durok's 1st (actually driven) Crawler - K10 / was "Ummm..."
 

Not sure what the heck just happened...

Was this a mistake?

Well, I'm draggin' this thing inside, damnit (making sure no-one was watchin')

Hmmm... It has my name on it?

I don't remember doing this....

Did my PC get hacked?

I'm missing $450!

Hell, I'm openin' it...

Awww... Hell - I'm keepin' THIS!!!

(peelin' stickers off 'cause I don't like 'em)

OK, checked my Amazon account and I musta ordered this in a dream state. I was smart enough to use the 6-month no finance charge method on my Prime card. Even ordered a shorty pack that's been slightly delayed - still supposed to arrive today - that's OK, got some minor cosmetic changes in store...

Keeping it mostly stock for now - trying to avoid any more expense, so cosmetic and free functionality mods. I have spent well over a year gathering a kit Bomber and almost every part to replace the original bits. The amount spent was frankly somewhat terrifying, and I have YET to build it. That's kinda silly. I knew next vehicle was to be an Ascender - the K10 is by far my fave, and as it comes RTR and I haven't driven a crawler before - I figure a slow and lightweight rig would be great to start with. I will be running it by Friday after work or Saturday morning at the latest! Can't really procrastinate when all it needs is a battery charge....

The getting outdoors and getting some exercise should make me feel better - and we are pretty close to finally getting a break from hot Texas summer. Hopefully that jolts me into eventually assembling the Bomber - it should be unique from what else I've seen (hopefully).

Funny thing is, I already have an unused HH PP 2200kv, an unused new model MMX, and a new ProModeler 470oz-in (heh-heh) and 4 new 3S packs for later (MUCH!) that I COULD use on the K10 - that would require gettin' beefy....


So stoked to finally join the Vaterra Ascender group - fine gentlemen all, but - Standouts include Natedog (for build tips and an endless amount of info), Yeti.stealth (for incredible demonstration vids of climbing ability and the beastliest-looking Ascender, and CODYBOY (for his creating upgrades for a tiny niche market and generosity towards all)

(EDIT - Got shorty Lipo later in the evening!)

OK, here goes nuthin'!

Pics in order:

Re: Ummm...
 

LOL :lmao::lmao: Welcome to the dark side, I'm sure you're going to love it!
Ernie

Re: Ummm...
 

That's a great rc you will enjoy it

149 r/c worx/scalerfab/team brood.

Re: Ummm...
 

"I don't remember ordering that." I tell my girlfriend that one all the time. I'm onto you. :lmao:

Welcome to the best club, IMHO, on this board. It's still one of my all time favorite trucks too!

Re: Ummm...
 

Welcome to the club Durok. Hope you enjoy your K10 as much as the rest of us enjoy ours. It's a great platform. (That MST kit you suggested is showing up today!)

Re: Ummm...
 

I was tempted to get it, but sadly I knew another kit would lead me into MORE procrastinating... Lolz..

... But I definitely wanted the K10 sometime soon anyway!

Re: Ummm...
 

yes, dude. YES. YES!!!

welcome to the most awesome, kind, helpful and just "good feels" group of RC'ers on the planet. I agree 150% with you about your shout outs.
I cant wait to see how you like it. I just got mine too (kind of a mix up of RTR and kit, because... well... CODYBOY built! I was going to piece mine together from the frame up, but like you said about your bomber... yike$. Ernie to the rescue... again!
seriously these fellas are great, all of them. man, I am just as excited as you are that you got one of these! oh I guess I should get mine running now too hahaha still need a few things, funding is a ways out but I should be out there soon! that reminds me, I agree with the "getting outside" thing. I've had a bit of a lazy spell and its been unusually scorching hot here in san diego. I made a joke to my 9 y/o son the other day that everyone else has a "build season" during winter, but in san diego that's prime crawling time!

anyway, this is worthy of the battle cry...

ready?

say it with me yall...


ASCENDERS, ASSEMBLE!!!!!!

Oh and one more thing... durok you know you gotta plastidip that funky banana, right? ;)

Re: Ummm...
 

