ISSUE 09

Return to the BUILD

“This installment concludes the assembly of Optimus Prime’s right foot.”

Parts

NOTE: With my model, I received AP screws in this issue in place of the IP screws. I think it is a misprint – the APs work fine.

Materials: The Rear Inner Stabilizer and Support Hinge Pin are metal, but the other parts are plastic.

Magazine

Captain Lennox: Josh Duhamel Accepts a Key Mission
Leader of the Autobots: The Bearer of the Leadership Matrix
Octane: Fuel is Power
Transformers the Movie: “One Shall Stand, One Shall Fall”
Step-by-Step Assembly Instructions

Build

Right Foot Wheel Support

Step 09-1

Fit the thinner eyelets of the Stabilizer Joint to the rounded tab of the Rear Inner Stabilizer, aligning the screw holes as shown.

The number ‘2’ marked on the Stabilizer Joint should be facing down here:

Secure this Stabilizer Joint into place with one (1) HP screw.

Do not over-tighten these screws as they acts as pivot points for the parts:

Step 09-2

Retrieve your Right Foot Sole Structure assembly from Issue 07. Fit the free end of the Stabilizer Joint to this rounded tab of the Sole Structure, aligning the screw holes as shown:

Secure the Stabilizer to the Sole with one (1) FP screw:

Step 09-3

Retrieve your Right Foot assembly from Issue 07. Fit the Sole Structure to the matching two posts on the bottom of the Right Foot, as shown:

Secure the Sole to the Foot with two (2) AP screws.

The instructions and the parts list for this issue mention IP screws, but I received AP screws instead. I used the AP screws and they fit perfectly:

This is what our Sole Structure assembly looks like under our Right Foot:

Step 09-4

On the right side of the Foot, secure the Outer Lower Gear to the matching hole at this location using one (1) AP screw, as shown:

Press the pin of the Outer Upper Gear into the matching hole at this nearby location, as shown:

Step 09-5

Fit the narrow end of the Wheel Support Hinge between the matching eyelets of the Right Foot Wheel Support (R), orienting it as shown:

Align the holes on both parts, then press the Support Hinge Pin through them until it is flush on each side:

I used my flat duck bill pliers to gently squeeze this Pin into place:

Fit this Wheel Support assembly to the two matching posts at this location on the right side of the Foot, as shown.

Here is the keyed post that the matching keyed lower mounting hole of the Wheel Support fits onto:

Secure the Wheel Support to the Right Foot with two (2) EM screws.

This is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:

Step 09-6

Fit the Right Foot Wheel Ball Joint onto these matching posts of the Wheel Support, as shown:

Secure the Ball Joint into place with two (2) AP screws:

Step 09-7

Retrieve your Lower Right Leg Wheel assembly from Issue 06. Press (snap) this Wheel onto the Ball Joint, as shown.

You may need to move the Wheel Support Hinge and Rear Stabilizer slightly out of the way to fit this wheel:

Once the Wheel is snapped into place, you can return the Wheel Support Hinge and Rear Stabilizer to their intended positions:

Thoughts

With this issue complete, we have finished building our Right Foot! I am very impressed by all of the details so far. All of the lower parts of this foot are adjustable from the heels to the toes, even including the angle we want the Wheel to sit at – excellent!

Next Up

Issue 10 – Right Thigh Structure/Frame Plate/Detail, Cylinder/Bracket, Right Center Wheel Ball Joint

My Optimus Prime