Bartybum

Going by your assumptions, then sure, why not? PU needs either a battery box with more than two ports, or extension cables with 2-4 ports coming off each one, like what can be done with USBs. Channel selection should work between multiple battery boxes for the same device, and custom controller setups should also be possible like with Sbrick. A controller with proportional control sticks and channel selection is also needed, since the current train one is lacking from what I’ve seen. Less garish colours would be welcome too, since white motors don’t blend too well with Technic’s mechanical greys. If TLC can do this over the course of a couple years without an insane price spike then by all means, please. At its current state though, PU isn’t yet modular enough to be well integrated into the Technic line.

God I really hope not.

The thing is, functional brakes that use the rubber really don't wear out the rubber that much, since they're sparingly applied. I think there's undeserved hesitation towards functional brakes. Personally I don't really care for it, since they tend to take up valuable space that could be used to improve steering geometry and suspension.

I was considering getting some of these, but watching your reviews makes me think none of them really seem worth getting (any time soon anyway). I already have 42043, 42030 and 42055 so I more or less have all the important special parts. It's definitely a better lineup than last year when looking at set variety, but for quality vs. price it yet again feels hit and miss (although less so than last year). 42080 just straight up doesn't seem worth the cost - the PF is so unnecessary, especially considering that 42053 introduced a brand new hand pump. 42081, although looking awesome, leaves me feeling disappointed that TLC a) didn't give it PF, and b) chose the most boring of the prototype vehicles to sell. Seriously, some of those excavators look absolutely insane. The colours are also also all over the shop. 42082 also looks cool, but the longer I look the more I realise it's just 4000 parts for the sake of 4000 parts. It's so pointless, and like 42081 there's so much mess on top of the superstructure, particularly the two random panels. There's also no excuse for the boom not to go flat, regardless of what people have been saying. I'm pretty negative but I think I'm justified. A lot of the sets this year have just been beams and wheels (so many god damn wheels). I'm bored of that and definitely think TLC can afford to do SO MUCH better. I want ball joint linkages, more suspension, more torque tubes, more pneumatics (especially in the smaller sets!). Instead we just get even more beams, gears and wheels. Nice reviews anyway though, I always really enjoy watching them :D Looking forward to your 42079 video!

@BabaGanoosh Considering you're an engineering student I'd really recommend something highly technical like the 42043 Mercedes Benz Arocs 8x4. It's easily Lego's best set in the past 5-10 years. It has solid axle suspension on all 4 axles, an openable cab, an i6 engine, a tipper, outriggers and a pneumatic knuckle boom crane powered by a motorised compressor. Most of the good aircraft sets are discontinued. There's the 42066 air race jet. It looks a bit wonky but it has steerable and retractable landing gear, a ducted fan that opens behind the cockpit, a VTOL function on the rear thruster, and joystick control surfaces. It's like a small version of an F-35. There's a user here called Efferman, who modified the set's wings to actually make it look like an F-35 too. There's also the 42052 heavy lift helicopter, which had coaxial rotors and a belly winch. Not much other than a cool looking set. There's the 42025 cargo plane, which had an opening cargo bay, joystick control surfaces, flaps, retractable landing gear and moving propellers. There was also the 9396 helicopter, which had pitching rotors like a real helicopter. Like I said these are all dicontinued sets, so you can't find them in store any more other than probably 42066. You should be able to find the rest for a decent price on BrickLink.

42030 becomes absolutely fantastic when you modify it to use linear actuators for smooth steering, and give it an openable claw that can grab multiple attachments.

Would've preferred a Brickheadz Porg to be honest. The UCS one definitely looks like a Porg though, even if its mouth is a wee bit big and it looks like it's crying for death lol

Replace the tracks with legs and we literally have a strandbeest!

Looks really nice but my friend you need bigger props

Doesn’t cost per mass generally give a much closer approximation?

Nah <0.10 is reserved for flagships with heaps of pieces. Actually doing the math here, without PF I’d expect it to be $150AUD, like 42053 was, since they’re at similar piece counts, and that Volvo’s license is pretty cheap from what I’ve seen. If you add the PF components, by S@H prices that raises it by $34, making the set ~$185, not $200. So I guess it isn’t THAT much overpriced, but there’s definitely some price rounding going on which I don’t like.

Looking good ?? only thing is now to give it a little bit of booty. Those rear bumper panels could also do with a redesign

@bonox Oh man you just gave me an insane idea. What about a Theo Jansen Strandbeest? I’d like to see Technic start tackling walkers

@BrickbyBrickTechnic lol I have to admit that’s pretty funny By the way it’s up on S@H now! $200AUD/$150USD, so same price as 42081. Piece cost is $0.20/p though, so really iffy pricing. Parts are about twice as expensive as 42082. Leaving out PF really would’ve helped this set’s cost, but first timers need a cheaper way to get it than 42082. Probably won’t buy until half/a year down the line when it’s cheaper.

Another problem. If you add the crawler, you need the boosters and EFT, otherwise you just have a lone Shuttle and crawler, and that’s weird. That’s an absolutely giant Technic set, even if the crawler transporter is below scale. Well beyond 4K pieces imo

Oh hell no matey, 42042 could be so much better, both by size, proportions and functions. I could see Lego doing a 4K part crawler crane. Imagine it having a gearbox that lets you control each track individually.

@Ngoc Nguyen I dunno how well a crawler transporter would work to be honest. It’s sorta light on functions, don’t you think? Also, add crawler crane to that list.

Any chance of covering up the remaining gaps above the red flex axles with some small panels, or making the rear look nicer?

Damn dude that red trim on the sides looks mint ?

I think I just had an aneurysm reading that in one sentence lmao. But god damn yes that would be beautiful. I wonder whether that would require an XL to run the compressor fast? Also I imagine it would be hella expensíf, so I could go without a flashing light. OH and before I forget, I wanna see Lego announce a partnership with Nooteboom or Scheuerle.

I was confused earlier at why slewing was driven from an undercarriage gearbox, since the logical choice would be to drive it directly to the turntable from the H-gearbox. Instead, it goes through the turntable, through another gearbox, then back up to the turntable, which generates more energy loss/jitters from long axles. I’m not much of a gearbox nut, but is there anything particularly difficult about an 8H gearbox instead of a 6H gearbox? Is there not enough space in the superstructure to accommodate the extra gearing? I’d like to see someone tackle this, as I’ve seen people do good things to 42083’s gearbox.

Yeah true that. I’d prefer them to do it in the scale of the 42081 prototypes.

Independent tracked excavator ala Volvo Sfinx? Probably not the gear quadrants though haha How about a truck and one of those windmill turbine self-steering trailers?

Because it’s ugly to me. I like when things are in line @TeamThrifty How is it entitled to want a quality product if I’m spending a heap of money for it? @Zerobricks If they don’t work with normal linear actuators then maybe they should have designed a large brickbuilt one. @suffocation I really doubt that... I would’ve been happy to get even more pneumatics, since I don’t think Lego uses them anywhere near enough to begin with.

Bloody right, hey. This and 42080 have so much fluff.