thekoRngear

So to deal with it I have to stop buying since whatever Lego released from 2021 and miss the masterpieces/well designed sets like 42128 and 42145 as well? Sorry. I won't deal it that way. Yes, you can tell you were not suggesting/forcing it to anybody but it is courageous enough for anyone, least to say.

Ford GT is 42154. Edit your Thread’s title. Otherwise it might create confusion before entering the thread. The MOC looks beautiful.

For the sake of arguments- let's take year 2016 or 2018 or even 2019- the last best year for TLG's Technic theme [whoever of us think that way]. Whatever the last best Technic year was it is obvious the past few years specifically 2020-2022 Technic lineup from TLG faced backlash criticisms disappointments sentiments etc. to somewhat larger extent especially when the prices also got higher. Disappointments or critiques will always be there- no matter how great the year it is for the Technic Theme. However, I think 2023 is the year Technic at least did not make mistakes/disappointments to such extent. Lets start with mini sets like the 30655 Polybag, 42147 Dump Truck, 42148 Snow Groomer- all of them seem to have no backlash. Then the Monster Jam Series- no complaints there as well I think. Last year, within similar lineup a backlash or two was raised with the introduction of TWO pullback sets where Zero cogs was used. This year no such complaints. Then come the mid-semi big sets- the 42151 Bugatti Bolide (with its Blue version 42162), the Nascar which IMHO has all the upgrades that a Corvette ZR1 should have from the beginning i.e., the proper use of cams in the Engine etc. The Batcycle was a surprisingly solid bike although innovation was almost absent in it. The 42161 is subjectively clumsy. However, this set receives few complaints [or none] in terms of functionality. And if I have to guess correctly I think it has and will continue to have nice and attractive MOCs out in the wild. I think Functional Authenticity-wise the 42151, 42153, and 42155 all have been solid performers. In this range, I have to give the 42152- the Firefighter Aircraft the upper hand although it is big. This set has surprisingly cool Techniques and functions [notably the lever which uses pullback mechanism to power the propellers is pure genius]- something that all of us desire to see in all the sets released within the same year. All right, next up the 42154. I think it is one of its kind especially for the 2023 lineups. It introduces cool new parts which I guess MOC designers will appreciate much. Moreover, it was from Grohl whose last year's only official design was that lime pullback car. However, the Ford GT 2022 could not escape some backlash- i. its scale and ii. the suspension height. But hey! That's Lego Technic, and at the end of the day if all of them are perfect then what we would have to do LOL. In this respect, I have to say whether you like the car savvy 18+ sets or not, this year the 18+ cars have proven to be better. That brings us to the big and beefier sets for the remaining of 2023. The 42156 Peugeot has become a popular set for all the good reasons. Its clever and solid suspension system and rightfully sturdy body are something definitely deserve praises. Even though it has its little quirks I guess it most probably did the 18+ cars series a lot better. The 42158 NASA Rover is a pure genius in terms of....well everything. It may not drive that well on the surface but it definitely incorporates dense Technic building marvels. Almost same to say for the 42157 John Deere Agro-vehicle. It does quite well whatever it was designed for. Yes, the Pneumatics operations' placement is awkward but the parts the build the details the operations are something not to complain much about it. Like the 42161, it also starts to see cool MOCs from Technic veterans. The 42159 Yamaha bike is my 2nd most liked set for 2023 [the first being the 9x8 Hypercar]. Its introduction to the new gearbox pieces is one of the reasons 2023 is an important and perhaps the better year in recent times. Although it is 1:5 it is way less flimsy or wobbly and I think it functions quite well. The 42160 Audi RS Q e-tron is arguably the most enjoyable stock Control+ set to date. It got many things right specially the axle setups, suspension mechanism and steering. The Buwizz team [lead by @Zerobricks ]made an excellent effort to make it faster with better steering. Last but not the least, the 42146 Liebherr Crane. Well, it divided people. However, it is what it is. There are actually a number of people who bought two of the same model and made a giant [more accurate to proportion] LR13000. I can safely say, had it not been released in 2023 the year would still be considered as one of the better/significant year for TLG's Technic lineup. I guess the two factors that affected this year are: 1. the ever increasing price and 2. "too much" cars. However, if I am to put these factors aside, I think this year has brought improvements over the yester years. And although 2020-2022 seem lackluster/uninteresting in terms of lineups I guess each of the year brought significant Technical achievements/serious attempts i.e., 2020's 42114's transmission, 2021's Zetros's Technologies, 2022's H175 Airbus and even the 42139 All-terrain vehicle. Let me know what you guys think of this year especially when compared with the previous years. Just don't shoot me or each other . And let's try not to act like a Lego representative. Free your mind. PS: I did not use any translator. I write my own English. If any sentence/part seems hard to understand- my sincere apologies. I frequently visit to check if I made [mostly] any grammatical or factual error after-the-fact and if I find any I try to edit them as much as possible. Thanks.

