JLiu15

UPDATE 5/16/24 The model is essentially finished with just over 800 pieces. Thanks everyone for the input on the rims - initially I decided to switch to gray rims but in the end went back to the original black rims. I'm still debating on adding PF LEDs to the model (for front and rear lights) - power shouldn't be an issue as I can keep them off when requiring full power for the RC motors, but not sure how manageable the extra wiring will be. After putting on the wheels, the suspension turned out very well with a large amount of travel and is not too soft or hard. There are a number of modifications from my original Stud.io model, most notably the rear wing which has been changed to a simpler and more robust design. I've also changed the front hubs to the older design with integrated towballs for a more robust design. Photos:

UPDATE 5/16/24 After nearly two years of development, the build is finally finished. It is my largest MOC to date with 6117 pieces, surpassing my New Flyer XD60 from two years ago by nearly 1000 pieces. The only thing left is to make custom stickers to decorate it in the NJ Transit livery. While the real-life bus spans seven model years (with deliveries taking place from 2016 to 2022), my model is of a bus from the 2020 model year. The build actually sat at roughly 98% complete for several months. By late January the build was essentially complete. However, I later noticed that I had forgotten about the vents on the roof towards the rear. Because they are only visible from the roof, it was an easily missed detail that I didn't notice until I saw a photo of the real bus taken with the roof visible. The upper rear section was modified to accommodate the roof vents, and while I had the design finalized in Stud.io for quite some time, I had put off rebuilding it on the physical build since I was busy (it required taking a good amount of the rear apart to rework the inner structure). I've finally updated that part, and now the build is finished. Photos:

I've also been debating on alternate rim colors - besides black rims, I've considered gray and gold rims. Which option (black, gray, gold) do you guys think is best? Thanks! Black rims: Gray rims: Gold rims:

Thanks! Thanks for the warning - guess I'll have to be careful lol. Especially with these being the clear engine blocks.

I have been busy the past few months, so I have not had much time to build despite much larger MOCs sitting at 95% completion. It was difficult to get things rolling again as I had not planned any MOCs for a long time. With Brickworld Chicago just over a month away, there wasn't much time to plan anything major especially with a 6000-piece MOC nearly complete. There's a number of things I've been wanting to try for the past few months, and one of them is the new elements from the 42160 Audi set. The new hubs from the set are perfect for double wishbone independent suspensions requiring heavy duty CV joints, and the tires are a great fit for any off-road vehicle. Since acquiring two RC buggy motors I've only configured them to drive a single wheel/track each and never with a proper drivetrain, so for this MOC I decided to do that - the drivetrain consists of two RC motors placed with their inner outputs connected, and drive is connected to a differential before going to the rear wheels. I've also thought of doing a 4WD setup, but figured it would overcomplicate a vehicle designed primarily for speed. The use of a proper drivetrain also means I can connect a piston engine to it - an inline 4-cylinder fits perfectly into the space in the rear, and because I went with clear engine blocks the pistons' movement is visible from all angles. When I tested it, the pistons move very fast as there is no gear reduction from the RC motors' output. I decided to go with a dark blue color scheme for this model as it's a color not commonly used in Technic and I have a good amount of dark blue pieces from the 42083 and 42154 sets. I've also considered red, but since I have just made a trophy truck MOC in red last summer, I figured it was too soon to go with red again. I also wanted to keep the design here unique and not look like a copy of my Azure Racer XL MOC from a few years back, but there are already plenty of internal differences as this MOC has a double wishbone rear axle and a piston engine in the rear. I'm looking forward to how this MOC performs - it has a piston engine connected to the drivetrain like my original Azure Racer but also has full independent suspension. It'll be interesting to see for sure. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

Thanks! I also feared the front would look too bulky - the bevel gear driving the front panel of the bi-parting passenger door sticks out to the front quite a bit, and the front end actually has a cutout in it for the gear with only a single plate/tile thickness on the outside. Still I'm satisfied with the end result, especially with working around the gears/linkages for the door.

