Ngoc Nguyen

This thing is soooo cool ohmygosh

Hood lock mod: Replace this part with these To preserve the appearance, the half bush can be removed, and the axle can be pushed in further, at the expense of your nail the next time your want to unlock the hood.

I've just fixed them.

I've finished and tested the PF conversion mod for 42109 and 42124. As shown in the 42129 thread I've already finished the preliminary PF conversion mod for it as well. Each of these sets will have two mod versions: L-motor steer and Servo steer. The reason for 2 mod versions is that the Servo is really expensive, and while some may have some Servo motors lying around, others (including me) may not want to spend 70$ just for a used one. I'll publish the mods for 42109 and 42124 soon.

I want a camper Zetros

I got the Servo in!! No need for complete redesign.

This set will fit nicely into this group photo

The only way to do so is to shift the motor output two studs to one direction. I can't shift it sideway because it will interfere with the shock absorbers and suspension tow arms. I can't shift it downward because the differential is right underneath it. And I can't shift it upward because it will block the suspension travel. I think there are just two ways: either introduce a clutch mechanism between the motor and the 12z gear, or squeeze a servo into the structure.

One, eternity, leh-ter... I've finished modeling the thing. I've finalized the design for the PF conversion mod. The only remaining problem is how to motorize the steering.

I think I found a way to lock the hood! The highlighted part can be replaced with a 4 axle with stop + a half bush. Push it to lock the hood to the chassis. Pull it out slightly to unlock. Modelling the hood is a huge pain in the bottom..

That I've also been trying to figure out. The problem with the servo is that because the axle hole is in the center in one direction only (5 tall 3 wide), it can only be placed vertically. But if I placed vertically, there will be virtually no space left between the front axle and the chassis, which means zero front suspension travel...

When I finish rebuilding the set in Studio and figure out a way to lock the hood

I'm building one with good ole PF in Studio.

Glorious purpose.

@Jim And how do the functions of this set compare with those of other pneumatic Technic sets, like, say, 42053?

Azure made it look like a kid's toy, while it was supposed to be cool and strong

I did that 3 years ago and I immediately regretted the decision after finishing the build...

The two L motors are hard-coupled directly to the old style 4L differential, at the 24z end. The drive train design is simply: L Motor -> 24/24 (center differential mesh) -> a bunch of 16/16 -> 12/28 (axle differential mesh) The differential lock design is more interesting: M Motor -> 16/16 -> 8/24 -> 16/20 (central lock) M Motor -> 16/16 -> 8/24 -> 16/16 -> 16/20 -> 16/16 -> 12/12 perpendicularly -> 12/20 (blue clutch 20) -> 20/12 Very interesting design to synchronize the rotation speed of the two locks. Front axle has a panhard rod.

There's a 90-degree limit for the wave selector in the chassis

Havent seen any mention here, so I'll break the news. There is a new without-friction version of the black 1L pin + 2L axle part, and that version appears in white in the new VW camper van.

A few years ago I'd say that thing is totally an overkill, but given the current trend toward bloating for flagships it's certainly possible

That still reinforces my points that the trucks of that scale are essentially truck + crane (8436 is a tractor truck with a crane) and are released further away from one another than current midscale trucks.

The decision to add the thick 49.5 tyre and scale the midscale truck around it is a brilliant decision. Before that, midscale trucks are scale thin 43.2mm wheels, and they appear once every three years (8258 in 2009, 9397 in 2012, and 42043 in 2015). I know there are other sets that use this kind of wheel, but I don't consider them a part of the midscale truck line (42009 doesn't count to me either). Scaling them around the 43.2mm wheels requires trucks to be bigger, which probably also requires them to have PF or at least to be PF upgradable, which will put them in a higher point range (flagship or pen-flagship points). That, combined with the lower price points that TLG has for an annual line up back then (which caps at 200 ish EUR for a flagship), probably prohibits both the types of truck that can be done and the frequency with which they can be released. All 3 midscale trucks and the 42009 are all crane-ish trucks. Meanwhile, I can't imagine the release of the first 3 midscale trucks (42078, 42098, 42112) as 49.5mm-tyre-scale. At that scale, - 42078 will be too large and has only 3 Technic-ish functions (two stages of crane, outriggers) - 42098 will also be too large and still has only 3 Technic-ish functions (truck upper deck lowering, trailer upper deck lowering, ramp lowering) - 42112 has 1 Technic-ish function, which is rotating the drums. (Technic-ish functions to me are the ones that are not the basic ones, like steer, drive, fake engines, tiltable hood/cabin) Now that midscales trucks are smaller and are completely manual, I'm really curious about what type of model will actually require the thin 49.5 rim. Probably not a truck. Maybe a reach stacker with a proper front dually.

Nope. The steering axle only extends to the 16z gear and not to the pin hole behind.

Since we're talking bout trucks, there's this thing that's been on my mind for quite a while. The good old thin 43.2mm wheels (Arocs's wheels) hasn't been used since 2019. Its last appearance in the Technic lineup was in the Forklift set in 2018. Since the release of the fat 49.5 tyre and the Mack truck, TLG seems to have decided to make a truck around that tyre size an annual thing. The only thing that sets the 43.2 wheel apart is that it can be used for proper rear duallies. But this year TLG has also introduced the thin 49.5 tyre, which presumably can be stacked to make duallies too, and I think they will appear in the Technic lineup in no time. Bigger trucks and cars are designed around the thick 43.2mm wheels (42111, 42029). That makes me question is this part going to be retired, and will it appear in the Technic lineup again. Maybe not retired, as it can be used in other themes, like as motorbike wheels.