Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Bigbill's Deadbolt and my Ascender doing work!

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/813/4...d0643e76_b.jpgIMG_0649


It was announced that we should be on the lookout for some stuff to find on trail, I found one look in the upper right corner next to the RC4WD banner. ;-) Everybody who found one, got to keep the sweet pink anodized aluminum plaques from BPC and received some really nice BPC swag to go with it! I also got a nice KNK stainless complete screw kit!

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/802/4...f22c7772_b.jpgIMG_0650

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/812/3...c5faa331_b.jpgIMG_0651


Zonkerd's junkyard 4x4 and 6x6 towtrucks.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/878/3...00c3aea8_b.jpgIMG_0652

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/798/3...8a1ed928_b.jpgIMG_0653

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/799/3...1d8630ee_b.jpgIMG_0654


Bigbill's Deadbolt and Robert's SCX Honcho.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/901/3...49b43d3c_b.jpgIMG_0655


Some really cool rock formations to crawl on and look at.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/898/3...02a06457_b.jpgIMG_0656


Bill lifting a tire, but making the climb!

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/891/3...6480ebbd_b.jpgIMG_0657


I spy another Ascender, brand spanking new Ford Bronco! There were several other Ascenders in attendance too. :)

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/898/3...a63f8a40_b.jpgIMG_0658

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/897/2...85cde388_b.jpgIMG_0659

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/863/2...81e867f3_b.jpgIMG_0660

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/809/2...c12852d9_b.jpgIMG_0661


Looks like some Native American grinding holes in the rocks, there were several of these all around this big rocky area.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/788/2...1a8bd775_b.jpgIMG_0662


Creek flowing into the lake...little bit. We need snow this year...badly.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/814/3...ab341b08_b.jpgIMG_0663


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/818/2...e78e35c2_b.jpgIMG_0664

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/886/2...d29b76d6_b.jpgIMG_0665

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/869/2...ee006b4b_b.jpgIMG_0666

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Need to take some more pics of plaque, goody bag, etc and finish sorting the rest of the pics. Please stand by to stand by.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

That's a bummer about the rock lights. I forget, are you running 2s or 3s? I remember your light pictures and they were perfect. I'm still running 2s and want to make sure I'm not disappointed if I run them on 2s. Can't wait for the rest of the pictures!
Ben

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

That looks like some cool running man! How much did that body get hooked up on stuff?

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

That's some great terrain. For the most part, California sucks. LOL. But, damn if we don't have some killer crawling spots..

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Great photos Nate, wish I would have "manned up" and ran my Blazer.:lmao:

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Yes, it is. I'm running 2S in this and forgot that rx is not putting out battery pack voltage, but prolly around 5 - 6 volts. CommonSenseRC pre-wired white LEDs I used for headlights are fine, but I need to re-think rocklight wiring.

EDIT: The pre-wired CommonSenseRC white 5mm LEDs work great for headlights, KC's, rocklights etc. even off lower voltages like the rx. I used these for my Blazer headlights, ten pack for $10 at LHS with resistors and lead wires all soldered and shrinkwrapped connections, can't beat it and saves me time:
https://www.commonsenserc.com/produc...oducts_id=4723

Might buy the red 5mm and use some Axial light buckets to mount for rocklights on mine. :)

Just looked at their site more and I'l probably buy the JST-HX balance plug adapter with 8" harness for my waterproof peel and stick red led strips that I already have mounted up!
https://www.commonsenserc.com/produc...oducts_id=2430

Thanks, it was lots of fun, obstacles for all! Body and bumpers didn't get hung up nearly as much as you might think, made all the lines more challenging...kinda like going from C2 to C1 and now run the same trail. :ror:8)"thumbsup"

Agreed! :lmao:"thumbsup"

Thanks Bill, yes you should have, especially since your Blazer was aslo in attendance. :lmao:"thumbsup" I'm thinking more and more of parting my SCX10, buying another Ascender, running two of them one with Blazer body and one with my Deadbolt body!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

