LEGO 42043 Technic Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245

Seeing as the other reviews have covered all the positive aspects of this build, I figured I'd quickly sum up what I think could have been better.My gripe with this build is primarily the messy blend of pneumatics and gear drives. Most of the crane is driven by pneumatic cylinders, but the rotation of the crane is not. This means that you'll not only have to work the valves whilst loading the truck, but you also have to constantly switch the direction of the motor to turn the crane. While it might not sound like a big problem - and it really isn't if you're going to leave the truck on the shelf after you've built it - it does make playing with it somewhat frustrating. The supports and the bed are also powered by gears. I feel it would be more authentic with a ... MoreSeeing as the other reviews have covered all the positive aspects of this build, I figured I'd quickly sum up what I think could have been better.My gripe with this build is primarily the messy blend of pneumatics and gear drives. Most of the crane is driven by pneumatic cylinders, but the rotation of the crane is not. This means that you'll not only have to work the valves whilst loading the truck, but you also have to constantly switch the direction of the motor to turn the crane. While it might not sound like a big problem - and it really isn't if you're going to leave the truck on the shelf after you've built it - it does make playing with it somewhat frustrating. The supports and the bed are also powered by gears. I feel it would be more authentic with a pneumatic actuated bed, but seeing as you use it less often, it doesn't present the same hassle that the cranes rotation is.I further think that the cylinder for the bucket is too weak. I've experienced this issue several times before in similar builds, and I really think the smallest of the pneumatic cylinders ought to be replaced on all future sets. It simply isn't strong enough. In this case, the cylinder doesn't have the oomph to close the bucket around the objects that you want to lift. I used my truck to lift coffee beans, seeing as you can forget about picking up anything close to heavy or dense.As a final nitpicking remark, I'd also wish that the motor had been stronger and that the pneumatic valves were all on one side. It takes the compressor quite a bit of time to build up the required pressure to lift the crane (perhaps lego could start using air tanks more?), and the truck is so large that it's tricky operating the valves when they're placed on both sides of the truck. Again, this reduces the play experience of this build.All these complaints are somewhat nitpicking, but I figured I'd add them, seeing as all the other reviews seemed to cover the positive aspects of the build. All in all, I really enjoyed building this truck and I've rated it as an excellent value for money. My frustration is primarily concerned with the "play experience", which I've rated as fair.

