JLiu15

I've thought of using panels #5 and #6 for this part at first. However, I'm not sure if the ground clearance will allow for it as the chassis is already quite close to the ground. Thanks! Overall pretty satisfied with my progress so far.

UPDATE 6/4/22 Made some progress on the rear of the model. The yellow part behind the cab is made primarily with Technic panels, and there is a black panel for the JCB logo. The air tanks (not sure what they contain in the real vehicle) sit just behind the cab, and are attached at an angle like on the real vehicle. Lastly, I reworked the bottom of the chassis a bit at the very rear in order to mimic the diffuser (I think) on the real vehicle. Overall, I feel that there were some parts that could be improved here. For instance, the black JCB logo panel is slightly recessed in the real JCB Fastrac Two. However, there was not much space to model anything with depth right there (I already had to rework the positioning of some beams in order to allow more space there), and any result would likely be a weird setup in LEGO, especially as I would likely have to use System pieces to make the recessed part look right. The rear diffuser is also not the most accurate - the one on the real vehicle is much thinner and angles upwards near the wheels, but building anything thinner that 1 stud would likely require System pieces such as plates, and the connections to the chassis won't be as robust. At this point, the only things I need to do are making the hood and wheel arches. The wheel arches will probably be the hardest part of the build due to their complex curves, as well as providing enough room for the wheels to steer (as the wheel setup I'm using don't pivot at the center of the wheels, requiring more space for them to steer). The hood will be built as a separate module, as it needs to be openable to reveal the fake engine. I created some renderings of my current progress with Stud.io:

Thanks! Making the engine angled might be a bit tricky at this point without a radical redesign, since it is surrounded by structural elements. The shafts for the engine and the working steering wheel would both need to be angled.

UPDATE 5/27/22 Made some more progress on the bodywork. The interior, roof, and side panels around the cabin are now in place. I continued using a combination of Technic and System pieces, where larger sections are made using Technic pieces and System pieces are used to polish the look. The cabin has a driver's seat and working steering wheel inside. @1gor I tried using System pieces as an alternative to the #21 and #22 panels. However, I wanted to keep the 3x11 Technic panel in place as it forms a very robust connection. Because of this, I wasn't able to come up with a solution that makes the System pieces fit nicely around the Technic pieces due to their height differences. Photos:

UPDATE 5/26/22 I finally got around to making some more progress on the model. It's still only a digital model so far, but I got the first parts of the bodywork modeled. I've modeled the lower body panels, which is primarily Technic but uses some System pieces as well. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out - the spacing between the bottom panels and the front wheels might be a bit too large to allow the front wheels to steer, but overall the proportions look alright. I've also incorporated two liftarms marking the rear of the cabin, as well as a switch to access the power button on the hub. Photos:

I'm still a bit confused on cubic studs. How was 4.125 cubic studs calculated from 25x15x11 studs here? I'm thinking of doing this contest so I just want to make sure I understand this before I begin planning my model. EDIT: you mean 4125 cubic studs? I'm in the US and thought 4.125 was a decimal lol, since we would write it as 4,125.

It is theoretically possible to lower the engine, but it would mean rebuilding the entire front end of the chassis from scratch. The stud below the crankshaft (which needs 3 studs to make a full rotation) carries the axle for the steering wheel, and below that is the bracing for the front axle's hubs. The steering motor is also as low as possible in this design. So lowering the engine another stud would mean a completely new front axle, with new steering mechanism and everything. While I will definitely rebuild it if it proves impossible to model the hood and make it look good at the given engine position, I will keep it as it is as long as I can work with it. My philosophy is still that if I have to make major changes to the design for only a slight improvement in overall looks, then the change isn't worth the time and effort. https://www.google.com/search?q=jcb+fastrac+two+engine&sxsrf=APq-WBuYXscYLvfmieGeahZRLtqE9FH0NQ:1644856517080&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiHvqCD0P_1AhVJMt8KHUezBF4Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw#imgrc=k8_eqgdGSosBqM It looks like the engine is already in the correct place. Moving it further back would push it into the cabin space.

