Joined the cool kids club!

[MAXXMASHER]

Just got done placing orders with both Tower and RPP. Both had special promos and free shipping. I have been drooling over the Ascender since it was announced. I haven't bought a NIB RC since the Wraith came out! I have built a few from rollers and one custom build, but nothing beats a box with factory seals. Here's what I have on the way....
Ascender kit
Castle SV3 ESC
Castle bec
RC4WD 35t boost motor
Savox waterproof servo w/aluminum horn
MIP center shafts
Pro-Line Jeep Cherokee body (for an extra)
RJ Speed interior
Axial heads
Fast Eddie bearing kit
Aluminum front carriers
Pretty good list so far! Can't wait to get it. I'm also going to run 1.9 white steelies and mud slingers on it. Anything else I should be looking at? I know the ring/pinion has some issues and saw there was an upgraded set. The only ones I see are on RPP and they are not in stock. I also want to get the aluminum buckles, but they are also not in stock.

[M1tch]

Congrats, enjoy the build. The new kit might have the HD driveshafts and pinions as standard.

[jeepgeek2002]

take your time on the build and read up on what the manual says vs whats it supposed to say..
and the front is a 3 link not a 4 link that i bitched about and felt like a moron when i realized LOL..

[MAXXMASHER]

Originally Posted by M1tch

Congrats, enjoy the build. The new kit might have the HD driveshafts and pinions as standard.

Yeah, I saw that somewhere. I hope mine are the upgraded ones. So stoked to finally be getting this truck!

[Cement head]

Get either the vaterra HD driveshafts or MIP 14295.

[svt923]

The holes in the shock pistons are too small which make the shocks feel really stiff. Be prepared to either use super thin shock fluid (like 10wt) or drill out the piston holes. I used a 1.5mm bit and 37.5wt oil to get the damping action where I wanted it.

[MAXXMASHER]

Originally Posted by Cement head

Get either the vaterra HD driveshafts or MIP 14295.

I was more referring to the ring/pinion gear set. I already have the MIP driveshafts on the way with the truck. Might as well be bullet proof from the get-go! I think I'm ok; guys were getting upgraded gear sets with the Ascenders a month ago....

[MAXXMASHER]

Originally Posted by svt923

The holes in the shock pistons are too small which make the shocks feel really stiff. Be prepared to either use super thin shock fluid (like 10wt) or drill out the piston holes. I used a 1.5mm bit and 37.5wt oil to get the damping action where I wanted it.

Thanks for the tip!

[RPP Hobby]

Thanks for choosing Rpp Hobby for your Ascender needs! More parts are back in stock. Knuckles will be in late next week

Vaterra HD Pinion Drive Gear 13T (2)

MIP X-Duty C-Drive Kit, Vaterra K-5 Blazer Ascender

Vaterra Ascender HD Molded Center Driveshaft Set Short/Long

[MAXXMASHER]

Still eagerly anticipating my goodies arriving. Everything has shipped and on the way. Gotta check tracking constantly; I work nights, so I gotta be ready as I have to sign to get my stuff. I'll be sleeping on the couch on arrival day! Been looking at Blazer bodies a lot. Thinking I might go with this look....



I'm also gonna add some body damage and a lil' rust before I paint it. Just have to get some warmer weather. It was -13°f yesterday! Sick of this crap!!

[RPP Hobby]

Sounds like you have some great plans. Ca not wait to see the outcome!

[joe122]

Welcome to the club! You've got a nice game plan mapped out. Looking forward to the finished product.

[MAXXMASHER]

Should have the first of my goodies today! Surprisingly, my Tower Hobbies stuff is on the UPS truck for delivery, while RPP's shipment is supposed to be here tomorrow. That is a first! Of course, Illinois is a LOT closer than California! I also got about five times as much stuff from RPP. I will have two bodies, paint, SV3, my interior, some tires, and a lexan car stand by the end of today. Nothing beats getting everything all at once! Like Christmas!! (On a side note, my RC4WD boost motor is coming from Tower's Nevada warehouse, and it won't be here until Tuesday)

[MAXXMASHER]

Got a few things from the good old postal service today. Just a few do-dads I picked up on eBay! Just the very top of the iceberg...

