Please Read

[Scream Man]

Thats the spirit

[KiriK]

my left arm broke on my 0A today!!!

It was the 1st time i've ever transformed it and i even was careful with it after reading this thread.... I wanted to change it to Battroid so i could access the screws to loosen them a bit as suggested, but as i tried to move the arms out from the fighter mode, the left arm just easily snapped off!!!

turns out the ring piece inside the bicep arm broke into 2 pieces. ARGH!!! how fustrating.... The shoulder piece seems to be fine and stress free, but now i have a broken arm like some of you guys too....

Scream Man... who did you get a replacement VF-0A from????

here are the pics of my broken VF-0A

close up of clean shoulder...

should i just try to fix it myself??? or i read that scream man got a replacement VF-0A..... any suggestions??

Edited December 31, 2006 by kiririth

[EXO]

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...st&p=453694

I'll pick up both broken and unbroken pieces and give them to NB4M.

[tom64ss]

Yikes! This thread makes me afraid to buy a VF-0

[Dante74]

Reading all this just makes me afraid to transform my VF-0's.

I'think I'll just leave them in the mode they are in now.

[eugimon]

ouch, that's a nasty break.

maybe it's time to put my VF-0's away until those recast arms come out.

[Graham]

I decided to do a closer examination of my VF-0A & VF-0S toys today. When I initially examined the shoulders last week, it was only a very casual check and I didn't bother to remove the shoulder armor. No cracks were visible with the shoulder armor on.

This time due to the increasing reports of breakages, I decided to remove the shoulder armor to inspect the grey inner sholder part.

I checked two VF-0A and two VF-0S that are in my display cabinet. I have not checked my MIB VF-0A/S toys yet. The result was as follows: -

1) VF-0S # 1: Minor white stress mark approximately 3mm long on front of left shoulder. No corrective action taken.

2) VF-0S # 2: Minor white stress mark approximately 2mm long on front right shoulder. No action taken.

3) VF-0A # 1: Approximately 4mm long crack on front and 2mm crack on rear of right shoulder Used epoxy to fill cracks.

4) VF-0A # 2: Approximately 3mm long crack on front of right shoulder Used epoxy to fill cracks.

Hopefully, the epoxy will hold. I will definitely be taking this matter up with Yamato.

Graham

[Graham]

Updated list of members with VF-0 toys with arms with stress marks, cracks or completely broken.

1) Gatillero PR.

2) Pierre.

3) prometheum 5.

4) UN Spacy.

5) Scream Man.

6) Master of Puppets.

7) Ghostryder.

Magnus.

9) eugimon.

10) Kiririth.

11) Graham

Graham

[tom64ss]

Hopefully they'll fix this problem before the new VF-0a comes out.

I hope no catastrophic problems like this show up in the YF-19 a few monthes from now.

[Priss!]

I have the same problem in my VF-0S and VF-0A.. (but only in the shoulders)

Edited December 31, 2006 by Priss!

[Graham]

Not sure how much it helps, but I'd recommend anybody getting a VF-0A or S, to immediately remove the outer shoulder armor and slightly loosen the two screws on the shoulder unit.

Graham

[emerson]

Not sure how much it helps, but I'd recommend anybody getting a VF-0A or S, to immediately remove the outer shoulder armor and slightly loosen the two screws on the shoulder unit.

Graham

I have one VF-0S that I display in fighter mode and never intend to transform.

I also have one VF-0A that I transformed once into battroid mode for display, and also intend to leave as is.

Have MW folks been having shoulder issues from multiple transformations, or should I be expecting my idle VF-0 shoulders to be breaking with time as well?

[Rabidweezil]

I just went and inspected my 0S and 0A even though I've transformed the S like 3 times and the A only once.

The S has a nice size stress mark on the right shoulder. But I think it will be ok. I loosened the screws on both shoulders just to be safe.

And the A's right shoulder...ugh...it's a hairs breath away from completely falling apart. Nice. The left is fine though. Looks like I'm going epoxy shopping today.

