Erik Leppen

What are some things you have tried already? How well does the special connector piece from 8275 work? Have you checked official sets where two cylinders are coupled, e.g. 8460? And do you have pictures of the parts of the model where you want to add cylinder? It's easier to help if people can see what things are about.

The price of a set isn't decided depending on its part count, weight, functions or whatever other measure or quality. The price of a set is decided to be the price that the sales team thinks will give them the most profit. That's what a sales team does (among other things). Also, sets don't need to pay for themselves, as long as all sets together pay for the whole company.

I'm not so sure. It might be done to give AFOLs one of their desired recolors in not one, but (at least) two different sets. Once they have the black 5x7 frame anyway, why not use it in more places to please that part of the market? :) I'm happy, at least, to see it being used in multiple places.

What do you mean? If they're connected, then the direct input to actuator 1 will also turn actuator 2.

Exactly. Until proven true, don't assume that what you don't see doesn't exist. I would say, of course the two knobs are connected (I can hardly imagine otherwise). How else does the mechanism even work?

@Aventador2004: You mean the two renders? I have added a newline (enter) between them. For the rest I don't think I can change anything. I try to keep my images at 1000px wide so it should be viewable on most screens.

It's very similar to several Formula 1 car sets, like 42000 or 8458; where a 9L link acts as a pushrod. I only changed the lengths of the various levers to decrease the suspension travel and make it possible to use a softer spring. Here are two renders using color coded parts for easy legibility: The idea is that the wishbones form a parallellogram that can be deformed. Gravity pushes the center down, or, the wheel hubs up. This will push the dioagonal pushrod inwards, which is connected with a towball-pin to thethat rotates around a vertical axle (see the yellow connector). This in turn compresses the spring. (or, reversely, the spring pushes the wheel hubs down to hold the car up.) Anyhow, there's new progress! I think @agrof is correct that black rims work better here. Makes it much more "serious". I do realize black is a difficult color to photograph, so I hope things are clear. I only have a tablet to take the pictures, and I wait for daylight to take them. The reason I put the rims "backwards" is that on the rear axle, I used the CV joints which have only one stud of axle useable, and the wheel rims have an axle hole only on the outside, so the rear wheels need to be outside-facing-inwards. So I put the front wheels the same way. I added a lot of black panels in the central section, and I added the first green panels around the suspensions. In an all-black build, the blue pins look a bit messy, so I might try to find a way to use black pins there. I also took a really low picture showing the ground clearance and the shape of the roof. Yes, there is a beam in the middle of the windscreen. The reason is to add the necessary rigidity (That's also why the front of the roof is shaped this way. This way, it's a rigid structure, minimizing the amount of flex (at least vertically. The torsional flex is very hard to beat in studless Technic). The gray frame on the side will be covered by a tile.

I think this set is brilliant. What I like is how different it is from all the previous sets. Yes, it may look misplaced in a modular street, but it might appeal to people not otherwise interested in modular buildings. Finally, we have a good example of a modern building. Personally, I really like how it's completely new, and I like some of the building techniques like the sideways white curved facade at the top of the first floor. The colors are also a deviation which I like. Dark pink may not have been my first choice for the lettering, but I like the combination with white and aqua (or what color is it exactly?)

A wheel rim sounds like the best option. If it needs to be thin, maybe a motorcycle wheel.

You mean this (yellow circle)? Um, no. It is the left bottom corner of the windshield. The same red beam an be seen at the other corner of the windshield.

Update! For take 4, I have added two important things: Wheel arches Gearbox I'm really happy I got the gearbox in. It has 4 speeds. I had to rebuild the switchers because the first version of the gearbox was Porsche style: the gears were in the wrong order. (left up 2, left down 1, right up 4, right down 3). I realized I could fix this by mirroring the whole gearbox, but that was not possible. So I changed the switchers, so that moving the switcher up makes the driving ring go down. As an added bonus, I could use a 4x6 beam for the switch handle, a part that exists in purple. The gears are pretty close together in ratio though. Each gear is 20/16 times the previous one. So the four gears are approximately 1 : 1.25 : 1.55 : 2. Personally, I like how the ratios form an exact exponential sequence. There is no way to prevent engaging the left and right driving ring at once, which will jam the system. I think there's no way around this. The gearbox is tightly fit into a frame consisting of mostly half-width beams, which makes it difficult to build and fit in, but I love this way of building because it can be so compact. I used the old 2L driving rings and dark-gray 16t clutch gears (the red 16t gears are just freewheeling on fixed axles). I also fitted some wheels on. What do you think about the yellow rims? I can try black ones too next time. It remains to be seen which color would be the best fit. The wheel arches look very big, but this is I think the smallest possible, because there has to be room for the suspension and steering, and I wanted them to be the same front and back. The way the wheel arches are attached is temporary, and needs to be reinforced somehow later. What I also changed, but you might not see it immediately, is, I reinforced the part of the chassis right behind the front suspension (the vertical 5x7 frame) and inverted the direction of the HOG by adding two 8t gears (see the yellow 9L axle). This section will be quite nightmarish for the instructions though. Speaking of which, I'm keeping a (new) digital file, and want to say in advanced that the build will not be modular. It's difficult enough as it is already. :) OK, so this is the last update before starting with the panels. Next update will focus more on the body and will have some green, at last :)

I think the best example of a full RC, PF-focused set is the recent Tracked Racer 42065. Maybe this set was designed as a test to find out how PF affects sales. Whether that is the case or not, it could be that sales of that set were below expectations. Another option is that some of use are seeing patterns where there are none - after all mnaybe there have been two or three larger sets without PF, which is hardly a trend to speak of. It could be coindicence.

