The Energon Pub

So, I've just bought my first transformers toy: the 2014 re-issue of the formerly TRU-exclusive Hasbro MP-10.

I'm quite happy with this figure, but have a couple of questions that might be more due to paranoia than anything else. Still, I thought I'd pick the brains of the experts:

1. While transforming the figure for the first couple of times, I may have turned both front wheels the 'wrong' way, if only for a couple of teeth. Is this likely to have caused long-term damage to the toy? At present, they turn with no issue, though the ratcheting of the right wheel is much smoother and sounds more muted than the left (I suspect this was the case for the figure out of the box, mind you).

I can see that there are a couple of screws in the red plastic surrounding the wheels (where the abdominal external oblique muscles would be in robot mode). If I ever needed to repair these front wheels, would I be able to gain access to the ratchet joint by removing these screws?

2. There's a noticeable gap between the waist and the back of the figure in robot mode. Is this normal? I note that, if I were to push the figure back to minimise the gap, this tends to push the front grille out and displace the windshield(s).

First off, welcome!
As for your questions, I am certainly no expert when it comes to the mechanics of the figures. That being said, I often find a lot of helpful tips for transformations by watching video reviews or even pictorial reviews at times. Sorry I could not be of more help. Also, not trying to be smart here, but have the instructions helped at all? I always keep the instructions for my MPs bc I frankly need help transforming many of them. And congrats on your first figure! MP-10 Optimus is truly great.

The gap in the front is normal (and sucks)

Drift082111 wrote:First off, welcome!
As for your questions, I am certainly no expert when it comes to the mechanics of the figures. That being said, I often find a lot of helpful tips for transformations by watching video reviews or even pictorial reviews at times. Sorry I could not be of more help. Also, not trying to be smart here, but have the instructions helped at all? I always keep the instructions for my MPs bc I frankly need help transforming many of them. And congrats on your first figure! MP-10 Optimus is truly great.

Oh, I've kept the instructions, box and even the little strings that tie the figure to the packaging. And I almost always need the instructions when transforming the figure. I'm just a little OCD about the long-term condition of the figure (and whether I could make repairs if the need arose).

I'm also happy to read that the gap between the waist and the torso is normal for the MP-10.

I love mine.