SSD Ascender diff covers in stock at RPPHobby...ordered mine!
SSD Rock Shield Diff Cover for Ascender

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Well, on the first comp course I ran with it, the body was hanging up way too much for me to have fun, hence the changes I made. And thanks for the hookup on ebay for those sway bar parts!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Hmmm the big Blazer body requires new approach and some lines aren't doable since it's got so much front and rear overhang, but that is what makes it fun for me...everything is more difficult now. IIRC you haven't lowered your body two holes on the mounts and trimmed accordingly which helps. You already did rear bumper mount flip correct? The more I think about it the more my Axial stuff needs to go and I'll put Deadbolt body on second Ascender for the super tech hardcore crawling. Hmmm that or 1.9 Wraith...might even sell the my Wraith chassis and parts too. :mrgreen::lmao:8)"thumbsup" You're welcome on the swaybar hookup, I couldn't beleive the price at first lol...you'll love it with the swaybar!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Hey Natedog! I want to thank you for the tip on flipping the rear bumper mounts. Simple to do modification that really improves looks, and I'm sure will help with performance.

Here are a couple before/after photos.

Before

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_3676.jpg

After

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_3678.jpghttp://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_3682.jpg


Thanks for starting this thread. I have learned a lot from reading it. Keep it up!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Hey Sammy, you're welcome glad to help out, that's what it's all about! Rear bumper mount flip gains an easy 1/4" maybe little more on departure angle which is huge with this large body and bumpers. Your truck is looking good and nice clean work area too, love those G-Made metal wheels! "thumbsup"

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Here's the swag bag laid out with my truck, Axial chapstick, Crawl For A Cure 2015 metal pin for your hat or jacket, C4C bright pink lanyard (used it on my transmitter that morning), 25% off Pitbull Tires coupon, GSRCC sticker, C4C sticker, sweet little laser cut steel open/box 5.5mm wrench that fits very nicely on all those little 3mm locknuts, and one raffle ticket per person for an Axial RTR crawler! RC4WD stickers were handed out too.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/900/4...cf285a7e_b.jpgIMG_0667

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/812/3...c5faa331_b.jpgIMG_0651


I was in a hurry so installed the C4C bright pink lanyard on my radio with an Axial battery strap from my old AX10 and two tiny black zip-ties, worked great all day! I might take apart the transmitter, drill a hole or two and use an eyelet for the lanyard.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Sweet little rugged climb up the crack and down the bridge, fall off at the transition if your weren't careful.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/863/2...14b294db_b.jpgIMG_0668


Through the thicket.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/889/2...ea4410b8_b.jpgIMG_0669

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/821/4...0bb56de3_b.jpgIMG_0670


Wheelstand! Pics never do the steepness of terrain proper justice, just never looks as difficult as it really is. :)

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/872/3...52a793ca_b.jpgIMG_0671


Downhill to the balance bridge, crawl up, balance and crawl down the other side. Then the wire bridge.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/869/2...07a9ba46_b.jpgIMG_0672


Night stage 100 gates and every gate had a pink glow ring around both numbered gate markers, daylight stage was 200 gates

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/870/2...aa0720ca_b.jpgIMG_0673


Approaching a pink night gate

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/784/2...ed798fab_b.jpgIMG_0674

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/867/2...88567ac0_b.jpgIMG_0675

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/796/4...da6a322d_b.jpgIMG_0676


Wire bridge

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/899/2...b0bb3140_b.jpgIMG_0677

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/806/2...84f43f98_b.jpgIMG_0678

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/818/2...1c58af43_b.jpgIMG_0679

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Oops double post!

Happy Veteran's Day! "thumbsup"

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Couple shots with my shock limiters just about perfect.
Full droop:

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/863/4...68747cfd_b.jpgIMG_0680


Full compression:

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/878/4...c1401d63_b.jpgIMG_0681

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Your limiting mod and piston mod is my next project, I honestly think that is the reason why your Blazer worked so well. The sway bar is also on the list. How about a couple shots of the front bumper and grill, I saw way to much of the rear bumper Saturday :lmao:

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

What I'm replacing.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/878/4...f9c22956_b.jpgIMG_0682

Gears looked great inside, cleaned out some of the grease and gave em a squirt of fresh as long as the covers were off!

