I didn’t originally plan to build a Land Rover Defender model. My idea was to build a chassis with a 2-speed gearbox, locking center and rear differentials, suitable for an off-road vehicle. Something similar to my Unimog, but a car, not a truck. And once the chassis is ready, I would only need to find a suitable body.

This is my motorized version of the LEGO 42043-1-b1 Mercedes-Benz Arocs set. My goal was to keep all the features of the original model, its exterior and interior and, at the same time, make the model nice to play with.

This is the second version of my Wrangler Jeep. The previous one was built with Power Functions, had 2 L-motors and a gearbox. In the new version I decided to focus on power and playability so I put 4 L-motors for driving and used RC electronics to get proportional steering and driving. The 4 L-motors layout idea was inspired by the Jeep Wrangler model by Daniel-99.

This is the fourth version of my trial truck built from the LEGO 8110 Unimog U400 set. This time, I decided to use RC components instead of the LEGO PF-compatible system to get proportional steering and driving. The truck also features a two-speed gearbox with a center differential that automatically locks in low gear. The gearbox layout is similar to the Land Rover Defender v4, so the ratios are the same - 1:1 in hi gear and 1.67:1 in low gear. The truck is powered by four PF-compatible motors that provide decent speed and torque. For steering, I used a Geek Servo motor, and another Geek Servo motor is used for shifting the gearbox. The model is powered by a 3S LiPo battery (3x18650) which is located above the rear axle for better weight distribution.

The chassis dimensions are the same as the original 8110 Unimog U400 set. Instead of the fake engine, an L-motor is installed for the front PTO.

The cabin is almost the same as in the previous version, only the passenger seat became wider.

This is my MOD of the official 42082 set. Like many others, I wasn’t happy with the playability of the original set, so I decided to improve it.

After finishing the 42110 Land Rover Defender, v4, I decided to build a classic Wrangler Jeep Rubicon which would be lighter and more off-road capable.

This model is based on and inspired by two great models: MOC - Jeep Wrangler Rubicon by Sheepo and MOC - 42129 C model - Jeep Wrangler by Viktor Gyenes.

I opted for the black and yellow color scheme, but since some of the original parts do not exist in yellow or black, I decided to use non-original ones. I also used black 3L pins instead of blue ones in all visible places. The model got 85x28mm RC tyres on black rims.
I tried to make both interior and exterior interesting, but at the same time not so detailed to keep the model not heavy. The curb weight of the model is 1.63 kg, which is almost 400 grams less than the 42110 Land Rover Defender, v4.

I used non-original PF receivers operating at 2.4 GHz, which allowed them to be completely hidden under the hood. The LiPo battery is located behind the seats.

The gearbox and both differentials are protected by panels.

Attempt to make a Tatra 813 6x6 chassis. The design of the axles and transmission was taken from the 8x8 Tatra T813 Trial truck by Horcikdesigns. I used 2 L motors for propulsion and a servo motor for steering. The left and right drivetrains are independent of each other. The chassis has a two-speed gearbox shifted by an M motor.
The chassis demonstrated excellent performance, but the steering turned out to be a weak point. There is too much play, especially on the second axle - adding a second steering rack could potentially solve this issue.
Another problem is wheel alignment. The wheels on the front axle have a negative toe angle, on the second axle - positive. Maybe it’s not that essential for an offroad truck, but these steering things somehow dampened my motivation, and I decided to postpone the model until better times.

This is the third (and final, for now) version of my trial truck built from the LEGO 8110 Unimog U400 set. In this version, I managed to fix some issues with the chassis and improve the overall appearance. Thanks to portal hubs and new differentials, the truck is powerful enough, but at the same time it’s not a crawler, it’s fun to play with both inside and outside.

The first version of the Unimog 8110 was staying on the shelf for almost a year before I decided to improve it.

The front and rear axles remain the same. I added a second XL motor for driving and connected them both to the center differential. Unlike the original set, I decided to use a 28 bevel tooth differential here. The reason for this decision is the easier placement and connection of the XL motors.

I took non-original XL motors, which have higher RPM than the original ones, to achieve higher speed. The truck also got a center differential lock activated by a CaDA micromotor.

