TF-fan kev777 wrote:Overcracker wrote:Interesting enough is that both this guy and Magnus have a very conspicuous gap between the front tire and the rest of the truck. Almost as if a second front tire was meant to occupy that space.
Cybertron Prime has 2 front tires, so it would have made sense for this homage to have them too. Did they get removed due to budget constraints? Engineering issues? Both? Something else?
I'm looking at UM right now. While there is a space for a wheel, there is literally nothing to attach it to. A post going all the way to the body would get in the way of the leg articulation.
I suspect they wanted to have 2 front tires initially in the sketch/design phase, but when it came to actually putting the transformation together, it wasn't workable. The only real option would be to have the extra wheels parts-form to the cab like the rest of the trailer/armor, but even that would be difficult without driving the parts count up.
So I'd go with both budget and engineering issues.
I would only expect a peg or vestigial indication of a tire there if the decision to remove it was made almost into production.
Otherwise, anything that would have held a secondary tire there would have been removed earlier in the concept stage. Remember these guys go through several revisions before we get the final product.
I do agree, its likely an engineering issue related to clearance with the hip joints. Even having the tire swivel out of the hip area and remain hinged to the front tire and on the butt flap in robot mode to avoid clearance issues may have been deemed unsightly and a good way to reduce parts count and cost. At least 10 less parts considering swivel joints, pegs, tires and pins on each side.
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