The $700 LEGO Technic monster - 42146 Liebherr LR 13000 detailed building review part 1 

Click here for the LEGO product page page - racingbrick.com/product/42146-2/

This set feels like one of the few times where the 18+ age rating is truly justified.

Each crane has a lifting diagram (in the cabin also). If you check a real one, that might have incredible low lifting weight capacity in flat angles. If you make a linear calculation: 1) 1 dimension ratio to the weight; 2) rational weight difference (because it is made of plastic). Then you can get how much the lego version should lift in what angle

The more I look into this set, it looks like what really happened is that Lego ran into some real engineering problems and materials limitations while designing this set. It's novel and impressive looking, but I can't help but wonder if the noticeable changes from the real thing are simply because they couldn't find a half-decent way to build this set and still have it be more or less "functional". They probably could have resolved the issue with more new parts... but that would turn this set into a sunk-cost monstrosity (for Lego). To point out an easy difference, the lack of counterweights on the back of crane's main body. I think this would have resulted in the body not balancing well on the central ring. It could have also become too heavy to turn around. Similarly, the tracks dancing around with the top spins means that the tracks are simply too light. Which means bigger tracks (perhaps even a double-track system)... and stronger/more motors to turn everything. Issues like these keep cropping up, and before long you find out the biggest limiting factor is that you're working with plastic and not steel. And I wouldn't be surprised if the crane model mentioned was the original intent for this set... and simply didn't work, resulting in a scaled back but still very functional version of a crawler crane. And for anyone who has been around cranes... seeing the tracks lift off the ground *AT ALL* is a terrifying sight. The guys running the excavators might have fun doing that, but you never see that with the cranes. Luckily, this is just Lego. To comment on the price? It's definitely too much, and I think the price is intentionally inflated to cover the bigger than anticipated design costs along and to offset the expected lower sales. While the price appears to be the biggest complaint, the other issues with the set would have inevitably come to light. I think Lego is expecting only the most dedicated and die-hard fans to get this one, and are bumping the price in an attempt to off-set the already incurred costs during the design phase. I think this is definitely not a "price per piece" issue so much as it ended up being a much bigger design cost. On the bright side, it's very likely that Lego learned quite a few lessons from designing this set, which will go to helping design future sets.

Thanks a lot for unraveling this mysterious technic set. Finally it is here and can’t wait for the next episode.

definitely impressive to see. i'd like to see a "death match" against this and the Liebherr excavator and the rough terrain crane. would be one for the ages.

It would be ok for 300Euros, but the price is insane, and model doesn't really represent the Liebherr LR 13000. Great review, as always!

This is an insanely good review. I've gotten so burnt out from the typical LEGO review style after over a decade of watching them on RU-vid, but your attention to detail and vast knowledge about what you're talking about is fantastic. Just subscribed, can't wait for future content

Great way to start my morning here in America. Been waiting for this vid all week! Fantastic review and def a set I look forward to saving up for :)

This set gives me the same feeling I had when I saw my friend showed me his Lego city crane years ago. I thought it was huge and cool. This is crazier.

I saw this set today my LEGO shop in the mall. Its a great looking set. Technic is Amazing

Great review as always! I wonder how it would fare with heavier counterweights. I know lego has to include them for the sake of it, but I can't help but feel like it would have been significantly cheaper and more effective if it was just left to the buyer. You'll probably touch on this in part 2!

The high resistance of the motor at 2:55 is actually a really good idea-in the bucket wheel excavator, the motors needed fresh batteries to have enough torque to even drive the whole system.

Thank you, as usually - amazing job!

This crane is at my work right now. Like the real one 😂 it's mind boggling how massive it truly is irl. I'm 6'1. The top of my head is not even as tall as to the top of the front wheel. It's truly an amazing machine. The ballast weights are ridiculously huge.

as seen so far: had way more building and "playing" fun with the 42082 for about a quarter of the price - but wouldn't be the first time your final review would change my mind 🤠

Life is too short for safety limits :D Thanks for the review. Without talking about the price, it's a very cool set. I wonder how low the hook can go, so you can lift up things from lower than the crane is placed.

It's a beautiful looking piece.

NICE! thanks for the cool video

Incredibly cool this set!!!😊

I wasn't even considering this before, but I suddenly want it now!

As a crane operator omin real life i HAVE to get this set as it fills me with joy😍

It's finally here! Let's goooo

Wow! What a big monster you have there!! 😀😀

Great Review, have been waiting for this video for ages now! Would be really nice to see how it looks in other configurations, maybe one long main boom?

Very nice, thank you for this video 🙂

Brilliant review Balazs! 🥳 Yes, the first thing that came to mind when seeing the set was that the counterweight would not be enough. I would imagine if there was another counterweight far back on the ground (akin to the 'real' LR13000) then the lifting capacity would be improved. (Although structural stress and bending will have to be factored in.) 🤔

Great review as always

I don't know much about crane, but I was expecting the counterweights to be moved further back in order to compensate for heavy loads. At first, I thought that would be linked to the overload detector (either by a motor, or just geometry with a shaft pulling/pushing them away from the center of gravity. That could be a customisation theme for a MOC based on this model.

Thank you!!!!!

Lol, the beginning of your video was funny with the crane tipping over and the old guy tipping over. Awesome start, just that alone would get people to start watching. Love your videos and I'm looking forward to building this set, I pre-ordered when it was up for Pre-order on the USA Lego website. As you said, it does turn a little too fast, the Rough Terrain Crane was better about turning at a slower realistic speed.

Awesome set ❤

So impressive and nice!

Would be interesting to see someone increase the counterweight and the top boom length. Would make it look much more like the real crane. I wonder how well it would hold up?

