Return to the BUILD
“Your Ladder 9 Fire Truck will start to take shape as you attach the boom support to the turntable, attach the turntable, and connect the main body to the chassis.”
Contents
Parts
Materials: The Boom Support/Hinges/Spring and the base of the Turntable are metal. The other parts are plastic.
NOTE: Save any spare screws left over at the end of each stage of this build. They may be needed in later stages!
Build
Assembling the Boom Support
Step 1
Slide the large tab of the Boom Control Bracket through this slot of the Boom Support, as shown:
Fit the pins of the Boom Control Bracket into these matching recess of the Boom Support:
Fit the Boom Control Tie over these pins and align the screw holes as shown:
Secure the Boom Control Tie into place with two (2) Type D screws:
Step 2
The two Boom Hinges are not the same (and are not marked). However, there are raised circular areas on each one that play an important role:
When these Boom Hinges are installed into the Boom Support, the raised circular areas should face away from the center. Here is a quick demonstration of how they will sit on the Hinge Support (long screw):
Begin sliding a Hinge Support (long screw) through this hole in the left side of the Boom Support, as shown:
Slide the left Boom Hinge over the end of the Hinge Support and into place, as shown:
Slide one eyelet of a Hinge Spring over this end post of the Boom Hinge.
The eyelets of these Hinge Springs are aligned to one side of the spring itself. Make sure this is installed as shown:
Secure the free end of this Hinge Spring to this post of the Boom Support using one (1) Type K screw:
Step 3
As you continue to feed the Hinge Support (long screw) through the Boom Support, slide it through the right Boom Hinge as shown:
As before, fit an eyelet of a Hinge Spring over the lower post of this Boom Hinge (arrow below). Then, secure the other end of the Spring to the Boom Support post with one (1) Type K screw (circled below):
With the Hinge Support passed completely through the Boom Support, twist a Support Nut onto the exposed threaded end to secure it.
I did not want to over-tighten this long screw as it acts as a pivot point. I simply held the nut with my fingers and tightened the screw snug:
Step 4
On my model, the plastic detail layer of my Turntable was slightly separated from its metal base plate. I used a few drops of super glue to secure them back together and clamped it until the glue dried:
Fit the Boom Control Spring over this post of the Turntable:
While keeping this Spring in place, slide the long bottom post of your Boom Support assembly through the large hole of the Turntable. Fit the Boom Support to the Turntable as shown:
On the bottom of the large tab of the Boom Control Bracket there is a pin that fits into the top of the Boom Control Spring:
Secure the Boom Support to the Turntable from below with four (4) Type C screws, as shown.
NOTE: The instructions I had at the time said to only use two screws here, but I am sure they meant to say four:
Step 5
Fit the Boom Control-Button Cover over the large tab of the Boom Control Bracket, aligning the screw hole as shown:
Secure the Boom Control-Button Cover into place with one (1) Type C screw:
Step 6
Using small drops of glue, secure the Handrail and two Footrests to the left side of the Boom Support as shown.
I chose to install these details earlier than the instructions said so we would not risk damaging them in the next step:
Step 7
Retrieve your Storage Compartment assembly from the previous stage. Fit the Storage Compartment to this location of the Turntable:
Secure this Storage Compartment into place from below with two (2) Type C screws:
Step 8
Press the Hose Connector down onto the low post at this location on the Turntable:
Step 9
Retrieve your Turntable Gear from Stage 47. Fit this Gear to the bottom of the Turntable, noting that the beveled screw holes should be facing up and the locating pin of the Turntable (arrow below) is slotted into the alignment hole of the Gear:
Secure the Turntable Gear into place with two (2) Type B screws.
This is your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:
Step 10
Retrieve your Body assembly from Stage 57. Fit the post of this entire Turntable assembly down through the large hole in the Body Midsection, as shown.
The picture I took of this step was unusable. Therefore, this is the picture from the instructions:
Carefully turn your entire Body assembly upside down on a soft surface (to protect small detail parts). Insert the red Washer into the matching circular recess of the Body Midsection, as shown.
The small twisted wiring you will see in these next pictures is part of my Custom Lighting mod:
Secure the Boom Support/Turntable into place with one (1) Type N screw:
Attaching the Main Body to the Chassis
In the following steps we will be marrying the main Body assembly to the main Chassis assembly. This can be tricky, but if you take your time and do not force anything, it should go together quite well.
Step 1
Starting with the Body assembly, remove the screw and Battery Compartment Top from the Battery Compartment Bottom:
Make sure all of your visible wiring is laying as flat as possible and towards the centerline of the Body assembly.
Use pieces of thin tape to hold your wiring in place, if needed:
Step 2
Make sure the beveled hole of the Steering Bracket is positioned at the center of the Body assembly, as shown:
Retrieve your Chassis assembly from Stage 34. Make sure the post of the Track Rod is centered between the Front Wheels, as shown:
Step 3
Under the Front Bumper of the Body assembly are two L-shaped tabs:
Slide the two matching slots at the front of the Chassis assembly onto these two tabs, as shown:
Lower the Chassis assembly onto the Body, aligning that post of the Track Rod into the beveled hole of the Steering Bracket. Working from the front to the rear, begin securing the Chassis to the Body with four (4) Type J screws (supplied with Stage 12B):
Finish securing the Chassis to the Body with two (2) more Type J screws at the rear:
Replace the Battery Compartment Top and secure with the same screw:
Step 4
Retrieve your Handrail and two Handrail Washers from Stage 47. Then, carefully turn your entire Truck assembly right side up and glue the Washers into these matching recesses at the left edge of the Turntable.
This is where the Handrail Washers are to be installed. However, to make sure my Handrail would fit correctly, I did not glue these in place yet:
Instead, I first slid the Washers onto the Handrail:
Next, I applied glue into the appropriate recesses and holes of the Turntable:
Then, I fit the Handrail down into the holes as shown, slid the Washers down into place, and held it vertical until the glue set:
Thoughts
This was a important issue as we finally brought the Body and Chassis together! I recommend taking care when moving the model around as it is quite heavy now and there are a ton of tiny details sticking out of it. Be sure to save the unused Hinge Support (long screw) and Support Nut as we will need them in Stage 62.
Next Up
Stage 60 – Bed Section Left, Spotlight/Lens, Name Plate