Yes, I think both are parts introduced this year, maybe last year. I don't know if they already exist in dark gray in sets. They are https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=29119#T=C https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=29120#T=C https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=28192#T=C

I have progress! I have added the engine (as low as possible). Also, I added a steering wheel for the driver. But the most important thing in this update is that I joined the front and rear modules I had into one and determined the length. It's going to be pretty long, in relation to other cars using the same wheels. But it's in scale with the image. The engine is not connected to the rear wheels yet. I did move the drive axle further up, it now goes over the diff instead of under, because this way I can move the engine one stud lower. What's most interesting is that there's a large empty spot between the engine and the seat. As you can see here, it's six studs. So that might be enough to put a simple gearbox in between. The two yellow axles with axle joiners could be used to control the changeover catches. They probably won't be linked though, so you need to disengage one manually if you want to use the other. What I'm hoping for is to fit a 4-speed, with the left lever controlling gears 1 and 2 and the right lever controlling gears 3 and 4. You also see three blue pins above the engine, that can be used to form a nice closed frame that hopefully makes things rigid and strong. As a precaution, I changed the way the steering HOG is connected. I now used U-joints instead of a gear system. This uses much less space, as the axle now fits closely beneath the seat. The downside is that the HOG is currently turning the wrong way, but I have already found a spot closer toe the front axle where two 8t gears should fit to reverse the rotation, without flipping the steering wheel (which turns the correct way now). This is the underside view. I replaced the rear suspension's 5x11 frame by a 5x7 because the engine block is in the way. If you follow the HOG axle you see a CV joint. That section of the axle can be replaced by two 8t gears.

Ok, this is another picture than I had seen. You guys are probably right. So I take back what I said. Sorry guys! Edit: @JunkstyleGio Actually, without stickers it looks much better for me. Cleaner. Less of a mess. Thanks for the nice photo edit.

Don't count on it. The black bush was a mistake too. I have the idea that people "see" new parts all too soon, without being really critical. Now I have to say, I don't know which image this isa bout, but I have seen an image of the side of the 42077B buggy, and behind the frnot wheels, right below a blue panel, you can see a black beam with two holes visible at distance 2 from each other. My contention is that the hole in between is simly filled by a pin and therefore not visible, so it looks like the side profile of a 5x7 frame. It's probably not a new piece.

Technically, you're right @AkiyamaWataru. But I think I will keep the seat centered for several reasons. First of all, there's no room. Off-centering the seat would require spaced needed to enforce the chassis. Second, off-centering the seat would make the cabin wider. You see the effect of this in set 42039. Third, I find "theoretical room for a second person" not enough of a function in a Lego model. Fourth, the seat isn't realistic anyway, because there's already too little leg room. So yeah, I think the model would be better off with a centered seat, even though that would not be conform official Le Mans regulations. The only reason to off-center the seat would be that I could use the space on the free side for a gearbox.

The rally car is most definitely medium blue. Not dark azure, not medium azure, not regular blue. Alas. It would have been a great opportunity to add more panels in regular blue. Also, many of the panels in the rally car already exist in medium blue. At least the numbered panels. The wheel arch and 3x13 curved panel are new in medium blue. Further, I personally find the set butt ugly, but I like that it has a rollcage. And, technic isn't meant to be beautiful, so I like how it doesn't spend hundreds of extra parts on better paneling. It seems a bit light on functions though: steering, engine and suspension and a few opening doors isn't enough for 1000 parts. The Mack truck really looks splendid! A really pleasant surprise. And I might like the garbage truck even better! I might just get this set, after having missed out on the Arocs. The only thing I don't like is the colors. It's a lot of gray and black. I really like how they added some green to liven up the color scheme a bit. The rest of it is a lot of grays and blacks. There's a lot of System stuff, much more than we're used to from Technic. I think it's a good thing, but it does inflate the part count, and also the parts-to-functions ratio. I'm not sure whether that's what Technic is about. But I'm pretty enthousiastic about the set as a whole, from the images we have seen so far. I'm so glad they went for this scale and not the larger scale of the 62.4 tyres. Also, good to see more panels starting to appear in dark gray. I think the rest of the sets is a bit dull (but I'm not the target audience, they're kid's toys after all). Also, 1000 parts for the hovercraft may be a bit much given the simple nature of the functions (from my guesses so far). I'm still hoping for the jet boat to do the set a bit more justice though. If I may predict my purchases, it's the sail boat early on, and maybe the Mack truck later, depending on price.

