42178 Surface Space Loader LT78

[Timewhatistime]

50 minutes ago, R0Sch said:

I returned to completing this model in Studio. It seems that it's also using the new lbg 45° knob gear as can be seen on the front box art.

Please tell us, where do you find the new lbg 45° knob gear?

I must be blind... maybe because of the TLG photo crew's building skills:

Once again there are pins not fully inserted (blue 2L axle pins at the little loading platform)...

Edited December 8, 2023 by Timewhatistime

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Just now, Timewhatistime said:

Please tell me, where did you find the new lbg 45° knob gear?

[Zerobricks]

3 minutes ago, Timewhatistime said:

I must be blind... maybe because of the TLG photo crew's building skills:

I noticed this issue a lot too. From what I know the models for photoshoots are built by a different group of people (not the deisgners) and many, many times they mess up... But I can imagine they have to take photos of a lot of models (like 1000/year) and that they don't really have much time to do reshoots.

[Timewhatistime]

5 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Yes... but I meant the 42178 Surface loader!   :-)

[vascolp]

4 minutes ago, Timewhatistime said:

Please tell us, where do you find the new lbg 45° knob gear?

I must be blind... maybe because of the TLG photo crew's building skills:

Once again there are pins not fully inserted (blue 2L axle pins at the little loading platform)...

In the front of the vehicle, in the left side, there is a white arm with a gray clip claw. Behind the elbow of this arm.

Difficult to spot indeed.

[Timewhatistime]

11 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

I noticed this issue a lot too. From what I know the models for photoshoots are built by a different group of people (not the deisgners) and many, many times they mess up... But I can imagine they have to take photos of a lot of models (like 1000/year) and that they don't really have much time to do reshoots.

Yes, you are surely right.

However, I'm still disappointed by the worldwide operating TLG which is able to put very professional price tags onto their products while not being able to make professional presentation photos (even worse: think of the half-photoshopped blue/red pin in the new 42146 Offroad Buggy...)

9 minutes ago, vascolp said:

In the front of the vehicle, in the left side, there is a white arm with a gray clip claw. Behind the elbow of this arm.

Difficult to spot indeed.

Oh yes, now I see (the knob wheels's single lbg knob). Thanks!

I wonder what will be its function and why the 45° offset is important for it...

 

There seems to be another knob wheel (yellow) of which only a single knob can be seen on the very same photo (right above the lbg knob).

Edited December 8, 2023 by Timewhatistime

[2GodBDGlory]

14 minutes ago, Timewhatistime said:

I wonder what will be its function and why the 45° offset is important for it...

 

There seems to be another knob wheel (yellow) of which only a single knob can be seen on the very same photo (right above the lbg knob).

I'd say it's not necessarily important--it could be, but it's entirely possible that it really doesn't matter what orientation it is, and they just wanted to get more of the new part out there

[R0Sch]

1 hour ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

I'd say it's not necessarily important--it could be, but it's entirely possible that it really doesn't matter what orientation it is, and they just wanted to get more of the new part out there

No, it does matter because it is used to scissor the front axle arms and the hood at the same angle while the cabin stays horizontal thanks to the parallel beam linkage. There is also a small linear actuator that transfers the rotation of the red axle connector in the back through 2 gear pairs all the way to front axle arm so that the rover stays locked at variable height. This function alone makes it probably the most interesting of the 1H2024 sets.

Edited December 8, 2023 by R0Sch
corrected explanation

[R0Sch]

I'm done with this model. Probably not 100% accurate but I'd give it a go, if anyone wants to build and test it. 42178.io
Maybe it was designed by Samuel Tacchi since it probably uses the same steering mechanism as 42139 ATV. 

[R0Sch]

Can't believe I was actually right about my build. Also new worm gear element? Wonder if it's the opposite direction helix like in the AMG One from CaDA or a new element. They are calling the knob gears "bone gears" in Billund.

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by R0Sch

[Maaboo the Witch]

The metal detector really makes me think that the designers looked to 7312 as inspiration.

[SNIPE]

I don't see a new worm gear element, but I hope its a new helical gear indeed.

I'm not happy that you cant adjust the 6x6 rovers elongation using a gear knob on the side of the model, but rather you have to take the yellow pieces off and push the model closed, then lock it off again with the yellow parts. WHY can't we just make it whatever we want, which is good for off roading too!!.