42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245. Best Birthday Gift

This is what a 2.793-piece set gives you, at $229.99 you get one of the best Technic sets in Lego history. The 42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245 and it's B-Model Arocs 1845 is the successor to the well-received 8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400, whereas the latter was designed as an all-around go anywhere model truck, the Arocs is a heavy duty construction truck, think of it as a Mercedes-Benz Actros that went to the gym and decided it will work at construction sites for most of its life cycle. The biggest factors I was worried when I first heard Lego was making another Mercedes-Benz model were if the truck has a dually setup and a proper Straight-6 engine which I'll get covered throughout my review.First things first, this is a superset and currently holds the record ... MoreThis is what a 2.793-piece set gives you, at $229.99 you get one of the best Technic sets in Lego history. The 42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245 and it's B-Model Arocs 1845 is the successor to the well-received 8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400, whereas the latter was designed as an all-around go anywhere model truck, the Arocs is a heavy duty construction truck, think of it as a Mercedes-Benz Actros that went to the gym and decided it will work at construction sites for most of its life cycle. The biggest factors I was worried when I first heard Lego was making another Mercedes-Benz model were if the truck has a dually setup and a proper Straight-6 engine which I'll get covered throughout my review.First things first, this is a superset and currently holds the record for being the biggest set in Technic history and the third set to pass the 2,000-piece mark that was a feat made by it's predecessor 8110 when it came out with 2,048 pieces. The truck is not quite as striking in size as the Unimog but you can tell that it's big because of the striking height and the amount of detail it has. This set is not your usual "I'll do this is 8-12 hours straight" which I'm fond of doing when I get my large Lego sets. It took me close to 20 hours spread over 5 days to complete it, you'll appreciate every detail put in this model as you complete the 6 sections (I decided to modify/ change some parts that's also why I have nearly 20 hours put in this build). Bags came numbered to 6 sections so even if it is a challenging build you won't have a hard time trying to figure out where's that part which I really appreciate from Lego.Being based on an actual truck, the 42043 has details like a working suspension system, a proper drivetrain, and dually tires.As far as the suspension is concerned, this is one of the most advanced one I've seen in a large Lego truck after 2 years of buying vehicle sets, the front suspension stands firm to hold the weight and the same goes over the rear, Lego used the new ball and socket suspension parts to replicate the real truck's leaf spring setup, for a truck this scale the suspension works very well. An industry standard among heavy trucks (Class 8 and above) is the usage of Inline-6 cylinder engine, these are large displacement units which compared to V-8s, V-10s, V-12s are very efficient and both A and B models feature the same I-6 setup, you roll the truck you can actually hear the cylinder heads moving and it is connected to the rear axles. As far as differentials are concerned this has 2 of them which was missing from the 8258, 8285 and 9397 models as a result you don't to buy the differential or find one from your spare parts bin. another touch of detail that I really are the wheels and tires, yes they are small (I wished Lego designed a larger diameter tire for this one) but you get 12 of them and the real truck's dually setup was carried over to the model we have. The HOG steering system is one of the best I've seen, it's not a new approach but a rare method used for Technic sets (I guess), you have these beacon lights that are connected to the HOG steering shaft the steers all 4 front wheels and this results to "hidden" system which in turn gives the truck a smooth looking finish.One of the set's biggest highlights is the Pneumatics 2.0, these are longer and stronger pneumatic cylinders with a redesigned port for connecting the pneumatic pipes (these pipes come pre-cut just get a ruler to make sure you're connecting the right size to the right spot) and they do the lifting duties for the crane which almost looks like the Palfinger units we see in Unimogs, Zetros, Actros, and Arocs trucks. These units are strong and able to hold air better, at it's end is a pair of clamshell buckets that can hold small parts and I really love this approach.While previous sets featured an M-Motor to do all the Power Functions features, this and the 42042 follows the footsteps of the 9398 and 41999 Rock Crawler sets, it's strong but not as crazy strong as an XL-Motor. It has enough torque to power all motorized features you get in this set. Outriggers, they feature new parts which is also featured in the pneumatic crane, the new design is 14M long and is strong enough to withstand stress when extended and used to lift the truck's front section and NO you don't push the the manually operated parts to it's maximum because it's not really going to work, you might end up breaking a small gear because that's not how it's designed. You operate the outriggers to the extent it will make the truck stable while operating the crane. Tipping function is superb, there is only one large linear actuator but it works seamlessly, the bed felt small for me so I made my version taller, still works fine. While some might complain about the outriggers that they are suited for terrain or over similar environment let me point out that this model - based on the Arocs 3240 grounder - the type of truck you'll see in construction sites and not in mining sites so it's much more of a "I'll go the site and clear out large stones, sand what have you" it's basically a road going truck with construction in mind.You get to play it's functions even better with the new transmission pieces first introduced in the 42039 Le Mans car, unlike the old transmission piece, this one holds the other functions steady and not move, and YES you can operate 2 functions at once without fully damaging the set though I still wouldn't do that.A note when building the crane too:As it rotates to only 180 degrees, it will be achieved if you test and just bolt the pipes in, mine works just fine and so far I haven't encountered it not doing the 180. I guess it's just on how it's built by it's owner.The cab design is clean and you can actually move it to reveal the Straight-6 engine underneath, doors open and there's even a handle and extra sidestep on the driver's side. I did some video research on the truck too and I found that there is an Arocs model that features the 3-slat design for it's grill, the video is in Youtube and it was released just right at the same time the Arocs was. Lego did an amazing job designing that "toothed" grill along with the use of flick-fire missile parts to hold the flat panels.There is one thing that really caught my attention when building this model, I had to call Lego Customer Service because one of the bags (bag tagged #3) was opened inside the set, I was supposed to build it on my birthday November 2nd but was forced to do an early build because of this issue well luckily the bag was only opened and wasn't missing any parts because that will have been a bigger headache. I hope the bags are tougher to avoid this little issue. Your people at Customer service are very courteous and assured me if there was indeed a missing piece it will be sent to me.SO will I recommend this set? YES, get this and you will not regret it. A fantastic set for young truck lovers and collectors of any age, it clearly achieves it's purpose as a toy that is a sold 100%, tons of detail and I can spend all day just staring at this set, I think I have never seen a very detailed Lego Technic set as much as the 42043 Arocs is right now. For one to even fully appreciate the set in it's entirety I wouldn't make it RC I mean that's just how I see it, that little kid in me still wants to be the hands on collector, operate the functions and make sounds as if it was really real.I had such a great time building this set that recommend this to every Lego fan out there, as a purchase or gift I'm sure you'll never regret spending $230 for this big guy!100/100