Yes, I will. But the axles fall out so long as the wheels are not on, so I use this as a placeholder.

New progress! The color of the seat may not be to everyone's taste but it's a way to deviate from black-only. The two handles on the sides with the yellow axles have no purpose yet. Also, it's not rigid enough yet, so the connection to the 5x7 frame will have to be rebuilt, but at least the door mechanism is in place. Here's the same mechanism when it's opened. (Left and right are independent)

Ever since set 42039 hit the shelves, I feel attracted to building Le Mans prototype cars, due to their characteristic shape and almost futuristic looks. So I think you can imagine the delight I felt when during my random stroll on the interwebs a few months back, I stumbled upon the following concept car. Back then, I tried building a Lego version of it and got quite far. But due to lack of pieces I had to abandon early. I have since bricklinked a thing or two and want to redo the model from scratch. I think the actual car doesn't even exist in reality yet, and I think this is actually a rendered image. If I remember correctly, it is a concept that they want to try to build in reality in 2020. Personally I think it's the least car-like looking car there is (if you only count serious car models). If you forget the wheels and decals, it could be modern architecture as well. What's also cool is how the black wheel arches are actually almost shaped like Technic panels. I will be using the wheels of 8070, 42039 et al. These are slightly less than 9 studs in diameter, which justifies the following side view: The planned functions are: front steering rear drive, driving a fake engine suspension doors (powered by the damped springs also used in 8448) There's little space, so I don't count on having a gearbox. With a bit of luck, I can find room for a 2-speed, which at least gives the idea of a gearbox. But it probably won't be a proper "supercar" in the Lego sense of the word. We'll see, and I might need some help from you guys with this later on. OK, let's start. All I have so far is the two suspension modules. Here's the front suspension: First thing you might notice is, I'm using the long wishbone arms. Personally this is what makes the suspension much more interesting to myself, because it's more challenging to make it work and looks much more like F1-type suspension. Also you see I'm using only 1 small spring per wheel. The suspension travel is very little (about 1 stud) so I hope having 1 spring per axle is enough. It'll have to be though, because the mechanism isn't very strong, so a stronger spring will result in parts coming loose. The black axle on the left is the steering input, to that's where the rest of the car will come. Thanks to the pins with pin hole, the 5x7 frame is pretty rigidly attached to the whole thing. The chassis will be connected to that 5x7 frame. The rear suspension is unsteered, and therefore less spectacular. But it holds the differential: Those two modules is where I am right now. I do want to have said beforehand that I'm really not good at recreating existing car bodies, so it will be difficult and I will take some slack here and there. But how fortunate is it, that Lego has the perfect color for this car. Older Technic fans know these panels from the great Offroader 8466 and its smaller brother 8465. I'm actually not even a fan of the old panels, but this car is really the perfect opportunity to put them to use (and indeed, I bricklinked some, so I have a nice collection of them). Unfortunately though, these four pairs of panels are the only pieces in this color (except a very rare ribbed hose I don't have). So the body will necessarily be a bit crude. A body with modern pieces would probably be better, but I want to see how far I can come using these good old panels. When we get there, your feedback will be very welcome. The gaps will be filled up with black, I think. But a word of warning: I will probably add some details in a second color, simply because I find black a bit boring to work with. OK, that's it for the opening post. I hope you don't mind all the rambling I do between the pics. Next up will be a basic chassis connecting the two modules together at the right distance.

Could have been a set. A great pneumatic introductory set. I think the only thing preventing it from being a set is the small pump. Lego wouldn't do it that way. But I guess it makes a lot of sense on a model of this size. Personally I would add a knob at the top of the body for rotation, as a third function. That would improve the playability I think. Also, on the boom, I would add two axles 3 and two light gray 1x2x0.5 beams to fill up the small gap behind the 1x5x0.5 beams. But as a whole I think it's a very nice model at a good scale. The colors also work very well. Well done :)

That's probably the axle with pinhole (given that it shouldn't rotate, and the macaroni piece accepts axles, not pins (as far as I know))

Interesting how people think it's too highly rated. I think it's one of the best sets within this price range, and good to see a review of it here after all this time. What makes this set such a delight for me is the large number of functions, specially viewing the relatively low part count. This was Technic before the panel virus hit it. But you relaly shouldn't do a review and mods in the same topic. Either you review the set, or you mod it, but not both at once. That's kinda confusing.

The way you mounted the wheels is really ingenious. I should get myself a few of those hubs, I never thought about using them for these wheels. Smart! For the rest, I really like your truck because of the scale (my favorite scale for trucks ever since those wheels exist). Also I'm normally not into pneumatics, but I really think they fit great here. The way they are placed on the main boom looks really convincing. I really think this is Technic as it is meant to be :)