Hi,

I just want to add my 2 cents.

Please note, that you (and your son) shouldn't get the hopes too high when it comes to "proper RCing a LEGO set". There are more than enough limitations.

1. Speed. In a brickbuilt drivetrain, there is a lot of friction and "play". Also the motors are not really made for "high speed". I think the fastest car ever built with only LEGO parts was something below 20km/h. Though impressive, that was a highly optimized build. With L or XL motors, you won't reach anything that fast.

2. Torque != speed. Torque is good for rough terrain of course, to get over obstacles. But a lot of torque doesn't automatically imply a lot of fun. Also, too much torque can damage parts.

3. Friction is your enemy. And dirt adds to friction. This can also cause the pieces to break or at least suffer from use. Not only the gears, but also the axles and liftarms. So prepare yourself for damages parts. Also, cleaning a built set is not easy.

4. LEGO is not really suitable in classic RC hobby terms. The PF transmitter and receiver parts work with IR control. So you have a) not a good control distance and b) sunlight might interfere. On the other hand, since the model "will be slow" you can easily walk beside it.

So much for now. I like the idea you pursue though. And when thinking about the limitations, accomodating with them and taking care that the model doesn't get too dirty, I assume you will both have quite some fun.

I Agree!

My idea was to get him into building someting kinetic, not to create a substitute for a real RC pick-up with two-stroke engine. Mild outdoor use is ok, but the ever mountig mess in his room will make for sufficiently rough terrain; the topology can be challenging in there.

Edited December 5, 201410 yr by Useless User

If you want to build something really fun (not a car), then look-up Spirograph on this site. You and him, and the whole family, will have LOTS of fun.

Edited December 5, 201410 yr by DrJB

The nice part is you can make something entirely different with with the parts if you get bored of a set or MOC.

The nice part is you can make something entirely different with with the parts if you get bored of a set or MOC.

That's the whole point of this. I don't understand why some people don't see that.

That's the whole point of this. I don't understand why some people don't see that.

While I fully agree with your point (that you can do whatever you want with lego), I 'must' voice a point here.

One of the first things they teach you in management is, they show you 9 small squares stacked together and ask you how many you see. Most people would answer 9, but others would answer 14, and others would include the rectangles as well and give a higher number. The exercise by itself teaches you that each person has a DIFFERENT point of view and that all those are valid, none is right/or wrong. They're all different yet valid answers. Same thing goes with what each of us wants from lego ... I just answered a different post where a user 'accused' me of pre-judging and picking 'random' details ... when in fact he forgot that it's all about opinions, nothing right nor wrong. If we all had the SAME thinking, the world would be a pretty boring place... Happy building, cutting/gluing, collecting, selling/speculating, or whatever YOU choose to do with YOUR Lego(s).

Edited December 5, 201410 yr by DrJB

While I fully agree with your point (that you can do whatever you want with lego), I 'must' voice a point here.

One of the first things they teach you in management is, they show you 9 small squares stacked together and ask you how many you see. Most people would answer 9, but others would answer 14, and others would include the rectangles as well and give a higher number. The exercise by itself teaches you that each person has a DIFFERENT point of view and that all those are valid, none is right/or wrong. They're all different yet valid answers. Same thing goes with what each of us wants from lego ... I just answered a different post where a user 'accused' me of pre-judging and picking 'random' details ... when in fact he forgot that it's all about opinions, nothing right nor wrong. If we all had the SAME thinking, the world would be a pretty boring place... Happy building, cutting/gluing, collecting, selling/speculating, or whatever YOU choose to do with YOUR Lego(s).

I understand what you mean, but I know people who litteraly do not understand, that you "could" build other things from a set. They don't even never ever think a little bit out of the box.

I once had someone visiting and he saw one of Crowkillers cars on my shelf. he asked me where he could probably buy this car. I said he can't and that I took this and that set as base, purchased additional parts, purchased the instructions and then built it. He thought I was joking and asked again where to buy the "set".