Unfortunately, the center differential turned out to be a weak point. Due to the lack of support, it sometimes made a crackling sound under load, especially when changing driving direction. A possible solution I thought of is to add two beams on the left and right instead of 14 tooth gears. But in this case, I would have lost the ability to lock the differential, which is necessary for the trial truck.

This is the final version of my motorized Land Rover Defender 42110, featuring the v3 chassis. Instead of the original Land Rover Defender body, I opted for a lighter and more attractive design. I came across an excellent MOC-35068 on Rebrickable which I based my solution on. I sacrificed the back door for the strength of the body.

I really like the resulting model, it has excellent playability. Thanks to the two-speed RC gearbox, it can move quickly on high gear and easily overcome obstacles on low gear. Wheel hubs with planetary gear reduction provide excellent “off-road” capability, and the car’s weight balance makes it easy to climb 40-degree slopes. The weak point of the chassis - a protruding 16-tooth gear - is covered with an overlay made of curved slopes that protects the gear when passing obstacles. The center differential enables smooth turns, while the robust chassis and gearbox prevent gear slipping and crunching when driving over obstacles. Additionally, the RC winch is powerful enough to pull the model.

The LED headlights look very natural, there are no visible wires on the outside. When they’re turned off, they’re almost indistinguishable from the headlights on the original model. Both the headlights and the taillights are bright enough for driving in the dark.

The model also looks great on the shelf. I used non-original PF receivers operating at 2.4 GHz, which allowed them to be completely hidden inside the body. The LiPo battery is also hidden inside. The power switch is located inside the decorative gray trunk. I used black 3L pins instead of blue ones in all visible places and covered the holes in the technic beams with system tiles.

The model was designed by RM8 LEGO Garage - BrickGarage. This was my first time building not an official LEGO set, but someone’s model (MOC) from a ready-made instruction. The building process was nice - the instructions are clear and easy to follow. I really like the model, it looks beautiful on the shelf and at the same time has excellent playability.

I added custom LED lights (front and rear), modified the steering mechanism a bit (to fit a non-original servo motor that can only turn 90°) and replaced regular cardan joints with the metal ones.

The third version of the Land Rover Defender chassis. To date, this is the most successful version. All functions work well, the gearbox does not slip even under load. The connection between the servo motor and the steering rack is half that of the previous version, resulting in less steering play. Let’s see how the chassis will behave after adding the Land Rover’s massive body!

This is the second version of the Land Rover Defender chassis. Compared to the first version, it now features Ackermann steering and some changes were made to the gearbox and transmission.

Despite all efforts, the design of the gearbox and transmission turned out to be not reliable enough; when passing over obstacles (even in low gear), it sometimes made a crackling noise. The weight balance was also far from ideal - the rear part of the chassis was heavier than the front. After adding a body, the weight balance would shifted back even more. The steering mechanism also needs to be improved - it has too much play

It was a good start, but I decided to take this chassis apart and look for a better solution.

This is my first attempt at motorizing the LEGO 42110 Land Rover Defender set. It features two PF L motors for driving and a servo motor for steering. I used non-original motors, which have higher RPM than the original ones, to achieve higher speed. The center differential is absent. The two-speed gearbox is shifted by a CaDA micro motor.

All functions work fine, but I’m disappointed with the performance and reliability of this version - the gears sometimes slip and crunch when driving over obstacles. Also, there is too much play in the steering mechanism.

This is my first modification of the LEGO 8110 Unimog U400 set. I bought it on the secondary market without the pneumatic parts and decided to turn it into a trial truck. I kept the original exterior and interior, removed the transfer case, and added separate motors for the front and rear power take-off (PTO), as well as one PF XL motor for driving and a servo motor for steering.

However, it turned out that one XL motor was not enough for its scale. It would also be desirable to have a greater reduction on the wheels than 3:1. Additionally, the CaDA battery block quickly drains, which worsens the playability. I don’t want to stop at this version and will try to improve its characteristics.

I began my LEGO Technic journey in the summer of 2021 by motorizing the 42075 First Responder set. I added motors for driving and steering, and also installed custom LEDs. Overall, I’m happy with the result as the car has great playability - especially in the dark, thanks to the bright LEDs. Of course, there’s always room for improvement.