42128 has never been a Surface Space Loader. I cannot seem to forget it, sorry

This thread is a much needed one whether you feel PU/C+ is okay or not. I agree when a smartphone "takes control" of the machine it removes all confidence in the longevity. This also is true that, for TLG's ever increasing set complexities [like more parts, more complex operations as described in the first post- specially when they are to imitate the real life construction/working machines] the current electronics are designed So, those who know electronics AND also are bothered by the limitations [more like irritations] caused [or imposed] by the current system can at times raise their opinions their methods their views all from their perspectives in this thread. Positivity really matters here. Just because someone thinks or visions something seems never ever be possible by the nature of TLG [where revenues, costs, RnD and intentions are factors] it does not mean someone has to be [unintentionally] a Lego spokesperson. Cheer up and Free your speech At the end of the day, both Lego and us have to prioritize what people would love to do with the electronics powered machines. I call this EPM lol. For display queens- they love to build it. For EPMS they would love to play with necessary ease and freedom for all the years to come as they are both displayable and playable I think that micro-servo motor is actually essential and no internal gear reduction is pretty much welcomed. Code block is a real challenge. I need Proportional Steering I feel this thread's necessity much like the 7 speed gearbox thread created by AllanP by nature

Lego is not perfect. On the other hand, 90% as good as Lego does not cut it. Let's talk a bit more as to where the Cada parts gone strong and weak : The 2l 3l thin liftarms and 2x4 beams are super solid and honestly, as good as lego But the 2l 3l clutch pins/hybrid pins are not as good. Same to say for all the cross axles except for the 2l black axles. It is a major deal breaker Some panels are thinner and thus more bendable (and more prone to break easily) These are the summary for the parts as complete break down of all the part type is a little bigger. The batterybox that came with the Italian Supercar is not sustainable. 5/6 months later they just refuse to roll the car after 5 minutes of play and after 8/9 months they behave bad. Of course different vehicle with (possibly) lighter weight things can be different. I do not own new batterybox hence cannot comment on that. The motors are really good When Lego designs a 1/8 scale, there are several heads working behind it. They go to the manufacturer more than once, and they know their limitations These Cada sets, with no offence to any designer, come from one head who work so hard designing all that stuffs that going into his final version. From there how Cada handle their finished product is where the success of their future cars lies Just some honest opinions from someone who owned two Cada sets in past few years

Thanks. My black Bush pins come from 2x 42110 and my Sian. Since the 42110 (first one) and 42115 were bought by 2020 I think this one came from the other 42110 which was bought in mid 2022. According to 42110's inventory- it has 13 Black bush pins. This one happens to be one of them I think. I guess they are slowly becoming available.

