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  • Set Year: 2008
  • Set Number: 8297
  • Set Parts: 1097
  • Building Instruction: No
  • Currency: na
8297 - Off Roader
8297 - Off Roader

This Off Roader is a serious piece of work. A big two-seater truck with impressive big wheels. It is the second year of Power Functions. This by the way was the first set I bought after my dark years. A pretty long time taking in to considerations my fresh memory of my 8860 - Car Chassis set. During the build of this set I was flabbergasted about the development of Lego Technic. So this set is my new age favorite set for several reasons. To begin with the diversity in the parts making it a great set to create MOCs. Also the traditional black chassis with dark bluish grey coach and the orange hints for the seats makes this a great colored set. Besides this set has already nice features of its self:

  • 4 wheel independent double wishbone with a sturdy suspension
  • 8 cylinder, visible, engine, with rear drive and differential
  • HOG-steering
  • Front winch
  • Gullwing-doors with pneumatic cylinders, hood and tailgate
  • Power functions for winch, free space, headlights

Complaints about this set is why only use power functions for the free clearance height, a winch and headlights instead of driving power. To me understandable, but no reason to leave this set behind. It has some top Lego top spirit opportunities I worked on my self:

  • Adding four wheel drive
  • Fitting a gearbox
  • Power functions for driving and steering
  • Rear lights

This model has space enough to fit in all these additional features.

This is also set number 15 with more than 1000 pieces since set 8880 - Super Car which was the first to cross the 1000 pieces.

 

 

Main model

Features

Power functions

The power functions are pretty divers. With just one Light Bluish Gray Electric, Motor 9V Power Functions M with Dark Bluish Gray Bottom and a 9V battery box completed with a switch a winch at the front and a mechanism to lower and increase the driving clearance are managed, while the headlights are always on. So in total 3 functions. You can switch between powering the winch and the clearance with the same mechanism used for gearboxes. By pushing th lever under the driver seat you can switch between the two functions. The the electric power switch just left of the battery box you can change direction easily. Complaints about this set is why only use power functions for the free clearance height, a winch and headlights instead of driving power. To me understandable, but no reason to leave this set behind

Steering

The front wheels can be steered using a HOG-wheel at the roof top between the gullwing-doors and just behind the seats. The HOG connection connects to a rack and pinion steering in the front. The steering does not employ the Ackerman Principle so when taking sharp turns its slips and with motorization it slips even more. The connects takes a first 90 degree direction change via 2 yellow Technic Knob Cogs, then crosses the drive train in the front for the engine with a Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth with Clutch, then 3 Light Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth, on a vertical row brings it down to a Dark Bluish Gray 8 toot gear on a Gear Rack 1 x 4, actually moving the Steering Arm with 4 Tow Ball with Black Wheel Hub (introduced in 2001 in yellow within set 8466) via 2 Links 1 x 6 with Stoppers. Despite the number of gears the steering is pretty direct. Due to the Links and ball joints the steering is not effected by the flexibility in drive height feature.

Engine

This is a big SUV so it needs a hefty engine. This set has a 8 cylinder fake engine, luckily in plain sight so while driving it you actually see the cylinders moving. The engine is driven by the rear wheels via a Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Gear Differential 28 Tooth Bevel, which avoid any stress on turning and rough terrain. The drive train goes from the differential via a Tan Technic, Gear 20 Tooth Double Bevel along the seats where it is lifted one stud with two Dark Bluish Gray 8 Tooth gears (smells like a tiny design flaw to me), finally 4 vertically placed 16 Tooth gears, bring the power up to the engine in a configuration of 1 Light Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth, then one Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth with Clutch to cross the steering, then finally 2 Light Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth. This configuration creates a velocity reduction ration of 1 : 1.2.

Differential

This set uses 1 of the new Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Gear Differential 28 Tooth Bevel, with reinforcements to house the 3 Tan Technic, Gear 12 Tooth Bevel staying place and easier to build in, especially you don't need to manually make sure anymore the axles are placed simetrically anymore to avoid later building issues. takes away the fun a little bit if you ask me, however this one is way sturdier and the 28 tooth gear doesn't come off anymore after a while due to the fact that this is single mold. One 12 tooth bevel is on each axle, and one planet gear in the middle allows the axles to turn at different rates. As this is an open differential, it is possible for all the power to go to only one wheel if the other is locked. When you decide to change to all-wheel drive make sure to add 2 more differentials, one for the front axle and one between the front and rear axle so all power can be distributed to one wheel at least when all other 3 are blocked. This does reduce the risk dramatically of getting stuck. In case you also add transmission, make sure the transmission links to the middle differential, which you better use this one Gear Differential 24-16 Tooth, because it is easier to incorporate in your transmission box.