A couple of scale hooks and a fairlead for my winch that is on the way.



I also got a head to go with my RJ Speed interior that should be arriving any time now. The Axial one is leftover from another build. Verrry exciting, I know...




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[MAXXMASHER]

Right on schedule, my Tower Hobbies shipment showed up. I don't have to work tonight, so I'll be spending my night cleaning up my RC workshop and getting ready for the build. I think I got confused looking at different interiors and the one I got not only has one driver, but it already has a helmet molded in. No bother, I'm sure I will use them at some point. The Badlands tires are for a different truck. I got two new ones in a buy I made on something else, so I figured I'd pick a set up while I was at it.




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[MAXXMASHER]

Been looking around a bit at various paint schemes. I think I have the look I'm going for. Gonna look like this, but in orange and white.



Not sure which tires I'll run, but it may be one of these. 1.9 Slingers or Rock Crushers.



I'm also digging the interior I have. Hopefully, it will work with the layout of the chassis and I hope it is not too wide.




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[MAXXMASHER]

Today, I am sitting around in eager anticipation. Just got home from work. My two packages from RPP were shown on USPS and FedEx tracking that they were both supposed to be delivered on Saturday. Being that I had to sign for the FedEx package, I had to be home. Because my wife had to work and I had to sleep, I bunked on the couch. No, I didn't really ever fall asleep! Every creak of the house or loud vehicle might mean that my goodies were here! I was not to be. Neither were delivered despite tracking showing that they were supposed to be there that day. I went to bed in the evening when my wife got home and managed a few hours of shuteye before going to work overnight. When I checked the tracking, it was changed to "estimated delivery date - N/A" WTF!! Now, I'm not blaming anyone. Certainly not RPP in any way. I know the weather has been crappy all over. I was just hoping to have it by the end of day today. No work tonight! Wrenchorama was my plan for tonight!!! Just kinda sucks is all. Now I have to duplicate my day on Saturday and stay home until (if) it gets here!!

[MAXXMASHER]

[IronGut]

I can't wait to hear how the interior fits the K5 body. I took mine out for it's first run yesterday and while it's gorgeous, that big cavernous body is LOUD. I'm hoping an interior will help dampen some of the racket it makes.

[MAXXMASHER]

I'm VERY happy to report that my kit and assorted goodies finally showed up today!! I really should have gone to bed right then as two days of sleeping on the couch in broad daylight really means two days with very little sleep. Who the hell would do that? I had to tear into it and check out all the goods! Next thing I know I've got packages open and a tranny built! Love how the parts feel. The plastic seems very tough for sure. I sort of jumped around after getting the tranny greased and put together. Should have my MIP centers tomorrow, so I didn't want to build the diffs and axles just yet. I got the front cvd's together and then jumped to putting the chassis together. This thing is huge! I scratched my head for a little bit because I thought I put something on wrong. I see I still have an original manual and the picture of the front post mounts is incorrect. Ran through the stickie to see if anyone else noticed this and felt relieved that mounted everything right. Time to finally get some sleep. Gotta be up for work in 4 1/2 hours!

Mandatory box and goods shot.....



Everything that will be utilized in the build.



Nice tires for a kit!



The bulk of my build so far...



Love the threaded pins through the hexes! Anyone who has searched through leaves for a pin that fell out I'm sure will agree!!



Very stout feeling chassis. Seems much sturdier than the SCX chassis.



I know everyone kept talking about how big the body and they were all correct. The body in the foreground is a Savage XL Gigante Ford body that I'll be painting soon to put on my SCX. Lots of customizing to get it to that length.