Beyond the Bucket: 20 Creative Builds from LEGO Technic Set 42116-1

Imagine rolling into a rugged construction site at dawn, the sunrise casting golden hues on dew-drenched grass as your trusty skid steer loader powers through soft earth. Now picture that same loader, re-engineered into a graceful wind turbine gently spinning atop a grassy knoll, or transformed into a high-striker tower echoing the carnival’s distant laughter. The versatility of LEGO Technic isn’t just in what comes in the box—it’s in the endless possibilities that emerge when builders push beyond the instructions.

LEGO Set 42116-1 Skid Steer Loader gives you a robust, compact machine built for tight spaces and heavy lifting. But the true magic lies in the extra parts—like the spare pin 3673—that unlock dozens of B-model creations. From rugged off-road buggies to sleek articulated trucks, each alternative build reimagines the loader’s core elements in surprising ways. Whether you crave the practicality of a dumper trailer or the whimsy of a baby stroller, these designs showcase how a single set can fuel creativity across themes: industrial, agricultural, recreational, and even futuristic.

As you explore each model, notice how clever use of gears, liftarms, and connectors gives new life to familiar pieces. A simple shift in chassis length or a reorientation of the steering mechanism can evolve the skid steer into a detailed excavator or a spirited quadbike. Designers Little_Thomas, tmunz, ilyabuilder724, and others demonstrate that with imagination and a few mechanical tweaks, your loader can become practically anything you dream up.

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Alternative Builds Gallery

42116 Forklift

Designer: Little_Thomas

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-75448/Little_Thomas/42116-forklift/

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42116 Dumper Trailer

Designer: Little_Thomas

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-74533/Little_Thomas/42116-dumper-trailer/

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42116 Side Dump Truck

Designer: tmunz

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-86783/tmunz/42116-side-dump-truck/

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42116 Futuristic Trial Truck

Designer: tmunz

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-86284/tmunz/42116-futuristic-trial-truck/

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42116 Dakar Truck

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-77879/ilyabuilder724/42116-dakar-truck/

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42116 Off-road Buggy

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-72889/ilyabuilder724/42116-offroad-buggy/

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42116 Buggy

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-72294/ilyabuilder724/42116-buggy/

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42116 Excavator

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-74006/ilyabuilder724/42116-excavator/

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42116 Chopper

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-62960/ilyabuilder724/42116-chopper/

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42116 Wind Turbine

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-66035/ilyabuilder724/42116-wind-turbine/

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42116 Model C (Articulated Truck)

Designer: Anton Kablash

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-62646/Anton%20Kablash/42116-model-c-articulated-truck/

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42116 Swing

Designer: artemisovsky

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-59756/artemisovsky/42116-swing/

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42116 Loader Crane

Designer: tmunz

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-88502/tmunz/42116-loader-crane/

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42116 Tractor

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-62535/ilyabuilder724/42116-tractor/

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Cart Alt for Set 42116

Designer: huetobi

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-62851/huetobi/cart-alt-for-set-42116/

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42116 Engine with Gearbox

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-66760/ilyabuilder724/42116-engine-with-gearbox/

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42116 Buggy V3

Designer: ilyabuilder724

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-78141/ilyabuilder724/42116-buggy-v3/

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42116 High Striker

Designer: Little_Thomas

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-82267/Little_Thomas/42116-high-striker/

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42116 Quadbike

Designer: Keep On Bricking

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-61161/Keep%20On%20Bricking/42116-quadbike/

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42116 Baby Stroller

Designer: TheLuckyOne

Get the instructions: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-63062/TheLuckyOne/42116-baby-stroller/

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Click here for more alternative builds and Modifications for this Lego set