Heading out to trails - First round of free mods (some temporary):

Scrubbed the crap outta the wheels/tires after taping the air holes inside the rims - plastic scrubpad destroyed, soapy water used - came out with some of the chrome gone (yay!) and rubber nice and tacky.

Used ancient Testors enamel on the aluminum cage panels - brushed on old-skool style, filed edges after - better looking than I expected.

Installed front body mount protectors on top and bottom of posts.

Trimmed front corners near bumper.

Changed up decals a bit (HATE trying to get them straight without marking them up) - Also, X marks the headlights...

Applied small round clear urethane stick-on pads on back lower corners of cab where cage corners can hit during impacts, should kill some of the Lexan body rattle during impacts).

Old OD green shoelace and Nite-Ize mini locking S-carabiners as temporary tow rope.

Re: Ummm...
 

(Whew!) I'm back and cooled off and filled my belly, edited pics. I was all-by-myself (sing it!) so, none are action. Freakin' hot - 93deg, no shade, no wind.

Had a blast, though! Never ran a crawler, only 4WD offroading I ever did was in the Gen 1 T-Maxx and Gen 1 E-Maxx. So it did take a while to fully appreciate low speeds... "thumbsup"

Lotsa tumbles, smaller at first and bigger as I started nearing the top of the climbs. No functional damage - 2 hours and my 4000mAh still had juice. Wasn't constant running, of course - the sun was so insane I would drive it under the edge of the cedars and park it for 5-10 min a few times. I touched the motor, ECS fins, and battery - all remained cool until very end of the 2 hours - only the ESC fins were warm, could leave my fingertip pressed hard, no worries.

I found the perfect spot, a hidden gem tucked at the outer edge of the park nearest to me some distance from a small church and cemetery. Never saw a soul ;-) - It was a bare limestone flat area with tiny limestone gravel on much of it. The backside - So perfect! Exactly what I wanted, varying approaches to a 10ft or so upper flat area with little stunted cedars growing out here and there. Different angles of approach, steepness, mostly loose, occasional patches of exposed solid rock. Here I come, Momma!

Re: Ummm...
 

Looking good durok!

Sounds like a good first run for your K10. I get about 2 hours run time as well on my 2S shorty packs, I have never bothered to feel the motor or esc, just trust Vaterra have got it right, so far so good!

Re: Ummm...
 

Thanks!

I can only imagine how much fun it'll be when we start getting the occasional cool front coming up next month.

And - Austin never has weather where it is TOO cold to spend a few hours outside!

BTW - if I get the 3S transverse LiPo mount for the Ascender, can the stock electronics handle the increased voltage OK?

I know the ESC is rated for it by Dynamite, figured I could gear down a bit - but I could then use the 4 other new batteries I have.

Have 2x SMC 4300 and 2x Venom 3400. I'd wait until it gets cooler outside - but the battery plate is cheap!

Re: Ummm...
 

Yes to 3s! Stock electronics are rated for 3s right out of the box, I occasionally give mine a blast on 3s for fun, you lose a little low end throttle finesse with the rtr radio and its hair trigger though.

Re: Ummm...
 

NICE! that is a great spot you found! truck is looking good too. I cant stand the chrome on the wheels either. does anyone make inner fenders for these guys? rc addict maybe?
hope you figured out the steering issue you told me about. could either be your trim settings or maybe your servo horn was installed off-center.

I really think you are going to like what shows up for you on Tuesday!

Re: Ummm...
 

X2, drop one lower to 13T on pinion gear can help compensate. That's a sweet spot you found to crawl, looks like lotsa fun! "thumbsup"

Re: Ummm...
 

RC Addict stocked them a few months back. Shape ways has some but at $35 a pop it's a bit steep.

Do your own fenders. Super easy and cheap.


Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Re: Ummm...
 

2 hours and 45 minutes of practically continuous running today at same limestone ridge, trying every line I could see.... battery still had power at the end, electronics still remained cool other than ESC fins getting warm.

