Phoxtane

Good idea! I wouldn't use one though. I think it's a tad too small, and it's slightly doughnut-shaped.

I've been working with LDD2POV-Ray and now that I'm familiar with how it all works, I've been creating renders and posting them on my deviantArt gallery. Image "A worker has just finished pouring a concrete slab! He looks rather pleased with himself."

Maybe a zamor sphere would represent bowling balls better? If memory serves, they came in neon sort-of-trans-green, silvered, gold, and black, as well as balls of the same size coming in the NXT 2.0 sets in red, yellow, green, and blue.

It looks like it was built using only parts available from the 8070 Supercar set [excluding the extra motors and IR receiver!] Well done!

I'll politely disagree. I think that the PF system has its own challenges - namely, how to add a battery box without making it obvious you've done so - but it's got advantages over the 9v system as well. For example, you can run multiple trains in different directions on the same loop or section of rail, and you don't get current drop-off in far sections of the track. The track is cheaper to make for Lego, and you don't have to worry about the rails oxidising over the years. The new drive wheels can be mounted to more things than the train wheels, like custom drive units for locomotives that require a bit more torque. What's most important in my eyes is that Lego doesn't make the 9v train stuff anymore. You can buy brand-new PF train equipment relatively cheaply - If you want a new 9v motor, you'll have to shell out 65 USD for a new one!

I'd like to see different colors of covers for the AAA battery box, myself. Currently, as far as I am aware, there's only a dark grey and red cover for it - meaning that to integrate one into your model, you either have to build around the box or integrate large amounts of red or dark grey into the walls, as well as a light grey stripe down the side.

"For the lulz" is probably the best explanation as to why any Technic builder does anything that's beyond the ordinary!

It's got two, one for each axle. I think the problem is that the L-Motors are longer than the M-Motors, so the frame would have to be widened to get them to fit.

Awesome! Good luck at your new job, Grohl! It says in the article that he likes racing cars and planes. I wonder if he had something to do with the new Formula racer kit that's coming out in 2013?

What sort of performance can you get out of it by using the wheels that came with the Crawler?

Awesome! The BNSF set was my favorite set when I had it. It's long been disassembled, and I think a rebuild with fresh stickers would jazz it up nicely!

Ack! At this point, it'll be a race against time for me to save up and buy a Maersk Train before they're out of stock or discontinued!

Upon examination of my two venerable 9v train motors, I noticed the small rubber bands on each wheel have become stiff and seem to have lost their grip. It appears you can remove the bands easily enough; however, what should I replace them with to restore the motor's pulling power? I'm amenable to using non-Lego solutions as long as they look and perform as well as the original bands would have.

I thought it was bad enough when I decided I wanted just two

Amazing! That curve is spectacular. It adds so much to the station!

Looks like a M-motor would fit quite nicely inside the boiler! Then there's the problem of hiding the battery box though... perhaps it could be hidden under a pile of logs on another train car it'd be pulling?

I'm sad, because I won't be able to make it to any conventions where this will be displayed! Amazing work! I think my pile of Lego is jealous.

As I see it, the problem is that the competition doesn't really focus on the core idea of the Technic line; that is, advanced Lego mechanisms [to put it simply!]. As stated by jorgeopesi, this would be better suited as a Model Team challenge, since it is primarily focused on the overall look of the new crawler body However there's nothing stopping us from adding in some motorized functions into this new body... It does seem a bit unbalanced towards those with the most experience in 'looks', IMO. Whilst Sariel or efferman may create something that's sturdy and drives well, Paul and drdesignz would create the next Mona Lisa on wheels.

Do you have any issues with the 16t gears mounted on the motors popping off under stress? They don't appear to be locked into place at all.

That's quite the exotic rear suspension you have to re-create. Good luck!

That could be the case with the lifting action. Or, the driving ring for engaging the lift action isn't actually engaging all the way, allowing it to slip under enough stress.

I'd use "Over the last four days we went to Birmingham" but that's just me.

I got this set a couple months ago. I didn't have any problems with this gear [admittedly, it didn't stay put together for long]. Maybe yours was just a tiny bit loose.

My differentials are like that. I think the secondary notch is cutting into the tops of the gear teeth, allowing you to slip in a 12t bevel gear more easily.

Agreed, the Unimog would make a much better subject for this type of competition IMO. I will restate my original comment; that is, use rare colors such as blue, white, and lime green as much as possible! Everybody wants more of those parts, so I feel any vehicle that incorporates at least two or more of these colors will have a very good chance of getting into the top ten! EDIT: I went a little paint-can happy with my palette swap for the 9398: I would buy another whole Crawler just to get these parts in these colors. Unfortunately, it's a body swap they want... so I changed my definition of 'body' to: "Any part of the vehicle that I want it to be!"