...but I know people who litteraly do not understand, that you "could" build other things from a set...

Seriously? Such lack of imagination is most puzzling; actually frightening in many respects. In any case, I just had to order a LEGO 42006 for my other son. I wonder if we'll have time for a Christmas dinner... the anticipation certainly brings out the inner child in oneself.

Edited December 5, 201410 yr by Useless User

I understand what you mean, but I know people who litteraly do not understand, that you "could" build other things from a set. They don't even never ever think a little bit out of the box.

I once had someone visiting and he saw one of Crowkillers cars on my shelf. he asked me where he could probably buy this car. I said he can't and that I took this and that set as base, purchased additional parts, purchased the instructions and then built it. He thought I was joking and asked again where to buy the "set".

WOW that's bad... its like when i heard about someone who asked if a car MOC was made with Bionicles... i need a slapping fan.

... I just had to order a LEGO 42006 for my other son. I wonder if we'll have time for a Christmas dinner... the anticipation certainly brings out the inner child in oneself ...

Sounds like it's going to be a fun evening ... all the very best.

P.S. Make sure the second set has some RED in it, just to reflect the 'special' time of year

Edited December 5, 201410 yr by DrJB

Maybe the 42029 and 42006 can swap some parts...

Edited December 5, 201410 yr by Useless User

I'm also working on the same thing. I have one question to the more experienced builders though, what gear reduction would you recommend for two XL motors? Also for two L motors? Sariel's video seems to use 1:3 for two L motors, so I am guessing around 1:2 for two xl motors would yield somewhat similar speed with higher torque, am I right?

I do not have the numbers off hand but check philo's web site for max torque/speed for the motors. You'll then know which gear reduction to use.

Edited December 7, 201410 yr by DrJB

Having caught the LEGO Technic virus well in advance of Christmas, I noticed that - apart from motorisation - the 42029 will need its rear axle changed into a live axle. Is this what most realism-aficionados here recommend?

I better start collecting know-how, also to glean what extra parts may be needed:

42029 https://www.youtube....h?v=RN8kSnC_rJU

42029

42029

42029

> The question with this one is torque/speed and live axle/4wd

42006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me2JKZRDcTQ

42006

42006

42006

42006

42006 http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=88739 > only four motors and visually cleanest, a brilliant solution

> The question with that one is slow realistic motion to avoid jerkiness

Edited December 10, 201410 yr by Useless User

The 42029 and 42006 were an enormous success with my two boys, and that's an understatement; I wish I was 10 again.

Unfortunately, the 42006 is missing one 4558690 sprocket and the gripper could not completed, so that was some kind of tearful drama. I hope ordering the missing bit from LEGO won't take too long as regular shops are closed.

Edited January 3, 201510 yr by Useless User

We were lucky, https://www.sadk-berlin.de was superb and open for business today, unlike http://www.yelp.de/b...nZaz2mrhdjr9xXA which looks very good also, and we could buy the missing piece right off the shelf, rather that waiting for LEGO to mail it. I hope to find all ancillary parts for motorising and RCing there, too. I already ordered the motors needed from LEGO pre-Christmas.

The 42006's tracks are shiny injection moulded parts and thus provide zero grip on lacquered wooden flooring. What do you experienced builders do in such case? What do you suggest to obtain more grip - without etching the tread pieces or roughening them by other means?

Thanks in advance!

Edited December 27, 201410 yr by Useless User

Merging this topic with Sariel's Full RC topic:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=97727

I got myself a 42024 to boot; LEGO Technic is so much fun, especially with two kids who are much cleverer than we old people. I ordered the 8293 for all three kits (42029, 42006 and 42024) we assembled on Christmas and birthday day the week after. I looked at all videos posted earlier and realised that, for beginners, motorising the 42029 entails numerous extra pieces one does not own when starting from scratch. From the very helpful sariel.pl video, I think we managed to figure out which ones we must buy. Maybe this helps other novices, too.

Does any one have pics of the 4x4 modification? I am looking at the minimum intervention to the original set