Technic 2015 Discussion and Speculation

[andythenorth]

I spy a a 20t gear in the C-frame on the torque tube. Dunno what that's doing. Or I'm wrong, which is more likely.

My money is on the track frames being mounted via 2 3x3 L-shaped thin liftarms, rotating through king-pin axles in the corner of the L , and joined via a gear rack (which is upside down).

Weird geometry due to the angled steering kingpins, solved by steering both front and rear. But eh, who knows.

[Alasdair Ryan]

I agree with what has been said,the small black gear would probably be for the crane along with the smooth axle joiners in front of it.

I expect that there is a gear hidden behind the cab.

Jim, won't it be better to move all this things to a new "42038 (if I remember the name correctly) opinion topic"

That defeats the purpose of this 2015 set discussion topic.

[PROlego]

Well we have specific discussion topics for other sets.

[Maaboo the Witch]

Like Zblj said, I think the steering works by tilting.

[Jim]

That would be awesome.

[Mestari]

Now I'm more interested to see if there is any pneumatic model for the H2...

As for the 42038, my bet is there is no steering at all :(

[shimon]

There's a 5L axle with stop and an axle connector going out of the C frame 1+1 guys..

[rollermonkey]

I don't understand why a 5L w/ stop automatically means steering. That's not 1+1. TLG designers use them all the time for structural purposes. The same applies to connectors.

The only way I see steering happening from the one view we've got is if the front tracks rotate as a pair around a common central point. Maybe there's something else, but whatever it could be, it's not all that obvious.

Actually, I think that is exactly what's happening. The tie-rod behind the front track is probably paired on the other side, and the two together move the front treads together around a central point, perhaps with a turntable.

There are three knobs needed for the crane, and we only see two. Turntable rotation, linear actuator extension for boom up/down and hook raise/lower. The hook one is on the arm, no clue where the third one is.

Edited October 23, 2014 by rollermonkey

[GoldVillage]

Nah, the knobs for the crane can clearly been seen - they're both in the center near to it, the small black gear and the black 2x1 connector next to it. Those two controls the rotation and the actuator, the other two controls is on the crane themself. The question is, where is the knob for the steering? (if any)

[aol000xw]

It looks symmetrical, I reckon there is no steering.

[anton1678]

If it could steer, they would make it visible in the photo, tilting the tracks or rotating them.

I was thinking about how they could put something like rotating tracks in, but those shock absorbers seem like they are restricting such movement

[rollermonkey]

That's why I suspect the suspension rotates with the treads...

Nobody else is curious what the link arm is for behind the front tread?

[anton1678]

Nobody else is curious what the link arm is for behind the front tread?

I thought that might be something to do with steering, but they are also on the back treads if you look closely

This is probably an extra way to hold it together

[dhc6twinotter]

I think the links are just used to keep the axle centered. The geometry isn't really correct, but this is how LEGO has done it on the Crawler and Monster Truck.

I believe there is steering on the model, but I suspect it is on the front axle only. The rear axle assembly doesn't look as complicated.

[rollermonkey]

Absolutely agree. The back is much easier to see, and certainly looks uncomplicated enough that there's no steering back there.

[shimon]

A. There's absolutely no point reinforcing the front assembly if there isn't any steering

B. TLG won't use parts for no reason

C. The steered model would be tilted a bit so I assume it wouldn't look good for the main pic

D. I would put gears to both crane functions at the back but then the steering looks tough so I'm not sure whether the 12T can be used for steering

[Wiseman_2]

I do think there is steering on the front axle at least. Somebody earlier in the thread already put together an LDD mock-up I think which showed it should be possible. Looking at the box image, it's easy to to see a gap between the beams on the rear axle, so it looks like there is no steering there. I don't see why the two axles would be different if one of them didn't have steering.

[andythenorth]

Ok, so looking at the box shot again...

The entire track frame is free to rotate about the upper sprocket. I think there's probably a 5.5l axle with stop.

I wasn't sure, but thinking again, rotating track frames are essential to keep the tracks on the ground given that the c-frame etc are not horizontal.

If the kingpin inclination from vertical is only shallow, rotating track frames might be enough to prevent the tracks presenting horrible angles when steering.

Fun guessing game eh?

[Cumulonimbus]

I don't doubt that there is steering on a vehicle of this scale, but what intrigues me is the geometry of this illusive steering:

As far a I can see, the axles seem to be similar in design as the those of the Unimog. This means that the axis of rotation of the hubs will not be perpendicular to the floor (In the Unimog this caused some undesirable effects on the steering). As a result, there is a angle between the axis of rotation of the tracks (which is always perpendicular to the floor) and the axis of rotation of those hubs. This angle could be used to generate a steering action linked to a movement such as body roll.

So in short, I think Zblj is on to something when he said this machine might be steered by tilting the body.

Edited October 24, 2014 by Cumulonimbus

[andythenorth]

There have been technic buggies before with tilt steering, they're fun. They usually use quite steep inclination.

[anton1678]

This shock absorber looks like it is directly connected to the body, and it looks like it would restrict most forms of steering

It looks like there's some sort of movable joint connected to the track, there's a red 2L axle visible in connection

That might allow movement for steering, but it really depends on how it's connected to the body

[rollermonkey]

That shock absorber is why I was imagining a turntable to rotate tracks, bogies, suspension all together. The shocks could connect below a turntable permitting steering. Those link arms are far enough out from centerline to get some good geometry/leverage to turn all of that together. That would mean the mechanism for steering would be in the middle of the vehicle (front-to-back) and the steering knob could then easily be on the back and out of sight, a-la 42009.

I could be 100% wrong, but yeah. The speculation is fun.

Edited October 25, 2014 by rollermonkey

[anton1678]

From what everyone is saying on this, you'd think TLG is purposely trying to mislead us with these snapshots. (I'm not saying they aren't )

I've found a ball joint on this, another sign of possible steering. It's right where you'd think a ball joint would be on this

One of those knobs in the middle might actually be used for the steering, like previously suggested, because there should only be 3 knobs for the crane

• One is on the crane (black 12t bevel gear)
  
• One is on the base of the crane (tan 20t bevel gear)
  
• One is the black 12t bevel gear on top of the black 2L axle extension
  

This leaves one remaining knob (black 2L axle extension), doesn't it?

[dhc6twinotter]

The tan gear isn't a knob; it meshes with the mini-turntable to make the boom slew.

[GoldVillage]

From what everyone is saying on this, you'd think TLG is purposely trying to mislead us with these snapshots. (I'm not saying they aren't )

I've found a ball joint on this, another sign of possible steering. It's right where you'd think a ball joint would be on this

One of those knobs in the middle might actually be used for the steering, like previously suggested, because there should only be 3 knobs for the crane

• One is on the crane (black 12t bevel gear)
  
• One is on the base of the crane (tan 20t bevel gear)
  
• One is the black 12t bevel gear on top of the black 2L axle extension
  

This leaves one remaining knob (black 2L axle extension), doesn't it?

Misleading us? if they do, they would only make us believe in something that doesnt exist - never vice versa. If it was steering in this model, they would show us. However one last chance is the interesting theory about the tilting steering... but from what i see i highly doubt that the 3 link (or is it 4?) suspension can be used for steering because it doesnt seems to be any more links in the center of the axles.

And for the crane look closely again, the knobs needed for operating crane is already there. Both knobs in the center are needed for crane: rotating, and for actuator. The other two controls is on the crane themselfs.

Edited October 25, 2014 by GoldVillage