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I recently bought LEGO Technic 8868 (Air Tech Claw Rig) and 8460 (Pneumatic Crane Truck) models. I noticed that the pneumatics tubes seem to have been changed since the colors are different from the instructions manual.

Since these models are respectively 24 and 21 years old, a possible explanation is that the original tubes have been lost.

But it may also be due to aged tubes that needed to be changed. How do tubes change when they're ageing? Do they become less flexible and break when they're failing? What is the lifespan of these tubes?

It looks like the pneumatic cylinder, pumps and valves have not been changed and they still work. So I think that they can last longer than tubes.

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The tubes generally age very well and I have never experienced a problem with them (I have had several of these sets over the years).

I would double check that the pump is working correctly and you have definitely not got a poor connection somewhere (a leak).

Double check also for blockages in the hard plastic dark old grey connecting tubes that are clipped on and the 'T's. These have a smaller inner diameter than the rubber tube and would be the first to get a blockage if something has got in to the system.

If you are certain its a tube problem you can buy replacement tube online. I would carefully double check for another problem before buying tube as the tube rarely fails unless it has been exposed to chemicals or a lot of sunlight.

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  • I don't need new tubes or have any problem with them, they work. I was only asking how tubes age. Please remove your link, your answer looks like a spam.
    – A.L
    Aug 6, 2016 at 16:02
  • You did state it may be because your tubes need replacing and I also answered your question based on 30 years of experience - i.e. the tubes age very well and I have never come across tubes that have failed due to age. I feel your response is a little unfair - if you think the answer is wrong and unhelpful, that's fine, no need to berate someone who is looking to help you.
    – Carl Goss
    Aug 6, 2016 at 16:55
  • You answered "I would double check that the pump…" but everything in my pneumatic system work well, so that's a bit off-topic. I'm sorry that you took my comment badly, but your answer is at the border between interesting and spam, see this related answer on Meta: "If a large percentage of your posts include a mention of your product or website, you're probably here for the wrong reasons." That's the case for the end of your answer.
    – A.L
    Aug 6, 2016 at 17:21
  • @A.L Be careful to check your facts before correcting or criticizing someone. A link to a place selling LEGO in a site dedicated to LEGO is in this case perfectly fine. In fact, in certain cases such a link factors in to why an answer is marked as accepted! We almost always use and recommend sites like BrickLink, and because we aren't affiliated with the LEGO company, that's okay.
    – user6907
    Aug 11, 2016 at 3:40
  • @CalebWoodman I'm sorry if my comments looked agressive. The first sentence is a perfectly valid answer, but I was surprised by the following of the answer that was interesting but 1. Didn't answer to my question 2. Looked like an introduction to the linked shop. I'll try to be more diplomatic in the future.
    – A.L
    Aug 12, 2016 at 0:51

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