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Hi, I hope they will make a different color scheme. In this thread it was told TLG will send replacement 4 LAs! I think it's very complicated for TLG to do damage limitation. On one side they have to admint some fault, on the other side they have to keep the basic things in the set the low cost to keep. So my opinion is that the LAs have a great impact on the malfunction and are easily to replace. No new building instructions, no new sets, they only have to exchange the LAs in the already produced boxes and they can easily produce and deliver these Service Bag. I would say that what TLG is doing now is technically not optimal, but economically AND technically in sum optimal. As we can see in this thread there're also a lot of other possibilities to improve the functioning of the set. For sure, the designers don't have the time to create and test each possibility. It's also possible to coat (?) the inner plastic with metal. Hasn't TLG some parts in chrome? I don't know if chrome would be sufficient for this. But the friction for metal on metal will be much lesser than metal on plastic. Just my thoughts about this.

To save space you could use the smaller pump (http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/x191c01). I've seen setups with two pumps alternately pumping to have a better constant flow of air. Great setup so far! I never imagined this could be possible.

One of my sons has 7990 and I was amazed by the correctness of the drum. Unfortunately the drum is a two part piece which can't be really used anywhere else. But it's to small for a technic creation I think.

Perhaps they realize now that the LAs have a poor performance under load? My first impression (on set 8264) with the LAs was that I thought they are made very cheap. It is possible that TLG has locally produced parts which are perhaps better than the parts made somewhere else!? Nevertheless, it's good to see that TLG has found the weakness (in the LAs) and is going to fix it. Someone here also said that with disconnected LAs the axles turn normally, so it is plausible that the LAs are the (main) problem. Also that the problem occurs after awhile of playing seems reasonable for bad LAs. So my hope grows that TLG will soon release the fix and sell again the set.

Wow, I can't believe what TLG and their customer service is doing! This is great! I hope they find a solution. As soon as I'm back from my vacation in the end of september I hope this set is fixed and available again so I can buy it then

Yeah! Great! Fast! The technique reminds me about a MOC I build in about 1985. I wanted to build a strong tracked vehicle, but I only had one motor (8700). So I used a diff like you did and I had to block the left or right track manually with a lever. I was proud to made a tracked vehicle with one motor which can steer. And I let it drive over my LEGO bricks. Well, you just revived my memories.... Yours is very fast and it has very good suspension. Now you just have to build a nice (tank?) body around

I saw the same with my 8880. As stated above, no solution is to put the rack more up or down. But you could put the rack more forth or back!? I checked my brand new 8297 and this one doesn't have this issue! All is quite parallel.

Perhaps try another browser?

I like the knees. Are they wheels inside out? Great look What are the functions of this crane?

Yes, the original bucket is not optimal for this excavator. But hey, the bucket is great for the B-Model I always thought the point of rotation for the bucket is not right for a excavator. But perhaps the original one can also be "optimized"!? I'll looking forward to get this set, but sadly not before the end of september because we're in vacation...

Nice construction site Is the movement of the reversed bucket sufficient?

Great idea! I've never seen such a crane before, so I think this is really unique.

e.g.: http://technicbricks.blogspot.com/2010/03/tbs-techtips-30-pneumatic-auto-valves.html But for sure this takes a heavy load on the parts.

Yeah, that's wondering me too. Perhaps the look and functions overweight the playability? TLG also says they bake them to test if they resist heat. I'm wondering if 8043 was working after TLG had baked it As someone said here before, perhaps we have reached the maximum complexity what can be safely build by the common consumers!?

Clever construction. Problem could be that the valve can't be put in neutral position!?

Yes, at this time there was no idler gear in this form! The second post is over two years old, but still useful. You can see that the safety clutch is between the orange axle connector and the white tube. If this safety clutch is used only by one LA but not on the other, they will for sure get out of sync. And if that happens, the only thing which could help is to seperate the gearing between the two LAs and recalibrate. This is getting very interesting...

To get a impression of the LA looks like inside: http://technicbricks.blogspot.com/2008/07/tbs-techreview-02-technic-pf-linear.html I don't see much what can get worse over time.

If you turn a axle of a LA to maximum length, I've noticed that at the end the whole inner structure of the LA will be turning. The cylinder around can be rotated freely. What does this mean? Not only you have to be sure both LAs are extended the same, you also have to be sure that when connecting gears to the LAs, both LAs have to be in the same state. Otherweise they have not the same length! I discovered this while building 8265. So I think the best would be to expand both LAs to maximum till the stop. Then align the boom-connector of the LAs to each other. And only after this attach the gears or connect the two LAs together. I hope I can soon check this myself with 8043 (It's very complicated for me to explain this because english is not my native language. Hope someone understands it.)

Hi, yes, that sounds very interesting. But these are only thoughts, or? Is there something to buy already? Yeah, it seems the education products come to the rescue Just found http://guide.lugnet.com/set/9641 which is available over amazon This would satisfy a lot of my pneumatic needs

Hi, I like 8048 a lot and had managed to put PFs inside. (OK, battery box was more outside as a back pack, but it worked.)

The hope for more pneumatics meltdown... With 8049 I got my first little pump and really rediscovered pneumatics (before I had only the old pneumatic system sets 8851 and 8040 and the new pneumatic set 8862). To construct a electric pump out of the old pumps (or better cylinder with spring) is a real pain. I tried it and they get very big und don't work very good. To construct a electric pump with the "new" hand pump (http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/2797c01) is better (if you have at least two of them) but still it gets very big. I'd really like to see more little pumps and bigger cylinders. PS: Hopefully I'll soon finish http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=4537715 . Until now I've integrated the electric pump into the drive section and redisgned the boom. I only have to optimize the super structure for better appearance.

Hi, I know Technica and I have it in my bookmarks. But your way of presenting new parts is more appealing to me :-) For referencing, Technica is great. But to see how the parts have evolved I found your Technicopedia more informative. Perhaps because you present new parts introduced each year, on the same page where all the new sets are presented. There I get a better overview and understanding of why a new part was made. Thanks :-)

Hi, this seems to get yery high! Couldn't you use the 20 tooth gear from the diff which goes to the piston motor? You could then attach the motors horizontal. Or add a 12 tooth to the axle which goes to the piston motor and gear up from there? Nevertheless, nice MOD.

This is the first time I see this. Good thing is that it is compatible with LEGO bricks. But after looking on some of the models I must know what I love with LEGO bricks: There're not much specialised bricks, so you can build mostly all sets but if you only have a few sets! With this MEGA* thing you have specialised parts in every set! And so you aren't able to build another set if you don't have it! I more like the idea to have few different parts to build all I can imagine!

I only can say: Wow! Great work! The Technical Fundamentals helped me to find out if I have all the important technic parts :-D Keep up the good work, Blakbird!