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New Sets for 2011
New Parts for 2011

2011 - Unimog

The 10 new sets of 2011 fulfilled a lot of fan wishes. After an absence of 12 years, the venerable Supercar line was renewed with a new supercar, the 8070. But even bigger news for the year was the 8110 Unimog. This was the first licensed product (Mercedes-Benz) in the Technic line and set plenty of other first as well. It was the physically largest model ever, had the most parts to date, was the first set with over 2000 parts, had brand new tires which were the largest to date, included only the second ever motorized pneumatic compressor, was the first orange Technic model, and introduced an entire host of new parts including shocks, portal axles, and pendular ball joints. Plenty of other sets this year were also notable. The 8069 backhoe had brand new mini linear actuators, the 8071 Bucket Truck expanded the palette of rare white studless parts including white panels, the 8109 Flatbed Truck included many new black 5x11 panels, and the 8068 Helicopter included an impossible to find Ferrari wheel cover as a tail fan.

The number of new parts for this year was large and important, touching many different categories. Most of the new parts were used in the Unimog, and many were clearly created with that model in mind. It was feared that some of the parts were so large and specialized that they may have no other application, but all have since appeared in other sets at a variety of scales.

Sets
8065 Mini Container Truck	8066 Off Roader
8067 Mini Mobile Crane	8068 Rescue Helicopter
8069 Backhoe Loader	8070 Supercar
8071 Bucket Truck	8081 Extreme Cruiser
8109 Flatbed Truck	8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U400

Parts

Mini Linear Actuator
A new, smaller linear actuator was introduced. With an integrated 3L bevel gear bracket, the cylinder itself was only 1 stud in diameter. Despite the smaller size, this actuator has an impressive force output but is limited by an internal clutch.

Gears
Both the standard 16 tooth spur gear and the related clutch gear were updated. The standard gear was reinforced at the center for increased strength. The clutch gear was revised to remove the castellations which had been previously capable of mating with the toothed 1/2 bushings but was never used. The new version has a smooth edge.

Pneumatics
After having been used in only a single set in 1992, the small pneumatic compressor was replaced with a slightly longer 6L version. With only a single port and an internal check valve, it was intended to be used in conjunction with a motor and driven at high speed.

An inline pressure fitting was also introduced (shown in blue) to allow easy connection and disconnection of pneumatic attachments.

Suspension
A set of portal axles (geared hubs) hub was released. These large housings can contain a gear reduction right at the wheel, reducing the need for high torque in the driveline. A new 3 pin hub snaps into the housing to support the wheel and can be driven by either a straight axle or a CV joint. One issue with these hubs is that their steering pivot point tends to be far inboard of the wheel causing a large tire sweep distance at max steering lock.

A new structural ball joint allowed for an axle and u-joint to pass through the center. This allowed a strong pendular suspension supported by the ball instead of the axle, and therefore enabled low friction power transmission through the joint.

A new version of the large shock absorber included a much stiffer spring than the previous and can be distinguished by the black piston rod.

Finally, a mating socket for the CV joint was created to allow the CV joint to allowed on axles like a U-joint and not just in conjunction with a wheel hub. This CV socket was typically mated directly a differential output gear.

Bracket
A strangely shaped bracket (shown in black) or axle and pin connector was released. It saw initial use as a head for crane booms or outrigger feet, but later served as a general purpose connector as well.

Wheels and Tires
While the new Unimog tires are similar in aspect ratio and tread to the older 62.4 x 20 truck tires, at 94.3 x 38 R they were as big as anything ever made including the massive Power Puller tires. They are shown with a mini motorcycle for scale. They have a tremendous internal volume of air and a tall sidewall, therefore there is a limited amount of weight they can hold without a noticeable flat bottom.

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2011 - Unimog

Sets

Parts