42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245

[GTRulez]

For fun I tried switching front and rear and the whole truck leaned forward. Then I tried soft shocks at the rear to get some balance but it only made the truck unstable while still leaning forward. So no, the advice is to follow instructions and leave the suspension as intended.

I noticed that the 2nd front axle has to carry alot of weight so actually it needs those hard springs there, the 1st axle is way too stiff though..

So i've tried another setting, keep the rear 3 axles as they are. and only swap the first axle with a pair of soft springs. It works like a dream :) smooth ride and it does not lean forward. if you tilt it from side to side it still returns to the middle because of the hard springs on the 2nd axle. Try it out, it works :)

[Blakbird]

I've been working on an LDraw model of this set based on the instructions. It is taking a long time but I am making good progress. I wonder if Philo is working on those new parts? For now I have put in substitutes.

[TheItalianBrick]

I wonder if Philo is working on those new parts?

I hope he is! I mean we all need those new pneumatic cylindres to complete new Mocs and be ready with instructions!!!

[thomol]

I noticed that the 2nd front axle has to carry alot of weight so actually it needs those hard springs there, the 1st axle is way too stiff though..

So i've tried another setting, keep the rear 3 axles as they are. and only swap the first axle with a pair of soft springs. It works like a dream :) smooth ride and it does not lean forward. if you tilt it from side to side it still returns to the middle because of the hard springs on the 2nd axle. Try it out, it works :)

I'll try that. You did use soft, not medium on the first axle?

[vliet]

My Arocs is finished but in my opinion there are a lot of parts left over, 14 black pins, 2 Grey pins, 5 half bushes, 5 bushes, 3 tan 3/4 pins, 3 Grey 3/4 pins, one blue 3/4 pins, 1 beam 1 long, one pneumatic T piece and some round tiles in 4 colours, and "1845" stickers

[Saberwing40k]

My Arocs is finished but in my opinion there are a lot of parts left over, 14 black pins, 2 Grey pins, 5 half bushes, 5 bushes, 3 tan 3/4 pins, 3 Grey 3/4 pins, one blue 3/4 pins, 1 beam 1 long, one pneumatic T piece and some round tiles in 4 colours, and "1845" stickers

That's actually completely normal. The 1845 stickers are for the b model.

[Leif]

My Arocs is finished but in my opinion there are a lot of parts left over, 14 black pins, 2 Grey pins, 5 half bushes, 5 bushes, 3 tan 3/4 pins, 3 Grey 3/4 pins, one blue 3/4 pins, 1 beam 1 long, one pneumatic T piece and some round tiles in 4 colours, and "1845" stickers

That's why I always lay out and do an inventory before build..I know what is spare. But don't worry about pins, they always give you too many!

[Blakbird]

I've now got the model complete except for the crane.

[Alasdair Ryan]

I've now got the model complete except for the crane.

I am looking forward to you adding all those hoses.

[nerdsforprez]

Did the Arocs hit CPT America? Looks like he left part of his on his grill :laugh:

[kisper]

Did the Arocs hit CPT America? Looks like he left part of his on his grill :laugh:

Yep that caught my eye too *LOL*

[lcvisser]

My Arocs is finished but in my opinion there are a lot of parts left over, 14 black pins, 2 Grey pins, 5 half bushes, 5 bushes, 3 tan 3/4 pins, 3 Grey 3/4 pins, one blue 3/4 pins, 1 beam 1 long, one pneumatic T piece and some round tiles in 4 colours, and "1845" stickers

You seem to have too much there: you shouldn't have any leftover beams. Considering the amount of black pins, I'm assuming you forgot to put it somewhere, maybe on the dump bucket?

For the rest: there seem to be more leftover (spare) parts than in the olden days because they part out per sub assembly. Since there are 6 subassemblies, you essentially have 6x the spares that you would expect for one set.

[thomol]

I noticed that the 2nd front axle has to carry alot of weight so actually it needs those hard springs there, the 1st axle is way too stiff though..

