Bartybum

He frequently came off as a dick.

Laughs in 42043

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Welcome! Typically it's best not to make topics like this, because if everyone did the same the forum would clog up. I'm not sure what to recommend, beyond saying that you should just have a look for yourself. All the threads are open for you to look through @Jim I've noticed these topics pop up from time to time. Would it be a good idea to have a pinned FAQ+introduction topic for newcomers to be able to introduce themselves and ask questions?

Another way would be to use 3D printed offset rims, but obviously that’s not an option for many

I’d be really interested if someone modded this to remove the PU and replace it with non-RC PF so that it can be controlled with levers.

Is this a comment on the lineup or just the use of the number code?

To be honest I haven't really noticed his absence

Oh my god please do. Time to wait for Gobricks to do curved wheel arches lol Also, I uh... I wouldn't mind seeing you have a go at restyling the Sian to have better proportions... especially at the rear

I've heard that the front axle geometry isn't wide enough to accommodate both a differential and steering, but I could be wrong. The two most pressing improvements I'd like to see are a four-speed gearbox and brickbuilt lights. As for other ideas, I'd also be interested to see this thing turned into trophy truck spec with a long travel rear axle.

Yeah maybe you're right. Shame that TLC act like this

That would make six motors, two hubs, four valves, at least two small pumps, not to mention like seven cylinders. While I agree, that'd definitely take it quite some amount above the value of 42100.

That'd definitely be an interesting solution, but it would need two hubs. This is a prime example of the need for more ports, or a separate receiver and battery box.

The reason I'm not so inclined to believe this is that it's exactly the same cost as 42100. To me that suggests they were targeting a certain price point. I don't know how the product design process works though, so it might be that they design a set to a price range and then narrow it down towards the end. It could very well have been the case that it just so happened to line up with 42100. After all, all three 1:8 cars were priced differently. In any case, it's inconclusive but convenient to TLG that they cost the same. I don't accept the argument that LAs aren't realistic. There's no other alternative that's inexpensive, precise AND playable. Pneumatics aren't precise, and remotely operated ones would be insanely expensive. Hydraulics are obviously out of the question because fast hydraulic pumps would be even more expensive. But moving on... I'm by no means a good builder in the slightest, so I'll armchair-MOC here. I'm gonna try make it equivalent in value to 42100, or at least close. Here's my rant about the perfect 42131. Firstly, there's the matter of cosmetics, although I wouldn't expect these to affect the price at all since they're just recolours and a few extra pieces: The roller bogies should be pendular and use yellow pieces. The linear actuators and mounts should be all-black, with no DBG mounts or base pieces. A yellow round 4x4 over the top sprocket to fill it out like in the real thing. From here onward, the problem gets more complex. On one hand, I don't think two hubs are needed, because you never really need to operate two non-driving functions at a time with a bulldozer. The four gearbox functions are presumably controlled by a four-output gearbox, so it should theoretically be possible to fit a larger one with more outputs. If Eric Trax could find the space to fit two hubs and six motors into his PR776 alternate, then there should be enough space in this CAT to fit a larger gearbox. With that, we could add the missing ripper pitch. The issue is that I can't think of any other function for the D11T that needs to be motorised. A larger gearbox to accommodate one extra output, plus two extra linear actuators, don't exactly cost as much as another hub and two more motors, so the price wouldn't be made up with only a larger gearbox. Note that I've said two motors, not three, because the angular motors are more powerful than (and probably more expensive) the XL and L PU motors, so I'll extend an olive branch and assume that two angular motors cost the same as the three XLs in 42100. Because of that, the only other solution I could imagine would be to have two hubs, with a total of six independently controlled functions: 2x drive, 2x blade and 2x ripper. Scrap the ladder because it's boring and unnecessary; it can be a hand-powered function for all I care. That being said, as I mentioned earlier there's no reason the functions need to work at the same time, so the set doesn't need an extra hub and motors. Therefore, I don't think there's any reasonable way to make this set worth its current price. TL;DR: There's no way to do it and keep the linear actuators. There's not enough possible motorised functions to justify only using one hub for the current price, but two hubs is unnecessary for playability. The set should just be $175AUD cheaper, at $575 instead of $750. Make it $600 and call it inflation or whatever. EDIT: Alternatively, RC pneumatics would have been totally ace here, and would have made up for the lack of electronics.

Sorry yeah, this is rather what I meant. It looks so unlike any forest harvester that currently exists.

I'm gonna actually do it properly as OP asked, since some people here are choosing to harp on about systemic issues like pin colours, choice of functions and the current state of the Technic theme, which straight up aren't the point of this topic. Some small details that low-key infuriate me are: The pointless steering limiter pins in the 42050 funny car (sure a real funny car can barely steer, but the model is nearly unplayable because of it) The rear axle in the 42084 hook truck is too far back, and the 5L liftarm underneath the front axle looks ridiculous The wings on the 42066 stunt plane oh my god The crane in the 42043 Arocs can't hyper-extend to sit in the tray and not be comically tall The boom in the 42080 rough terrain crane can't sit flat The cabin in the 42108 mobile crane looks alien and plain wrong The black 36z gear in the rear of the 42100 Liebherr could have so easily been replaced with a DBG round 4x4 brick - it even has the cross axle hole The 42080 forest harvester doesn't have its cabin sitting over the chassis pivot point The crane in the 42128 tow truck is too tall, and looks like it could have easily been lowered

How about walkers?

My infuriating little detail is that almost all of you have misunderstood the point of this topic lol

I have my problems with this set, but what is this noise you're making about it being unplayable? It's a bulldozer. It has angular motors AND planetary hubs, so it will have a hell of a lot of torque to push piles of Lego bricks, or any granular material around. Technic bulldozers are one of the most mechanically simple vehicles when it comes to playability.

Yeah nah TLC you can piss off, the 42100 alternate is more playable better than this, AND has more functions. I'm not impressed with the megablocks motorised ladders and dummy cylinders in the slightest. This and the Zetros scream half-baked for how much they both cost.

Oh what I would give for a low friction version of that straight pin connector. The cross axle one exists but it doesn't hold the two sides together. We could make low friction steering with the thin liftarms.

Perhaps Kossman? He did 42100, after all.

Might wanna become fluent in Google translate for us there, Danil

Very clever, but I still can't wrap my head around what triggers the grabbing and tilting mechanism

Well yes, but if that's true then surely you realise how fake licensing costs are, no? It doesn't cost a dime for Mercedes or Volvo to sign a contract allowing TLC to release a licensed set, so there shouldn't be any extra cost passed on to the consumer. More to the point, that's exactly why the licensing costs shouldn't be included in Ngoc's comparison between 42131 and 42100.