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/801/2...efc1d8e9_b.jpgIMG_0683


PICS! These are nice beefy units with more metal down low where it's needed, they weigh 8 grams each, HR only 5 grams each and not enough meat. I really like these!

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/806/4...937b68b0_b.jpgIMG_0684


Front view as you requested Bill! :)

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/876/4...88aa6980_b.jpgIMG_0685

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/793/4...0e7c7ab3_b.jpgIMG_0686

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Those look great!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Looks good. Whatcha doing with your old HR covers....:ror: they must be better than the plastic ones I've got. PM me if you want to get rid of them. I love the way your truck sits. I've got the sway bar on my list to Santa so hopefully I'll at least get a sway bar on mine at some point and try to tune the suspension like yours.
Ben

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Thanks and yes they do! "thumbsup"

Thanks! Yes they are, pm'ed you. Thanks, any questions just post up and I help with your setup. "thumbsup"

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

I had been trying to mount those exact tires and wheels but the darn things keep popping off the bead right as I get them together really frustrating so I gave up.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

RC4WD 1.9 inner wheel clamp rings for Pro-Line tires helps make mounting easier imo and they won't cut the thicker tire bead this way. :) I did need to use a Dremel with sanding drum on the inner clamp ring surface because the RC4WD stamped steel wheels were a little bigger and slightly out of round in this area, but the wheels themselves are true and spin true when mounted on an axle. Does that make sense? Three longer screws are invaluable tools to getting beadlocks of this type assembled. I also found that wiping a little simple green and water mix on the tire beads with a Q-Tip (like real life tire lube) helps them go together easier too. A couple of mine were more difficult to get mounted, just put them aside until this evening or tomorrow morning after a good cup of coffee helped too.

Edit: Originally used VP inner rings, but it's better to use RC4WD Pro-Line specific inner rings (blue anodized). I bought couple sets since and they work well, will swap these when I get time.

1.9 PROLINE TIRE COMPATIBLE INTERNAL BEADLOCK RINGS
Part Number:Z-S0846
https://store.rc4wd.com/19-Proline-T...gs_p_2878.html

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Rig is looking great man. Good job.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Natedog, thanks for the detailed pics and description of the new SSD diff covers. I really appreciate it when someone takes the time to give the rest of us a "close up" look at new gear so we can make an informed decision.

Those covers are on my list, but I am in the middle of a New Bright JK on GCM Cross Canyon chassis build, and it is reeking havoc with my budget!

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Thanks man - little reassuring that it's not just me lol.

I was doing the 3 screw thing - maybe try simple green as a last result but I'd rather just sell them while in good condition than spend more $ on them. I've taken to buying gearhead wheels now. They are pricy but easy to put together so worth it.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

A method that helps me is placing the wheel on a pedistal, like another wheel, while screwing everything down. This lets the tire push out evenly. If you are trying to screw it all down on a flat surface, the tire tries harder to push out of the bead that's on top.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Thanks txbart ! I will try that. I'm from the Houston area wish you would send that rain our way ( you can keep the skeeters )

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Thanks!

You're welcome and I feel the same way, that is why I do it. The SSD diff covers are the shizzz. "thumbsup" :mrgreen: 8) I hear ya, I usually have too many projects going at once. :ror:

You're welcome, keep at it but don't work too long at a time or they can tick you off. "thumbsup" They are great wheels once you get them assembled.

X2 "thumbsup"

X2, we are in 5th year of a bad drought, send us some rain too...but ya can keep the skeeters for me too.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

I've been thinking about trimming more off the bottom of body to just below the grill and moving my front bumper back about 10mm by removing the spacers. Thinking if I do this the body can't flex as much in hard tumble and might tend to bend the frame and/or crack the body? What do you think?

Here's how it sits now, looks like bumper mount screws are getting slightly bent upwards?