UPDATE 1/22/24 The model is about 95% complete, with the roof being the only part I still need to build. The roof will be a simple construction made mostly using Technic 5x11 panels. After a year and a half since I started working on the model in August 2022, the model should be finished this week. Since the previous update, I have built and installed the right side panel, the rear panel, as well as the front and rear edges of the roof. I was concerned that the right side panel would obstruct the opening of the bi-parting passenger door, but the door opens with no issues. In fact, the bi-parting door is one of my favorite parts about the model - I designed the mechanism with no idea if it would work but not only did it work as intended it never has any issues (e.g. jamming). The rear end was built entirely using SNOT techniques with the rear panel/grille being split into two submodels along with the bottom silverside part. The position of the rear lights and the geometry of the black section could've been better (the wedge pieces I used have a slope that is steeper than how it appears in the real MCI D4500CT) but the result is still recognizable as a post-2007 MCI D-series coach rear (older models had a simple horizontal grille in the rear). If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos: Right side (passenger door closed) Right side (passenger door open) Rear view Left side (showing the roof that still needs to be built) Left side

UPDATE 1/10/23 I made some major progress since the last update - the left side body panel is installed. The front and side destination signs, which are removable, are also installed along with some window pillars. The passenger door is also installed and fully functional. I also made some major changes to the chassis, which was not easy as it involved taking a lot of the chassis apart. Due to the weight of the model the front suspension was sagging, so I upgraded it to use two shock absorbers per wheel. This involved some major modifications to the chassis directly above the front axle as the previous design only had enough room for one shock absorber per wheel. The drive axle, which previously used the yellow 22-tooth heavy duty differential, was changed back to the red 28-tooth heavy duty differential. I wanted to make sure the Control+ XL motor driving the model had enough torque as this is a very heavy build, so the change from a 14:22 to 12:28 gear reduction gave it a lot more torque; the drive motor doesn't struggle at all even as the model's weight is increasing with body panels being installed. I'm overall satisfied with the way this build is progressing. The passenger door mechanism works exactly as expected - I had no issues with it jamming and there is minimal backlash in the mechanism. After upgrading the front suspension, the model is handling its weight perfectly and the change back to the 28-tooth differential means the drivetrain has plenty of torque to move the heavy model. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos: Left side (with body panel installed) Right side (passenger door closed) Right side (passenger door open)

Yes, the M angular motor did work well for steering. The finished build is in the MOC topic:

UPDATE 12/9/23 I made quite a bit of progress on the physical model. All silverside panels are in place, along with the front body panel. The roof support frame has also been modified with attachment points for the side body panels. It has also been extended forward for the front destination sign attachment. I added a new function - the destination signs can now be easily changed (the front sign is removed by pushing an axle and the side sign simply connects using pins). This way I can have the destination signs display multiple routes (or simply be blank in "off" mode). Note the pins on the top - those will be used to attach the roof which will be made using mainly 5x11 Technic panels. The front and rear bumpers are also in place. Overall I'm pretty satisfied with the direction the model's going. While not the hardest part to build, the silverside panels were a real challenge as there is not a large variety of pieces in metallic silver, especially tiles. I was able to get a large number of them thanks to Pick A Brick, but still they weren't that cheap. It looks like metallic silver is another color where there's color discrepancies - the 1x4 tiles I received has a noticeable shade difference compared to the other metallic silver pieces. Note the "handles" for the luggage compartment doors on the real bus are still missing - I want to use the ingot piece in metallic silver as their shape allows them to stand out in the silverside panels, but they were only used in four 2013 sets and aren't the cheapest. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

Thank you! The front panel was actually quite difficult to make as there is a "cutout" in the backside of it to not interfere with the bevel gear for the front door panel. The doors are made with Technic elements and are in Metallic Silver (like the "stainless steel" side panels) and the Metallic Silver palette is quite limited (there's unfortunately still a LBG piece here and there). Still I'd rather have most of it in Metallic Silver than have all "stainless steel" parts be LBG. And yes, the bus will have decals! It will be in New Jersey Transit livery (like my New Flyer XD60 Articulated Bus model). The NJT order of new MCI D4500CT cruisers are part of a six-year contract, and I'm thinking of making my model one of the 2021's as the 2021 order (year five) was by far the largest. More info about the order here.

