Thanks for the kind words. Although I can't be held responsible for your expenditures

Thought you would see my post since this was your thread, but I guess not. Here's a copy of my question :) Hi, Jim! Are you going to review the 42043 Mercedes Truck? Do you know approximately when it will be ready? I see you posted the 42030 review on June 2nd last year, will you make it that early this year aswell?

Thought you would see my post since this was your thread, but I guess not. Here's a copy of my question :) Hi, Jim! Are you going to review the 42043 Mercedes Truck? Do you know approximately when it will be ready? I see you posted the 42030 review on June 2nd last year, will you make it that early this year as well?

You keep asking this question in different topics. If anyone knew the answer, they would have posted it. You can be sure that when the set is reviewed by someone it will be prominently featured here on the forum so you won't miss it. In general, people do not get advance copies of sets for review, so it won't be reviewed until after it is publicly available. There are occasional exceptions, but they are typically confidential so you won't know about it in advance.

First post! Hello all!

This may not be the place/correct thread for this specific question, but then again, starting a new topic for just this question seemed over the top as well.

So I've chosen the Volvo to get me out of my Dark Ages (that ran for more than 20 years - I'm both an idiot as well as a slow learner). OK, technically, that is not correct (I mean the part about my dark ages), since I also assisted my 4yo son last year with assembling some of his City-sets (read: I pushed him out of the way, then assembled some of his City-sets while he went crying to mum). BTW, I've also chosen the next sets to keep me out of my dark ages, except the wife doesn't know yet, but I digress…

Anyway, the Volvo. Wow, and all that.

But I have a bit of an issue with the servo. I think I 'reset' it properly according to the manual (it would have helped if the manual actually stated that that was what was going on, because if I had not read about it online beforehand, I probably would have skipped the instructions for the 'dummy-hookup' of this motor - had I already mentioned I'm an idiot?). And I don't think it is possible to hook it up 'wrong', since the cables are keyed.

Anyway, when I turn the wheel on the remote counter-clockwise, this to me means 'turn left' (with 'left' just being another way of saying counter-clockwise), but the Volvo swivels to the right. And vice versa, of course. This feels wrong. All the other functions, ehr, function as expected, "UP" moves forward, "UP" lifts the bucket, and "UP" also tilts the bucket upwards.

But the servo is wrong. WrOng, I tell ya!!1! Sorry, I'm getting carried away (usually in a straight-jacket, and with copious amounts of valium in my system).

So, did I do something wrong, or is it simply supposed to be this way? Should I "look" at the steering wheel on the remote 'from the inside' - which would not be intuitive - instead of looking at it 'from the outside'?

Jim...Dude! Hi

Welcome to EB.

You can switch the little black switch on the remote and it will turn the other way.

There is small switch on remote to change polarity. If it's in same position as in instructions - that's weird.

The one that says "Flip direction of control".

Hi There and welcome

there is a switch on the remote to turn the direction (if I understand the problem correctly )

May you have many happy years with technic :thumbup:

Regards Sieg

Edited August 17, 20159 yr by Siegfried Meyer

There is small switch on remote to change polarity. If it's in same position as in instructions - that's weird.

Actually I think the instructions might be wrong. I know when I was writing the review I found some inconsistencies in the picture of the remotes. Not sure it was the Servo though.

And they beat me to it

Actually I think the instructions might be wrong. I know when I was writing the review I found some inconsistencies in the picture of the remotes. Not sure it was the Servo though.

I just completed my Volvo 2 days ago. I was very careful and check orientation of every 3L blue pin) And there's no mistake with these switches. But i have new style instructions in one large book. Maybe in old many-booklet instructions (if they exist for Volvo) there is a mistake...

I just completed my Volvo 2 days ago. I was very careful and check orientation of every 3L blue pin) And there's no mistake with these switches. But i have new style instructions in one large book. Maybe in old many-booklet instructions (if they exist for Volvo) there is a mistake...

I will take a look, so I can explain better what I mean.

Oh man, being the electrical engineer that I am, I didn't even spot those dipswitches…

(I did try reversing polarity on the battery box - at least I think that is what I tried since the button slides in two directions and I've read some stuff about other sets where this is a required feature - but much to my surprise that didn't change anything).

I'll give it a try tonight, but it definitely sounds like the solution to my problem. Weird that the manual did not clearly point this out - they ~do~ point out the channel numbers and all that, but not the dipswitches. And if there's no Big Fat Red Arrow, I don't see it (at 1:00am).

