuators). If so, this will make it hard to "dig" realistically since you need to operate both at once.
  
• The image is too dark around the treads to see much about the drive system.
  
• I like the operator's cabin.
  

Crane:

• Definately considerably smaller than 8421.
  
• Several more yellow panels and some good old yellow studded Technic beams.
  
• Appears to have 6 wheel steering controlled from the rear.
  
• Worm gears at each outrigger foot means they won't backdrive like they did in 8258.
  
• I don't see any type of engine.
  
• Red function selector on left changes from boom luffing to winch. Looks like another function selector on the right but I can't tell what it does. One function is telescoping.
  
• I don't see an obvious place to add a motor or battery box, but I'm sure you can.
  
• Do the outriggers deploy via a gear system or manually? It would be an awfuly long moment arm for a plastic axle to deploy.
  
• When the boom is down and the crane is rigged for transport, does to whole boom move aft?
  

Naturally, I will be buying all of them. I pretty excited about it. Go Technic!

Any work or images of the alternate models?

[Zerobricks]

Naturally, I will be buying all of them. I pretty excited about it. Go Technic!

Any work or images of the alternate models?

You are a very rich man.

In the crane picture, you can see a new gearbox, which i suppose is also used ine excavator tread drive.

[dr_spock]

I wonder if the 8043 excavator will be available in Canada. The 8258 crane truck wasn't sold here. May have to travel to the US again...

If $200US is too pricey, we can always try to mod an old 8294 into a red 8043.

[Cwetqo]

Find the Hi-Res pic on Flickr and take a look at the sticker next to red lever. It could be clearly seen that it has two positions, on showing the arrows next to the arm and other one on the base of the excavator.

So, my best prediction is that in one position we will control both thhreads and rotation and in other position we will operate three movements of the arm.

This, at least for me, would be the best solution because it would mean that excavator would be really full remote control and that we could operate two or three movements of the arm at the same time.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Cwetqo

[Musikfreak]

The red gear (function) selector looks manual, but the red lever on the controller suggests that it is used as a motorized function switcher. It may be that the red part on the model is just an indicator of the selected function. The angle of the sticker is a bit too oblique in the image to be able to tell which functions are switched, but I think it switches between the dipper and the bucket (two outer linear actuators). If so, this will make it hard to "dig" realistically since you need to operate both at once.

Actually I don't think you are right here. I think the switch changes between driving (steering & turning) and the 3 dipper LAs.

If you compare the pics on the sticker you can clearly see (ok it's a bit hard but I'm pretty sure the more I look at it) that the excavator on the left has arrows in front and behind the treads (the space between the bucket and the treads is filled on the left picture). On the right the arrows could be on the left and right of the dipper arm meaning that the dipper section is selected.

The picture is quite promising I think.

edit: I was too slow here.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Musikfreak

[Cwetqo]

No problem, I'm glad that someone else thinks (and see) the same as me.

Im realy looking forward to the gearing which will change the gear on three different axis simultaneosly.

[freakwave]

@ 'Blakbird'

- The U-joint going to the linear actuator for the bucket (the one furthest out the arm) is operating at an extreme angle, almost 45 degrees. This will make it pretty inefficient but I assume LEGO has done the testing to make sure it won't bind. The output speed will be non-linear (jerky), but if it is slow enough you may not notice.

I rebuild the arm and you are right, unless I do a bit more finetuning, the movement is, well as you noted, a bit jerky.

- The use of U-joints to send torque up the arm from motors in the chassis rather than having smaller motors located at the point of load means that there will be LOTS of U-joints. Every articulation point of the arm has to have a corresponding U-joint for each function passing that axis.

There are a total of 8 U-Jointup the arm! Has there been any set with more? Well it is an equalizer, sets with 8 x 4L U-joints do exist! The routing of the axles to drive the LAs is great.

in my BS Folder

arm contracted

arm extended

fW

Edited February 15, 2010 by freakwave