allanp

They don't seem to release any new part in large numbers upon release. Even a new type of connector peg only comes in very small numbers when first released. Maybe it takes a while to build the stock up a bit?

They can hold around 60psi or more. Which is fine and a good safe pressure for kids to play with, and quite powerful enough for any load you want to lift. You want to lift more, add a second cylinder to double the surface area and lifting force, or make the piston longer and increase the leverage. There's a solution to every problem if you look for it. You're probably right, I won't be surprised if that's exactly what it is. But that would also be pants, and if you don't ask you don't get right? Right on dude!

What happens if you do the same test but have the rear wheels off the ground with the front wheels up in the air. Do the front wheels turn then?

That depends on how well designed it is. For example: This excavators digging arm looks realistically fast (yes real excavators do move that fast) and very powerful and therefore much more fun to play with, without ever dropping like a stone. For RC pneumatics it really helps to mechanically limit valve travel (to prevent dropping too quickly, although the functions of a bulldozer might not need it) and you need to have the right size pneumatics and compressor to suit the model and performance you are looking for. If you have that then they can be wonderful like the excavator seen above.

Yeah, might be fewer pieces. I would gladly welcome a trade of fewer pins and beams for more of "the good stuff". 8455 is a classic example of that. But I'm not saying that it will be pneumatic or that anyone should get their hopes up for that. But there is demand for it amongst fans, they have invested in V2 pneumatics, they added the axle hole to the valves, and a new micro motor also has a lot of demand, which would be perfect for the valves. It ticks so many boxes for the next great flagship (not just any flagship) So maybe now is the time? Only time will tell I guess.

That's what I'm saying. For this price point, it can't just recreate the functions with the usual unrealistic mechanisms in a big, impressive looking shell. It needs something more, right? Rant warning!!! I mean if they are going to do yet another model where each function has its own motor connected via fairly simple drive trains, well we've had a lot of those types of models already. Can't they alternate at least, so have this bulldozer be a RC pneumatic wonder of mechanical authenticity, then next year do a massive fully RC 42009 type crane truck with the simple one motor per function stuff. If they had a bit more variety in their mechanics I'd probably be much more open to 42100 or 42082 type models. But it's all just the same motors, gearboxes and LAs all the time. All the same mechanisms just packaged in the shape of a digger or a vtol or a crane or whatever. So next time they do a big helicopter for example, how about NOT having a multifunction gearbox? Instead have new cyclic/collective parts. Next time they do a hydraulic machine how about NOT using LAs for a change. Next time they do a supercar how about NOT using the same basic double wishbone geometry and lack of Ackerman geometry. You see, it's all the same. But you know what? I often feel this way but every now and then they surprise me, they put something out that keeps me hooked. They'll release an Arocs or a Class or 8455 so who knows.

Why does it need position sensing? Most real life vehicles don't have it. That's what the driver's for!

Well that would be the boring same old same old version, so lets hope its not that. We don't know that it will be that. My speculation for lots of wonderful new pneumatic goodness is based on three things mainly. 1) Lego do not like to invest in new parts and then not use them again, and in 2018 they gave use a new pneumatic valve, for only a mid sized set, that would have worked fine with the old design of valve, so they must have something in mind for the new valve. The axle hole in the middle makes it easy to connect a servo motor, so this would point to them thinking about RC pneumatics. 2) The bulldozer is rumoured to be very expensive. Perhaps more so than 42100. But why? It's not like a bulldozer has as many functions, or the complexity of such an excavator, so why the extra cost? Surely it cant just be a bunch of motors driving their functions through LAs, there must be something more to make it more....lifelike perhaps? 3) For all the times some members here say "they don't listen to us" and "4000 piece, $450 flagships aren't meant for us adults!" firstly I say that's nonsense, and secondly with the release of longer pneumatics, new valves with the ports on the rear, Claas tyres, new much stronger differential, planetary rear reduction hubs, larger/stronger CV joints and so on, I think it's pretty clear that they do listen from time to time, and with more people than just me demanding more pneumatic sets and RC pneumatics, there is every chance that they will listen again. And maybe we'll also get leaf springs in the Merc and lots of different sized clutch gears in the 2022 supercar! Lets wait and see. I don't know any more than you do. But I am hopeful for a flagship that follows a formula a bit more exciting than (motor>gears>LA)*functions + zero.

@MisteryMan @howitzer Yes for the non pneumatic functions of the Arocs, using the battery box to change direction isn't as good as 42042 for example, I do agree with that. We all know how they could make the gearbox much easier but I think I've gone off topic enough already!