Lessons learned:

. I can drive my son nuts by toggling the dipswitches;

. mum will be hearing more crying;

. You guys are fast!

. I'm still an idiot.

[ETA] - I had a look at the instructions online (no guarantee of course that they're the same as my printed manual), and it turns out the position of the dipswitches is signalled by Big Fat Green Arrows . Interestingly enough, the instructions also ask me to swap polarity of the liftarm, but I feel that may not be right as 'up is up' on that one. Maybe the switch was 'accidently correct' in the box, I'll check tonight as well. Dipswitches? Dipswitches! (Yes, I'm really not good at obscure references)

Edited August 17, 20159 yr by JimDude

I made the same mistake when I built my loader - I didn't notice the part where it said to switch the directions on one of the remotes

Final update: in the printed manual, the position of the dipswitches is indeed marked with Big Fat Green Arrows, but they're not half as fluorescent as in the online copy, making it very hard to spot. OK, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

(Yes, I should have paid more attention)

That said, I am indeed asked to also swap polarity of the liftarm control. That, IMHO, is wrong. And there is as Jim suspected some inconsistency between the pictures (all dipswitches face upwards) and the one page where the settings are, well, set (both dipswitches of remote '2' face downwards).

Anyway, the cool thing is that you can do as you please (once you learn about the existence of these switches ), it being LEGO and all that, so no critcism from me here.

I have it! I have it! I have it!!! :grin:

Please excuse me... My first new Technic set in over 30 YEARS!

Okay, I've built a couple of older sets in last few months (after going out of my Dark Ages about two years ago), but those were second hand used sets bought in large used Lego bundles and it's never the same pleasure as building a new set And I never built a motorized set, let alone an RC one!

Can't wait to start building it - probably tomorrow!

Edited August 19, 20159 yr by Vodnik

After holding off on purchasing this set, I finally bit the bullet last week. I wasn't too sure about it at first, but after completing the build I am glad I bought it.

Getting the set for $219.99 was a big motivator, but this review is what settled it for me. I really enjoyed and appreciated the detailed segments of

the build, as well as the pros and cons bits. I do agree with most of them, but I do feel like I should pick up an 8879 to really play around with this set.

Thanks Jim.

Hey all, my first post here and unfortunately not a positive one…

I finally bit the bullet and ordered 42030 off Amazon. I got about an hour into the build yesterday before realising that the servo motor and large motor are missing. I can only find the medium and XL motors. I searched everywhere to be certain that I didn’t somehow lose them when opening the box but I’m pretty confident they just weren’t included with my set.

Does anyone know if this is a common issue? The only thing I can think of is that perhaps someone ordered the same set, took out the motors and returned it to Amazon. I don’t know if Amazon checks their returns very carefully or if they’ll reissue “used” sets. Otherwise it seems like a pretty big oversight.

Anyway, I’ve ordered replacements for the missing parts from the LEGO site but they’re out of stock. Does anyone know how long they typically take to restock these things? I’d really like to finish this build and I don’t want to spend even more money buying these motors from BL.

Edited August 30, 20159 yr by nshef

That is a pretty big oversight. Have you tried calling Lego customer service? They are very good.

Edited August 30, 20159 yr by allanp

Otherwise it seems like a pretty big oversight.

How was the box sealed? The original TLG tape seals with black tabs are quite easily recognizable. At least in Europe...

Edited August 30, 20159 yr by Vodnik

Can I ask if you can share with me step by step instruction on how to turn the Lego 10242 mini cooper to a RC motorized Mini cooper? Thanks

Can I ask if you can share with me step by step instruction on how to turn the Lego 10242 mini cooper to a RC motorized Mini cooper? Thanks

Hi,

Welcome to EB.

Of course you can ask for HELP, but it's not common practice to do this in a topic about the Volvo. This is called off-topic posting, which is frowned upon. Please read the site guidelines before you continue.

In the Technic Index you can find a list of topics. One of them in a General Discussion topic. You can ask all sorts of questions there.

Have fun!

Thanks for an excellent review with great pictures. I don't really like this type of machines, but after reading your review I imbued to 42030 set with respect:)

I hope I can get my dirty paws on the 42030 set before it is discontinued, they are like gold dust at the moment.

You shouldn't have to worry about that, the set should be in print for at least another year. I think 3 years from release is a good rule of thumb for recent flagships.

Finding it cheap might be tough though, especially if you don't live somewhere with a strong market for Technic.

thanks for that