[Arthurius]

I opened my vf-0a (i bought it as soon as it came out), and i see no stress mark, no problems yet, but i loosened screws just in case. Mind you, i keep it in robot mode and dont play with it, just display it.

Just out of curiosity, i am wandering where pll purchased their valks from (the ones having problem with the joints). I purchased from Samurai Monkey.

[nightmareB4macross]

Updated list of members with VF-0 toys with arms with stress marks, cracks or completely broken.

1) Gatillero PR.

2) Pierre.

3) prometheum 5.

4) UN Spacy.

5) Scream Man.

6) Master of Puppets.

7) Ghostryder.

Magnus.

9) eugimon.

10) Kiririth.

11) Graham

Graham

What??

I thought yours weren't meant to be broken. What happened?!?!?!?!

[eugimon]

Not sure how much it helps, but I'd recommend anybody getting a VF-0A or S, to immediately remove the outer shoulder armor and slightly loosen the two screws on the shoulder unit.

Graham

that would also make the shoulder very floppy... imo, the rubber cap they have in their is hardly large enough to provide enough friction.

[nightmareB4macross]

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...st&p=453694

I'll pick up both broken and unbroken pieces and give them to NB4M.

Our Hero!!

Thanks EXO, you're the best.

We'll meet up this coming week.

Edited December 31, 2006 by nightmareB4macross

[eugimon]

excellent!

[MasterOfPuppets]

So just a couple questions since I have a broken 0S.

a) To replace the shoulder piece I'd have to crack open the bicep armor since they're glued together correct?

b) Is there a screw beneath the bicep armor on the 0S?

c) Will the recasts be 100% compatible with the 0S?

[kensei]

1) No. You have very well take the shoulder apart without having to undo the bicep armour.

2) Yes there is. At the back.

3) Don't know, you must forward this question to a recaster.

Edited January 1, 2007 by kensei

[Valk-1S]

Just checked my VF-0S on display and the left shoulder have a stress mark and partially crack. However the shoulder cover is providing extra support to the inner shoulder part. Just guessing but I think the cause of the stress/crack is the upper screw and not the lower screw. I think the ball joint may be alittle thick for the shoulder and the shoulder not having strong enough plastic and when the screw is tighthen, it results in the plastic giving way and crack.

[Sumdumgai]

God damnit, 0A left shoudler stressed and cracked. What a pisser.

After seeing this thread I had a sinking feeling and had to check her out. Damn, that sucks.

Now I'm really glad on waiting for a second run YF-19. Hell, maybe I should wait for a third run... Nah, can't wait thaaaat long.

Still, it's depressing knowing my baby has a messed up shoulder.

[eugimon]

I opened my vf-0a (i bought it as soon as it came out), and i see no stress mark, no problems yet, but i loosened screws just in case. Mind you, i keep it in robot mode and dont play with it, just display it.

Just out of curiosity, i am wandering where pll purchased their valks from (the ones having problem with the joints). I purchased from Samurai Monkey.

I got all three of mine from Twin Moons and only 1 has the stress crack.

[kensei]

Add my VF-0S shoulder to the list captain.

Edited January 1, 2007 by kensei

[myk]

Now I'm really glad on waiting for a second run YF-19. Hell, maybe I should wait for a third run...

Maybe we should stop wasting our money.

This is ridiculous...

Edited January 1, 2007 by myk

[Lonewolf]

Let's hope the next run of both the VF-0A/S and Shin's version will have that problem fixed.

[UN Spacy]

Maybe we should stop wasting our money.

This is ridiculous...

For the price we pay it's unacceptable.

[Crazy Canuck II]

Not to rub it in or anything, but I checked my VF-0S and VF-0A and neither one has so much as a scratch. Of course both have only been transformed once. From now on, when I get around to transforming them again, I'll be especially careful of the shoulders. Thanks for the heads up.

