2GodBDGlory

That is very good looking! I always like it when MOCs can convey that they're based on a modified real-world car accurately. Any particular reason not to include suspension? It seems like it could have easily been done. Is it important to keep costs down for people on Rebrickable?

After deciding to enter this contest, I went through a few different model ideas before settling on some kind of excavator. Now, there's been a fair bit of discussion lately about how the latest Volvo excavator set has failed to advance on the legacy of 8043, so this seemed like a good opportunity to see how that classic set could be improved, while retaining its basic spirit. Coincidentally, the contest motor limit of 4 corresponds with the motor count of the original set, so a similar gearbox approach will be needed to create an RC model! Now, in order for my model to actually advance on 8043, it can't just have one motor for shifting between two modes, for six motorized functions. No! It must have at least three different modes, for nine motorized functions! However, that means that I need more things to actually motorize, which brought me to the Mini Excavator topic. My model is certainly not going to be "mini," but it will be a model of a real-world "Mini Excavator" I've worked around these cool little machines on a few occasions, and have always thought they'd make a good Technic model, on account of their extra functions, which typically include an adjustable blade on the base, a claw for the bucket, and a rotatable arm. I don't have enough motorized functions to do the rotatable arm, so I'll gladly leave it out to avoid the absolute nightmare of trying to route all the driveshafts for the arm through both vertical and transverse pivots! So, the functions will hopefully be as follows: Motorized: 1x Servo motor for switching between three modes. 3x other motors for running three functions per mode Functions: Mode 1: Drive track 1; Drive track 2; rotate superstructure Mode 2: Lift arm; bend arm; operate bucket Mode 3: Operate blade; operate claw; tool change/PTO To expand on a couple of those. Operating the blade is a challenge, because I've already got two functions going through the turntable for drive. What I'm hoping to do to get around that is to use vertical motion of the inner drive axle (going through the turntable) to operate the blade. It's got a sliding 8T gear on the bottom, and will be able to slide through a gear on the top as well, which should allow some other method pushing down on the axle to push down the blade (A rubber band will have to work to lift it up). It sounds complicated, but should be interesting to try to make work. I'd like to have a tool change function to match the Volvo excavator set, and I think having a PTO for some other attachments would be nice. To fit that within my function limit, I'm hoping that I can use one motor for both, that will run the PTO while slipping a clutch on the tool change function. We'll see if that works or not. Anyways, most of that is far in the future, but this is what I've got so far! It's always fun when a 40T gear turns out to be needed! Note the small linear actuators being used for manual track tension adjustment. It seemed like a fun function to include, and I had room for it! I realize that this is an ambitious model, and I'm in very early stages, but hopefully it comes together according to plan! I just finished college for the year, and I have yet to find summer work, so for the next while, I do have a disturbing amount of time on my hands to build Lego!

Surprising that we would get a 4L steering link before a 5L one! It should definitely be useful, though. Lots of great suspension parts this year!

Great work! I really like having all the different drive modes

I think a snowmobile is just fine! I'd say the criteria should be something like "The vehicle must have tracks contacting the ground, and must not have wheels contacting the ground."

Good timing! I was just sitting here wondering what I should build next, at which point I hopped on Eurobricks and noticed a new contest! I guess I can now filter down my ideas!

Welcome to Eurobricks! Your images don't seem to be working for me. Are they uploaded to another website and embedded here? That's usually how images need to be uploaded here

Looks fun! Do I understand that you're running four buggy motors off that one battery? I was under the impression that even running two off of those was pushing it!

True, we do have that topic, and it probably would be good to take future discussion there! I guess I was trying to be more specific in my question, though, to focus on parts that enable completely new options. These suspension parts allow for creating functions that really couldn't be done before at that scale, and while we could think of all kinds of new parts that would make specific constructions easier, I was trying to focus on parts that make new functions possible, rather than just making certain situations easier.

Hmm, good question. I feel like having contrast between the male and female parts of the assembly is important to TLG, and LBG would be too confusing with the Ford GT ones, so maybe white? Or black? Or something despicable like magenta? I love how we can reverse-engineer well enough to have confidence that this part is real without even having seen it! This and the short suspension arms this year are truly game-changers for small-scale cars! After these parts, what hugely useful "can't-build-it-without-it" parts are we missing? I'm still waiting on the 32T gear...

Haha! I mean, maybe it's not typical for a loader to carry a shovel, but in my construction experience I've had times where the boss would get the dirt in position with an excavator, and I'd spread it out manually with shovel and rake, so heavy equipment and basic shovels can work well together.

That does seem like an odd choice, but probably not too problematic. I'd imagine most kids would either remember, not care, or just check the box/skip ahead in the instructions.

Glad to see that!

Yeah, an odd length for those would be very handy in the Technic world

Oh ok! So the clutch automatically connects and disconnects the front axle as necessary? Kind of the opposite of the Lego set then, I guess!

Actually, on second thought, I suppose the result, if not the implementation, could be slightly realistic! Assuming the real car had a central differential, which I'm confident it would, you certainly could have more RPM directed to the rear once you break traction if the central differential decides that that's the path of least resistance.

That is shockingly gear-dense! Very, very cool. Probably something I'll try putting together from my collection once instructions are out

That'd be a rather neat feature! Not realistic in any way, but it would illustrate the rear tires breaking traction in a cool way

Is the lack of a central diff that big of an issue? I'm pretty sure we've had 4WD sets before without them, and I thought the difference was pretty negligible with Lego

Oh, you must be right! I just assumed that that's what the differentials would have to be driving, but you're right, it does say it's an electric machine right in the title!

Yeah, I'd agree that that looks more LBG. Lets them reuse the newly recolored wheel covers from the Skyline in the rear, as well. Strange to get two LBG cars in the same scale in the same wave, but my LBG-loving self won't complain!

Right, I remember that now! Man, I'm really not following Technic as closely as I used to...

Looks like the fan favorite of the year to me! Seems to have 4WD with some piston engine, good steering, and the bucket functions. Great to see those tires become more readily available as well! The 9L alternating hole liftarm should be great as well! This is the first time we've seen it in any color, right? Glad to see them moving beyond the 3+4x lineup for those

Very strange and underwhelming... I hope we've got the new angled connector in LBG in the suspension of that little cart thing, but likely it's not that one.

Not bad! I think those flat-sided wheel covers will come in handy quite a bit, and the fender flares are nice too. More realistic tires are always good too!