12-12-2018, 02:28 PM | #1261 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Hello Sepulveda87, welcome to RCCrawler and congrats on owning an Ascender! Start a build thread here when you have time. IIRC the upper shock mounts are 25mm buttonheads (maybe 30mm). The lowers iirc started with 40mm and cut down to length. Good to buy a bunch of fasteners to have on hand for mods from www.mcmcastercarr.com or similar. I'll check later and see what I used. Last edited by Natedog; 12-12-2018 at 04:22 PM. |
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12-12-2018, 03:00 PM | #1262 | |
RCC Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Apollo Pa
Posts: 1,650
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER Quote:
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12-12-2018, 04:23 PM | #1263 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Yes, thanks for the correction! I've edited my post to correct this. |
12-12-2018, 04:50 PM | #1264 |
RCC Addict Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: The OC
Posts: 1,615
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Lower shock screws for outboarded shocks are 32mm. Traxxas has them at your LHS. I just converted some more of them.
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01-23-2019, 03:22 PM | #1265 |
Newbie Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Mid Michigan
Posts: 5
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Whew! 64 pages. Just wanted to say thank you Nate for this great post. Just discovered the crawling scene and it has pulled me back into RCs. I picked up the Suburban Ascender last month and was starting to wonder if I made the right choice for my first crawler. After reading the majority of your wonderful thread, I know I made the right choice. Can't wait to try out some of the mods you have done. Also can't wait for spring so I can get out and run some trails. Only driven it around the yard and in the house on the obstacle table I built. |
01-23-2019, 06:57 PM | #1266 | |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 697
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER Quote:
I can relate. I bought my Ascender as my first crawler, after doing almost no research on them at all, which is not like me. But, after crawling around the house a bit, and reading a few threads here, I felt reassured that I made a good choice. Enjoy your tiny truck! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk | |
05-07-2019, 10:13 AM | #1267 | |||
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER Quote:
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Va'Blazer is ready for Pro-line By The Fire 2019! | |||
05-07-2019, 11:50 AM | #1268 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: san diego
Posts: 2,723
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
GREAT thread continues... sending this to Rick, my father in law, who just got himself his first ASCENDER! F100 BND is in-hand, ready to be tweaked into shape for PROLINE BTF 2019!!!! |
05-23-2019, 05:02 PM | #1269 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Thanks Shinchu! Awesome to hear that Rick got a F100 BND, wish y'all had come to PLBTF2019! Rockhugger and I had a great time, loved the slide too! Made it down ok, but watched and heard several rigs fall down hard onto the slab below, better line up proper and keep the throttle on slightly all the way down. Damatheus, congratulations great job in Show n Shine with your detailed truck that looks and crawls great, nice driving too! Enroute, excitement builds! Camp Ascender! Chris' honorary catdog Gracie (sp?), friendly furry little guy kept us all company. Night city and then crawling! My Va'Blazer and Rockhugger's custom pickup body modded TRX-4. Night time valley view Badass old Tonka truck based rig Dunno why the next two pics are sideways, I rotated and saved before uploading, wth? Rockhugger concentrating on a technical line with his modded TRX4. Casey trying and finally making a difficult line with his hardbody Sand Scorcher with 3d printed motor, accessories and the Tamiya driver, nice truck! Steep large slab climb, then down a very steep ladder that liked to dump you right over on your lid if you weren't careful! Thanks to Damatheus (Nelson) buddy for this action pic of my Va'Blazer descending the steep ladder! It was difficult to stay on the ladder whilst descending, made a shiny side up landing at the end. Great pictures guys and love the video Casey! Last edited by Natedog; 05-23-2019 at 05:08 PM. |
05-23-2019, 06:50 PM | #1270 |
RCC Addict Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Ocala, Florida, USA
Posts: 1,213
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Looks like an awesome time Nate! Glad to see we all talked you into going. Ascender looks great!