[nightmareB4macross]

So just a couple questions since I have a broken 0S.

a) To replace the shoulder piece I'd have to crack open the bicep armor since they're glued together correct?

b) Is there a screw beneath the bicep armor on the 0S?

c) Will the recasts be 100% compatible with the 0S?

Here some other answers:

c) The recasts will be done just like the VF-0A version. I will also try to obtain a screw to compliment the recast.

**Color matching will be done both for the VF-0S and VF-0A in their perspective colors. But both recast versions will accomodate screws.

[Magnus]

For the price we pay it's unacceptable.

I absolutely agree. If this were even a $100 toy, maybe. But for the prices they're at? No way.

[eugimon]

I absolutely agree. If this were even a $100 toy, maybe. But for the prices they're at? No way.

agreed. maybe we should buy a spare set for yamato and mail it to them, with a note... see, if fans can make it so it won't break, why can't you?

[Graham]

Unfortunately, problems don't always show up during testing and production.

Before the toy is approved for production all the joints on the toy are put through a certain number of test cycles to see if they are durable enough. I forget the number, but it is in the hundreds IIRC.

A case in point would be the original VF-11 toy. During initial testing not a single hip breakage occured. I also had one long before they hit the streets and was not at all gentle with it, but again no breakage.

It's interesting that these shoulder breakages on the VF-0A are only coming to light about 3 months after the toy was released, which makes me wonder if perhaps the shoulder plastic is having some sort of chemical reaction with something which weakens it after a while?

Graham

[EXO]

Unfortunately, problems don't always show up during testing and production.

Before the toy is approved for production all the joints on the toy are put through a certain number of test cycles to see if they are durable enough. I forget the number, but it is in the hundreds IIRC.

A case in point would be the original VF-11 toy. During initial testing not a single hip breakage occured. I also had one long before they hit the streets and was not at all gentle with it, but again no breakage.

It's interesting that these shoulder breakages on the VF-0A are only coming to light about 3 months after the toy was released, which makes me wonder if perhaps the shoulder plastic is having some sort of chemical reaction with something which weakens it after a while?

Graham

Shoulder plastics? Arent there numerous parts on the VF-0 that contain the same type plastic? what about the Garland? I think some parts are just designed with flaws.

[eugimon]

Unfortunately, problems don't always show up during testing and production.

Before the toy is approved for production all the joints on the toy are put through a certain number of test cycles to see if they are durable enough. I forget the number, but it is in the hundreds IIRC.

A case in point would be the original VF-11 toy. During initial testing not a single hip breakage occured. I also had one long before they hit the streets and was not at all gentle with it, but again no breakage.

It's interesting that these shoulder breakages on the VF-0A are only coming to light about 3 months after the toy was released, which makes me wonder if perhaps the shoulder plastic is having some sort of chemical reaction with something which weakens it after a while?

Graham

maybe... or maybe they should send us sample units to test...

[nightmareB4macross]

Unfortunately, problems don't always show up during testing and production.

Before the toy is approved for production all the joints on the toy are put through a certain number of test cycles to see if they are durable enough. I forget the number, but it is in the hundreds IIRC.

A case in point would be the original VF-11 toy. During initial testing not a single hip breakage occured. I also had one long before they hit the streets and was not at all gentle with it, but again no breakage.

It's interesting that these shoulder breakages on the VF-0A are only coming to light about 3 months after the toy was released, which makes me wonder if perhaps the shoulder plastic is having some sort of chemical reaction with something which weakens it after a while?

Graham

Maybe Yamato should re-think their methods of testing. A little more hands on with a less or semi-experienced hand could be very helpful in assessing any possible damage of any kind to the joints. Product testers, such as yourself (Graham), understand the logistics on how to properly transform these toys and are very cautious not to force parts and cause breakage.

May Yamato might consider placing a supplemental transformation guide in English or other languages. Or just post the guides on their site.

The VF-0 design is nice, but could use some re-designing on said parts. After all, the damage appears prominent in the same area for all reported cases.