DLuders

@ Sicil: From the Batman Tumbler Blueprints, it seems that the narrower, second setup is more realistic:

@ Jimmy J: Hold onto those wheels and tires -- they're like money in the bank. They will only increase in value over time.

That's a nice MOC! Happy New Year!

Hey andythenorth, why then does The Lego Group have: 1) Unsolicited pop-up Customer Feedback forms when visiting Lego.com websites, 2) Have Lego.com representatives meet with AFOLs at Lego conventions, 3) Employees whose salaries are funded by customers like us? AFOLs have the perspective, and experience, to state their preferences. Any business who does not heed their "biggest fans" is foolish.

@ hrontos: I see what you mean. Most likely, the proper dates are in RED TEXT below. I will write another e-mail to Grohl so that the Technic Designers can change the dates (so that they don't get copied over to the "Finals" webpage). "Dates to remember • 31 December 2012 – Last chance to upload your design! • 9 January FEBRUARY 2013 – Short List announced by the LEGO Technic Jury • 22 January FEBRUARY 2013 – Last chance to vote for your favourite short-listed design! • 22 February 2013 – The winner is announced! This will make it consistent with: "Between the first and the tenth of January 2013 the LEGO Technic Jury will select the Top 10 candidates that you can vote for online using your LEGO ID – your vote will go toward determining which of the Top 10 is to be produced and launched! ... Online voting opens on 09 February and closes on 22 February. The winning design will be announced on 22 February 2013."

@ ap0r: "Welcome to Eurobricks!"

@ d1ging: Welcome to Eurobricks! The 9398 4x4 Crawler set benefits a lot from different, "third-party" tires -- see this Eurobricks topic for ideas. That set also benefits from replacing the Differential Gears with 32072 "Technic Knob Wheels", as stated in this TechnicBRICKS article:

Firgelli makes 50mm (2") and 100mm (4") Lego-compatible Linear Actuators: http://store.firgell...ts.asp?Cat=1822 .

I'm not seeing a discrepancy in the dates -- the Technic Designers' "Jury" will be meeting January 1-10 to select the "Top 10" Finalists, and the customers can vote February 9-22 to select their #1 favorite: "Between the first and the tenth of January 2013 the LEGO Technic Jury will select the Top 10 candidates that you can vote for online using your LEGO ID – your vote will go toward determining which of the Top 10 is to be produced and launched! ... Online voting opens on 09 February and closes on 22 February. The winning design will be announced on 22 February 2013." I'm going to send an e-mail to Grohl to alert him of this "Semi-Final" Eurobricks Poll topic. There's no guarantee that the Technic Designers "Jury" will heed the results, but it couldn't hurt....

What are you talking about? I'm in the USA too, and looking at this Shop.Lego.com webpage, the price for the 42006 Excavator is still $79.99. If you're worried about "runaway inflation" , you should order it!

I don't know how anybody could decide on the merits of these 2H2013 sets just by looking at some tiny, fuzzy images. There will likely be better information from the February 2013 Toy Fairs.