I'm now able to spin the tires more with more control in the loose stuff, keeping forward momentum and not getting buried to the axles every time.

Also am able to slow my climb to where I can practically tick off the sound of the lugs as they are trying to crawl up sharp ledges.

On one climb, I was at the crest with the front end barely kept in balance from flipping backwards and I was feathering the throttle, and just using the rear tire sidewall bounce I got it over safely.

The only functional changes I've made were getting the servo horn properly centered and drilling another pair of tiny holes in the wheel rims - so there are 4 total in each.

The body has now got plenty of scars - which is fine by me as it was too damn shiny!

But I'm even more pleased that the tires are showing signs of breaking in.

End result of today's session = more experience, more reward, more fun!

And yep - first thing I need to do is add some weight down low in front.... Hey - SSD!

(Now if it would just get cooler! It was sunny and over 90 again...)

Re: Ummm...
 

The Cyber Monday RPP Hobbies 15% sale got me the SSD brass knucks w/bigger bearings, aluminum Rock Shield diff covers, and Pro aluminum C-hubs.

Also, since there was a "just-because" sale on STRC parts, I picked up their rear aluminum lockouts w/bigger bearings and front & rear aluminum upper link mounts.

I'm going to drop the cab down at least 1 hole on the body mounts, outboard the shocks, and perform whatever other cost-free mods (if any) that I can remind myself of from this forum.

I'm glad I didn't yet order a replacement K10 body to paint another color as now I'm not sure what route to take.... I really am curious if the cab of the new ProLine '46 Dodge Power Wagon might mate up to the cage out back.

If so, that might also radically change the new wheel/tire package I could get...

So, since it's really the time of year to buy for others - I stopped at what functional upgrades I saw on sale for the Vaterra.

Cosmetics come next year sometime...

Can't wait to see how it drives with the upgrades, especially the SSD brass knuckles.

They are HEAVY!

Re: Ummm...
 

Hey! A fellow Austin-ite!

Recognize the type of terrain in the pics?

I was running it out on the outskirts of Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park...

Do you have a rig yet?

As you may have read, I'm also v-v-very slowly building a Bomber (or 2, lolz)

Haven't looked for anyone local to run with yet... crawlin' can be fun all by yer lonesome, tho'

Re: Ummm...
 

Definitely limestone, not granite. We've done a lot of rock-crawling ( full size/ Jeep) out around Llano and to the south/ west... Long Ranch, Hidden Falls, K2/ Katemcy, Trees Ranch, Cline Ranch, Big Bend, and closer to home here at a place called Tahitian Village. Funny there's also a Walnut Creek ( Rusty's) close to me but it's not the same place as in your pics.

I don't have a real crawling rig yet... although you're helping me to potentially watch my Christmas bonus go bye-bye! lol. I got heavy into r/c nitro a while back... RC10GT, B4, T-Maxx, MP7.5. I've recently gotten into crawling with a little EMS 16 ( don't laugh... it's fun! haha) but I'm really wanting something bigger and better for outdoor terrain.

I haven't even run my Max-stone outside yet... just indoor crawling for now and making lots of upgrades as I go. Planning to make a small crawl-course in the backyard before too long for me and my buddy to use. My other friends are strictly into go-fast cars and trucks but I'm really digging the crawling these days. I'm open to running with others around the area so maybe we can get together and crawl sometime.

Btw I haven't seen your Bomber thread yet but I'll have to check it out. Those things are just so sick!

Re: Ummm...
 

I had over a dozen R/Cs (go-fast types, offroad/onroad, a couple of 'em nitro) about 10 years or so ago, lost them all in an apartment fire about 7 years ago - I wasn't using them much by then, but it still sucked.

Never had a crawler, though... and decided that's what I wanted to get outside a bit again, now that I'm having a hard time motivating... getting old!

Yep - I definitely had my fun with an RC10GT and a T-Maxx - even had an E-Maxx as well.

My Bomber thread isn't interesting yet - no building done at this time, just upgraded parts-collecting.

At least I can't find anything else I want for it!