Almost perfect

The Lego Arocs, the largest Technic set so far, very entertaining, lots of functions, my young nephews will be fascinated, and almost perfect. Almost :-)This is the heaviest Technic model I've ever picked up. I could tell it was going to be a biggie when I first picked up the box. The weight of the final model is staggering. Its a very densely packed chassis. There is a lot packed in there and all the functions work well, and the model is a really good impressive representation of the real thing.It has addressed some of the missing functions of the Unimog - namely a tipper back, and the steering works better than the Unimog. Though as a model, I still prefer the Unimog, its such a fabulous vehicle and it reminds me of my Lego unimog from the 1980s.The new V2 ... MoreThe Lego Arocs, the largest Technic set so far, very entertaining, lots of functions, my young nephews will be fascinated, and almost perfect. Almost :-)This is the heaviest Technic model I've ever picked up. I could tell it was going to be a biggie when I first picked up the box. The weight of the final model is staggering. Its a very densely packed chassis. There is a lot packed in there and all the functions work well, and the model is a really good impressive representation of the real thing.It has addressed some of the missing functions of the Unimog - namely a tipper back, and the steering works better than the Unimog. Though as a model, I still prefer the Unimog, its such a fabulous vehicle and it reminds me of my Lego unimog from the 1980s.The new V2 Pneumatics are very good. I definitely prefer pneumatics to the screw-wound actuators. Although the actuators are stronger they are just not how it is really done in real-life. This is the single thing that stopped me buying the Volvo front loader. Equip it with the v2 pneumatics and you'll have a winner there too.Although a great model, I still find myself thinking that there are still some improvements that could be made. It would be much easier to operate of all the controls were on one side, its a real pity this couldn't be done. And I really dislike having the use the battery box to reverse the motor for some of the functions as the operation doesn't flow as well as it should. The new crawler crane is good in that regard as it has a reversing gearbox. Also, there is no clutch wheel for the rear tipper, so you have to be careful when it maxes out.I don't understand why the rear suspension is softer than the front, this is not as it would be on the prototype. Yes the model is front-heavy, but that isn't the point. The rear should have the same springs.I was hoping to make it into an RC truck with motors from other sets, but the model is so tightly packed that without a considerable redesign it isn't going to be easy to find room to drop in a motor for movement and one for steering and an IR receiver. On a model of this size this is an obvious upgrade, so it would have been really nice if this had been designed in from the start to allow a simple upgrade. A bit like the bigger 1980s models used too do.So that's it, put the controls on the same side, have a separate control for each function with a reversing action, and provision for easy motorisation, and you would have had the title of Perfect. But still a very fine model all the same.