To possibly aid The Lego Group's Technic Designers in selecting the "Top 10" Finalists for the 2012 Lego Technic Competition, here are the top vote-getters in the 7-part Eurobricks poll (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, and Part 7). Since the images of the various entries might be taken offline in ~1 day (when the Competition ends at midnight on December 31, 2012 Central European Time), please select those entries below which you believe should be in TLG's "Top 10" Finals. Your selections will remain private. The results of this poll are non-binding, and only serve to (possibly) help TLG see which kinds of models AFOLs prefer. There were many excellent entries that complied with the Official Rules. Before you vote in this poll, there are factors to consider. As stated on this Competition webpage, "The Jury will select ten finalists from amongst all the submissions based on the following criteria: • Overall coolness • Inspired design details • Design that people will purchase • A great colour scheme • Buildable using existing LEGO Technic elements • Well thought out functions • The relationship between your age and your design" "We will do our very best to follow your design as closely as possible. However, we have to make sure that: • We can manufacture the colours you suggest • Others can build the final model and we can create easy to follow building instructions • Your design can be built using existing LEGO Technic elements • The final model is safe to play with • The frame and mechanics of the 4X4 Crawler, model no 9398, will support your design" "Between the first and the tenth of January 2013 the LEGO Technic Jury will select the Top 10 candidates that you can vote for online using your LEGO ID – your vote will go toward determining which of the Top 10 is to be produced and launched! The Top 10 candidates must accept to transfer all intellectual property rights as outlined below [see webpage]. The LEGO Group will contact the Top 10 candidates directly. Online voting opens on 09 February and closes on 22 February. The winning design will be announced on 22 February 2013. Our design team will work together with the competition winner to develop and build the winning version of the LEGO Technic 4x4 Crawler. The winning design will be produced in a limited edition of 20,000 and will be available online for pre-order from 1 July 2013 at http://shop.lego.com/ ." "Dates to remember • 31 December 2012 – Last chance to upload your design! • 9 January 2013 – Short List announced by the LEGO Technic Jury • 22 January 2013 – Last chance to vote for your favourite short-listed design! • 22 February 2013 – The winner is announced! • 22 March 2013 – Online Presentation of the completed 4x4 Crawler special build • 01 July 2013 – Pre-orders open! • 01 August 2013 – Official worldwide launch of the winning 4x4 Crawler design" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Top vote-getters from the Part 1 Poll) MarkusOSX's skull offroader -- http://technic.us.le...oldest&index=53 : hrontos' blue Sharkwler -- http://technic.us.le...oldest&index=75 : LandRoverTechnic's Land Rover -- http://technic.us.le...oldest&index=94 : Crazy_1993's black-and-white safari truck -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=147 : hrontos' green-and-yellow tractor -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=149 : hrontos' Quad Bike -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=172 : hrontos' great white shark -- http://technic.us.le...oldest&index=85 : efferman's black panel truck -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=107 : MarkusOSX's blue-and-white offroader -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=134 : VFracingteam's double-headed Dakar Monster Truck -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=146 : * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Top vote-getters from the Part 2 Poll) efferman's Cobra snake offroader -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=253 : rm88's black offroader -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=298 : * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Top vote-getter from the Part 3 Poll) idkwhoyouare's red Jeep -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=374 : * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Top vote-getter from the Part 4 Poll) solic's Light Bluish Grey offroader with satellite dish on roof -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=481 : * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Top vote-getters from the Part 5 Poll) idkwhoyouare's black offroader with black brush guard -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=498 : timtimgo87's orange offroader -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=533 : * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Top vote-getters from the Part 6 Poll) rumpletump's yellow offroader -- http://technic.us.le...=latest&index=9 : FCorreia/ Conchas' blue Dunechaser -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=591 : technicsupercars' yellow Jeep -- http://technic.us.le...ldest&index=640 : * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (Top vote-getter from the Part 7 Poll) rm88's The Boss musclecar offroader -- http://technic.us.le...latest&index=71 :

What a great replica!

It looks interesting:

@ SheepEater: You must mean BrickFactory.info , but I don't see any alternate B-Model instructions posted there -- only the 8457 A-Model:

@ legolijntje: Good find!

I don't own that set, so I looked hard on the 'net just now, but it seems that nobody converted the VHS videocassette tape into a downloadable file. The website listed on the last page of the Building Instructions ( www.Lego.com/PowerPuller ) no longer works: The 8457 Power Puller set has those big wheels and tires:

@ Unimog22: You could read 1blaz62's "Uploader Comments" below on "How to Create Lego Unimog in PF" (i.e., "motorize" it with more Lego Power Functions elements so that you can "drive" the 8110). The video shows the parts needed:

Perhaps the information on this LGauge.com webpage would be useful to get the Lego Dacta Interface B Protocol to run. That webpage has a link to this Dr.Dobbs webpage for "An ActiveX Control for Real-Time Computer Control".

Over here in the USA, the regular URL of http://www.technicbricks.com/ works fine at the moment!

@ MarkusOSX: Your design looks awesome.

@ martinnygaard: There is some good advice on how to "Calibrate" your Lego Mindstorms NXT Line Follower at the bottom of this NXTprograms.com webpage. There are some useful downloads, and many YouTube videos, on this Mindsensors.com webpage for that NXTLineLeader device:

@ Taiwan brick: Why would Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOLs) on this forum post the Building Instructions of a non-Lego kit on this forum? You need to find a forum for the Decoo sets, and ask there.