UPDATE 11/20/23 Since my previous update two days ago, I found some time to model the rear and now the Stud.io model is pretty much done. I've included a few renderings below. I'm pretty happy with how the design turned out - I may have to make some changes in the final model, but overall it should look pretty similar to the renderings. The current part count is 6050 (I realized I forgot the side destination sign in the renderings, and this part count is with the side sign included). If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

UPDATE 11/18/23 A year after creating this topic, I am close to finishing the Stud.io model. Except for the rear which I still have to design, the design is pretty much complete. I finished modeling the roof and front portions - the roof is made of Technic 5x11 panels to reduce weight (the edge is still made using curved slopes) and the destination sign is similar to the one from my previous New Flyer Xcelsior models. Designing the mirrors was challenging as the real bus has them attached to the windshield pillar, with the right one also mounted on a cantilever. This was difficult as the windshield pillars were made using rigid hoses held at an angle, which does not allow for a very robust connection. I like how the design turned out, although I will have to see if the solution is practical on the finished build. I've attached a rendering of the model below, viewed from the front where everything is pretty much complete. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know.

UPDATE 11/13/23 I've installed the roof frame, so the entire inner "skeleton" of the model is done. I had to do some modifications to the chassis to install support poles through the length of the model for the roof frame, as the original design was very flimsy. The frame has also be reinforced so that it is 2 studs thick for most of its length. The support poles for the roof frame is placed at locations where they will be "hidden" by a window pillar and not be obstructed by a passenger seat. I was only able to include three pillars (two on the right and one on the left), but this gives the roof frame a good amount of support. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

UPDATE 11/5/23 I've gotten a good amount of the bodywork done, and the model is really starting to take shape now. The front body panel was challenging as it had to account for the bevel gear for the front passenger door panel, and there wasn't an easy way to relocate it. There is a "cutout" in the front body panel for the gear to be able to rotate freely while still maintaining the aesthetics. I don't like how the headlights stick out, but the way they're placed makes it rather difficult to make them flush with the body panel and just a plate further back on the right side would interfere with the bevel gear. Modeling the side body panels was important as this allowed me to determine where the window pillars will be so I can add a support pillar for the roof frame where there is no passenger seat. The roof frame was quite floppy last I tried putting it on due to how long it is, so the support pillars should help with that. If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

UPDATE 10/27/23 Worked on the Stud.io model a little more, and now all of the metallic silver stainless steel panels are in place. I've also designed the front and rear bumpers. Haven't started working on the main bodywork yet, but the model is starting to take shape. Thankfully, most of the metallic silver pieces are available on Pick A Brick. Still it's gonna cost around $80 to get all of them, and that's not including the discontinued ones that aren't available on there... If you have any suggestions for me, please let me know. Photos:

Thanks! It does seem to be heavier towards the front right now as the hub is right behind the front axle, but this may change as the bodywork is installed. Thank you. As per usual for my MOCs, I will continue to make updates throughout the building process :)

UPDATE 10/24/23 The chassis is complete with all 57 passenger seats in place, as well as studs on the sides for SNOT connections (the silverside panels will go here). Additionally, the wheel arches are also in place - they placed at a half-stud offset so they will protrude from the body slightly once the model is complete. Note the white axle pieces along the length of the model - they will be used to attach the body panels with 1x1 bricks with axle hole, similar to my MTA New Flyer XD40 model which allows for a seamless finish without any pins showing. I redesigned the front section to house the passenger door motor in the chassis instead of in the roof frame. The previous design had the motor first connected to the rear door panel, through a set of bevel gears and then to the front panel which meant the front panel had significantly more backlash. Now the motor and worm gear mechanism for the door are placed beneath the passenger entryway, which allows for a much more direct connection to the door mechanism and allows all motors to be placed in the chassis. The front section was also reinforced, as it had a tendency to bend due to the space in the chassis for the front suspension. It still bends a little, but not as much as before. Once again, please let me know if you have any suggestions for me.