I'm not sure I follow. With 42082, you move a lever one way and a function moves. You move the same lever the other way and the function moves the other way. The crane of the Arocs functions the same way. Each function has a lever (valve) that you move one way or the other. Both models also have an upper and lower section which requires you to have a lever in the correct position to send the power to the part of the model you want to operate. So in terms of control they are literally the same. Besides the proportional speed control you get with the valves (which takes only a few minutes to get used to and I see as a positive) I don't see any difference in terms of difficulty or intuitiveness. The proportional controls isn't a sign of bad design, it's just a different animal that doesn't take long to get the hang of. Oh wait, there is the non pneumatic functions of the Arocs, which unfortunately does require switching the battery box to change direction. I'll grant you that one!

42043 isn't perfect (needs a more powerful compressor) but I really like the controls. It takes a little practice and skill, but I love that. It's just like operating the real thing. But yeah, I think a more powerful compressor (meaning much more air flow at close to max pressure by having many more pumps) would help to make it easier to operate because it would make the controls more responsive. And I'm not sure that more gears is always a good thing. It's just complexity for the sake of complexity and often leads to unrealistic mechanics, too much friction and power losses and unreliability, for example the 42009 outriggers and the Sian gearbox. The motor of 42009 was really working hard just to get the outriggers to move down to even reach the floor. But flick a pneumatic switch and the same motor could lift the whole model off the floor quickly with no problem, no matter where the motor is positioned in the model.

Can you record a video on your phone, post to YouTube and type the link here?

No, but it looks like it was made from the parts of that set.

The gears for the tracks are pretty well braced, so any skipping is likely to be coming from the grey/white clutch pieces. This is how it is intended to function from a mechanical perspective in order to prevent damage if ever the tracks have too much resistance. You could try (at your own risk) to replace the clutch parts with straight axles, but there's always that chance you might damage something. Either way, you probably won't have much luck trying to return it if it is indeed working as it was intended to.

Any chance you could post a video?

What about 5x part no 18944, overlapping by one stud with the top one fully showing? This would be 11x 13 studs.

For me it's the body work/finishing a model beyond the functional inner workings, because I'm not really excited by that as much. So if I really want to finish a MOC I'll start with building the outer shell first.

I used to always start with the front axle. But the last MOC I made I started with the chassis rails, and the MOC before that I started with the body work!

Sian? I have a feeling that it will be at least motorised with "dumb" battery box and single motor, like the Arocs or Unimog, which were the other Mercedes sets, and were both brilliant! It would be a shame if both this and the flagship were RC (unless they are finally, for the first time ever, bringing some mechanical realism to an RC set of course)

I do like the inclusion of the haunted house to the fairground collection if only for the sake of completeness. The haunted house next to the Ferris wheel really reminds of the first two rides everyone puts down in rollercoaster Tycoon! But it would have been better as a ghost train, and I do hope the next one will have more movement. With the Ferris wheel, carousel and rollercoaster you can see their movement from far away, the haunted house looks too static in comparison. So I'd quite like something like a top spin or swinging pirate ship (preferably the type with a counter weight that can go all the way round to slow down how fast it swings)

Do you guys anticipate a new fairground collection set for 2021?

Yes for sure. I would argue that studded universal sets would act as an excellent bridge between "regular" Lego and Technic. Could also reintroduce the Technic fig and have the models be to that scale. Studded was always much easier to build and MOC with, and studded bricks are still in production, and universal sets were always more focused on the mechanical rather than the look, so as a bridge between brick based sets and Technic, why the heck not?! And like before, there could be different sets to introduce different concepts, like a purely mechanical set, a motorised set, a simple pneumatic set, a pulleys and winches set and so on. Edit: Apologies for the off-topic post btw, nicjasno just got me excited for universal sets

Agreed. There's a ton of new more interesting (to me) parts this thing could have. For example: Deep sprocket to allow the planetary hubs to be installed inside the sprocket, Compact PU actuated pneumatic valve with integral servo motor Axial pneumatic pump/compressor with variable position swash plate and possibly back drivable (pneumatic motor) Pneumatic brake calipers and disks (for steering) Planetary gears with both drivable and brake-able outer ring gear (for automatic transmissions). Gears shifted by sensing the current load on the motor and maybe also taking into account throttle (joy stick controller) position and motor speed to make a properly working automatic transmission. As usual, I must add my disclaimer, these are only my own pipe dreams based on what this set could be. You must temper expectations to not be disappointed and judge any set for what it is.

Yeah but then it would be just another boring motor/LA combo. I think for this price it needs to be far more than that, something new, not just implementation of something that already exists.

JCB make the most iconic backhoe though.