Hasbro, Fix your damn panels or stop using them.

[Shadewing]

I am getting REALLY ******* tired of this. Just got 86 Ironhide today. Vehicle mode is near impossible to achieve becuase the panels refuse to peg in correctly, and all I'm doing is adding stress marks in trying to force it. Videos I watch seems like this is a hit or miss issue. 86 Core Ratchet. Same damn problem, same damn hit or miss. Mine refuses to peg in properly, but a friend's version does so perfectly. Also have this issue to a minor degree on Movie ratchet from the 15th Anniversay pack. Had to sand down the pegs in his roof rack and the panels on his legs don't want to stay pegged in.

 

[TheSupernova]

Yeah, my Ironhide doesn't line up perfectly, either. I tried sanding the tab on the driver's side panel that folds up to be part of the roof and it didn't even seem to make a lick of difference.

I've heard it speculated that the clear plastic used here was different and therefore as it cooled, it cooled "larger". I suppose a hypothetical BWBB release that used all transparent plastic would confirm whether that was the case, but I doubt we'll know for sure.

 

[SeeveeRay]

They need to do better at securing the parts in the event of a (likely) QC fail. My Ironhide's van butt wants to split apart after a while if the roof panels and side panels are pegged together as well as they can be. And it's a struggle to get them moved to begin with. So I need to find a compromise position where everything is not quite fully pegged. But I wouldn't have to if the van butt had better pegs. And if the panels had better ways to secure them, it would fix problems on the other side.

But it wouldn't stop the potential breakage when the clear plastic ages, I guess.

Sanding stuff is very hit or miss for me. Usually the piece flips from WAY too tight to WAY too loose with little adjustment. And then I'm getting out the toenail fungus medicine I MEAN nail polish top coat, yes.

I wonder how many people will have/hear of problems with Ironhide and so will skip the inevitable Ratchet retool?

 

[Dvandom]

I had to exert a LOT of force to get Leader Blitzwing's tabs into their slots for various modes as well. I think they're leaning too hard on "test in computer" QC, assuming that if the renders fit well enough the actual toys will too.

---Dave

 

[CoffeeHorse]

I've suspected that for a while, and I bet it's gotten worse with how much of a pain it is to get things shipped these days. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even get test shots from the factory anymore, except for big ticket items like a HasLab.

 

[The Phazer]

I've suspected that for a while, and I bet it's gotten worse with how much of a pain it is to get things shipped these days. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even get test shots from the factory anymore, except for big ticket items like a HasLab.

They keep showing factory test shots off in the reveal streams, so they definitely are.

It's not a clear plastic issue, it's an issue that the factory pulls the sprue out of the mold tooling too quickly so it warps as it cools, and no QC is being done. Siege Astrotrain was the same, indeed, it seems quite common on black vinyl sprues especially (more so than clear ones). This seems to have been a direct consequence of the Vietnam factory move honestly.