UPDATE 10/3/23 I've done a full rebuild of the chassis in front of the rear axles since the last update. This is because I had to move the Control+ hub back two studs, and it sits deep in the chassis and acts as a structural element. I had to move the hub back because while my original design had the front axle suspension mounted from the front, I changed it to be mounted from the rear to allow for the gearing for the door mechanism (previously the steering motor protruded into the passenger entryway space too much). Much of the chassis is complete at this point. I still need to include the passenger seats and the motor for the front door (it will be located in a roof frame similar to how I designed my other bus models). I was worried that the passenger entryway is not reinforced enough as there's not much space for reinforcement between the front axle suspension and the chassis. There is some bending, but the chassis is overall quite rigid and this should improve once the bodywork is put on. Any suggestions are appreciated! Photos:

UPDATE 9/7/23 After nearly 9 months without progress on this model, I am happy to announce that work on the model is once again underway. As I noticed in my March update, the entire model was reworked in Stud.io without the wheelchair lift mechanism and gearbox. The rear 3/4 of the chassis is complete as of this update, with the front 1/4 and front axle still yet to be built. The chassis also has a Cummins X12 engine model in the back. The seats (along with the supports they're attached to) are not installed yet, as I'm waiting for the chassis to be finished before building anything on top of it (e.g. seats, wheel arches, etc). The build is going well so far. The chassis is very robust thanks to the use of 7x11 frames along the sides of the chassis - it's built like a tank. The area above the drive and tag axles is also reinforced well enough that the chassis does not bend much when the suspension is compressed. Any suggestions are appreciated! Photos:

Hey guys, I seem to be having an issue with my Stud.io software (on Mac). Two days ago I had it update, and since then it's stuck at a black screen when opening it on my computer. I tried restarting my computer and even deleted and redowloaded it several times, and it still opens as a black screen. I asked around and some people are also having this issue. Does anyone know a solution to this? I use Stud.io pretty often and I'm currently designing a MOC in it, so would be nice to be able to get back to it. Here's what my Stud.io looks like when opening it:

I actually went with regular Racing Medium rims in the end for that MOC.

I have the LBG defender wheel (the one from the AT-AT set), Unimog tire and planetary hub. I don't think I have gray dish but I do have black, red and yellow. I can message you a picture with them put together.

The instructions are now published on Rebrickable: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-156104/JLiu15/red-beryl-t/#details

