Bublehead

I found a video that is almost identical to my power steering but uses modern technic. The only difference is mine used a double worm gear drive to reduce the high speed of the old technic motor and this one uses a single worm.

Next, you will need to clone tiny little people to ride it.

@Bartybum, yes it works similar to this, but I used a differential and my double worm gear drive reduces the speed of the unit to make the experience feel more controlled and smooth. The biggest problem with using a modern PF switch is the inability to remove the default click like the old pole reverser switch. This makes the feedback way less sensitive and makes it a bit jumpy as you have to overcome the increase in torque when moving from the centered position. If you can imagine, here’s how mine feels. When you grab the steering wheel and start turning, it just turns with no feeling of resistance from the steering mechanism. You stop,turning, it stops turning immediately, this is due to double worm gear reduction. It follows your movement- just like real power steering. The key invention here is the use of a differential to determine the actual difference between input position and output position, turning on motive force in the direction that reduces the difference back to none.

Sorry, no video coming. As I said in my OP, no time while back east. You just have to imagine looking at stills I am afraid.

Power steering- The steering wheel provides input to one side of a differential. The opposite side of the differential is connected via lever arms to a pole reverser switch with the reverser handle removed (to remove the default click action) so there is very little resistance to moving the switch from off to forward or reverse. This switch is hooked to a Technic motor which through two worm gears is tied to the input gear on the differential and to the steering shaft that operates both front and rear racks. In a state of equilibrium, the motor is off, the diff is “centered” on the steering wheel input shaft and output shaft and the pole reverser is centered on “off”. When the driver turns the steering wheel, the diff transmits the differential movement to the pole reverser and turns it on in the direction that wants to recenter the diff until the difference between input and output is equalized. This movement, in turn, turns the steering output shaft and moves the wheels to the new position. If the driver continues to turn the steering wheel, the steering gear “follows” the rotary motion and the wheels continue to turn directly proportional to the movement of the steering wheel in either the left or right direction. There is enough friction in the input shaft and output shaft such that when the driver lets go of the wheel, the system reaches equilibrium and stops. It can not get “stuck on” and continue turning without direct input due to the negative feedback required (actually turning the steering wheel) to make the system move. I have never seen this system used before back when I built it, and if someone has another example built using old or modern Technic, please point me to it, as I am fascinated by analog proportional devices.

Just ask... I am not sure what people are interested in, I was posting this because other members wanted to see my MOD. This is 18 year old work so no wip pics or write ups I am afraid. What functions would you like me to detail? There are close ups of all the features I have mentioned on my Flickr. I will add a post detailing the power steering.

Well I finally unearthed the old girl from my east coast repository (my brother’s house) and yes by the yellowing of the white, you can tell she has been displayed for a few years on my shelf. I built this around 2000, but I only know this by the use of the bent studless liftarms that I had just gotten when I built her, and those came out in 2000. Here is the list of my modifications/functions. See my Flickr pages for lots more photos and close ups. I didn’t have time to take any video. Electric proportional 4 wheel power steering Electric drop top convertible - operated by switch on dashboard Electric micro motor controlled spoiler- operated by switch on dashboard Pneumatic ride height adjustment- from switch in center console utilizing: Front - shock mount point adjusted to maximize suspension travel Rear - pneumatic spring compression to maximize traction Opening doors with internal and external handle/latch Supercharger - belt driven Intercoolers Working brake pedal and brake lights ( no real brakes ) Fiber optic ignition with real timing (simple firing order) Improved body styling and stretched wheelbase. Only original function lost was HOG steering, but since the steering wheel was now proportionally electric controlled, you could steer and push from the steering wheel with no problem with the top down. Hope you enjoy! Joke mode on- And just a note, I am not really looking for any criticism unless you have been doing this since 2000 or 2001 and can remember having to try and add all these features and functions using what we had at the time. Joke mode off-

There are 2 linear actuators, one to raise the whole front assembly/arm and one that tilts the bucket. Along with HOG steering, I only see three functions. anyone considered that abdomen thing in the back is a place to store the Drone?

looks like prime advertising space... maybe get Buwizz or SBrick to buy the space? (tongue placed firmly in cheek)

I originally had the same thought as you but then I came across too many good deals on sets with PF. And since I usually leave my models built up and displayed, I figured why not and took the plunge. Now I would have them coming out my ears if I disassembled all my models. But when you see deals on Craigslist for misb retired Flagship sets at $100 to $150 off current BL pricing, one does not quibble about having too many, you shut up and buy them.

My vote is leave the Porsche, almost everyone recognizes it.

I think TLG has not given us any indication where they want to go with FP2 in conjunction with Mindstorms, Wedo, or Boost. Most educational usage of motors do not tax them like they are taxed when used in Technic consumer sets, and they are looking at ways of producing cheaper alternatives to the PF motors and IR controllers that may also be used in Mindstorms, WeDo, and Boost type applications. I don’t think we will see any improvement over the current motor lineup, and the transmitter seems to be heading towards meeting both train and non-train applications with a single solution (at least internally) even if the external controls may differ from train sets to Technic sets. Just my opinion.

