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Old 03-14-2019, 12:17 PM   #21
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Here's a K10 with the extended rear links and SSD steel wheels with their hub weights attached to the wheels. This one has beeftubes too. And yes, it's one of my best climbers.
HW1080, DS3218 servo, and a hackmoto 45T motor with stock gearing. Scaler-fab sliders, raised and shortened stock bumper. Low and slow.

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Old 03-14-2019, 01:06 PM   #22
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by rkj__ View Post
I think this thread has already established the SSD knuckles make a significant, and positive difference.

I guess the better question would have been, would the brass Vaterra weights suffice or are the SSD knuckles recommended for climbing performance. Did you do C hubs as well?



Quote:
Originally Posted by Browneye View Post
Velcommen to the asylum.


This forum likes you to start your own thread about your own rig with your own questions, instead of hijacking someone else's thread. I know, it's contrary to other forums, but seems to work. No harm no foul.



Since this is a new Ascender thread let's look at each point...
1. Shocks. If I'm not mistaken later production had an updated shock piston and was better setup as built. Earlier ones the circlip covered half the holes and they were too small, so too much damping. I've now seen 3 pistion versions from them after building kits and ordering parts.

You can open them up and have a look, but if there are holes larger than a pin hole and not blocked by the clip, you're good to go. I'm not sure what weight oil the come with, but 20 or 25 seems to work fine in them. And yeah, they seem to leak a bit just like the Axial shocks. Keep them topped up.

2. A little weight on the front really helps with uphills - reduces flipping over backwards and improves front traction. I got my first set of brass knuckles, the SSD ones and they're really nice - after 2 years of running and hundreds of miles. I have stock plastic axles, custom built 'cody-boy' axles, and beeftube inserts. I've always run weighted hubs with my wheels and they work fine. For slow speed crawling they're fine. A step up are axle inserts and heavier terminal hardware - it all gets expensive.

IIRC the Vaterra brass weights only work with the upgraded c-hubs as well - not just by themselves. Most people want to upgread to beadlock alloy wheels, better foams and tires, so a hub weight is an easy add on to the mix. SSD knuckles are the shiznit though.

3. Wheelbase - the K10 is WB2 - 11.5 or thereabouts. If you get a spacer kit for the links and the longer grub screws, you can extend the rear links out to right about 11-7/8", or about WB3. It improves hill climbing a bit, but at a cost of turning radius. My very first rig was the K10 and I have since done this mod and like it. Another buddy has Class1 tires on his at stock WB and does really well in that class. It's a lot bigger job to extend the frame and reconfigure the front to be WB4, but do-able if you want to run a 12.3 wheelbase aftermarket body, like most of what Proline offers. The good news is you can make it fit almost any lexan body on the market.
4. A 2spd trans might be something if you have a radio to support, want or need the extra speed for trail-running, but most find their joy climbing rocks and it's not not applicable there. And if you upgrade to a 3S battery most find it's way plenty fast enough. You can even add a tooth or two to the pinion and get even more speed out of them. Crawling begins to suffer at the high end. Expecially with the stock speed controller.

5. The stock servo is weak and cheap and fails soon enough. So yeah, plan to change it out for something like a DS3218, or something from Savox, or Hitek. The stock speed controller only puts out a couple of amps so if you get too strong of a servo the electrics won't drive it. For $12 the DS3218 just works really well, and for another $40 you can upgrade the ESC to a HobbyWing 1080 and they just work way better than the stock dynamite thing, especially for 3S power.

6. A very good mod is outboarding the rear shocks. You need a couple 32mm cap screws and a couple of link pivot balls for spacers, then mount the lower shock mount to the outside of the axle bracket. This helps stop torque twist when climbing.

I would encourage all newcomers to the platform to read thru @Natedog's Ascender thread - tons of free or cheap mods, he really knows how to set them up.