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05-23-2019, 09:25 PM | #1271 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Minnesota
Posts: 541
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
It makes me really glad to see you running that red and white shell after all these years. I had a couple buddies make the big trip out west and they would live stream some of the event here and there. Maybe next year.... Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk |
05-24-2019, 03:23 PM | #1272 |
RCC Addict Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Australia
Posts: 1,058
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
The rocks at that place look awesome! Good to see the Va'Blazer getting a run, scale town looks cool. All you guys must of had a great time. Wish I could of spent more time hanging out with you, would love to explore and see much more, next time....... |
05-28-2019, 10:13 AM | #1273 | ||
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER Quote:
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Thanks, debated on running my K10, but had to run old number 1 because it just works so well and has the huge Blazer body that rarely holds it back. Yes, would have been nice, next time. Visiting friend's heard of Chihuahua cats! He's got four more, they are all rescues, super sweet and very well mannered and relatively quiet for Chihuahuas. Trip home, huge tailiings pile of an old mine, there are thousands of these around the west and the town of Randsburg has nice collection of old buildings, mines, opera house, and museum. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randsburg,_California The weather in the 395 corridor is amazing too. It was sunny, but super windy and actually cold on the last day! So windy that they closed the road to all big rigs and high profile vehicles, saw several rigs on their sides, people parked at last little store 'camping'! Moon over Mono Lake Ran into three closed passes (two had been open this season, but re-closed due to storms day before), ice crystals all over the road that sparkled in the headlights, and snow for several miles! That's snow on the sides of the road and falling flakes illuminated by the headlights. | ||
05-28-2019, 07:09 PM | #1274 |
RCC Addict Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: crawlifornia
Posts: 1,612
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
And that Burger and onion rings on the way home!!!!!! Glad you decided to go again Nate, it was a fun trip for sure. Meow. Night crawling was amazing as usual, seeing all the mountain side lit up with rock lights.... awesome!!! |
05-28-2019, 07:24 PM | #1275 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Humboldt county
Posts: 4,482
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Yeah I'm glad you guys made it out, it wouldn't be the same without you guys |
05-28-2019, 10:15 PM | #1276 |
Newbie Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: SoCal
Posts: 1
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Glad to see you guys got home safe, weather was a bit wild last weekend. Was a pleasure meeting up with you guys even if it was just a brief time. My sister is really getting into these tiny trucks ..... I forsee my back up Blazer kit coming out of storage.
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05-29-2019, 06:41 PM | #1277 | |||
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER Quote:
Ya, me too, fun times! Meow! Awesome night crawls too! Quote:
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Edit: Casey, thanks for the 3d printed parts, very nice quality and the little parts tray is in perfect! K10 is getting re-work and use it everyday. Last edited by Natedog; 05-31-2019 at 02:11 PM. | |||
06-18-2019, 05:25 PM | #1278 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: May 2012 Location: Central PA
Posts: 553
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Natedog does anyone make overdrive gears for the Ascender that you know of? Wouldn't mind trying some if available. I figure if anyone knows you would. Thanks Brian |
06-18-2019, 09:55 PM | #1279 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
Hey Brian, nobody makes OD or UD gears for the Ascender that I know of, wish they did! Under drive would be better since the axle ratio is already relatively high. I’ve been thinking of swapping a transmission and divorced transfer case in one of mine just for overdrive and to get the motor lower and forward, but haven’t found a setup I like due to transmission ratio needs to be higher than most to compensate for the axle ratio. GRU between motor and tranny would work to get ratio proper but then driveline length becomes an issue especially since I really want to keep stock batteries position or close to it.
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07-03-2019, 11:23 AM | #1280 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
| Re: Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER
I've been thinking, gathering parts, and trying some new. Trying WB4, shorter 90mm shocks, all steel 5mm diameter solid links, and a few other changes! Mocked up, master template. Upper hole was origiinal shock mount hole,dropped them down 8mm, stock aluminum cross brace would just touch top of rx fuel cell box, but that's gone now. They will get a new cross brace and rx box is getting lowered about 9mm and will also serve as the frame X brace that is being removed too. IMG_4061 Test fit, clearance check, had to trim the tops off to clear bed cage at WB4, fuel cell going back down lower again. On a diet up high, get the weight down low. IMG_4062 Final parts cut and drilled together with thicker material. Probably cut out the center once they're proven. IMG_4065 Rears done for now, still contemplating how I'm going to do the fronts with all the servo mount cross brace mount holes, panhard mount, etc. Front axle, shock mounts next! IMG_4066 WB4 rear bed mount ideas. Brass tubing on bench for another mod. IMG_4068 Last edited by Natedog; 11-06-2019 at 05:20 PM. |
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