42129 4x4 Mercede-Benz Zetros Trial Truck [VIDEO REVIEW]

[Sariel]

My review is below, lengthy but the speed build takes a lot of time and there are chapters for your convencience. Will write more whan I have time, and the 42128 video review is coming tomorrow. Also coming shortly: the 42129 detailed outdoors test and 42129 competing against custom-built LEGO trial trucks.

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by Sariel

[Polarlicht]

Forget the Set. I wanna see more of the playing cats

[Maaboo the Witch]

"No B-model despite enormous B-model potential"; "+8 to disliking LEGO marketing and accounting people". Sums it up quite nicely! 

[Eaglefan344]

Just want to say your reviews are absolutely fantastic and I've been looking forward to this one for a few weeks now. 

I am leaning towards not purchasing this one though. I really like my 9398 and hated 42099. The fact that this one can actually climb like that is tempting, but the speed and huge turn radius is a big turn off. I think for $300 I'd rather just spend $100 more and get 41999. 

[Maaboo the Witch]

5 minutes ago, Eaglefan344 said:

the speed and huge turn radius is a big turn off.

Yeah. Seeing as this thing lost an axle and is fairly small, more manoeuvrability would have been great.

[Bartybum]

I enjoyed this particularly scathing review, even if I disagree with the objections raised about the new tyres.

It would be interesting to see if someone can mod the front axle to include tighter steering and a diff lock.

Edited July 16, 2021 by Bartybum

[1974]

TLG really should stop making these vehicles that can be driven outdoors. Feels like none of the designers ever had a Tamiya kit in 80's

LEGO is NOT suitable for that! Parts come off, the motors are weak, the app control is silly and the thing will get dirty and clogged up in sand and mud

Also, I thought the whole point of portal axles was to gain ground clearance as well as end-reduction at the wheels?

Thanx fro the review though, very honest as always

Perhaps it's not a good idea to use SW images as it may get stricked down?

Also, needs more animals. I expect to see some giraffes and snakes next time

[Maaboo the Witch]

I'm personally quite happy with the tyres. Maybe a tread similar to that seen on 42124's tyres would work better here, at least visually, but the chevron patterns probably lend more grip.

[Sariel]

59 minutes ago, Bartybum said:

It would be interesting to see if someone can mod the front axle to include tighter steering and a diff lock.

Just get rid of the front diff and put the 28-teeth gear instead. It can't possibly make the steering much worse than it already is.

53 minutes ago, 1974 said:

Also, I thought the whole point of portal axles was to gain ground clearance as well as end-reduction at the wheels?

It is. But this set doesn't have portal axles, it has planetary wheel hubs.

[1974]

Ok, sorry about that then

Edit : So these are planetary reduction hubs, where the axle is aligned with wheel, and not portal axles where the input sits higher than the wheel axle, am I correct?

Edited July 16, 2021 by 1974

[TeamThrifty]

Crikey, harsh scoring! But its all subjective.. For me personally, @Jim 's scores feel closer.

[Andman]

@Sariel, Did you happen to have the chance to replace the rear shock absorbers with softer ones? Great review! Thanks!

[Polarlicht]

2 hours ago, Maaboo35 said:

I'm personally quite happy with the tyres. Maybe a tread similar to that seen on 42124's tyres would work better here, at least visually, but the chevron patterns probably lend more grip.

I think Sariel is also happy with the tyres itself. Maybe just not on this set.

But they will come in handy for tractor builders out there!

[Maaboo the Witch]

3 minutes ago, Coolusername said:

But they will come in handy for tractor builders out there!

They'll also work great on previous sets that used the balloon tyre.

[Citromon]

Egor from BrickGarage RM8 used some 90 mm RC tires and got 47 degrees in climbing tests. 

[allanp]

I'm also happy with the new tyres in the set. I get the point that other tyres might have looked or even worked better for this truck, but then we would just be getting more of the same tyres that we already have available to us. The inclusion of these new tyres means that we get....well.....new tyres! Ones that will work great with tractors and JCB 3CXs when combined with either the claas or wrangler tyres.

[jorgeopesi]

I love your videos, specially where you can see the parts time, great work and I agree with the arte.

[Bartybum]

9 hours ago, Sariel said:

Just get rid of the front diff and put the 28-teeth gear instead. It can't possibly make the steering much worse than it already is.

True that. I’d also be curious to see whether someone will remove both the front and rear diffs, and copy the front axle across to the rear to give it 4WS... Seems like a modular enough build to do so

[Sariel]

5 hours ago, Bartybum said:

True that. I’d also be curious to see whether someone will remove both the front and rear diffs, and copy the front axle across to the rear to give it 4WS... Seems like a modular enough build to do so

You would need a second steering motor for 4WS and the hub already has all ports taken.

[Bartybum]

5 minutes ago, Sariel said:

You would need a second steering motor for 4WS and the hub already has all ports taken.

Bear in mind that I'm assuming some extra pieces would be needed to expand the steering drivetrain to the rear axle

[1gor]

Thanks for detailed review. Now I see what ohad in my mind; Zetros looks best with tumbler tires IMHO

[Sariel]

14 hours ago, Bartybum said:

Bear in mind that I'm assuming some extra pieces would be needed to expand the steering drivetrain to the rear axle

@Bartybum Mister, I'm saying that you would need a second smart hub just for that other steering motor, not "some extra pieces".

[Bartybum]

1 hour ago, Sariel said:

@Bartybum Mister, I'm saying that you would need a second smart hub just for that other steering motor, not "some extra pieces".

Why would you need a second motor?

[Sariel]

7 hours ago, Bartybum said:

Why would you need a second motor?

@Bartybum Because, as shown in the reviews, the steering motor is built into the front axle. And there is no easy way to move it into the chassis. So if you want to "copy the front axle across to the rear to give it 4WS", you're going to need a second steering motor or else you'll have no way of making it steer.

[Bartybum]

10 minutes ago, Sariel said:

@Bartybum Because, as shown in the reviews, the steering motor is built into the front axle. And there is no easy way to move it into the chassis. So if you want to "copy the front axle across to the rear to give it 4WS", you're going to need a second steering motor or else you'll have no way of making it steer.

Ahhh my bad, I must have missed that! Thank you thank you

Bit of a shame but ah well.