Subject:
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8462 Super Tow Truck review
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.technic
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Date:
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Thu, 14 Dec 2000 16:01:16 GMT
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Viewed:
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672 times
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After seeing the Silver Champion review, just thought I'd post one of my own
that I put together an year ago just for fun... :-)
8462 Super Tow Truck
I didn't get this set until about an year after it came out. Now that I know
what it is like, I feel that maybe I shouldn't have waited so long...
The overall look is simple but good. Many long beams are used to create a
good decorative framework on the truck. It comes with six of the new shiny
tires that also have a nice shape on the hub. Also, there appears to be a
new color of Technic pieces used here. It is a kind of turquoise, and is
used for the seats and the front area of the cabin.
The Technic line seems to be moving away from using beams for decoration.
This model mostly uses beams, like previous models, but there are some
instances where flex system tubing and pipelike pieces are used instead to
give it a sleek look in the front. From what I have seen of the upcoming
models (1999-2000), it looks like more of this tubing will be used and beams
might be done away with completely, as far as looks go.
The Super Tow Truck has a very nice selection of functions. There is a
rank-and-pinion steering system controlled from a knob on the roof. Although
it is pretty standard, I have found that it turns much more smoothly than
with most sets (8479 for instance, is a bit stiff). This is also the first
large set in a long time that does not use a flashing light for the
controller. Instead, it has a small wheel with a rubber grip.
The towing arm has two parts; the entire unit moves up and down and a second
section (the part which the wheels of the towed car go on) moves up and down
as well. When the second section is lowered, it can swivel so the towed
vehicle can follow the truck on turns.
The towing crane comes with three distinct functions. The crane can extend
by means of pneumatics (this is done in quite an innovative way), the
turntable gear that the crane rests on can be turned using a knob on the
side, and the tow cable with the crane hook can be raised/lowered using a
crank on the base of the towing crane.
Just for fun, I tried to tow my old 8440 Formula Flash with this model. It
fits pretty well (the wheels go slightly off the towing platform but that's
probably because 8440 is thicker than other models of comparable size). The
tow crane was able to extend far enough to drop the vehicle in place and
pick it off the platform.
There are two air storage tanks located symmetrically between the wheels. I
have found that two work far better than one (as compared to 8459) and can
hold a lot of compressed air before running out of juice. A pneumatic
handpump near the towing crane turntable is used to fill up the tanks and
three pneumatic valves are placed under the turntable for control of the
functions.
Another thing to comment on is the durability. The Super Tow Truck has to be
the strongest Technic set I have seen yet. Many small attachments and
support pieces go towards this end.
The alternate model is a car and trailer with a crane (actually an arm with
a crane hook at the end) on it. The pneumatics are used to move both parts
of the crane up and down as well as activate a stabilizer for the trailer
when the car is not attached to it. Other functions include steering and
turning the crane. The look is strange but the model is not too bad for an
alternate model.
With a great collection of pneumatics, a turntable gear, parts for a crane,
six of the shiny thin-tire wheels (these are quite cool IMHO), and many
beams and other generic pieces, it is also a great set to own for those of
you who are into building custom Technic models and want some extra pieces.
The main problem with this is that it is a bit too expensive for what you
get. A price of around $100 would have been better.
This model would be a good choice for most Technic fans who like trucks and
pneumatics. It isn't a true classic but it has many features which set it
apart from most of the crowd and make it an overall solidly designed model.
Pros: Lots of functions, good mix of generic/specialized pieces, looks
nice, very strong
Cons: Slightly too expensive
Score: 8.5/10
Avg Price: $122 USD
Piece count: 773
Year: 1998
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