Toy Review - DotM Deluxe Crankcase

Toy Review - DotM Deluxe Crankcase

(Please post photos, comments or even a fully comprehensive review - these are just brief details)

Toy Review - Crankcase (Dread/Enforcer)
Series - Dark of the Moon
Sub-line - Mechtech
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 1
Released here - May 2011
Approximate Retail Price - $25-30
Approximate Size - 14cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode - Chevy Surburban SUV Truck
Main Features/Gimmicks - Convertible Mechtech weapon
Main Colours - Black, grey
Main Accessories - Mechtech weapon


http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/mt04.jpg

Robot mode: Crankcase looks down right evil even by decepticon standards. Looks like he'll do some real damage and enjoy every minute of it. His colours are nice and he poses well. I was lucky to get an unsnipped finger version so he looks like he's flipping everyone off and with those to massive blades coming from his back this is one dude you don't want to mess with. And he has dreads! how cool is that?
Only gripe is the back part of his roof is loose and tends to fall down when standing and his dreads don't leave much room, they tend to get in the way.

Vehicle mode: Very nice and hides most of the robot kibble well. Mech Tech weapon looks rubbish when attached so best left off this mode.

Looking at this guy I think some vehicle mode retool, a different coat of paint and he could pass off as a Cybertron mode Insecticon; possibly Shrapnel

I agree with your last comment. As soon as I flipped those blades out I thought: well this is Shrapnel. I've got the same issue with the loose backpack but also the hips are pretty loose on mine so a bit hard to pose and the legs fall off a bit too easy.

The toys main flaws are line wide: ugly head, smaller than usual deluxe size. Otherwise very nice.

I love the Predator homage with the face and the fact he can hold the gun in both hands. Impressive. But yeah, too small for a Deluxe

This toy was better than I expected. It's an okay toy. Very nice looking vehicle mode and yeah, the back panel doesn't lock in tight.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Paulbot

The toys main flaws are line wide: ugly head, smaller than usual deluxe size.

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Apparently that's due to the increased cost of plastic, which I suspect may be related to the increased cost of oil, particularly with recent political events in the Middle East.

More likely from the shinking value of the US$. Either they have to charge more for the same sized toys, or make cheaper toys for that US$ price point.

+awesome looking robot
+great head scupt & light piping
+nice fingers
+good looking mechtech weapon (most are plain grey)
+great articulation overall.
+fun/not boring transformation

-no hand/wrist articulation (arm has to be fully extended to give the finger)
-mechtech weapon doesnt lock out
-back panel doesnt lock in place

I picked this up today, luckily one without snipped fingers. though they are both a bit bent and manky looking, I'm wondering if this is a common issue and I should return to get one not bent, and hopefully not snipped...

Otherwise, I really like the transformation of the feet and the light piping is some of the best I've ever seen.

wrist articulation would have been nice.

got him today and he's very nasty looking. I think this guy would've scared the crap out of me as a kid. My gripes are minimal and pretty much the same as everyone else.

After seeing the movie, I had to get this guy. Generally, I like him. He's just a bit small, but for the life of me, I can't find a place to stick the dreads on the way back to alt mode in a way that will let me close the sides of the vehicle in securely. The instructions aren't very helpful. They seem to say you should flip the dreads up to go under the hood but mine don't rotate. It seems like at one point they were sculpted to do that, but in the end, they glued them in instead of using a pin. Anyone have any tips?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jaydisc

After seeing the movie, I had to get this guy. Generally, I like him. He's just a bit small, but for the life of me, I can't find a place to stick the dreads on the way back to alt mode in a way that will let me close the sides of the vehicle in securely. The instructions aren't very helpful. They seem to say you should flip the dreads up to go under the hood but mine don't rotate. It seems like at one point they were sculpted to do that, but in the end, they glued them in instead of using a pin. Anyone have any tips?

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haha i hadn't transformed him into alt mode since i first got him so after reading this i tried and wow it was a pain to get it the arms in - which i never had the problem of before.

anyway i just push the dreads together around his head so they go straight down underneath his head then close up the chest to make sure they stay there. the problem is mostly just on the side of his head where the dreads come out of. you basically just have to push the arms in as much as you can and have the panels interlock with each other with the hood providing the the most strength.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jaydisc

I can't find a place to stick the dreads on the way back to alt mode in a way that will let me close the sides of the vehicle in securely. The instructions aren't very helpful. They seem to say you should flip the dreads up to go under the hood but mine don't rotate. It seems like at one point they were sculpted to do that, but in the end, they glued them in instead of using a pin. Anyone have any tips?

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I really like this fig...really like him. I think it's the brutal look/shrapnel homage, but jeez he is a pain to get back into his alt mode especially when it comes to the dreads and those long fingers. I've had put little elastic bands to hold the dreads together, otherwise they're just a hazard. As for the fingers I can't get them back in without deforming them.

Besides that I really love the little guy. Even the backpack doesn't bother me as it folds up rather nicely unlike say mixmasters dipper.

Damn, I was hoping there was some trick I just didn't know. That really disappoints me then.

Cranky was the first DOTM figure i got, and even with his nub of a middle finger he is still awesome, definatley one of the feircest looking cons i've ever seen, probably my faveorate of the DOTM toyline so far
wish they'd release the other dreads in bigger size classes

If a toy is made in the Human Alliance deluxe size I would definitely get one. I just want a bigger size. Crankcase was in a very cool scene with the standoff with Ironhide. He would also make for a good stand in as a movieverse decepticon soldier.

Size is perfect for me, he only cost $19 and can face down Deluxe Ironhide, Racthet and Voyager Prime. Quite a nice little toy.

I was undecided on whether to get this toy, but his cool albeit short appearance in the movie made me go for it.

Love the middle fingers on this, as it fits the character well... but I can see why Hasbro may have decided later to remove it (if the running change was to remove them).

The design of this figure was probably a bit too small, as parts are a bit too tight in vehicle mode. The tabs locking everything together are so necessary... it kinda shows how flawed the figure must be.
Fitting in the head, dreads and 'horns' into the vehicle mode was really annoying.
I thought the feet were clever though.
Very little kibble... but the arm panels are a bit big.

Since it is a cast character, I recommend it, but due to the fiddly nature and existence of a Legion version, it is probably best bought cheap. (and try to find the fully fingered version too :p ).