UPDATE 2/14/22 Made some more progress on the model. I've reworked the steering mechanism's connection to the working steering wheel, and now the entire mechanism sits lower to allow the crankshaft for the fake engine to rotate. The initial chassis design is pretty much complete, with all motors and mechanisms in place. The fake engine does sit a little high, and as @Jurss mentioned the wheelbase is a bit too long, but there will likely be compromises due to the extra room needed to steer LEGO wheels. The mudguards on the real vehicle are very close to the front wheels. Because of LEGO wheels' pivots, there will likely be more space between the mudguards and the front wheels on my model to allow the wheels to steer, so given the compromises I feel the engine will most likely be fine where it is. Photos:

Here's a new project I'm working on. It is a model of the JCB Fastrac Two. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/christmas-road-test-worlds-fastest-tractor A modified JCB Fastrac tractor, the JCB Fastrac Two is the fastest tractor in the world, and can reach 150mph. My model will feature drive, steering, an inline-6 fake engine, and a working steering wheel. The model uses the Control+ system and features 2 C+ L motors for drive and a large angular motor (from the 42114 set) for steering. So far, I have done some initial modeling in Stud.io. I've modeled the drivetrain and the front axle, and the C+ hub sits between them near the bottom for easy battery access. Photos:

Yeah you can still do some pretty interesting stuff with EV3 that works well for a Technic build. I made a crane in 2020 which has an automated distribution gearbox whose position is determined by a touch sensor. Wonder how you controlled the gearbox on your model.

Overall it looks good. I really like the orange color with the black and gray details. However, EV3 is just such a pain to work with in Technic models - you can really tell that the components are made for robots and nothing else. The components are bulky and difficult to conceal, and I guess it was pretty much inevitable that the IR sensor had to stick out. Despite having gotten the 31313 set shortly after its launch, I haven't used EV3 in my MOCs much for this reason - that they are just so difficult to integrate into vehicles that aren't robots. In fact, I'm thinking of selling my EV3 components in the future, especially as I now have Robot Inventor which is much easier to integrate into Technic models. You'll have a much better experience with BuWizz + PF for sure. Those are made with Technic models in mind, not some bulky robots.

UPDATE: The instructions for the model are now out! Go check them out on Rebrickable: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-100374/JLiu15/new-flyer-xd60-articulated-bus/#details

Thank you! BTW I never knew there was a front page on Eurobricks! Where can I find it?

Thank you guys! Honestly going studfull was one of the best decisions I made for this MOC. You just can't get this level of detail with Technic pieces. I love how everything I modeled digitally just came together on the actual model so well.

The tires handle the weight pretty well. The middle and rear axles have double wheels. Thanks! I reinforced it with two turntables (one at the bottom and one at the top), and it's pretty robust. Although to be fair the middle axle is probably enough to prevent sag - real articulated buses are also able to move up/down at the articulation point in order to navigate slope changes in the road. Thanks! The accordion part is actually the first part I figured out for the model, before I even started designing the model in Stud.io. My prototype was just a cross section so I was afraid the finished version won't work the same, but still it expands/folds very smoothly.

