lazylegoist

Some here argue that Technic models needn't be absolutely realistic, since they're aimed at kids, whose priority is having fun playing with the models. And in certain aspects, like transmissions or the LA versus pneumatics debate, that might be true. But I think there is at least one aspect where more realism would equal more fun, and that is the steering. I recently acquired the 9392 quad bike, and the steering on that one is just horrible. I know that I wouldn't have liked it as a kid either, simply because it can't even do a full u-turn within the reach of my arms (I mean the reach of my arms today, as an adult). And the steering on other Technic models, even up to flagship models like the Unimog, is almost equally bad. I think having Ackermann steering, pivot points nearer or inside the wheels, and a more generous steering lock would not only increase realism, but would also make the models much more fun to play with, regardless of whether they're driven by remotely controlled motors or by the mighty hand of god. It has been shown time and again that all this is possible even with the current Lego parts, and it would be even easier with some new parts that Lego could easily develop. I wish they would do that to improve this important aspect − after all, the majority of Technic sets are wheeled vehicles which would benefit from better steering.

Here you go, enjoy it while it lasts: http://tinypic.com/r/2vcztee/5 http://tinypic.com/r/mn009h/5

I'm pretty sure these pictures had to be taken with a hidden camera. Maybe a buttonhole camera or something like that.

Being a translator myself, I am 99.99% sure that LEGO wouldn't use Google Translate for their translations, and 99% sure that the human translators employed by LEGO know the difference between hydraulic and pneumatic. BTW: In the German catalogue for 2014, they also claim that the boom on 42008 is operated hydraulically.

Hello Pete, thanks for your support. I don't really know the answer to your question, as I'm not the one who made these models, I just wanted to show them here because my friend isn't active on Eurobricks. If you want to know more about the models, I'd suggest asking in the comment section on Cuusoo; I'm sure Captain Furo will be happy to answer. Best, LL.

Hello everybody, my good friend Captain Furo published two very cool cars on Cuusoo − have a look at them if you're interested, and please support him if you like what you see. They're really good IMO. Land Rover Trophy: http://lego.cuusoo.c...deas/view/52964 Chaparral 2J: http://lego.cuusoo.c...deas/view/53643 All the best, LL.

2: 1 4: 2 8: 4 14: 2 29: 1

Why is that? So far, I only have the "large" cylinders (I wish there were larger ones as well), but I often thought the small ones could come in handy for more compact mechanisms. What is it you don't like about them?

It's definitely yellow. Just compare the color of the cab to the color of the PF battery box switch (which is orange).

Now that the 2013 summer sets are about to hit the stores, is there any information about 2014 sets yet? Best, LL

Hello everybody, I haven't checked in here for a while, so forgive me if this is old news; if not, you might be interested to hear that our own Sheepo has been featured in one of Germany's best selling car magazines, "Auto, Motor und Sport": http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/news/auto-modelle-aus-lego-dem-ingenioer-ist-nichts-zu-schwoer-7176849.html If you can't read German, you can get the gist of it by using Google Translate. I'd recommend staying away from the comment section though :) Congratulations to Sheepo for another fifteen minutes of fame :) Best, LL.

The perfect crime − after the murder, he could just disassemble the "blunt instrument" and build something else with the parts :)

Thank you very much for the review! And you get 9/10 points for your review − basically, it's perfect, but I deducted one point for your revolting spelling of the word "suspension". ;)

If you do, could you post some pictures? I can't watch the video because the GEMA hates Germany so much :(

Real insects use linear actuators for precision... (@OP: very cool design!)

I still haven't understood what the second pneumatic cylinder is supposed to do on 42008. Somebody wrote that it would telescope the boom. But until now, I haven't even seen the second cylinder in the pictures, only its switch. What do you think?

I agree with both of those statements. Your writings about the Technic models are really insightful, and they make me want to have sets I wouldn't have considered otherwise. Now that might have disadvantages too (for my bank account), but speaks volumes about how infectious your enthusiasm for Technic is, and how much of that enthusiasm is condensed in your texts. Even if Technicopedia were text-only, it'd still be a major resource, and a fun read! Looking forward to whatever you do next, LL.

It's probably the 42001 mini off-roader.

I thought about this again. Usually, Lego puts the manual pneumatic pump vertically behind the cab, which isn't the case here. Thus, the only point where they could have put it would be the side of the truck that we don't see, and I think that's rather unlikely. So I think there will probably be a compressor!

I think he means that the part of the boom that has the cord on it can slide backwards, powered by the hidden large cylinder. I sure hope so! But I can't confirm or deny it from looking at that one picture. Maybe one of the more experienced Technic aficionados can.

I wonder whether the towing fork rotates this time. It doesn't look like it on the picture, but maybe they locked it in place to make it look tidy for the fair? And I think it is important to use the right tool for the job, whatever that may be.

Let's hope one of the trading customers wears these:

Maybe you could get Sariel's mini steered axle to work with that model, or the quite similar axle from Technic set 8261 (you can find instructions for that online). You could make the three steering axles like that and leave the non-steered axle rigid, so you wouldn't need shock absorbers to keep the model upright. You would have to redesign most of the chassis though, so maybe it's better to make your own suspended fire truck from scratch :)

You could have built that with the chassis of the 9398 offroader and submit it to the challenge, to force LEGO to bring back the figures in case it would win...

I'm a bit ambivalent about the 8436. I really like the looks, I think it looks very modern and cool. And of course any pneumatic set is cool somehow. It's also a very good parts pack. But the entire model is much too flexy, and I think it should have included an additional small pneumatic cylinder. So far, I've only built it with the claw attachment, and that doesn't work too well IMO. But since I buy sets primarily for their parts, I'm really glad I found a good deal for this on eBay (35€ + shipping, very nice).