Pair of machines used to transport rock ore in underground mines. Built in roughly 1:14 scale.The machines are always designed as a pair; they fit in the same tunnel size and the trucks load capacity is 3 of loaders bucket scoops.

I tried to build them as close to the real counterparts while also retaining some functionality to make the fun to play with. Both vehicles are in their "stock" configuration with only proximity detection system installed (6 white round sensors).

LH517i Loader

Loader designed for 5m wide tunnels. 17 ton load capacity bucket.

Manual functions:

• Articulated steering (from a knob at the back)
• Bucket arm lift (from a knob at the back)
• bucket tipping
• openable door

The bucket is painted red as Lego does not have a suitable red bucket at this scale. The current one is also comparably too short but the width is correct. Also I might want to revisit the loaders arm geometry as currently it can't lift it high enough to load the truck from flat ground. The rear white sensors are attatched using blue tack.

TH551i Truck

Truck designed for 5m wide tunnels. 51 ton load capacity.

Manual functions:

• Articulated steering (from a knob in the front)
• dump box tipping
• openable door

More pictures can be found from my Flickr Gallery: FLICKR

Picture of 6m wide tunnel model variants for reference: Thanks for reading :)

 

Edited August 26, 2024Aug 26 by Heppu

Two excellent builds! I wish TLG would do more sets like this.

I like how put so much attention to details and then left out the handrails on both cars (a detail that never works for me on builds).

Are there any stability issues with the "backbone" of the TH551i Truck? It looks super fragile behind the steering.

With that size they are amazing detailed machines, congratulations.

They look really nice, l like how the functions are manual. Lego should do that more often.

Overall quite nice mining equipment :-)

Only the painting and use of sticky tape makes me shiver... :D

Thanks for all the nice comments <3!

17 hours ago, pow said:

I like how put so much attention to details and then left out the handrails on both cars (a detail that never works for me on builds).

Are there any stability issues with the "backbone" of the TH551i Truck? It looks super fragile behind the steering.

At one point I experimented with safety rails on the loader in the digital model, but I couldn't design connection points for a folding mechanism for them that was not too flimsy so I decided not to add them.

Yes there is a little flex in the trucks articulation. It's not fragile but it does tend to bend, especially if the bed is raised. That area could be improved for sure.

Edited September 11, 20231 yr by Heppu

On 9/11/2023 at 5:16 PM, Heppu said:

a folding mechanism for them that was not too flimsy so I decided not to add them

good call

Hi again EB.

It's been a while, but I have expanded the collection with a 3rd vehicle in the same scale: a Development Drill.

DD422i

Development drill with dual booms for efficient tunnel face drilling.

Designing this proved surprising difficult given the 1:14ish scale. The body came out to be even 8 studs wide which does not always mesh nicely with Technic :). At this scale many of the functions are not that 'impressive' to play with but this was designed primarily for display

Manual functions:

• Articulated steering (from the knob at the back)
• Adjustable drill booms
• Openable cabin doors
• Hydraulic jacks to lift and level the machine during drilling
• Cable reels (electricity and water)

The whole trio was on display recently at a local Lego convention. For that occasion I went and built a backdrop cutout of an underground tunnel so that the exhibition visitors would better understand what these machines are used for.

Since my initial post, I have also done major redesign to the front-end of the loader. Now the bucket has enough reach to be lifted high enough to dump ore to the bed of the truck.

Thank you for reading :)

How did I missed this topic?
Why loader's bucket is so small? :)

Nice builds.