Arocs 3245

This is the first new LEGO I have built in over 25 years, and marks my return to one of the greatest pleasures of my earlier years. And what a return! This is without a doubt the most impressive Technic model I have ever seen or built, and I would recommend it to anyone without any hesitation whatsoever. This model has it all: power functions, pneumatics, and it also looks the part too; this is a really nice vehicle which really looks close to, if not better in some respects than the real thing.Pros:- Power functions driving an impressive gear train to select four different functions: tipping the truck bed, extending the stabilisers, rotating the grab arm and driving the compressor- Impressive pneumatic functions: two pistons control the angle of the grab arm, ... MoreThis is the first new LEGO I have built in over 25 years, and marks my return to one of the greatest pleasures of my earlier years. And what a return! This is without a doubt the most impressive Technic model I have ever seen or built, and I would recommend it to anyone without any hesitation whatsoever. This model has it all: power functions, pneumatics, and it also looks the part too; this is a really nice vehicle which really looks close to, if not better in some respects than the real thing.Pros:- Power functions driving an impressive gear train to select four different functions: tipping the truck bed, extending the stabilisers, rotating the grab arm and driving the compressor- Impressive pneumatic functions: two pistons control the angle of the grab arm, one extends the arm and a final small one opens and closes the grab itself- Straight six cylinder engine driving (or driven by!) by the eight rear wheels, which have suspension and a separate differential for each axle- Incredibly detailed cab with Mercedes-Benz livery, which tilts to expose the engine just like on a real truck- Front steering via a hand-of-god knobs is well done, with independent suspension for each wheel- Locking back door on truck bed, which opens during tilting- Cab and platform on the side of the cab are sized appropriately for Technic figures from earlier models, so they can drive the truck and operate the controls (see the photos!)- Clutch gear on the grab arm turn/stabiliser extending functions prevents damage when these reach their limits and come to a hard stop- The pneumatic lines are routed through colour-coded T elements which makes some of the instructions easier to follow- The diagrams in the instruction booklet were easy to follow, and perhaps broken up into too many steps compared with the earlier instructions I was used to, but were easy to follow; I only made a few mistakes due to my own fault and these were thankfully easy to rectify without dismantling too much!All the controls for the functions operate well, with a few caveats I'll mention below.(Very minor) cons:- Due to the weight of the grab arm, the arm can drop abruptly when lowering the arm; this can be prevented by being very careful with the valve operation, so that the air doesn't escape very quickly. This isn't a design flaw in the model as such, it's a limitation of how the pneumatic valves operate. The weight can also mean it takes a good bit of time to raise the arm since it takes the compressor a while to build up enough pressure in the system.- The amount of pneumatic lines running through the centre of the turntable (8) makes the turning action ever so slightly stiff and this can lead to jerky turning motion due to the clutch slipping. This got better on my second build of the model due to dust making the lines stick to each other less--when brand new out of the box there was a good bit of friction between them. Fiddling with the precise amount of slack and routing of the lines helped a little bit, but didn't eliminate this entirely.- The compressor and tilting mechanism could have used a clutch gear; when I dismantled it to build the alternative model, the axle driving the compressor had noticeable wear I think due to the load put on it when the pressure is high and all the pistons are at their limits, and the linear actuator ground horribly at the limits of the bed tilt if not quick enough to stop the motor- The stickers aren't compatible with the alternative build; it uses a reversed arrangement of two of the pneumatic valves, and some of the valve control stickers are out of place on the alternate model due to where you need to place the pieces. The valve arrangement could have easily been made the same--it's just a matter of switching the routing of the lines, I think.- The instructions showing the routing of the pneumatic lines could have been clearer. I was not much in doubt of which line went to which nozzle of which valve, but the spatial arrangement of how the lines were routed around each other was not as clear as it perhaps could have been.Note that these are very minor criticisms, and I have absolutely no regrets about purchasing this model. It was an absolute blast to build, with very different parts to it to make it not get too repetitive -- the main chassis and engine, the gear train, the pneumatic arm, the cab, and the bed. Seeing it come together bit by bit was great! And I've spent hours playing with it after building it. The slow, majestic sweep of the truck bed tilting up and down, the rapid open and close of the grab, and the graceful raising of the grab arm are all just a wonder to behold. The amount of functionality crammed into the model is incredible, and the result is a technical wonder you'll marvel at for hours.