Guys, below are the two "versions" of a 3L Bush Pin (#32054) in black. The left one is the usual black one. Howevr, out of all the 50+ black bush pins I have the right one in the picture is different. It is not glossy. It is matte. It has that same mushiness/clutching experience that we get from a red 3L Axle pin (#11214). This brings this question to me- is this a different mold? Or just an accident?

yes, it is a combination of U-joint and cv-joints. Maybe I was being a little less clearer/forgot to tell about it fully. It is there; over all four wheels. The front axle seems to carry that jerking ignorably less and both the wheels in the rear seem to have it more. Perhaps the jeep’s rear weight plays a role here- jeep’s body is heavy with all that accessories and that spare wheel. On the other hand, the front only has engine and the hood. The rear wheels’ jerking seems uneven. The left wheel seems to bear it more as its hub is connected to the crown side of the differential. On the other hand, the right wheel’s hub is connected to the that part of differential where there is no crown. Meanwhile, I used the new diff (the one with red gear), the situation seems to improve a little.

That should be the case I think. In my case, the 42110's rear axle's angle (with full weight), although not 90 degrees, is enough to cause that fluctuation. As I have told it already if I press the car a bit it becomes almost flat/straightline and the move is 100% smooth. I think it is a limitation Lego is well aware of and with most recent cars like 42156 42154 etc. Lego strives to improve the situation. I will try to recreate the rear axle with angles and then post pics (and vid if I can) here in this thread when it is ready; so that Zero can chime in, hopefully.

Edited.

Guys, whatever Technic pickup/jeep I build after a few hours to few days to few weeks the vehicle starts to jerk when moving. It happens specially in the rear axle. I checked and found couple a factors could contribute to this issue: if the engine setup is built too tight if the engine pistons are not aligned properly- the infamous ones with 3L brown axles and the half-bushes if the shock absorbers are made stiffer if the DBG control arms (#64872) are connected too tight or squeezed When they are all checked I still continue to find this happening. Finally, since last week as I was building the JB70 pimped up version of 2nd 42110 Defender I found this: as soon as the differential is built and placed within the LBG frame (#64178) and you are done putting the wheel hubs and the connectors or the connecting setup i.e., the 3L axle with bushes and u-joints all going into the little gears inside the differential, this problem starts to arise. When this part of a chassis is built, just slowly turn one of the wheel hubs- notably the one that is connecting to the crown gear of the diff. I noticed that once in every rotation the differential faces a resistance. It is mild. Furthermore, if I keep the build 180 degrees flat on the surface. The wheel hubs rotates/spins/moves the differential just fine but, when the setup is paired with shock absorbers it happens as the absorbers creates an angle necessary for the independent suspension. Interestingly, when the chassis is complete, I put the wheels on, it runs fine, but only for few hours. And then, when the body is built and mounted, it becomes more visible. I also noticed if the jeep is moved faster with slight pressure on it it does not happen. It happens when it is moved slowly. Luckily, jeep/trucks with live axle in the rear are mostly free of this. My Jeep Bruiser/Willy's Jeep MOC and 42126 Ford Raptor both run more smoother. The jerkiness is there, but it is so light and can easily be ignored. From this, I made an assumption that in a solid axle that has steeper shock absorbers positioned at an angle, the u-joints struggle to move the differential smoothly. This causes the whole car to jerk or slight bumps when moving. But oh boy, if I take out any of my jeep/truck with solid axle setup after a few weeks, the initial bumps it makes is annoying. After couple a run, it is reduced, but just by a bit. So, Is this a common phenomena or am I doing something wrong? Any solution to this? I wish I could make a video when I was building that part of the chassis to elaborate it more clearly.

@anyUser's solution works surprisingly well. I have observed - no slightest misalignment of any of the bottom half-bushes. They slide very well. Just push the truck gently either forward or backward. If you observe any of the Engine pistons moves up like popping you will understand it has potential issue. I have not seen such. - With that solved I have found a problem that can be seen from nitpicking level. The Technic gear rack (part #18942) inside the blue crane does not slide out after a long time. A gentle tap on it and then it can slide in and out all day long. Come back after two weeks, or even a month this will appear again. As you can see in the pic I even removed the red notched axle hoping it would ease its behavior but did not. It seems it likes to jam or get stuck after a long while. Any solution? - A good thing is removing the 3L blue beam indeed eases the deploy of the tow bar. Ever since the beam is removed it retracts as it should. I did not know AnyUser did a great review/article on this set at brickset. It is really helpful.