A motorized trophy truck model controlled by BuWizz. It is propelled by two RC buggy motors. Features drive, steering, full suspension, and working headlights. Functions/features: Drive Steering Full suspension Working headlights Instructions available on Rebrickable: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-156104/JLiu15/red-beryl-t/#details This is a MOC with an interesting backstory. I first decided to do my third MOC in the Red Beryl series (after my Red Beryl GT in 2018 and AWD supercar Red Beryl X in 2019) in late 2020 shortly after my first MOC featuring BuWizz and RC buggy motors - my Azure Racer XL. Unlike the finished model, my first attempt used CLAAS Xerion tires and had the RC buggy motors in the chassis instead of having the wheels directly attached to them. I don't recall exactly, but I even included a two-speed gearbox in the model thanks to the inclusion of a drivetrain and differential from the motors. The model turned out much larger than anticipated, meaning the bodywork would have to be very large as well. Given the model was already performing below my expectations, I decided to abandon the project...until two years later. I knew a good first step would be to use smaller wheels, and the spiky treaded tires from the 42124 and 42126 sets seemed to be a perfect fit for a trophy truck. The rear suspension is similar to that of my Azure Racer XL (it even retains the same basic geometry), although it is a solid axle this time instead of the left and right wheels being independently suspended. However, the suspended section is longer on this model, providing a softer suspension with more travel. I guess the shock absorber setup here is not the most realistic for a trophy truck (as most trophy trucks I've seen have their rear shocks more or less vertical), but the suspension setup nevertheless performed well. The front suspension is a typical double wishbone setup with the entire front axle tilted 10.8° for positive caster. Because the front and rear shock absorbers sit approximately half-compressed while the model is on the ground, it did impact the front ground clearance a little, although it was not really an issue when I tested it. The BuWizz unit is located directly in front of the rear axle and is placed low in the chassis to lower the center of gravity. The two RC buggy motors are each connected to its own BuWizz port (as recommended by BuWizz), with another port used for the PF Servo motor for steering. Because there is one port left on the BuWizz unit, I added two pairs of PF LEDs to the headlights. Thanks to the BuWizz speed settings they can shine brighter than when powered by a PF power source, although in my video I did not film it with the lights on as I did not want the BuWizz to cut power from the drive motors. Designing the bodywork was surprisingly challenging. I wanted to stick to pieces I already have as much as possible. The choice of wheel arches/fenders was easy - I used the black arches from the 42126 set paired with fenders from the 42125 set, adding some much-needed curvature to the model. The hood was also straightforward, as it is comprised entirely of 3x13 curved panels. Because the front axle sits at an angle for positive caster, I attached a front bar to it that allowed for an angle normally not achievable with angled connectors. I tried to avoid blue pins as much as possible, using red or gray pins in place of them. The doors were more challenging and it took me a few tries to get the desired result. I wanted to ensure the doors stand out from the rest of the model, but too much curvature looked weird. I went with a design where they slightly recess into the model. The section between the doors and rear fenders was perhaps the most difficult, as it needed to provide a transition from the relatively flat doors to the curved rear fenders. I went with all curved panels and liftarms for this area. I did have to order some new red pieces for the bodywork, namely the curved 1x2 and 3x2 panels at the top edge of the doors and the red 2x3 and 2x5 liftarms in the section between the doors and rear fenders, but the bodywork still mainly consisted of red pieces I already had. System pieces (tiles and curved slopes) are used to fill in the gaps in these areas. The roof was a simple build, although securing it was a bit challenging as it had a tendency to tilt forward. I had to experiment with the A-pillars a little bit but settled on a setup with 7L flex axles. The rear of the model is left rather unfinished to reduce weight, although that is pretty typical of real-life trophy trucks, and the single spare wheel in the back provides just enough weight for the front and rear axles to sit at similar heights when the model is on the ground. The model performed pretty well, and the two RC buggy motors gave it plenty of power. I had wanted to drive a fast off-road MOC at a skate park for years now, and this is my first MOC that I filmed at a skate park. It was fun seeing the model drive up and down the slopes, although it still lacked torque to completely drive over the smaller slopes. I had to be careful with letting the drive motors run at full power as in the Fast and Ludicrous speed settings (or even Normal sometimes) the BuWizz would cut power to the motors when overloaded. Accelerating from a stop on Ludicrous mode was pretty much off the table, although I was able to switch into Fast mode after accelerating on the Normal setting. Two RC buggy motors with their inner outputs geared 3:1 was good for fast driving and small obstacles, although more torque and traction are needed to overcome larger slopes/obstacles. Overall, I'm quite impressed with how this model turned out. Despite having more than twice as many pieces as my Azure Racer XL model, the performance did not suffer much and I had a lot of fun driving it around at the skate park. The suspension is also satisfying to watch, as the model can "float" over obstacles with both the front and rear shock absorbers approximately half-compressed when the model is on the ground. Compared to my first attempt at the model two years ago, it shows that the ideal approach to such fast RC buggy motor-powered models is not to build big, but just big enough to achieve optimal performance. Video: Photos: