Ascender/SCX10 to Bomber???

[soze]

Originally Posted by Browneye

USPS delivers on Sundays now?

Got my HH motor and servo. Good to go getting this one built.

Yeah they have some kind of package delivery being done on Sundays now in our area. Regular mail does not deliver on Sundays though.

[Browneye]

Does anybody have experience with various wheels and offsets? Seems they're all over the board in 2.2 size. From deep dish, regular, 25,30, and 35mm widths.
Some say 'yeti' some say 1:10 crawler....Will wraith or yeti wheels work on it?
12mm hex just like the regular 1.9's, right? Or does yeti have a slotted hub?
Special offset or clearance issues with steering knuckles?

I like these:

[durok]

Wraith/Yeti/Bomber all use the same wheel type, 12mm hex 2.2" wheels.

You're typically best off with the more modern wheels that run approx. 1.25" (35mm) in width.

Many older designs are 1.0" wide (25mm) and can cause trouble mounting some of the popular tires, but more importantly can have issues with the sidewalls folding under when side-hilling or turning sharply at speed.

Most 2.2" beadlock wheels these days will clear most brands of steering knuckles, centered offset or positive offset.

I have Incision Methods and GearHead RC CAC EZ-Locs, both clear without any issues.

SSD makes some great 2.2" wheels at a fair price as well, keep in mind that some brands require buying the hubs separately and that can add up real quick!

(Ahem, Vanquish...)

[Browneye]

Right now it's just pieces on the dining room table. LOL

[Browneye]

Build progress over the weekend. Lots of little parts in the gearbox and transmission. I got the transfercase all built, mated up to the transmission, and installed in the rig, then noticed a bearing sitting in one of the extra case covers - they give you three covers in the kit but only one works. I dropped the bearing in one for the input shaft, then realized it was the wrong cover - found the right cover and installed everything but forgot to retrieve that bearing. Oh dayum. Took it back apart and sure enough, no bearing. That would have been a disaster once I started running it hard.

I know this thing inside and out now.

It's rather interesting how this thing is designed with no frame. Everything attaches to the center skid. One would think they would use better material than plain plastic. And it's not even the same kind of plastic Vaterra uses in their rigs - this stuff isn't very strong....

ALL FOUR top mounting points for the upper links, front and back, cracked when I ran the screws in. I was shocked. The revo pivot balls are just slightly smaller than the cheapo plastic ones that come in the kit - perhaps it puts just enough pressure on the tabs to break them.

So all four have to be on the second or lower mounting points. I'm not sure whether to source another skid, or pop for an alloy one. At some point I'm going to want to replace this skid.

In this image if you look close you can see the cracked tab at the top mounting hole. All four uppers did this. I'm kinda pissed about it. Plus the Revo links are short enough to cause a negative pinion angle. I've added a spacer to one end on the rear uppers, but need to add some to the other end to bring the angle up. It will be fine, but the revo ends caused as much problem as they did to fix the plastic pivots. What I really need are some long version ends and re-do them.







It is coming along. Most of the running gear and electricals are in. Ready to build shocks and build the cage. Wheels have shipped from Locked-Up RC.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Lose the spacers on the links and swap to jato ends. Trim shorter as needed if they're too long.


I wouldn't worry about the cracks in the skid mounts. Just don't crank the screws down like head bolts on a cruise ship and things will be fine.

[Browneye]

It lives...

So this kit is really fiddly. They have parts trees scattered all over the place, for who knows how many different models. When you need a part you have to figure out which tree it was on and which part is applicable. I have never really seen anything like it.

And low and behold, assembling the cage I find I'm missing the main center support for the radio box. I found other parts off that tree, it had the box lid, shifter servo housing, and a couple of other doodads, but no center support. I must have tossed it when discarding the tree by mistake. So I have to go buy AX31233 parts tree. Dayum. Oh well, a $12 mistake.

Otherwise it's mostly there. I'm going to have to do some disassembly to place that center support, and finish connecting the electrics.

Shocks are really nice, but SO many options, and you don't really find them 'till you get to the back of the manual. Double piston setup? Never saw that, oh well. They work really well and go together nicely. Why doesn't Axial have something like them for SCX10? Or maybe the do. [shrug] Again though, so many extra parts not used, plastic caps, spring separators, collars, pistons, a whole bunch of stuff replaced by the alloy shock bodies and caps. I guess this is part of the kit upgrade over RTR.

The Barndog body panels are really nice. I've done nothing with the interior panel yet. And would like to paint the fuel cell - maybe I'll take that back out when I tear it back down a bit.

The Locked-Up wheels are really nice, but frankly I think they're too narrow for this size tire, and their widener rings are back-ordered. A little disappointing. They're saying another month. I would say poor stock planning, but who knows. And I thought they were domestic, not importing, so it shouldn't take that long on their orders. Whatever, right? Rather expensive - one would think at those prices they would be a little more on the ball.

And I ordered caps for the axle covers that look like dana-60 axle ends with bolted axle end. That way I didn't need to buy a special tool and the cap would fit over the axle nut. Instead they sent me their new hoop-doop axle nuts built into the covers that require a special tool. So they're sending me the special tool to tighten them, and I'll have to cut my axles down so they don't protrude so much. The whole thing kinda leaves a bad taste. Thank dog the wheels are so nice. I went with the 8L design so I didn't have to buy hubs - besides a d-60 is a 8 lug pattern. Got the acorn nuts to go with it, zinc cap screws for the rings - they were $7 whereas the scale nuts were another $24. Had to draw the line somewhere. As it was the bill was $158 to get them.

Speaking of costs, I think I have about $800 in this thing already. Also kind of disappointing. Hopefully the performance and fun-factor will make it worth the investment. This is an expensive toy.

I got the Gearhead top rack sans light bar since I won't be running this one at night - I'm too old and can't see. LOL. I liked how it will protect the nice aluminum roof panel when it rolls over as surely it will.

I would like to add a couple of headlights or something, and move the spare tire up. I got a DSG spare mount re-locator but the mounting bolt stripped right out and I couldn't get it configured right so put the stock one back on. It is really flimsy - a few roll overs and that thing is bound to break or come loose. The spare hold-down bolt goes into a plastic top nut - geez, even a vaterra ascender has a nut built into the hold-down spinner. You just can't get this one very tight without it simply stripping out. Lots of cheap plastic in this kit.

It should be running soon. Have to button up a few loose ends. Looking forward to seeing how it runs.

[WHITE-TRASH]

The receiver box sucks anyway so unless you have a thing for a false sense of security while playing in water I wouldn't get worked up about the support and simply eliminate the receiver box. Lots of room to mount the electronics on the chassis.

The spare tire situation is shit anyway, I run a longer bolt through with a nylock and washer to hold it in place. I never had any issues with it coming loose when mounted in the stock configuration, I did have issues landing on the spare and causing flips & wrecks in general. I've since removed the fuel cell and flipped the spare mount over so the tire sits inside the chassis.

The wheel width is fine, as long as you have good foams in them you're ok.

[Alexander_0_1]

The longer screw and nylock nut was the first thing I did as soon as I read bilnvic was having a mini issue with his spare tire coming loose on the trail.

[JatoTheRipper]

The Bomber looks good.

The spare sucks. Just remove it. It adds a lot of unnecessary weight and it's all on the rear. If you insist on keeping the spare you can flip the stock mount and it will move the tire inwards, but upwards at the same time.

[Browneye]

Thanks guys. GREAT ideas!!

I think I've seen a rear wrap around panel that replaces the spare setup thingy. Makes more sense. I'm betting I can make one. The Barndog panels are so simple, but having them pre-done was worth the investment.

I had to swap out the alloy wheel for a plastic one on my Ascender build for the same reason - way too much weight up high and at the back. That took over 3oz off the back, then added another 3-4oz in wheel weight up front. What a difference in crawling ability! It kept flipping over backwards on steep inclines - no longer.

I'm glad I didn't spend the $$ for a fifth Locked-Up wheel!!! I painted a stocker silver, but it still looks like shiat anyway.

[Browneye]

Just looking at this Bomber, V8 revving sounds keep popping into my head.

[Browneye]

BTW, what do you guys know about these 'boom racing spools' from asia tees? Does it make sense to replace the sloppy locker? Or just run it 'till it pukes or gets sloppy?

What other upgrades should I be looking at?

I was going to pick up their SS 'beef tubes'. Or are they junk too? Adds 48oz - would put them in the front axle.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Their "stainless" is soft crap.

[JatoTheRipper]

I have Boom axle inserts in numerous trucks and I've never had an issue. If you bend one of these inserts your axle housing and everything is going to be junk inside anyway. Actually, I've never had an issue with any Boom Racing product.

[Browneye]

Originally Posted by WHITE-TRASH

Their "stainless" is soft crap.

Its probly coated brass.
Interesting that their weight spec is more on the SS set.
All we’re doing here is adding unsprung weight.

I haven’t bought much of their parts for Ascender - nothing I can recall.

[svt923]

The stock locker doesn't really wear out as much as it just splits in half one day. No idea on how the Boom Racing spools hold up, I use Locked Up spools in pretty much everything that runs the OG Axial gears since they absolutely reduce slop and are pretty much bomb proof.

[WHITE-TRASH]

Originally Posted by Browneye

Its probly coated brass.
Interesting that their weight spec is more on the SS set.
All we’re doing here is adding unsprung weight.

I haven’t bought much of their parts for Ascender - nothing I can recall.

It's not brass but some other steel derivative. I bought a few sets years back and pulled threads in short order.

[Shinchu]

Chris i had no idea this was going on! haha
i gotta give this thing a go at proline... looks SO capable!!! beast mode is most certainly ON with this thing!

super tempting to build myself something less scale and more WORK.

great job. this thing really looks the business. and im sure it isn't just looks!

[Browneye]

Originally Posted by Shinchu

Chris i had no idea this was going on! haha
i gotta give this thing a go at proline... looks SO capable!!! beast mode is most certainly ON with this thing!

super tempting to build myself something less scale and more WORK.

great job. this thing really looks the business. and im sure it isn't just looks!

Ha ha...more fun on tap.


I just pinged Barndog about a rear panel and his 'number panels' that fill in the upper triangle behind the doors. This makes more sense to me than the spare tire. KOH rigs don't carry spares - they're never that far from their pits - strictly a comp rig in the rocks.



For any of you that haven't experienced King Of The Hammers check out the youttube vids. It's a local spectacle that took hold after people kept building rigs to tackle the rocks out at Means Dry Lake in Johnson Valley, about a hundred miles northeast of LA. The event has gained national notoriety. Later they included a motorcyle race on the same course - them guys are nuts. Well, as if the KOH rigs guys aren't.