Beautiful lego set!

Love it!

I want this so badly now after seeing it built

Very helpful review! I would like to see you attach a weight to the end and then spin the crane around 360° like it's swinging a wrecking ball

Thank you

I enjoy the box being that shape. It's tall. Which is the main feature of the model too. Yea it's a dang nice model of a real workhorse. But dang it's tall.

Am glad that they at least numbered their bags, unlike some other technic sets

I NEED THIS!!!

I'm waiting for mine which i've preordered and will definitely try to make some extension upgrade to make it look more like a real one :D

Re the rotation speed of the superstructure. The speed varies depending on how far left and right you slide the "lever" from the centre point. If you want it to move more slowly, just dont slide the lever as far.

I really wish I could have this set it is so cool

Awesome review! Keep up the great content. Thanks!

Amazing!

Price is simply outrageous. Lego is definitely charging way too much for this. Thanks for the review.

Thanks for the partial review. - I would love to see more info about the new parts such as the new spools. - What's the maximum load you can lift when the arm is positioned as horizontal as possible. - Does the type (especially weight) of batteries used in the top battery box affect the crane's's ability to measure load.

I LOVE IT..I WANT ONE. OMG

AMAZING

It's functioning just like an actual crane would behave. Of course you can't pick out of chart at that radius. Also, the button that let's you override the safety features is also present in real cranes, "turning the keys."

I have just assembled these models and I think that I should release a kit for sale to improve the length of the two feathers, increase the counterweights and improve the strength of the motors. lego would have to add for that price some accessory like a container or something similar to be able to use it with the crane.

With how much of a challenge it must have been to get this set to even lift this much, I can't help but think it might have been a good idea to drop most/all of the functionality. The lack of all the counterweights and motors would likely drop the price by a few hundred dollars as well.

Hello! Nice review! Worth the wait! Can you do a load comparason with the big red ?

This is unique and vast i never saw this. 뭔가 크고 독특하다

Whaaat? I want it so much.

Add some counterweights even if it's not lego to see how well it operates. This is a really cool set.

Try to put more weight on the back of the crane and see how much load really the motors can withstand, and the overhaul crane assembly.

Great base for a tank

I was expecting the counterweights to swing out when a heavier load is lifted, maintaining balance. I wonder how long it will be until a video is posted where someone makes the booms longer. I plan on buying this set.

This set is Awesome !!! Now can you take this set to the next level? Please max out the boom length and the counterweights to see how massive this set can be. 😲😎

립헬이나 공사 기계는 잘 모르지만 테크닉으로 구현하기에는 정말 훌륭한 소재 같습니다

Szia! Szuper videó lett, és köszi szépen a magyar feliratot!

Looking forward to part 2. Question: why all the different colors? Red, grey, should be yellow imho. What are your thoughts about this?

Finally!! ❤

Would be fun to build from my existing collection, there are a bunch of bricks I don't have, like the motors, the boom bricks and the weight bricks, but I think it won't be too difficult to make some small changes to make it work anyway

I wish lego would do a tower crane in technic

I wonder if that counterweight is calculated to be close to the maximum without stressing apart, or if it's possible to replace with more weight

if i could recomend a custom build lego set it would be the 11200 leibherr ltm crane by jeroen ottens design. it costed me $400 for all the parts and the instructions, took me around 3 months to build, and it could reach up to 6 ft into the air! it is an incredible crane and i would love to see you build it!

Excellent build

Nice Lego👏

Nice Review, just want to ask if it's possible to add more Truss to increase the height like 42042, i hope you will try that next time, tnx

Amaizing

Sooooo cool

Maybe if I can buy a couple more tower pieces for cheap. Still doesn't look like that much for $700, if buying that much lego I'd go for millennium falcon

So, if you wanna use the motors for something else is it actually possible or do they only work in this configuration?

Can you please increase the counterweights and see how much stress the motors can take???

My favorite is the red liebherr

woah what a behemoth. I think I would have to leave my room and live somewhere else to accomodate that beast xD

Wonder why they went with a sand blue gear rack sleeve for the weight sensor mechanism. Yellow or DBG would’ve worked much better here. Maybe to clear the excess stock after that ninjago set a few years ago?

Oh wow, they have the core parts of Technic and include the Lego Spike parts

try doing the same weight tests but without counterweights to check how much they do

Can the pieces for the boom be bought separate? The included pieces isn’t enough to build a realistic boom

I want the lego 42160 for Christmas

The Liebherr have many configuration and the set represent one. Also the counterweight is not heavy enough, I'm curious how it would perform with a custom one.

I would love to see it compared with older lego cranes (42082, 42042, 42009, 8421) maybe in another separate video.

For some reason, it reminds me a lot of the Lego Technic Control Centre Set 8094

We need to see a battle vs big red (42082) awesome review

we're getting ever so closer to the inevitable $1k set :D

Yeah that’s how real cranes work. The greater the radius of the lift, the less it can lift without becoming unstable

I'd love to see this set lift some LEGO sets

I am curious to know more about the load measurement system

Finally!

thanks for bringing this video to us racingbrick! by the way, do you remember me from some years ago?

Please test the true lifting capacity by adding counterweights as needed!

It sense weight with incline of the hub which is connected near to weight.

Will you check what happens if you put 1 kg of sugar or rise on each counterweight platform instead of those counterweights?

I await part 2

Hi Balazs, Thank you for another excellent review 👌🏻 If possible, can you show in the next episode if it is possible to lay the boom fully flat As would be 'necessary' in real life when building/erecting the crane. As I understand from your review, per the instructions the crane is built in an upright position