But at least it has suspention on all 3 axles which is a first for LEGO (without springs I mean). There is usually at least 1 solid axle and that always bugs me, for example the john deere tractor, of 42114, or 42070. I will add shock absorbers, differentials and steering on every axle and will add a HOG dial to adjust the elongation PROPERLY :)

I like how the aircraft has the handle where you can operate all 3 functions with one hand,  but I thought those gears inside were part of some sort of complex mechanism, and were not simple HOG dials - oh well.

I wish the engines could be spun up too, where they are synchronized on both sides. even without motorization

[R0Sch]

20 minutes ago, SNIPE said:

I don't see a new worm gear element, but I hope its a new helical gear indeed.

Yes, sorry I simply misunderstood the word used to describe the new 45° knob gear. And of course a universal joint between the LA and the axle is needed for the height adjustment mechanism to work. I updated the .io file.

It's strange they used a 20T spur gear with a 12T double bevel gear when there is a blue 12T spur variant in the portfolio.

[SNIPE]

17 minutes ago, R0Sch said:

Yes, sorry I simply misunderstood the word used to describe the new 45° knob gear. And of course a universal joint between the LA and the axle is needed for the height adjustment mechanism to work. I updated the .io file.

It's strange they used a 20T spur gear with a 12T double bevel gear when there is a blue 12T spur variant in the portfolio.

Yeah I saw that.. Maybe to save money or because the double bevel 12 tooth gear is stroner than the blue 12 tooth spur gear.

[howitzer]

2 hours ago, SNIPE said:

I wish the engines could be spun up too, where they are synchronized on both sides. even without motorization

I believe the engines represent rocket engines, so no spinning is to be expected (unlike jet engines or whatever).

1 hour ago, SNIPE said:

Yeah I saw that.. Maybe to save money or because the double bevel 12 tooth gear is stroner than the blue 12 tooth spur gear.

Or because the models seen in the video aren't final products, they may have minor differences. We'll see.

[Zerobricks]

I think they use a bevel 12 tooth gear, because it's less likely to get damaged/damage the ground if pushed over something - ir has rounder corners than a straight version.

[legoturtle]

Very nice review. You can fit minifigure inside.

[HydroWorld Outlook]

In case anyone didn't notice, as I was watching this review, I noticed at playhead 3:25 that the display console inside the rover's cockpit looks shockingly similar to the button arrangement on the LEGO NXT brick. What a fun and clever nod to the Mindstorms theme! :)

Edited March 1, 2024 by HydroWorld Outlook

[AVCampos]

As the set was designed by Lee Magpili, who worked for many years in MINDSTORMS, that can't be a coincidence. Always good to see some MINDSTORMS love!

[Maaboo the Witch]

Brickset review is up.

[Arioh]

I like this small set. It looks much more impressive in reality than on photos. My biggest gripe after I build it, was bad steering system, with massive slack and pity turning radius… So I modded it. Now it has normal rack-and-pinion steering with better turning radius, (approx 1,5 times better than original) less slack and much more response.

If anyone would be interested - ill make LDD file with all needed changes.

Edited April 17, 2024 by Arioh

[Paul B Technic]

There is a very cool C model of this, I have written a short review of it: https://paulbtechnic.blogspot.com/2024/04/review-lego-technic-42178-c-model-slope.html

[Stereo]

I finally built this set, I do like the functions and the way the whole vehicle transforms.  I'm just baffled by the part usage in the steering.  It uses a new 2x3 technic beam, that could just as easily have been 2393 connector hub with 2 pins with 1 stud liftarms on it.  Both of which are in the set anyway.  And it has half pins inserted that as far as I can see, don't interact with any other part.

 

Also not big on the ground clearance of the rear axle, the gear for the lift mechanism is so low that it can't roll over anything more than 1 plate tall.  So it gets stuck on the edge of my carpet.  It'll probably sacrifice some sturdiness but I think I'm going to attempt to relocate that control upward.

[Jim]

5 hours ago, Stereo said:

It uses a new 2x3 technic beam, that could just as easily have been 2393 connector hub with 2 pins with 1 stud liftarms on it. 

If it's a new part, TLG tends to include it in multiple new sets, whether it's the best solution or not.