Tons of very helpful info there, thank you. I started looking at Natedog's thread but haven't perused it fully quite yet. I'll wait until my truck gets here (hopefully tomorrow) and refrain from further muddying up this thread
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Old 03-14-2019, 01:47 PM   #23
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by rkj__ View Post
I think this thread has already established the SSD knuckles make a significant, and positive difference.

I guess the better question might have been, will the Vaterra brass brake rotor weights suffice or some something heavier like the SSD parts recommended? I won't be doing anything really serious, mostly just playing at home but would like the truck to perform as best as possible. Did you install the SSD C-hubs also or just the knuckles?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Browneye View Post
Velcommen to the asylum.

Thanks for all the info, it's very helpful. I started going through Natedogg's thread but haven't gotten very far just yet. I'll wait until the truck shows up so I can start my own thread and keep from muddying the waters here

Last edited by cowboyona426; 03-14-2019 at 02:55 PM.
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Old 03-14-2019, 03:19 PM   #24
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Here are the links from AMain hobbies - a lot of us use them and RPP Hobbies for online parts. Both are outstanding, ship next or same day, and have discount coupons for purchase amount. And tons of inventory including oem parts.

The brass brake roters from Vaterra $25: https://www.amainhobbies.com/vaterra...334021/p375661
You must have the Vaterra alloy spindle set (knuckle) in order to bolt it to, they don't turn with the wheel $30: https://www.amainhobbies.com/vaterra...18/p375658?r=0
And if you want to run them on the rear you need c-hub rears $16: https://www.amainhobbies.com/vaterra...20/p375660?r=0
So it ends up being about $55 to do the fronts, $40 to do the rears.

The SSD knuckles are $45 and are 80grams each: https://www.amainhobbies.com/ssd-rc-...d00190/p703884

IMO you don't need weight on the rear, at least not much. In fact, you don't really need weight at all for bashing and trailing. After you run it awhile if you see your front is too light then look at your options.

PS. I just noticed the Vaterra knuckles are discontinued, at least thru amain. You would have to check at Horizon direct. (Edit: discontinued)

Also, many of the china import alloy wheels will fit their brass hub weights - about $50 for wheels - which are heavier than the stock plastic glue-on wheels, and the weights are $20 for a set of four. I'm still running those on some of my rigs and they work great. Usually on the front only, so I'll get a set of four and it covers two rigs.

SSD makes very nice wheels, and they have a hub weight set as well. You won't have any trouble mounting up tires on SSD wheels - cannot say the same for stuff out of China, ebay and amazon.

Last edited by Browneye; 03-14-2019 at 03:21 PM.
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Old 03-14-2019, 08:48 PM   #25
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Default New Ascender Owner

Wrong quote

Last edited by DaRealDill; 03-14-2019 at 08:51 PM.
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Old 03-14-2019, 08:49 PM   #26
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by cowboyona426 View Post
I'd like to jump in here if I may.


Hi everyone, my name is Chase and I'm a newb to the RC crawling world (everyone wave and say HI CHASE.)


I just ordered an Ascender K10 from RPP yesterday in their package deal that included the battery and charger. I've been eyeballing various 1/10 crawlers for a while now and finally decided on the K10 after scouring the internet and YouTube tirelessly trying to gather as much info as possible. That said I have done a fair bit of reading here and a few other places on common mods and I have a short list of things I'd like to try but could use a little input to make sure I'm on the right track.


Shock mods (drill pistons), pretty straight forward it seems
Additional weight on axles- would the Vaterra brass brake rotors on each axle be enough or should I be looking into weighted knuckles up front and then what for the rear?
Stretch wheelbase to 12.3" or so (WB4?) still trying to completely understand the how/why of stretching correctly (yes I've looked at the thread by Rich)
At some point down the road I'll probably go for the 2 speed transmission and an upgraded steering servo.


My plan for now is just to start playing with it as delivered, then start making some changes. Open to suggestions/feedback. Glad to see there is a good body of knowledge here and a wealth of great info on these trucks!


Welcome to the ascender club lol. What kind of driving do you plan on doing? Trail, rock crawling , etc etc ?
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Old 03-14-2019, 08:52 PM   #27
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by Browneye View Post
Velcommen to the asylum.