Great set but has its flaws

This is a great set overall and was a lot of fun to build, theres a ton of useful parts and it looks great with my line up of other Technic models. However for a flagship set like this it has a few shortcomings that the previous models have not had. Overall functionality was just nowhere near as good as the previous models, ie: Volvo wheel loader, 42009 MKII crane, 9398 4x4, and of course the unrivaled 8043 Motorized Excavator, which in my opinion holds the premier spot, none of the other models even come close to the 8043 in terms of design, function, play value and overall awesomeness.As others have said, the hoses were difficult to route through the crane base, and despite having them run as neatly and efficiently as possible I still have some minor issues with ... MoreThis is a great set overall and was a lot of fun to build, theres a ton of useful parts and it looks great with my line up of other Technic models. However for a flagship set like this it has a few shortcomings that the previous models have not had. Overall functionality was just nowhere near as good as the previous models, ie: Volvo wheel loader, 42009 MKII crane, 9398 4x4, and of course the unrivaled 8043 Motorized Excavator, which in my opinion holds the premier spot, none of the other models even come close to the 8043 in terms of design, function, play value and overall awesomeness.As others have said, the hoses were difficult to route through the crane base, and despite having them run as neatly and efficiently as possible I still have some minor issues with them binding and being in the way of rotating the boom. Also the clutch gear will frequently spin out before the boom moves as it seems to have less resistance than necessary to rotate it. Steering is limited, the turning radius is absolutely huge, i would have been happy to sacrifice some or all of the suspension feature for better steering.I was super excited about the new pneumatic cylinders, I have been wanting a cylinder with a longer range for YEARS, ever since my first pneumatic set in 1990 actually, and these are amazing. However this model does a really lackluster job of showcasing them. The boom operation is slow and especially with closing the bucket and extending the slide part the cylinders often need a bump to help them.Overall its a great set and looks good in my flagship lineup, but it has a lot of technical difficulties the other models didnt have. Whether this was because there was less time for design refinement or something else I dont know, but these problems were definitely disappointing after having so many great experiences with the previous models

Just like the real thing, only smaller (sort-of)

Hands-down, one of the largest, most detailed, most realistic LEGO Technic vehicles I’ve ever assembled. It's clear that lot of attention to detail went into creating this model. The set has plenty of various moving parts to enjoy: moving engine pistons, dump bed (with locking tailgate – nice touch!), tilting cab, fully-functional clamshell arm, 8-wheel suspension, 4-wheel steering, and stabilizers. I’m happy to see the return to more and improved pneumatics! The realistic wheel chocks were a happy surprise. Do be careful how you “thread” the pneumatic tubes in the clamshell arm base…it pays to be neat with how you route them.PROS:-Plenty of moving parts-Pre-cut pneumatic hoses-Realistic design and functionality-HOURS of building funCONS:-No ... MoreHands-down, one of the largest, most detailed, most realistic LEGO Technic vehicles I’ve ever assembled. It's clear that lot of attention to detail went into creating this model. The set has plenty of various moving parts to enjoy: moving engine pistons, dump bed (with locking tailgate – nice touch!), tilting cab, fully-functional clamshell arm, 8-wheel suspension, 4-wheel steering, and stabilizers. I’m happy to see the return to more and improved pneumatics! The realistic wheel chocks were a happy surprise. Do be careful how you “thread” the pneumatic tubes in the clamshell arm base…it pays to be neat with how you route them.PROS:-Plenty of moving parts-Pre-cut pneumatic hoses-Realistic design and functionality-HOURS of building funCONS:-No non-motorized building option-Loud motor (linear actuator is abnormally loud when the clutch kicks-in, unlike when the clutch kicks in for the other motorized functions)-Instructions could benefit from a few more close-up detail shots, especially when it’s time to thread the pneumatic tubes into the clamshell arm base-Steering seems like it’s under stress-Pneumatic pump seems undersized (takes a while to get things moving)SUGGESTIONS:-Make the dump bed pneumatic-powered-Ditch the compressor and use a manual pump for the pneumatics (they’re much more responsive and smoother-acting when I bypassed the compressor with a spare manual pump I had lying around)

Maybe not worth $300?

