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MP Megatron's cannon arm...suddenly floppy!

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:50 am
by FracturedKoi
Hey guys, have any of you had your MP Megatron unable to hold his cannon arm up? The ratchet joint in mine seems to have given up, and now whenever I try to pose him with his cannon aimed...it just falls down to his side.

Anybody know of any way to fix this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:02 pm
by Zeds
This is one of many complaints with regards to the MP-05. The more you transform him the more chances you take of breaking it. My friend's looks like crap now and he just keeps it in gun mode. What is the use of that unless you feel like getting stopped by a cop and having a body cavity search at the station :-( .

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:04 pm
by FracturedKoi
It's not so much that I've even transformed him much. He's only been transformed twice! Poor poor design on that arm joint.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:11 pm
by Zeds
FracturedKoi wrote:It's not so much that I've even transformed him much. He's only been transformed twice! Poor poor design on that arm joint.


That joint is one of the most fragile parts on him. Many, many, many posts and threads detail his failings wrt that joint and one on his legs.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:12 pm
by j76t
I haven't had this problem but i've only had him for maybe a couple of months. I have transformed him about 14 or 15 times though. Will his cannon arm stay up at all for you (even if the cannon is off)? If so I may just not display him with the cannon, as i've also read a few complaints about that arm joint giving out after a time. I hope there is a way to fix it...that or Takara would release a Masterpiece Ratchet for bad humor.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:13 pm
by GrimSqueaker
Its just the way it is-plat around with it and u can still get it to stay up in some poses, its kinda tricky-but just look at him, he is sooooo worth it

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:21 pm
by FracturedKoi
GrimSqueaker wrote:Its just the way it is-plat around with it and u can still get it to stay up in some poses, its kinda tricky-but just look at him, he is sooooo worth it


Oh yes, defiantly worth it! I'm thinking about switching the ratchet mechanism from his other arm with the failing one in his right arm.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:23 pm
by PrimeFan
The problem is that the cannon is so big and heavy. Just having it attached to his arm, is going to put wear on it.

My Megatron doesn't have any problems. But that's because I don't have the arm cannon mounted to him. I just have Megs holding his movie gun.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 3:27 pm
by REMINATOR
:D :D From first transforming, I knew the joints will be a problem. Anyhow, I too only transformed him about 3-4 times and now he's inside my display case. I don't want to mess around with his shoulder, knee, or hip joint. Bad joints design!

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:12 pm
by shortround
Now I'm really glad I didn't shell out the money for him if he is that easy to damage. He is a cool looking figure but I like mine with a little more staying power.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:19 pm
by waaaaghlord
Has anyone successfully tryed out the scotch tape method for strenghening the offending ratchet joint?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:40 pm
by Nujevad
Have you tried tightening the screw which holds the joint? Anyway, don't use scotch tape, not only does it stretch over time, it leaves a messy goo which will draw dirt into the joint. Try a loose piece of paper instead.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:06 pm
by Sid Burn
mine was floppy out of the box, but there is a screw near the joint, I tightened it with a screwdriver and now megs is rock solid.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:16 pm
by Nujevad
That's good to hear. Mine usually gets loose after about 8 transformations so I tighten the shoulder joint quite often.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:36 pm
by Immortal Starscream
mine did the same thing after a couple transformations, i just tightened the screw on the inside piece and back to normal. its not to uncommon for this to happen in ratchet jounts that are seperate peices screwed together. my transmetal beastwars megatrons left leg sufferd this problem too.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:11 am
by FracturedKoi
I tried tightening the screw a bit tighter...but that didn't seem to do any good :/ oh well :)

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:17 am
by Nujevad
That's quite a problem. Tell me, does the arm stay up even if the cannon isn't there? Does it even ratchet or does it move smoothly?

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:27 am
by Autobot032
Whew. I'm glad I didn't spend the money on him. I really am. I'm sorry you guys had to take a dive to help the rest of us learn about the problems.

*shakes head* I don't see any reason as to why this sh**tty design was even used. I've seen the work that comes out of Japan...and I know they can do better than this.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:41 am
by Nujevad
Don't listen to Autoboto32, he wouldn't know a great design if it transformed into a gun and pistol-whipped him in the head. MP Megatron is probably the most complicated design ever to come out of Takara. It is definitely just for mature collectors only.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:45 am
by Bonger
Nujevad wrote:Don't listen to Autoboto32, he wouldn't know a great design if it transformed into a gun and pistol-whipped him in the head. MP Megatron is probably the most complicated design ever to come out of Takara. It is definitely just for mature collectors only.


Agreed, don't go by the word of someone who probably has never seen the figure in real life. The design is masterful. It is not a toy and will break if treated like one.

Mine is in great shape. The cannon is definately heavy, however, with a little work, he can be coaxed into some great poses.

They should have rated it XXX. Over 21 only. ;-)

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:32 am
by Dr.Optimus
I've had the same problem, but tightening the screw in his shoulder joint fixed it for me.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:03 am
by Craven Knight
My MP Meg's shoulder rachet is unable to hold up the fusion cannon, I have to remove it and give him his pistol and sword.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:34 am
by Sunstar
if I recall correctly... megatron's cannon arm in the pictures they were releasing of him before he came out had it propped with a small stand... maybe something like that could help?

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:58 am
by FracturedKoi
Sunstar wrote:if I recall correctly... megatron's cannon arm in the pictures they were releasing of him before he came out had it propped with a small stand... maybe something like that could help?


Bingo! That, my friend, is a brilliant idea!

A stand...Brilliant! :grin:

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:24 pm
by Autobot032
Bonger wrote:
Nujevad wrote:Don't listen to Autoboto32, he wouldn't know a great design if it transformed into a gun and pistol-whipped him in the head. MP Megatron is probably the most complicated design ever to come out of Takara. It is definitely just for mature collectors only.


Agreed, don't go by the word of someone who probably has never seen the figure in real life. The design is masterful. It is not a toy and will break if treated like one.

Mine is in great shape. The cannon is definately heavy, however, with a little work, he can be coaxed into some great poses.

They should have rated it XXX. Over 21 only. ;-)


Wow. Thanks a lot for treating me like sh*t. I gave my simple opinion (and others have agreed with me as well, I'm not the only one.) and I get two personal attacks for it? Nice.

Consider both of these reported.