amorti

For me this first picture shows not that the older gear is a lighter colour, but that there's more material in there and the light couldn't penetrate. Which matches the second image because you can see the centre of the gear is recessed just a little. This explains why I have two pairs of these gears in the rear axles of Didumos's Greyhound, which have become loose on their 5.5 axles. Worth noting the gears are pretty much at the edge of their capability in this application, being driven 1:1 by a buwizz powered L motor each. I haven't taken it apart yet to check if the axle is wearing/compressing or the gear is wearing/stretching, but a reduced contact area between the two pieces would be a cause either way. Has anyone got busy with a cleaver, and cut a 12 tooth double bevel gear in half? If so was it stronger?

Problem with that solution might be space, as it probably wants to use the pin hole where the iconic round speedometer is attached. Make the blue beam longer, and use half pins to secure a 3743 gear rack to it? Down (up?) with a 32039 connector with a ball joint inserted (Pittman arm), then use a steering link to connect to the far end of the blue beam?

+1 I meant the same. If you're making new bottoms with calipers you could make it with mudguard. You could also make it with studs to mount a mudguard but why bother if Lego doesn't have one and you can't brick build one.

Indeed, in this picture it looks like that clips together. That opens a possibility to 3D print a new fork lower complete with Brembo radial mounted billet calipers and maybe even a mudguard - I can't imagine how you'd brick-build a mudguard to fit that gap.

@Green Gecko - reckon you'll do an RC mod? I for one would definitely pay for instructions for that.

Cool model, and the suspension looks to be nicely tuned. Any plans for instuctions? Did you consider 2x buwizz in place of the LiPo's? Then it'd really fly.

I've actually just ordered 2x of this set, mostly because of your alternate models!

As @agrof says, it's the way forwards. Baby steps. I'm also just back into Technic after some 20 years. It's taken a while to get used to the huge steps since the days of studded technic beams! For now I'm happy with building kits and other people's MOCs. I find enjoyment in tweaking this or that, because then I feel like I've understood how it was designed and seen how (for example if you remove the constraints if it being an unofficial B model) it can be better. All these ideas go into my ideas Library and maybe one day I'll do a big MOC good enough to publish. Everyone has a novel in him, right??

The Lego pieces aren't holy and you can cut them up if you want... But don't expect any applause for doing so. Have a good look in all the tc18 threads. Take the time to understand how everything works from the pictures and diagrams. You wil gain a lot of ideas that will be relevant for your MOC in the scale you're building it. If there's something where you can't "see" how it works, most of us are happy to help by explaining but really the only useful way is to build it and see what it does. If you have limited stock of pieces, it can still be helpful to only build one side of an assembly If you're wondering about how to use CV joints in a double wishbone suspension, look at (for example) the smaller Porsche from Lego. You'll see how the two CV joints are lined up, how the pivots have to line up with the ball joints, and in general get a first idea which you don't yet seen to have. And again... put down the digital designer for a while. It won't let you build assemblies which don't fit but it'll surely let you design mechanisms which don't work. Until you're experienced enough to spot them, the design tool won't help you.

I think you should put down the digital designer for now. Build some test rigs, and you'll soon figure out why the axle you've drawn can't work. You need the pivots of the U-joints or CV-joints to be in line with the suspension pivots. Be careful when testing it though, because what you've designed will break universal joints. Build some more official sets and or look at/build some MOCs, you'll soon see a pattern of how U-joints are used correctly. The first problem is you can't use the piece you've used, as an upright. At least not how you've done it. Because it doesn't let you put the CV joint pivot in the right position.

What am I missing? https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=18651#T=S&O={"iconly":0}

I dare say first time it's been done. Funny thing is, just like the original, you now have room for a decent bit of luggage space :) Nice one

It should have the V2 infrared receivers. These send more power. Maybe somebody has put the lesser version in, and sold the set along?

Indeed! Building classic mini suspension with anything like the actual mechanism would be quite a feat, but certainly a worthy challenge. That would mean the rear swingarm suspension with pushrods pressing on some kind of elastomer (tiny tyres maybe?), And proper front suspension with longer lower arms, pressing up on an elastomer. I'd definitely like to it done!

The whole gearbox thing reminds me of early mountain bikes where more=better. They went from 21 to 24 to 27 gears all in relatively short order. My hybrid actually has 30 gears, but it's no better than it would be with 20. There are some very clever mechanisms being built but they have nothing to do with realistic technology, aren't typically strong enough to accept powered drive, and are kinda pointless to spin a fake motor. So... If anyone with design skill is reading (not going to lie, I have none), let's see more cool suspension please :)

Cool model but can't help feeling this as a missed opportunity to do the actual classic mini's suspension, at least in the rear. The rubber 2L beams might (maybe?) have made a good elastomer spring.

That's fine until or unless one of them breaks. Ludicrous mode will always find the weakest point! I'd use a straight connector with a 5.5 axle each side so it couldn't escape. Cool buggy though, chapeau! Just realized it's already a 5.5

Impressive setup, really good to see something other than a basic double wishbone. Looks like (and I admit freely I'm a novice so might be wrong) it could toe out a bit as the suspension compressed? Keep it up :) edit: now I'm not so sure as I realized I don't know which side is the front of the car

Want! :)

I'd be surprised if it had oil in there, and pressurised air won't work on a kids toy. Maybe as simple as an O ring between the slider and fixed part just to slow the motion?

+1 Or don't - what would you do with a triple C cell battery pack nowadays? People don't want to chase a small slow model with a leash anymore. At this point you may as well pull yours apart and see what's inside. Maybe something jumped out of place, but also maybe something busted.

It's a tricky one... When is a clone a clone and when is it compatible parts? L* steal Lego designs and publish them with krummy bricks. MouldKing steal moc designs. Those are easy decisions; they're clone brands one way or another. CaDA don't steal designs, they don't have copies of protected Lego parts, and they have several of their own elements which Lego don't have. All their parts have CaDA stamped somewhere, and most have some small design difference to Lego. Sembo don't steal designs but as far as I know they're less picky on Lego's IP regarding parts. Anyway, back to the point. The CaDA and MouldKing battery boxes are better than Lego PF because Bluetooth. But not better because still on/off. Correspondingly, the servos are built cheaper with left/right only and can't manage proportional steering even if you attach them to a proportional controller. It's a rechargable lithium battery, but the USB socket isn't wired correctly so you can only use the wire it comes with. It can barely be compared to the buwizz it shares a form factor with (CaDA, MouldKing is about a brick taller). No proportional control, no fast or ludicrous mode, lower battery capacity. The biggest advantage though, is that it's cheap. Really cheap. You could happily put this in a moc meant for buwizz as a placeholder or while your 100e buwizz is tied up something else. Not sure there's a whole lot more to add than that.

You can usually get current or recent sets cheaper. https://www.brickwatch.net/en-GB/set/42099/4X4-X-treme-Off-Roader.html

In terms of getting the pieces there's a fair few rare or expensive bits in there that you won't readily get in any set. For a start: 8 unimog struts at 15€ each, a servo at 25€, 4 L motors at 15€ each, 2 buwizz at 100€ a pop. That's approximate prices for original Lego parts ordered on bricklink.