The other reviews on this truck have described it in pretty good detail, so I will start with some setbacks I experienced.I have a problem with the steering. On a real 4x8 truck, the rear steering axle steers sharper than the front steering axle. This is because the rear steering axle has a shorter steering radius. It appears to me that the designers got this backwards. And no, I don't think I built it wrong.The crane is so long that the cylinders perform progressively worse as they get further and further away from the pump. The main lift cylinder works the best, even though it has the largest amount of weight to carry, and the secondary lift cylinder works well also. The extender, however, works noticeably poorer, and the grab is the worst. I experienced this ... MoreThe other reviews on this truck have described it in pretty good detail, so I will start with some setbacks I experienced.I have a problem with the steering. On a real 4x8 truck, the rear steering axle steers sharper than the front steering axle. This is because the rear steering axle has a shorter steering radius. It appears to me that the designers got this backwards. And no, I don't think I built it wrong.The crane is so long that the cylinders perform progressively worse as they get further and further away from the pump. The main lift cylinder works the best, even though it has the largest amount of weight to carry, and the secondary lift cylinder works well also. The extender, however, works noticeably poorer, and the grab is the worst. I experienced this while trying to grab Lego out of a Lego box. It just didn't have enough power to do the job.I think the gearbox should have been built differently. I would have preferred that one side of the truck operate the outriggers and tipping function, and the other side operate the crane turning and pump. This would eliminate problems with the crane not wanting to turn due to the slip clutch going to easily, and would have ensured that you won't strip the linear actuator while tipping the box.My conclusion, then, is that maybe this set isn't worth $300. I know it's only listed at $269, but there's always shipping and tax and who knows what else. I think this set should be priced somewhere in the low low two-hundreds. Nevertheless, I would recommend this set to a friend!

Mind-blowing set

Back in the late 80's/ early 90's when I was a little kid I had a few Technic sets and I really enjoyed putting them together.Now I have a little son who is super into all sorts of vehicles, so I decided to buy this set to stroll down the memory lane and see what it's like to build a modern Technic set, also knowing that my son will have something super cool to play with once I am done with it.The building process was very rewarding (especially putting together the engine, gearbox and steering), but also laborious at times (piping). It took me about 16h, and I am a bit surprised by how long it actually took me to finish it. All in all I enjoyed building this model a lot, and towards the end I was actually slightly disappointed it was going to finish soon.Some ... MoreBack in the late 80's/ early 90's when I was a little kid I had a few Technic sets and I really enjoyed putting them together.Now I have a little son who is super into all sorts of vehicles, so I decided to buy this set to stroll down the memory lane and see what it's like to build a modern Technic set, also knowing that my son will have something super cool to play with once I am done with it.The building process was very rewarding (especially putting together the engine, gearbox and steering), but also laborious at times (piping). It took me about 16h, and I am a bit surprised by how long it actually took me to finish it. All in all I enjoyed building this model a lot, and towards the end I was actually slightly disappointed it was going to finish soon.Some people complain about instructions not being clear - personally I think that LEGO did a sterling job of showing across nearly 500 pages (yup) how to assemble this truck.The end effect? This model is just phenomenal. It is humongous, so despite the price I think it represents a good value for money, and also it really looks very similar to the real-life Mercedes Arocs truck.Power and pneumatics functions are great, although I noticed that even though initially crane turntable was moving steadily and smoothly, over time movement started getting erratic (not sure if it is down to batteries wearing down, my son's antics with it or piping slightly getting in the way despite the correct laying). Hand-of-God steering could be better too, as the knob keeps falling off when you try to move the model on a rough surface holding it.Overall it is an epic set, and I am sure it is going down as one of the most iconic Technic sets ever released. I was thinking about buying it for a few months, as I had never spent so much on a LEGO set before, but in the end I decided to go for it and I am so glad I did. So if you are not sure if to get it - snap it fast, it's well worth it and might not be around for much longer

