Ngoc Nguyen

It looks like there are no knobs to swing the outriggers out in the B model...

I took 42070 out several days ago to do the comparison photos, and it still struck me with awe. It's a very well-designed model, with efficient use of parts, intriguing technical intricacies, and a vivid color scheme. I recalled really enjoying building this one. It's a shame that quite a number of people hate it because of the unreasonable price and the inadequate off-road performance, the latter of which I don't really agree with.

If you build the 42070 according to the official instructions, it's expected that you'll encounter that problem, because the rear outriggers don't extend with the same speed as the side outriggers. I made a small mod in my 42070 to fix that. At the step in the following picture, I use 9L liftarms instead of 7L.

You mean in my 42070? Yes the outriggers don't touch the ground because te model is leaning forward due to the heavy front.

Models with 4 outriggers.

I found this today, and since it hasn't been shared on EB I think it'd be interesting to some people. I don't know if 42070 inspired this truck or vice versa, but at least 42070 kinda does exist in real life.

I know right? My original plan was to build my own red and black, and then buy the official yellow one. When I completed my red-and-black version, I thought that the red-black color scheme looks horrible at first, but it's grown on me. Now I'm not even sure if I'm gonna buy the official set or not. I intend to build the B model in LBG, based on the LBG gear rack holders.

Part list of what?

The crane bros: Tracked Crane vs Spider Crane vs Crawler Crane

What do you think would be the proper scale for the spider crane?

The other day I just thought that after buying this set, I'll order 2 BBox, 7 motors, 4 IR receivers, put them into the Liebherr, and use the Control+ motors and hubs to build my own 42099.

Doesnt improve much, because of the flimsy mounting point with the main model. But the outrigger mod improves the usability a whole lot.

Crane Sr. vs Crane Jr. Default state With all outriggers deployed With boom fully erected The spider crane has a really poor lifting angle.

Here's a video showing how my outrigger mod works. Turn on the sound to hear that satisfying snap click.

I didn't test lifting capacity. I don't know how to do it properly either.

I posted full pictures in the thread 42097 mod.

All the mods I've incorporated are: - New outriggers design. I've got rid of the knobs that extend the telescopic racks through the worm gear, and attach linkages that lower the outriggers and extend the telescopic racks and lower in one movement. The outriggers went down quickly and snap with a click on the table, and that's how I expect them to function. The snap sound serves to notify that the outriggers are locked. The ideal length for the linkage beam is 8L. - I replaced the knobs that lower the outriggers with black technic pole reverser handles (part code 6553). This choice was inspired by the handles for the outriggers in the trailer of 42078 A. I added the yellow half bush to highlight. - I added dual side knobs for the winch. I also added a bigger ratchet that uses the rubber 2L liftarm. This works much better than the flimsy ratchet in the original setup. As the original ratchet is connected to a tan frictionless 3L pin, sometimes it flip backwards and as a result point downward instead of sitting on the gear. - I added dual side knobs for the LA. - I added dual side knobs for the fly jib.

In his review, at 14:24, @Sariel said the function that lifts the upper superstructure seems needless. Now that I have a 42097 replica with me, I can say I disagree with that, as I realize what that function is for. If you don't pop the superstructure up, when you fully raise the boom and fully extend the outriggers, you can't really rotate the superstructure, as the rear of the boom will be stuck between the two outriggers. The following picture has the boom when the superstructure is NOT popped up. The boom in the picture already has my MOD for the ratchet and the dual knobs, but if you go with the original setup in the instruction you will still encounter this problem This one has the superstructure popped up. Notice the position of the crank.

When you google spider crane, most results will give you black-and-red ones. Since I have left over parts from 42082 B, which mostly consist of parts that form the boom, I immediately knew I had to build a black and red 42097. It's also a chance to test my outriggers MOD. It's a nice coincidence that the Bricklink orders for pieces for my own red & black 42097 arrived at the same day as the reviews for 42097 is no longer under embargo (July 17th). Before Sariel uploaded the review, I had been able to reverse engineer and replicate 80% of the real model. My intention is to use the color scheme of 42082, so black and red are prominent colors. Yellow is reserved for accents and highlights of moving parts. I don't have the black 5x7 frames at the moment, but I'm ordering them and will try them on later, to see if the black frames fit better than the LBG ones. So now I proudly present to you guys: This is how big the fully extended Spider Crane is:

I didn't know such a thing exists until I see your comment

That's not how it works D; That's not how any of this works D:

That's too too far from a Mobile Crane....

A 1H RC flagship with licensed and only 463 pieces 42108 is most likely similar in scale with 8053 Mobile Crane (1289 pieces). But then, I have a sense that it's gonna be somewhat unusual. When the info about 42094 Tracked Loader was out, no one thought it would end up being a weird futuristic electric-run log grapple loader with unworkable claws, triangular tracks, rotating cabin, and a two-speed winch gearbox. It's like 42094 has the features that most real life Tracked Loaders don't, and don't have what most real life Tracked Loaders do. I suspect the same will be with this upcoming Mobile Crane. I'm hoping for smaller tractor tires for the Mini Xerion. It reminds me of the same situation in 2012. Flagship 2011 is the Unimog. At the beginning of 2012, the smallest set is 9390 Mini Tow Truck, but it was plain as daylight it was a mini Unimog with less than 100 parts.

Could be a motorbike with a sidecar.

Given that the model will sit on a plane most of the time, having four outriggers at the same angle wouldnt be a problem. Besides, the outriggers are so flimsy that the need to be fully extended to firmly press to the ground. I finished my replica yesterday and experienced this. In the 42097 mod thread that I started, i suggested a linkage design that extend the outriggers fully together when they are lowered. I put that on my replica and it worked marvellously.