Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

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Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Where's this at?

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Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Loving' the mud. Kinda looks like my yard with the drainage landscaping work currently underway between rainstorms, lol.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Thanks, yes, lol. 8)

I bought a second complete RTR and I'm building it up very similar to my first Ascender. ;-) 8)

Three Ascenders in a row, thanks for the nice pics! 8) "thumbsup"

Posted GTG at a guy's house in Paradise, California (Butte County Scallers, they have FB page iirc)...he has a sweet hand-built scale crawl area in his yard. 8)
https://www.facebook.com/Buttecountyscalers/


Thanks, it was fun but lots of clean up. :lmao:"thumbsup"

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Aaahhhh another one who lives by my motto; if one is good, two is better. Nice!
Ben

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Was referring to the foams you had in the pic with the other goodies you acquired. The "Deuces " Foams? I think they were for 1.9 tires.?

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Yes, spare, loaner, backup. "thumbsup"

OK, those are the slightly larger CI Deuces Wild foams, I have not installed them yet, but will update when I run them. I think they will be just right from my eyeball measurement. :)

EDIT: Nice new avatar pic!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

I remembered from your first post that you found your front axles were out of phase. I just read through it not paying much attention. Just went back through your first post and read that part so I decided to check it. Both of my axles were out of phase. Pulled one side apart front and back and it made a world of difference. It's like night and day how smooth the drivetrain is now. Thanks Nate"thumbsup"

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

If I'm not mistaken, that is the new rtr in the recent pics. Are you running that stock or have you already started building that one too?
Sorry, just looked closer and noticed the shut lines on the body. pic of body with no lines was a different ascender.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Awesome, you're welcome and I'm glad I could help and that your truck is much smoother now! "thumbsup"

No, all the crawling pics so far are my first Ascender. I'm in process of building the new one almost exact same as the first one, with plans to deviate a little later after some run-time with it. :mrgreen:"thumbsup"

You're correct, the shut lines are on my first Ascender, second one hasn't received that treatment yet...sorry for the distraction, I had to take a little ride tonight. ;-) Little espresso mid-ride...it was chilly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psqobbtin9.jpg

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

See, now THAT'S mud!! It's just like the stuff in NY. Now that I moved to FL, this black crap here is not real mud. It doesn't have that super sticking action...like when you step in it and keep walking, your shoe stays in the mud.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Yes, this red clay stuff sticks to everything...what the? where'd my shoe go? The black stuff is more sandy-like and just kinda washes right off.

More pics from Butte County Scalers GTG comp last Sunday! Hanging out getting warmed up pre-run in the rc area...lots of Ascenders in attendance with Blazer, Bronco, Dodge Ram Pickup, Jeep FC, Proline Blazer body for Traxxas Stampede, you name it!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psiw91t2w4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psyix3sin3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psm7mtpgfo.jpg


Christmas lighted trucks, trailers, Rudolph's head as hood ornament with lighted red led nose! :) A nice set of custom rc crawler tire chains that Todd (our host) made was given to the person who brought the coolest gift donation for Toys for Tots (as chosen by all in attendance). "thumbsup"

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psklhvph9a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pslkscqnic.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pshgz8urmr.jpg


Norcallump's sweet FC Ascender

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psv0fpth2b.jpg


Little love for bobbed bed TF2, road grader back there smoothing out some new trails

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps3vbdtowu.jpg

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psvgxwruct.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps7bakm1mo.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pspqutwqmi.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psxgpjy2r3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psucvsy9ra.jpg

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Trip home. Jagged Sutter Buttes in the distance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psjwsspiek.jpg


Double rainbow!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psoimmdczn.jpg


Spotty rain

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psb7ez2ykf.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psryga7c3h.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pslipaddyq.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psayispewi.jpg

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Nice pics Nate!

Will you be posting the new ascender build? Here or new thread?


X2 Love seeing these machines in action!"thumbsup"

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Thanks!

I'll post it here in conjunction with this thread...until later when it goes out into left field lol...then it will get is own thread.

Thanks!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

SSD diff covers installed. This one had decent amount of grease in both diffs, but I added little bit more. Both diffs had two shims from the factory, but they were both on the wrong side opposite the ring gear. Re-shimmed both diffs with same exact shim setup as my first Ascender and they felt nice, smooth and tight afterwards. Front axle CVDs were out of phase, so set them in phase when re-assembling.

Body posts lowered two holes front and rear, body all trimmed up same to clear bumper mounts and little around wheel arches. Drywall taped the key inside spots and covered with light coat of E6000.

Need to bake tires off stock wheels, mount on HR 8-hole steel beadlocks with CI DW foams (TSL SX XL size this time), drill shock pistons and limit internally. Ordered spare bearings and got a couple for servo output shafts, so need to install this bearing and grease servo gears.

The front edge of the floating battery was grabbing on steering servo mounting screws/washers and the plastic servo mount crossmember. I used sharp razor blade and shaved the mould line on both pieces and no more sticking when compressing the suspension...all smooth now. :)

More to come!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Natedog is hardcore!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

I want pics of this virgin ascender while doing your mods. Has it been run at all yet? It'd be sweet knowing what I know now to get another one and just go to town on it all while it's all clean and new.
Ben