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1756/...9e3d7697_b.jpgIMG_0690

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

I just tucked my front bumper in while doing the light install. I didn't take the spacers out completely though. Didn't like the look. I took the spacer I took out from the rear bumper which is thinner than the spacer on the front and swapped them out. My body was cracking there and the bottom of my fenders were kind of just flapping around anyway so it made the decision easy. I haven't wheeled it yet to see if the body can't flex as much but don't see it being much of a problem.

Pardon my hands in the second picture, I'm a diesel mechanic not a grub lol.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...pssprgmhbp.jpg

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...pszaklawuy.jpg

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

I did do this mod, removed all the spacers from the front bumper, left the small one on the rear. It really sucked the bumpers in tight, I had to do some trimming on the body but I think it looks good. I hadnt thought about if it would cause any frame damage, hopefully not. Sorry no photos"thumbsup"

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Thanks for the pics, looks good. I checked mine and front uses one 10mm spacer, the rear bumper uses two spacers (one 10mm and one 5mm spacer). Hehe your hands look like mine when I used to wrench on my hotrod and later on my Toyota, that stuff stains my hands and even a scrub brush won't get it all out. "thumbsup"

Thanks, looks good too. I'm pretty hard on mine and think my Honcho frame finally got all bent up because of my flipping body mounts that bolt the rear cage to the frame crossmember and then taking huge falls off of bridges and down rocks. :mrgreen: Just thinking that if the body is not as supported by the bumpers in a situation like this, that the body will take most (more) of the abuse rather than transferring it more directly to the frame. This is probably not an issue in most cases. "thumbsup"

Pic of my swaybar end "machining" setup that will ensure that both flats at the bar ends are in the same plane. I tried this by careful hand use of Dremel and it resulted in the end links bolting on at slightly different angles, which resulted in un-equal flex at the rear axle. Plus the flats were not uniformally flat which can lead to endlink arm setscrews loosening. I tested this last night, it works very well even though drillpress is set at slow speed (steel), using the finer grit Dremel sanding drum and this slower speed creates very smooth and flat end link mount "flats". "thumbsup" I will set the travel in both directions of the machinists vice by bolting a large bolt through the drillpress table as a stop. After careful measuring 5mm is the travel needed starting from bar end and moving in towards the center, this results in flats 4mm long (same as Axial swaybar end flats) with about 1mm of slightly curved transition. "thumbsup"

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1753/...977f4c0c_b.jpgIMG_0691

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Got out for a nice crawl session Saturday morning at Folsom Lake, first at Doton's Point and then at 5%, both are great crawl spots with tons of trail and granite slab for days! We crawled and hiked a lot. There were about 50 - 60 peeps there, nice to meet and put faces wtih names and see some others again. Norcallump thanks for the invite and good to meet and crawl with you! "thumbsup" Here's the crawl pics.

Sweet HiLift hard-body on SCX10 with boggers.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1753/...2dd73559_b.jpgIMG_0692

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/890/4...2a966422_b.jpgIMG_0693

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1746/...a4a64a28_b.jpgIMG_0694

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1751/...72f3df27_b.jpgIMG_0695 by

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1733/...0847da1a_b.jpgIMG_0696

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/890/4...35188f0a_b.jpgIMG_0697


Ascender Bronco and home-built steel tuber running Integy aluminum axle housings and iirc ROC412, this thing crawled well and had wheelspeed!

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1757/...7c399c83_b.jpgIMG_0698

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/881/4...a7f67402_b.jpgIMG_0699

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/886/4...7ee8d843_b.jpgIMG_0700


Norcallump's Ascender with chassis set at shortest and links at long Blazer setting with iirc ProLine body painted up pink and white for CrawlForTheCure2015 couple weeks ago. He's running Proline's newest beadlock wheels with some internal clamp on weights, even with shorter wheelbase, narrower track, Vaterra aluminum shocks, cut up Pitbull Growlers and no rear swaybar truss etc. this truck was really hooking up and doing work!

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1759/...fd2e5ce9_b.jpgIMG_0701

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1754/...bb78eb74_b.jpgIMG_0702


Heavy support arrives!