And I can also add and confirm the batterybox starts struggling after 7-8 months given you played it 5-10 mins twice in every month. It struggles with steering so bad. I have used two batterybox so I know this. The Buwizz ones can cope well for long run IG. Actually, it's an achievement that a car this heavy (more or less 2.5 KG) can be played on an average 8 minutes straight 7-8 months with this batterybox.

@Spagboll 🙏🏻 I think for form over function, the Defender does an amazing job; it simply strikes a perfect balance between function and form. Keep the body shell intact, do as much tweaks and mods you like to do on its chassis until you are pleased- it still looks and feels good without any significant changes to the display. i. Since the model is built I cannot show you the inner chassis changes that I have made through. Yes, I had made a video of the chassis just when I thought I had done enough only to realize and make further refinements to the chassis lol. The final shape was not recorded. The only thing about the chassis that might be noteworthy to you is the drivetrain. I have took a photo of the bottom part of the car and you will see how much it is kept as possibly close as to the main drivetrain. Just keep in mind [from the original instructions] you will keep the 8t/24t gearing in the very back [with the rear diff] intact. Then, when you are installing the center diff [step 75] you are skipping the whole rear gearbox thing and also the rubber band/gear shifting thing and continue from thereon. And lastly, when you are done building the front gearbox, you will replace the red clutch gear [at step #220] from the front part of it [that bunch of 16t cogs that get connected to the Engine] with a 16t regular gear. Since the universal joints are omitted, it should not be hard for you to figure out which yellow and red axles are to be excluded. Howevr, it has its sacrifice. In the original model, if you keep either of the gear levers in the central console, the Engine pistons won't move. The jeep is in neutral mode. With a regular 16t gear placed in, it is not possible to have the neutral mode in such way. You have to keep both the sticks in the middle. Okay, seems complicated? If so, let me have a week or two. I have planned to take the body shell out of my Defender. I will have some photos of the chassis. It should give you clearer details. In my first mod which you referred to I have used a 4 speed H-shaped gearbox from Dgustafsson [based on Sariel]. The Defender chassis actually could not hold it very well due to its over-dependence on so many different connectors and 1x2 beams. At 4th speed the engine pistons would move too fast causing the half bushes and red bushes get out out of their place. That is why I decided to switch to a simple 2-speed gearbox and then after a careful observation [massive thanks to Racingbrick's 6+ min long video] I finally was able to learn how the gearbox works [almost 3 years after its release] and then it was relatively easy for me to figure out what to keep and what not. ii. For the tailgate, I have kept the original building of the hinging mechanism [it is super tricky, the designers did amazing job]. See the pic below: What I did : I replaced the 3l axle pin that connects to the 3l black bush pin at step 478 with a 4L axle so that the whole tailgate stays reasonably on the its axis because let's face it: the tailgate cannot keep the heavy Defender wheel when attached to it. It tends to bend/get slightly out and that looks bad IMO. Now, on the top, I have used that 3l axle pin which I removed in step 478 and added a DBG Technic pin connector #15100 so that it holds the tailgate from the upper side to the right part. You see the place right beneath the rear seats? This time I have used 5x 5L LBG beams so they look covered [and peaceful]. iii. There are some other visual changes, look at the rear lights. Since I do not display my Sian as main model, I managed to get extra parts after building a MOC out of it. How do you like the red lights? Also, I have added 4 (2x on each side) exhausts in the bottom. They IMO don't look bad. One thing that bothered me always is the ladder's position in the Defender. I have changed its position too. Now they look aligned [on both sides] Finally, how's the black accent [the black "stripe" throughout the body]? Also, I have replaced some olive green 1x2 and 2x4 beams with black ones near the rear fender. I guess they look Not Bad. Your impression is important. A bonus: the white beam beneath the dashboard that has the Defender sticker is lousy. It sorta hangs due to poor support. I have made it sturdier. Luckily I have taken a photo of it when building. Look at the picture and you can figure it yourself. If you continue to take a look at the pics, you might discover even further little tweaks which I cannot keep track of.