This forum likes you to start your own thread about your own rig with your own questions, instead of hijacking someone else's thread. I know, it's contrary to other forums, but seems to work. No harm no foul.



Since this is a new Ascender thread let's look at each point...
1. Shocks. If I'm not mistaken later production had an updated shock piston and was better setup as built. Earlier ones the circlip covered half the holes and they were too small, so too much damping. I've now seen 3 pistion versions from them after building kits and ordering parts.

You can open them up and have a look, but if there are holes larger than a pin hole and not blocked by the clip, you're good to go. I'm not sure what weight oil the come with, but 20 or 25 seems to work fine in them. And yeah, they seem to leak a bit just like the Axial shocks. Keep them topped up.

2. A little weight on the front really helps with uphills - reduces flipping over backwards and improves front traction. I got my first set of brass knuckles, the SSD ones and they're really nice - after 2 years of running and hundreds of miles. I have stock plastic axles, custom built 'cody-boy' axles, and beeftube inserts. I've always run weighted hubs with my wheels and they work fine. For slow speed crawling they're fine. A step up are axle inserts and heavier terminal hardware - it all gets expensive.

IIRC the Vaterra brass weights only work with the upgraded c-hubs as well - not just by themselves. Most people want to upgread to beadlock alloy wheels, better foams and tires, so a hub weight is an easy add on to the mix. SSD knuckles are the shiznit though.

3. Wheelbase - the K10 is WB2 - 11.5 or thereabouts. If you get a spacer kit for the links and the longer grub screws, you can extend the rear links out to right about 11-7/8", or about WB3. It improves hill climbing a bit, but at a cost of turning radius. My very first rig was the K10 and I have since done this mod and like it. Another buddy has Class1 tires on his at stock WB and does really well in that class. It's a lot bigger job to extend the frame and reconfigure the front to be WB4, but do-able if you want to run a 12.3 wheelbase aftermarket body, like most of what Proline offers. The good news is you can make it fit almost any lexan body on the market.
4. A 2spd trans might be something if you have a radio to support, want or need the extra speed for trail-running, but most find their joy climbing rocks and it's not not applicable there. And if you upgrade to a 3S battery most find it's way plenty fast enough. You can even add a tooth or two to the pinion and get even more speed out of them. Crawling begins to suffer at the high end. Expecially with the stock speed controller.

5. The stock servo is weak and cheap and fails soon enough. So yeah, plan to change it out for something like a DS3218, or something from Savox, or Hitek. The stock speed controller only puts out a couple of amps so if you get too strong of a servo the electrics won't drive it. For $12 the DS3218 just works really well, and for another $40 you can upgrade the ESC to a HobbyWing 1080 and they just work way better than the stock dynamite thing, especially for 3S power.

6. A very good mod is outboarding the rear shocks. You need a couple 32mm cap screws and a couple of link pivot balls for spacers, then mount the lower shock mount to the outside of the axle bracket. This helps stop torque twist when climbing.

I would encourage all newcomers to the platform to read thru @Natedog's Ascender thread - tons of free or cheap mods, he really knows how to set them up.

Lots of good info with that post.
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Old 03-18-2019, 09:29 AM   #28
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaRealDill View Post
Welcome to the ascender club lol. What kind of driving do you plan on doing? Trail, rock crawling , etc etc ?
Probably a mix of trailing and crawling, I won't be doing any competitions or anything of that sort. Just mostly goofing off around the house most likely.
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Old 03-18-2019, 02:31 PM   #29
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Got my new axels for jeep today can't wait to put them on

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Old 03-18-2019, 02:41 PM   #30
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Quote:
Originally Posted by Squirral View Post
Got my new axels for jeep today can't wait to put them on

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Threadlock time!


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Old 03-18-2019, 07:52 PM   #31
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Default Re: New Ascender Owner

Ya did not come with hardware to bolt on four link though or steering rods

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