I always look forward to new Lego motors, controllers, and PF components because they usually provide some new way of using them that the old systems could not. HOWEVER, I have so much PF flotsam and jetsam in my collection that is no longer used that it is the one thing in Lego that doesn’t “play well” over time. I have 25 year old Lego that still works, but the motors and battery sticks, the wires, the lights... they just take up storage space

Who said anything about telling anyone anything? Mums the word! But seriously people need to lighten up a little. Like I would expect him to really do it? No! I swear people on here would believe you are serious if you said you were planning to break into TLG headquarters and steal the latest Deathstar plans... Back to the offer, however, lifetime supply of hamster food? My first born ? hamster? A habitrail condominium in the shape of Trump Tower? What will it take?

Actually I was wondering how much money it would take to bribe him into letting me have early access to his review... even if nothing more than a peek at better photos. A real possible money making adventure here.... how about it?

Some years ago (like nearly 50) one of my first non-house, wheeled vehicles I tried building was a garbage truck. It used the old 2x4 axles with the red metal pinned hubs to pass rotational movement to the compactor mechanism which was simply a couple of beams that would move the trash from the bin to the main body. How we have progressed in 50 years.

I know I am a heretic, but for some reason, I am more excited by the rough terrain crane than the Bugatti. We already know what to expect in a supercar offering like this, the Porsche being the center piece of evidence. You can sort of say the same about the rough terrain crane, but as long as it’s not another miss like the 42070, I will enjoy it more than the Chiron. Let the designers prove me wrong and I will be pleasantly surprised.

Love the suspension, innovative and practical. Good job.

Bingo! People can react without thinking sometimes... and tell you exactly what they shouldn’t

Maybe we can hash out some questions by discussing what they WILL talk about? Will they discuss WHO they listen to when developing the next system? Will they divulge what other organizations or companies they work with when developing the next system? First Lego League, or any others? How much does the team care about cross over applications by the fans, using Mindstorms in Technic models, or in system models? Are these uses considered at all, or is the focus truly only educational? What do they think of the projects like Rubics Cube solvers and the abundant use of Mindstorms in GBC modules? Does an educational curriculum drive development or is the system developed and a curriculum developed around it? Mindstorms is fairly expensive for the average parent to purchase for their children. What cost cutting measures are you exploring to make it more appealing to more consumers? As smartphones and tablets become more common and more robust, are there any plans on moving to a less self contained programmable brick and more towards a smartphone/tablet driven controller similar to Boost or the third party offerings like SBrick or Buwizz, allowing user programs to be run on the smartphone and interface with the controller via Bluetooth or WiFi technologies? The Boost platform seems to going in this direction, will Mindstorms follow? What would you say the focus of the Mindstorms team is by percentage, i.e. is it 90% percent focused on the institutional educational market and 10% consumer, or 50/50?, 70/30? Is the idea behind the Boost system really a way of bringing the Mindstorms experience into the consumer market at a lower cost point? Will the Boost module be incorporated into the Mindstorms platform as a way for kids to take their creations home and let them continue the learning experience on their own? Is the Boost platform any kind of indicator of the future direction of Mindstorms? And before the posts start piling on telling us what they won’t answer or what they will, let me say I don’t really care. These are questions I would ask if I was there. Jim is perfectly capable of looking at these and asking any he thinks they might answer and disregard the rest. And if they won’t answer questions like these, just what good is having a question and answer session with them anyways? Usually if you want someone to spill their guts, you first have to get them talking about things they are passionate about. A good interviewer can read a person, figure out what drives them, then use that to wiggle more info out of them beyond the company line of “next question please”.

You mean like an automatic transmission?

And it is overrated... lol

I was extremely interested in how you got this set together and your story of getting the two main sections mated up. Congratulations on finishing it, because there are a lot of people out there who could not finish this set if you gave them 1000 hours to do it. As a point of reference, it took me over 12 hours over three days and even that was way too long a time to anticipate getting it finished so I could play with it. You must have been going nuts by the end of 83 hours and 34 days. I worry as I grow older and my challenges day to day become harder that I will lose my ability to enjoy Technic building. You inspire me, though, because you show me (and us all) that it is not impossible to continue to enjoy the hobby as I get older, it just might take me a lot longer than what I have been used to in the past to finish a model. Again, great job, and keep having fun. Any idea on your next build? p.s. An hour and 40 minutes to get a couple of pins in... I have thrown MOCs across the room for less when a part refuses to go together. What patience

My experience- Age and temperature variations are the culprits. I have a large collection in storage back east that was not temperature controlled and now there are a lot of cracked and breaking parts on the models. Biggest problem is the plastic compound for axles has a different rate of expansion and contraction than the other parts which causes over stressing when temperature swings from hot summer to freezing cold winter and back. These cycles of over stress causes the plastic to fatigue crack over time. If I pull a set out of storage that was left built up when it went in, I can shake the model and the little half bushes just fall out on the floor in tiny sad half circles along with the cracked off cross axle ends of half beams and even thick LA cross axle ends can break off. my recommendations are don’t store your Lego built up, take it apart before storing it in non temperature controlled storage, and keep it in a humidity and temperature controlled environment to preserve its longevity. I have only been doing this for 50 years, so your mileage may vary.

New trucks