jon hirst

I am endeavouring to build an 8 wheel truck chassis but I'm struggling to come up with compact combinations of steering with suspension and axel drives with suspension but at the same time keeping the track width to a minimum (I'm working on 17 studs as a maximum I'll attach photo's, one is the concept so ignore the strange superstructure, the others are the best I can do at the moment but this is what I've managed so far: Rigid drive axels . . so not fully independent. Steerable independent front axels but still fighting with the short steering rack as it's too long for ease of use. So if anyone has any ideas . . . please let me know Many thanks Jon

I pressed on . . 3 rebuilds and I've had enough, so although a few bits are unfinished . . . this is as far as I go. And I have 9 black flip-flop beams, 5 short yellow panels and 4 x 1 stud little yellow panel/beams left over ! So on to the next project. A big 8-wheeled mobile crane !

Finally got a simple working ripper . . .

Struggling but tenacious . . . 2 studs narrower although the apparent width has been reduced by 4. Two studs longer so the general scale has hopefully improved, 2 control boxes and room for lots of motors. A long way to go but wondering if it would pay me to wait for someone clever to publish a full build ! Quick update . . getting complicated now, mainly due to my poor skills with drive chains and gearboxes The 2nd control hub will have to go back in the engine compartment, but I've managed to get 3 motors side by side just above the chassis while the remaining one will fit just under the cab and work the upper rear ripper arms . . then a full rebuild of the cab and platforms, hopefully to an approximate scale ! Pics will follow in due course . . .

Didn't even think of that . . thank you . . So until some clever person finds a way to but the drives to the upper wheels . . they stay put

Guys . . . some thoughts please . . . 3rd rebuild and going for the 6 motor 2 hub one in a reduced width chassis. I'm already using the old 5 stud tracks so this combination will reduce the apparent width by 4 studs and if I stretch the whole thing by just say . . 2 studs I think it'll look far better, but . . . I'm rubbish a clever gearing and gearboxes . . preferring to keep it somewhat straight line pretty basic stuff. So, keeping the 'base frame' the same height as the Lego original, I can get the outrigger and lower ripper motors as shown here . . . they would be better in that remaining lower void but as said my gearing abilities are limited . . and above the 'void' and below the cab I plan to put 2 motors to work the front main blade and the ripper angle thingy. So I'm just looking for better ideas before I get started please ! Would it be worth laying the 2 drive motors down into that wasted void ?

We learn something every day, and that does makes sense . . . thank you Maaboo35

Very early thoughts on the ripper outrigger . . I'm kinda happy with the two blades, the carrier box and the actuator positions but . . . they currently stick out too far (I'm using 2 x 11 stud tapered panels to try and mimic the original), and I've ordered 2 shorter actuators (I'm building this thing mainly from my existing parts), the drive motors are way too intrusive and almost in the way and as hard as I try I cannot come up with a decent idea for the 2 uprights above the weight box . . . need Lego to produce more triangles and slopes ! Next . . yet another rebuild (or several). I've already narrowed the footprint very slightly but need to narrow the main chassis by the previously mentioned further 2 studs. Then get both control boxes into it, the 4 primary motors and go from there. Sheesh !

Great stuff nugnug . . and I look forward to the results after moving the drive motors. Your skills far outshine my 'Heath Robinson' style of building so please keep us updated. So far I've had to locate the second hub in the engine bay but I wonder if the chassis could be adapted . . . . yet another couple of rebuilds methinks.

Well then . . . several re-builds later (and a few more to go) . . the 'chassis' is finished and finally working. The proportions are looking reasonable, I need to strengthen the track unit supports and think about colour mixes, then that dreadful ripper assembly, the horrid railings and finally it'll be attention to the little details . . . Such Fun !

Thank you kind people . . . I'm kinda new to modifying so learning all the time . . and finding even simple solutions are difficult and very time consuming, but it's they're interesting challenges ! Yup . . . time to strip the main body down again and see if there is a way to fit 2 control box things into it, and then attend to the dozens of little details that bother me. One thing I can say is that stretching it, even that little, looks more realistic when sat on the table . . . I'll post more photo's as things develop. A quick update . . All 6 motors and 2 magic boxes in, 3 studs narrower, (no dummy motor), 1 stud longer, an auto-tensioned track footprint of 35 studs and, a half decent ripper and guess what . . . half built only to discover the connection to the blade arm pivot drive was 1 stud too low ! . . . back to the drawing board as the whole lot will need rebuilding yet again . . .

No laughing . . it is very early days. temporary actuators and 5th (small() motor in after removing the gear-chain to the ladder and lots of gearbox parts. I don't need a dummy engine drive either (silly exposed pistons) so all I need now is to pick up the courage to rebuild the whole lot from the ground up . . and the second control box may have to go where the dummy motor now sits ! I dunno . . . !

Testing photo . . . if this works (from FB !) a very early build photo should be seen . . . apologies, the top section very roughly added for photo

Many thanks to Howitzer and Nugnug115 Not sure (I'm way too old) how to use external sites to link photo's . . . but progress here is going well and the build is looking quite good, and although not quite true to the original . . it's slowly becoming a great dozer. Tread to ground length is around 36 studs, seat in medium grey, the access ladder has been done without using flip-flop beams and now considering a double blade ripper and new roofs . . . . all a bit time consuming

My first attempt at modifying Just a little longer and a brick higher, old grey treads and 'wheels' and a much longer tread footprint. I've removed the manual tensioner, kept the rack and introduced a small shock absorber to allow for auto-tension Yes I know the colours are not as it left the factory but I needed to use what I had . . and I think it looks kinda okay . . Another 1 or 2 rebuilds still planned (I'm not good at this stuff !) to do away with the motorised ladder (horrid) add 1 large and 1 small track support rollers and motorise the ripper . . then look at the over-heavy railings. I will try again to post a photo but so far I don't seem to be able. It says . . There was a problem processing the uploaded file. Please contact us for assistance. . . . help please !