Subject:
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Re: 8455 New Technic Backhoe
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.technic
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Date:
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Mon, 21 Jul 2003 12:35:26 GMT
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Viewed:
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887 times
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"Me too". I bought 8455 from Shop at Home a few weeks ago and I had a lot of
fun building it. It took me a little while to acclimatise myself to the new
construction method with an almost complete lack of conventional bricks. I
think it's a bit like going from the original Technic gears and turntables, to
the grey gears and steering pieces that we all grew up with. Construction took
me a few hours I think, although I was taking my time, and of course there are
some things I like and some things I don't like about the set.
Building it seemed to take a bit of tweaking to align the beams, since there is
more of a reliance on multiple connectors and right-angled pieces. It was also
my first build with the longer pegs, but it's nice that the black ones aren't
quite as tight-fitting as they used to be. The newer pneumatics are very good,
but it's the neat dual-pump arrangement that is most effective here. Most
actions require three or four goes at the most, and there isn't a lack of
pressure - it lifted the four wheels from my 8880 set in the front bucket. The
steering mechanism is very unusual with its plethora of funky balljoints, mainly
to give space for the engine, but it works pretty well. I think a V6 would fit
in there with some ingenuity too.
Functionally, the new set is brilliant, and exceeds the old set in just about
all respects; my modified 8862 is closer but I never fitted pistons to the
front. We have a wonderfully complicated arrangement between the rear wheels,
with the differential, propshaft, the steering gear and the lower portion of the
cab. If you pull off a rear wheel and the axle comes with it, it's a real job
trying to fit the bevel gears back into the diff!
Like Bob, I have the original JCB set as well. The new one is a little smaller
and better proportioned, but with the exception of the backhoe part, I do prefer
the look of the older model - it's a bit more chunky and construction-site in
its appearance, very yellow, and its radiator grill is still fab.
The one gripe I do have with the new set, and with the modern Technic beams in
general, is that although I welcome the ability to stack beams together at right
angles and not worry about fitting in the extra two layers, it does mean that
the beams are thinner and more flexible. Pressing hard on the dual-pump is a
case in point with whole chassis flexing alarmingly, and see the flex around the
controls for the rear, so a helping hand underneath might not go amiss.
On the whole, a return to form and defintely one to watch for the future.
Becky
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: 8455 New Technic Backhoe
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| (...) I acquired this set last weekend and started putting it together while attending the WAMALUG meeting. I was joking with the WAMALUG folks that the box should warn you that tools are required for assembly. (I was stuck with no way to chop up (...) (21 years ago, 20-Jul-03, to lugnet.technic)
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