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1732/...da0dfd96_b.jpgIMG_0703


SSD RC Rockshield Diff Covers are really tough, not much wear and just few light scratches after a long day of granite crawling!

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1722/...7ed7095d_b.jpgIMG_0704

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/873/4...0535e510_b.jpgIMG_0705

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

How to patch old CamelBak bladder until new Antidote bladder gets back from warranty leakage at the filler seal. Tiny drop of rc tire CA in the hole topped off with Slime Skabs dry bicycle tire patch. "thumbsup"
http://slime.com/704/products/1-skabs-2-20040/

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1726/...36ac5fe9_b.jpgIMG_0706


GreatPlains wheel collars used to center swaybars, I used the 3/32" on smaller bar and 1/8" on the larger bars.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1735/...12ac4ba1_b.jpgIMG_0707


Rear swaybar flex and crawl testing results! These swaybars are all 95mm length, using Axial Wraith front swaybar arms and shortened endlinks composed of rod-ends/balls with long setscrews.

Softest Wraith front swaybar flex as measured at outer edge of rear tire is 3.375", crawls very well setup like this but a little more rear flex would be nice sometimes.

Home-made from 0.078" (5/64", 1.984mm) music wire flex is 4", crawls very well setup like this but sometimes allows a little too much torque twist.

Home-made from 0.093" (3/32", 2.3622mm) music wire flex is 3.375", same flex as softest Wraith front bar, I have not crawled with this setup yet, but on the bench it's same flex as stock Axial Wraith softest front swaybar. I think the bar will last longer (more flex cycles) due to being a straight gauge bar, not a bar with a 1/4" thin notched machined in the center which creates stress risers and most of the bar flex is forced to occur in this very small concentrated area of the bar. Time and real crawling, not garage flex test, will tell.

Hot off the "mill" 0.093" home-made swaybar still in my fixture vise! The pic makes one end looks kinda blue like it got too hot, but it did not this is just the lighting and angle in my pic.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psn7wwtg3b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps5pxvmddh.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psdw0xjbdu.jpg


That's a nice fit ;-) Axial end links are better than HR and have precisely machined D-holes that fit the bar ends making for stronger setup.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pshx79vg4q.jpg


The bars...bottom bar is Axial Wraith softest front swaybar, middle is my home-made 0.093" bar, top is my home-made 0.078" bar.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pst3sdg48r.jpg


Newest home-made bar (0.093") bolted up ready for crawling test! Note my rear red waterproof LED strip (just above and forward of swaybar) stuck to bottom of rx box with E6000, because the peel and stick adhesive was kinda week.

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

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

I like my rc4wd steel wagon wheel beadlocks. Trying to decide what metal beadlocks on my second ascender? Need to decide on body too, I have Deadbolt and Honcho but am considering another pickup types body with 12 to 12.3 inch wheelbase.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

SSD...

http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/...5AB65C1772.jpg

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

Just ordered my second Ascender. I'm going to wait for the GCM kit to incorporate it into the build. I'm going to try and do a build thread, try.

Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
 

I've been watching your truck from the bleachers here , Nate and you seem to love this truck as much as I do. I'm wanting to do a sway bar , but haven't been able to wrench on any of my trucks. I air nailed my thumb at work the other day so my shit has to wait lol .
I was wondering if you run any weight in the wheels ?
I went to local tire shop other day and picked up some stick on wheel weights that I wrapped around the inside of the rim and more than doubled the weight of each wheel (I'm running plastic atm) How much do those steel rims weigh ?
Are they alot more than aluminum?
I have some 2.2 aluminums that I want to cram the 1.9 swampers onto and was wondering If you ever tried this or If I should go with a steel rim.
Sorry for all the questions , but like I said , I've just been watching to see what direction people go.
One more thing. I saw the plate you mounted for rock lights and was curious to how you were planning on mounting them ? I have the q series VP rock lights just sitting here and had them mounted on the bumper , but they're kinda big for 1/10th scale IMO

Deano