Model of New Jersey Transit's 2020 New Flyer XD60 articulated bus. The model has roughly 5200 pieces. Features drive, steering, independently controlled doors, and custom stickers matching the real-life NJT XD60. Functions/features: Drive Steering Remotely controlled doors Custom stickers Instructions available on Rebrickable: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-100374/JLiu15/new-flyer-xd60-articulated-bus/#details In early 2020, the first New Flyer XD60 articulated buses began hitting the streets of New Jersey. The 3rd generation of New Jersey Transit's articulated buses, these buses replaced the aging Neoplan articulated buses that NJ Transit operated since 2004. A total of 110 buses, these buses are a common sight in the Newark area, as well as in Hudson County on routes to New York City. They are commonly used on routes 1, 13, 25, 39, and 70 in the Newark area, and routes 123, 125, 126, 128, 154, 156, 158, and 159 to NYC. The buses are assigned to four garages, with buses 20801-20828 at Hilton, 20829-20848 at Big Tree, 20849-20891 at Fairview and 20892-20910 at Meadowlands at the time of writing. The idea to model NJ Transit's New Flyer XD60 started when the buses were still under delivery in 2020. Work on the model started with the Stud.io model in December 2020, and the physical model in January 2021. The plan was for a 1:20 scale model using 49.5x20 tires. The functions are drive with a PF XL Motor, steering with a PF Servo Motor, and remotely controlled doors with 1 PF Medium Motor each. I initially thought of including a kneeling mechanism, but seeing as the bus kneels on its front axle, the mechanism was difficult to re-create in LEGO due to there being 3 axles, so I abandoned the idea. The seating layout on my model is identical to that of the real bus - thanks to photos posted in a NJ Transit Facebook group, I was able to accurately model the interior with all 59 seats. I wanted to make a bike rack for the model as well, but seeing as the bike rack on the real NJT XD60 has plenty of complex curves that would be very difficult to replicate while keeping it robust at this scale, I decided against it. In fact, on real NJT XD60s that have the bike rack removed (which is most of them), you can still see the holes in the bumper where it is attached. The bumper on my model has connectors where you can theoretically attach a bike rack, so I guess this is accurate. The model is built with a Technic chassis/frame and a System finish. I initially wanted to make it all Technic with some System details, but seeing as System gives a cleaner and more detailed finish, I decided to go with all System for the bodywork. In fact, this is my first model to have a System finish - all my previous MOCs were at least 80% Technic. The Technic chassis has a frame sitting above it to support the roof, as well as the motors for the door opening mechanisms. The doors are opened with mini linear actuators (1 in the front door, 2 in the rear door). The mechanism for the rear door is located in the upper frame, but because the front panel on the front door curves inward a little, as well as space taken up by the front destination sign, I had to place the mechanism for the front door in the floor, with the motor transferring drive to it via a vertical axle. I initially expected the bellows to be difficult to make and take plenty of trial and error, but after just a few tries I was able to come up with a well-working setup. The bellows are supported by a central section that keep the front/rear halves of the bellows symmetrical at all times, and rubber bands help the bellows maintain their shape, In fact, no matter how I touch the bellows, they will always fold smoothly. It added no extra friction to the model turning, and overall I consider this part to be a huge success. Prior to building this model I did not have many white System pieces, so thanks to Stud.io I was able to design the model digitally and be satisfied with everything before I ordered any pieces. Thanks to the NJ Transit Facebook group, I was able to get an image of the roof of the bus to accurately model the roof. The hardest part to model was the front roofline curve - the complex shaping is quite difficult to model with LEGO pieces. However, my final design turned out pretty well, and looks pretty much seamless. Because I'm using System pieces for the body, I had concerns of structural integrity as this is something I'm not able to accurately test on Stud.io, but after building it on my physical model it actually turned out to be very robust. Once the building process was finished, I created custom stickers based on the real NJT New Flyer XD60's details. In fact, most of the stickers were made from photos of the real bus's decals. The stickers are printed on clear glossy sticker paper, except for the destination sign stickers as the details on a clear sticker paper barely show up on a black surface. I initially wanted to replicate bus 20801, the first bus of the series, but that bus was later retrofitted with a grille in the rear so I decided to model bus 20818 with route 39 in the destination sign, as the real 20818 is a Hilton garage bus that operates route 39. I acquired a gray paper backdrop for the photos and video as taking photos on a white backdrop would not allow me to clear the background in GIMP due to this being a white model. I'm really satisfied with how the photos turned out, and there's no editing necessary so I expect the gray backdrop to become the norm for MOC photos from now on. I recently got a GoPro as well, and thanks to its small size, I was able to put it through the rear door to film the model driving from the interior, making you feel like a LEGO passenger on a LEGO bus. Overall, this has been by far my largest project to date. While it's not the most advanced, as it only has 4 motors, it has nearly 5200 pieces and is a revolutionary MOC for me as this is my first model with a System finish. The model took about a year to finish, much longer than any of my previous MOCs. I had lots of fun working on this project, the looks are accurate, and the functions all work smoothly. Given how well this model turned out and being a busfan myself, I definitely see myself making more bus MOCs in the future. Video: Photos:

So 4 years is pretty normal for a PF rechargeable battery's useful life?

I actually had a AAA battery box before but preferred the rechargeable due to its ability to not have to be taken out of your creation to replace batteries, as well as its lighter weight. It also seems most MOC builders prefer the rechargeable over the AAA battery box, so I'd still rather have a rechargeable one and not go back to using the AAA. I got it in November 2017, so that's about 4 years. Should it really reach the end of its useful life that fast? I'd also rather not put new LiPo batteries in it, as I feel like that's not being purist lol (as the battery is no longer in its factory conditions). Plus I have little experience working with electronics like this, so not sure if I'd mess something up. Between searching for a compatible LiPo battery, opening it up, learning how to install it and putting it back together, it might still be more worthwhile to replace it completely... One thing I want to add is, back in September it was still working normally, but just a few weeks later the issues started, so it wasn't like sitting around unused for a long time before the issues arose.

About 2 weeks-1 month, although the issues with it not turning on first arose in October/November.

Hey guys, So I have a PF rechargeable battery (8878), and a few months ago, I noticed that battery would not turn on a few days after charging it (i.e. the green light doesn't light up). Charging it for a while would get it to turn on without being connected to the transformer, but even then it seems to turn off in a matter of minutes. I initially assumed it to be due to the cold, as my house got really cold at night, but even after getting a space heater the problem continued. I was away from home the past two weeks, so when I came back the battery wouldn't turn on (pretty much expected this). I've been charging it for about 7 hours now - the red charging light is still flashing, and when I press the power button the green light turns on when it's connected to the transformer, but when it's not connected to the transformer, when I press the power button the green light would come on for like a second before turning off. I'm guessing this means it's still not holding a charge. The heat was turned off in my home while I was gone too, so maybe the cold was also a factor here along with how long it's been left unused. Has anyone experienced something similar, or know of a solution to this? Maybe just wait until the red light stops blinking? It's been 7 hours and there's been seemingly little progress. I just hope I can still get it to work properly, as it's gonna be crazy expensive to replace now that PF is discontinued. Any help is greatly appreciated!