Very rewarding, be very patient

As I have been building the Technic sets since the very first car set back in the late 70's, though I missed a few in the 90's due to busy life, I can say this is the most challenging tech-build of them all to this point. That means it takes the place of the 5-Axle Mk2 Crane, Set 42009, with the biggest gear box and most transfer axles I can remember. This one made me write a card on the desk with "back up 2 pages and double check" my work. One missed transfer or gear, at the end of the modular section build system (very happy with this method), and your in trouble.Like others have noted, the hose routing instructions are very poor and I just went to using the completed model image pictures on the box and made it match. The air compressor idea is awesome and I ... MoreAs I have been building the Technic sets since the very first car set back in the late 70's, though I missed a few in the 90's due to busy life, I can say this is the most challenging tech-build of them all to this point. That means it takes the place of the 5-Axle Mk2 Crane, Set 42009, with the biggest gear box and most transfer axles I can remember. This one made me write a card on the desk with "back up 2 pages and double check" my work. One missed transfer or gear, at the end of the modular section build system (very happy with this method), and your in trouble.Like others have noted, the hose routing instructions are very poor and I just went to using the completed model image pictures on the box and made it match. The air compressor idea is awesome and I really like the ideas of what this opens up for us to build in the future, but the compressor and its functions need some more work, and possibly a reserve tank. It does signal that future models will be large though and that means more real estate to park them on, always a good thing.In the end, a fantastic build and very rewarding when it all works. The age of the builder needs to be at the higher end as I don't see many 14 year old's with the patience for the pneumatic demands. The attention to the details, the models resemblance to the real world truck, twin axle steering, dual diff's, tilt cab, outriggers, it's just a great model and hats off to the LEGO engineer that brought this to life (got to be the best job on the planet, are these guys ever late for work). In the next pneumatic set, better instructions on routing and the board is all green.

What an incredible build experience!

My 4th technic build (after the Bugatti, 4x4 extreme, and the 9800 excavator).First let me say, regarding the pneumatics. I have read reviews where folks had a terrible time with binding when the rig turns and the pneumatics not working well. I was lucky enough to find a posting on a forum where someone had cut the tubing to exact lengths needed and no more. This was an absolute lifesaver for me. no binding, or odd bending of tubing and all electrics and pneumatics worked perfectly the first time. If you search on "42043 pneumatic tubing" you can find the post I am talking about.His pictures also clear up the very confusing instruction diagrams regarding routing of the blue tubing.This is just a fantastic unit. I love the Control+ electrics of the 4x4 and ... MoreMy 4th technic build (after the Bugatti, 4x4 extreme, and the 9800 excavator).First let me say, regarding the pneumatics. I have read reviews where folks had a terrible time with binding when the rig turns and the pneumatics not working well. I was lucky enough to find a posting on a forum where someone had cut the tubing to exact lengths needed and no more. This was an absolute lifesaver for me. no binding, or odd bending of tubing and all electrics and pneumatics worked perfectly the first time. If you search on "42043 pneumatic tubing" you can find the post I am talking about.His pictures also clear up the very confusing instruction diagrams regarding routing of the blue tubing.This is just a fantastic unit. I love the Control+ electrics of the 4x4 and excavator, but there is something about controlling the model with levers and switches right on it that gives a more realistic experience. Being able to flip the cab forward and actually see the pistons at work is a nice change (I am looking at you Bugatti Chiron :-) )I gave this unit a middling grade for value, since I had to pay a premium on Amazon to get it recently as it has been retired for a while. well worth it though to get this item.Can't recommend highly enough!