Suspension

All 4 wheels have independent suspension. The suspension uses the Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Steering Arm 6 x 2 with Tow Ball Socket Rounded, Chamfered and Black Technic, Steering Arm with 4 Tow Ball with Black Wheel Hubs for both steering and rear axle. At the rear axle 4 Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Links 1 x 6 with Stoppers keep the 2 wheel hubs fixed. Upper and lower ball joints form king pins, making this a double wishbone suspension. Because it is a double wishbone linkage, the wheel stays perpendicular to the ground throughout its travel. Besides, the travel can be changed in height by moving the suspension connection lever up and down. Each wheel has one shock absorber that also provides support. At the rear axle power is driven through a pair of universal joints combined with one Light Bluish Gray Technic, Steering CV Joint on each side linking into the wheel hub. The pivot point of the u-joint is only aligned with the pivot points of the suspension so that the axles need to be able change length at the wheel side hence the CV joint. The suspension in this model is quite stiff and the ground clearance can be varied, more about that in the next paragraph. Personally, I think the model looks better with the ground clearance fully extended. When extended, it looks to have a better ration between length and height of this vehicle.

Clearance

This set has a great feature that it can change the ground clearance. So if you drive on paved road you just take the lowest clearance to reduce the drag as much as possible. When you are on rough terrain you can vary the clearance. The difference in height is more than a centimeter or more than 18% of the lowest clearance. This feature is one of two features that can be chosen via the switch under the driver seat. Pushing the lever to the back activates this feature of ground clearance change. From the motor output the power can be switched back and forth with the Light Bluish Gray Electric Pole Reverser / Polarity Switch as soon as you switched on the battery pack. The power of the motor goes through 2 Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Gears 16 Tooth with Clutch and a Light Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth to a Light Bluish Gray Technic, Gear Worm Screw. This worm gear drives a Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 24 Tooth, which in turn drives a Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Gears 16 Tooth with Clutch and a Light Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth ending in a driveshaft with a Yellow Technic Knob Cog on both ends to distribute via a tangent Yellow Technic Knob Cog the power to two driveshafts a long each side of the car to simultaniously lower or raise the lever connected to the shock absorbers. A pretty cleaver way to make an adjustable ground clearance feature.

Gullwing-doors

The gullwing doors are to my opinion an unique feature of this car. Especially the rare usage of the Trans-Clear Technic, Shock Absorber 10L Damped (last year applied and only in 9 sets in total). This is a very neat way of an door opening mechanism. You just make sure with the nob and lever on top to lift the door a bit, just along the deadpoint and then the Shock Absorber will drive the door gently open up to max point. Because of the 'damped' function the cilinder slides evenly paced to its max extension. You have to store these parts extended, so not compressed in a dark environment, because otherwise they tend to deteriorate and break down easily. Despite that a pitty this part isn't used in more sets.

Winch

The second feature on this vehicle is a powered winch at the front just under the grill. This one is pretty powerful due to the reduction ratio so it can pull up its own weight from a pretty steep angle. For this feature you use the same lever under the drive seat, but now move to the front. The power of the motor can be switched back and forth with the Light Bluish Gray Electric Pole Reverser / Polarity Switch as soon as you switched on the battery pack. The power is distributed to the front of the car via again 2 Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth with Clutch to cross the drive shaft and a Light Bluish Gray Technic, Gear 16 Tooth which in turn drives directly a Tan Technic, Gear 20 Tooth Double Bevel. This one drives the shaft to the front via a Black Technic, Gear 12 Tooth Double Bevel. At the front the power needs to be redirected on a 90 degree angle via two Black Technic, Gear 12 Tooth Double Bevel, where the second one finally drives the Tan Technic, Gear 20 Tooth Double Bevel connected to the Dark Bluish Gray String Reel 3 x 2 x 3 Drum completing this winch feature.I am always font of front winch features so this one got my oke as well.

Headlights

The Black Electric, Light Unit Power Functions are a great addition to this set. These leds are extreme bright and especially in the dark provide a great effect. These lights are continously on when the battery is switched on from original building instruction direction. You could place the light connector on the Light Bluish Gray Electric Pole Reverser / Polarity Switch, to let them burn only when you apply the power functions. If you like to have them on and off on request you have to add another Light Bluish Gray Electric Pole Reverser / Polarity Switch for the lights only. When you do that add an other pair of lights for the tail lights. This to my opinion is a real miss only providing working headlights.

Seats

The seats in this set are really standing out with this bright white/orange color combination. In general seats are always, at least to me it seems so, an after thought. In this set however a bit more effort was done for the seats. So these are really looking like a set of sporty seats fitting the purpose of this car.

Wheels and Tires

  This set contains 4 sets of wheels and tires of type:
  • Black Tire 94.8 x 44 R Balloon.
  • Light Bluish Gray Wheel 56mm D. x 34mm Technic Racing Medium, 3 Pin Holes.

 

 

Alternative Models

 

 

Parts List

Parts List

  Mighty strong look with the dark bluish gray and black pieces with a hint of orange in the livery!