So i've tried another setting, keep the rear 3 axles as they are. and only swap the first axle with a pair of soft springs. It works like a dream :) smooth ride and it does not lean forward. if you tilt it from side to side it still returns to the middle because of the hard springs on the 2nd axle. Try it out, it works :)

Now I've tried with soft springs on 1st axle, and while the suspension works fine there is a noticeable bend in the chassis between the front and middle modules. The springs on the 1st axle compresses a couple of millimeters while the 2nd axle don't seem to compress at all, and this creates the bend where the chassis has its weakest point. Maybe medium springs work better, but I'm out of those so I'll let that part be for now. However there should be room to add some diagonal support between front and middle modules which might solve the bending.

Edited August 14, 2015 by thomol

[gvo25]

After I've built the model, my biggest 'complaint' is that the connections between the 3 submodels of the chassis is too weak. To me it feels that these assemblies are still hanging loose. For the rest it is a really nice model with some very ingenious construction solutions. My next project is to modify the crane according to efferman's crane mod. Like this the truck looks better overall.

[vliet]

@leif I layed out the parts before building, but maybe miscount somewhere

@ludo the "beam" is the new 1 long, so is it actually a beam

[lcvisser]

@leif I layed out the parts before building, but maybe miscount somewhere

@ludo the "beam" is the new 1 long, so is it actually a beam

Oh, I misread it. Assuming you mean this part, I also had one left over. I didn't know it was called a 1x1 beam.

[Leif]

Oh, I misread it. Assuming you mean this part, I also had one left over. I didn't know it was called a 1x1 beam.

All good, yeah I had suspiciously many pins left over as well but I'm pretty confident that I, and you, built correct. I build slow and steady, never in a rush!

[talos]

There were just a couple pins per section, so I agree with others, that the leftovers aren't all that many considering how things are packed. Here is what I had leftover. I know for a fact I would of had one more black pin too, but it fell, and of course bounced into the air vent ... Murphy's Law ... and vanished...so strange, I took the grill off and looked with a flashlight and it just plain vanished! I think reason number 1 that they give you a few extras of those smallest parts.

I had a beam left over after building the truck cab, and realized I left out the black beam that goes into the lower part of the bumber area, just below the license plate. Only had to pop off 2 parts to fit it in, thankfully!

Here is a photo of what I had leftover.

[dhc6twinotter]

Is this the first set to include both blue and LBG half pins?

[M_longer]

Is this the first set to include both blue and LBG half pins?

Nope. For example:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?S=10248-1

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?S=21301-1

[miguev]

I noticed that the 2nd front axle has to carry alot of weight so actually it needs those hard springs there, the 1st axle is way too stiff though..

So i've tried another setting, keep the rear 3 axles as they are. and only swap the first axle with a pair of soft springs. It works like a dream :) smooth ride and it does not lean forward. if you tilt it from side to side it still returns to the middle because of the hard springs on the 2nd axle. Try it out, it works :)

What happens if you put hard spring shocks in the 4rd axle? With and without the bed full of heavy stuff :)

[vliet]

I have the exactly the same parts left as Talos

Edited August 15, 2015 by vliet

[D3K]

I've now got the model complete except for the crane.

I just made it, except for the new parts. I'll upload the LDraw file when they have been released, feel free to use it as you see fit

[nerdsforprez]

I notice on the bags that bag six is labeled as "6." (emphasis on the period). Obviously this is to avoid confusing it with a "9"...... but, I can't remember the last LEGO set that had 9 bags. I know they are out there.... but being that this is the largest Technic set ever, not in the Technic genre. Anyone know sets that have at least 9 bags in them? I looked on BL and there is not that type of information there.....

[talos]

I notice on the bags that bag six is labeled as "6." (emphasis on the period). Obviously this is to avoid confusing it with a "9"...... but, I can't remember the last LEGO set that had 9 bags. I know they are out there.... but being that this is the largest Technic set ever, not in the Technic genre. Anyone know sets that have at least 9 bags in them? I looked on BL and there is not that type of information there.....

I always go by way of the copyright printing is oriented, as to if it was a 6 or a 9. I think I do have a set that has 9 sets of bags...but darn if I can't remember what it was...It might of been a City theme set..I will try and figure it out..

I did notice the 'period' too though...