So now that we've seen images of the real Transforming Vehicle coming out in 2022, it looks like the set has nothing to do with Transformers-esque vehicles - it's just a tracked vehicle with two "sides" so when it drives over a wall, it reveals the other side which is another vehicle-like design. With this in mind, would submissions similar to the set (i.e. a vehicle with two sides that when flipped over also resembles a vehicle) count, or are we still sticking to the original guidelines even though the actual set is not quite what we expected?

Thanks! Glad you like it

Thanks! They do work with the Technic hub (I’ve tried it before). I went with the Robot Inventor hub mostly because it has more attachment points and more ports (which allowed me to add another motor for the fake engine), and because I’ve always wanted to do another combined Control+ and Robot Inventor model since my Heavy Duty Skid-steer Loader MOC.

Model of a lifted pickup truck combining Control+ and Robot Inventor electronics. Features 4x4 drive, 3 steering modes, a V6 piston engine, and full suspension. Functions/features: 4x4 drive Steering with 3 modes (normal, 4WD, crab) V6 piston engine Full suspension Opening hood Opening tailgate This MOC originally started as a side project back in the summer as I was waiting for parts to arrive for my New Flyer XD60 articulated bus model. I was initially gonna use the C+ L motors for steering and power it with the Control+ hub instead of the Robot Inventor one, but found that the Medium Angular Motors from the Robot Inventor set took less overall space in the axles if I place the rack sideways. So for the front and rear axles (which are identical to each other), I put the steering motor on top which drives a rack placed on its side, and used heavy duty differentials and planetary hubs. This gave the model plenty of torque, even without any additional gearing down in the chassis. At the heart of the chassis sits two C+ XL motors for drive and a Robot Inventor hub above them. Thanks to the abundance of pin holes on the Robot Inventor hub, I was able to use it as a structural element. The sides of the hub are covered by panels, as a teal hub on a red/black model would be an eyesore. The top of the hub is covered as well to conceal the screen lights, and to power on/connect the hub I installed levers that hit the power/Bluetooth buttons. They sit just below the cab/bed, and are pretty well hidden/out of sight. The front and rear ends of the chassis were reinforced well enough to withstand the force exerted on the shock absorbers, and the front also has a V6 fake engine driven by a C+ L motor. I had to rework the suspension a few times to make it work well and not be too soft or too hard, but I still feel like it could've been done a little better. Initially I was undecided on the bodywork for this model - I was debating between a car-like body (like the 41999), a cab-over truck, and a pickup truck. I eventually went with a pick-up truck, and initially used rims from the Land Rover. I decided to make the model in a red/black scheme, as I had a lot of black panels lying around but also wanted to give it some color. I feel like the bodywork could've been designed better overall, as the entire building process became pretty discouraging and I just wanted to get it finished. As I was working on the bodywork I just felt like the Land Rover rims weren't the best choice for a lifted truck, so in the end I went with the Technic Racing Medium rims in LBG for a more old-school look. Overall, this is a creation I'm not too happy with. Building around the Robot Inventor hub was quite a challenge as I had to cover it completely to conceal the teal and the screen lights. This also meant the charging port is not accessible on the finished model. The looks of the model also aren't the best. I feel like using a single color for the bodywork would've been better without the red/black color break between the cab and the bed, but unfortunately I don't have that many red flat panels and didn't want to use liftarm stacking. The model has plenty of torque and can easily climb over obstacles, but it also suffers from being top-heavy. Programming the control profile was pretty straightforward though, and the 3 steering modes worked well. After building this model, I feel like while the Robot Inventor hub is a good alternative to the Control+ hub (more ports, lower height, more pin holes, etc), it just feels harder to use in Technic builds, as the teal doesn't blend well with most colors IMO (which could be solved by using the yellow SPIKE Prime version of the hub as it's a more common color for Technic builds, but would cost a lot of money) and the screen lights need to be concealed in most situations. It's obvious the Robot Inventor hub is designed with robots in mind and not Technic builds, so in the future, I plan on sticking to Control+ hubs unless it's absolutely necessary to use the Robot Inventor one (e.g. a space constraint). Photos: Video:

Thank you! Good to know.