RJ's Leafed Ascender Build

[rc2000]

Thanks for comparing Vaterra and GPM aluminum parts, the axle skids have never been useful for crawling, better to keep good ground clearance and replace a housing occasionally when they wear a hole through.

Good info on springs and setup too! I bet the side-hilling is really good, could you do an angle board with protractor and post up how far you get before it rolls off the board? Do it with and without body, I'm interested to see how your leafed side-hilling compares to my linked and lowered with swaybar. 8)

Nice crawl spot, love the little channels in the rock! Good turn out for a crawl too. "thumbsup"

Thanks Nate....Never thought of doing the sidehill test. I don't have a protractor but my iPhone has an app on it that should work. I'll post up some results later this evening or tomorrow. I need to buy a GoPro so I can get some action video.

 

[Natedog]

You're welcome, yes iPhone app would be great too. I looked and there's a built-in compass, but not protractor, however there are sevearl free and cheap available. I was pleasantly surprised when I measured my rollover angles, looking forward to your results. GoPro videos of your crawl gtg would be great too!

 

[rc2000]

Per Nates request I completed a sidehill test with and without the body. I used a collapsible table with a piece of carpet secured to it. The carpet does have some pile to it but will only minimally effect my measurements. I was using stock tires with CI foams with soft outers and one strip of 1/4 ounce weights in each tires. At tip over angles the top rear tire would lift first. The lower front suspension would compress which was causing the rear wheel to lift. Also, the tire weights would shift on the foams causing the tires to collapse more. A slightly thicker spring in the front would help this a little. I need to add some double sided tape to the outside of the wheel weights. This would prevent the weights from shifting off the foams. I think next I will do a climb angle test but I first need to find more traction on the carpet I'm using.

 

[Natedog]

Thanks for posting up and you're getting about what I get with stock shocks internally limited 9mm (3/8") and Wraith front swaybar on rear of my Ascender. You double-sided tape inside the wheels to hold foams from side slipping on weights should help. I bought a set of Vaterra shock tuning springs (heavy, medium, soft) very nice spring kit, but I have not tried them yet. This spring kit would help your tuning too. "thumbsup"

Upper Shock Spring Set Soft, Medium, Hard (2): ASN (VTR233029)
Upper Shock Spring Set Soft, Medium, Hard (2): ASN | HorizonHobby

Lower Shock Spring Set Soft, Medium, Hard (2): ASN (VTR233030)
Lower Shock Spring Set Soft, Medium, Hard (2): ASN | HorizonHobby

EDIT: The climbing test is good idea, descending would be nice....hmmm...need to test mine now lol!

 

[rc2000]

I completed the climb but instead of testing the decent I did a reverse climb. Both tests were done without the body. To gain traction I switched tires to some KLRs. I also treated the carpet with a little wd40.

 

[rc2000]

Angle was measured with iPhone.<IFRAME height=360 src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DwtFQKqFwEM?feature=player_detailpage" frameBorder=0 width=640 allowfullscreen></IFRAME>

 

[rc2000]

I used Silver KLRs with the carpet lightly treated with WD40.

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[pete959]

Impressive

LIFE IS GOOD

 

[rc2000]

Will not go much past 62* before tipping.

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[rc2000]

Not much of an update but I did install some Delrin leaf springs and I am amazed at how strong they are. I'm currently running the Delrin leafs with no helpers. Taken some pretty hard hits and I have about 6-8 hours run time with them and they are holding up great.

 

[rc2000]

Got kind of sidetracked with my V1 Ascender. Installed the GCM shock relocation kit with narrowed axles on a Mohave 2 body. I love the looks of those older Toyota bodies. 1.7s to me look really scale.

 

[rc2000]

Finally got some run video. This was my first attempt at a run video. I'm really happy with my setup right now. I'm running some narrowed KLRs with no weight inside the tires but I picked up some Beef Patties front and back. I've taken some pretty hard falls and the Delrin leafs are holding up great. The quality on the video sucks but if you hit the settings button and change it to HD its slightly better.


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[Natedog]

Not much of an update but I did install some Delrin leaf springs and I am amazed at how strong they are. I'm currently running the Delrin leafs with no helpers. Taken some pretty hard hits and I have about 6-8 hours run time with them and they are holding up great.

Nice, looks like all four springs are the same? "thumbsup"

Got kind of sidetracked with my V1 Ascender. Installed the GCM shock relocation kit with narrowed axles on a Mohave 2 body. I love the looks of those older Toyota bodies. 1.7s to me look really scale.

Yota's are so photogenic....to quote somebody from the TF2 section lol. "thumbsup"8) Looking very nice with the GCM slot mags and 1.7 IROKs. Similar build is on my list too. 8)

....I'm running some narrowed KLRs with no weight inside the tires but I picked up some Beef Patties front and back. I've taken some pretty hard falls and the Delrin leafs are holding up great..

How wide did your KLRs end up at and what glue did you use? They almost look similar size as Pitbull Rockbeast 2, but not as wide. You're putting some beating on those springs, nice video, looks like none or virtually no TT. Would be nice to have video from a lower angle to see the axles, tires and frame in relation to each other and all doing their thing. "thumbsup"

 

[rc2000]

Thanks Nate. I had the tires done. I didn't want to take a chance and screw them up. I think I paid $25 to get them narrowed. E.Y. Designs did the cut. There blue compound so I need a few more runs on them before they come in real good. I'm gonna try and hood mount the camera and see how that looks. I'm really impressed with the Delrin springs. I've taken some hard falls with no breakage, on the springs that is, lol.

My Yota Ascender will get some GCM treatment this weekend. I got the front mount for it. The challenge will be the two speed tranny (Over/Underdrive Mod) I'm pretty sure I will have to relocate the shift servo.

 

[rc2000]

Side by side comparison with a stock KLR.

 

[Natedog]

Those came out nice!

So, what's new, what's happening?

 

[rc2000]

So busy with work, little time for crawling. Going tonight to get some more wheel time in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rc2000]

Video starts out slow but there is a couple decent climbs.
Still same setup just trying to break in the blue KLRs.
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[rc2000]

Still running the same basic setup with the Delrin Leafs. Got them from
Giuseppe Musumeci. You can message him on FB or email him
@info@rc-crawler.it. He's a great guy to deal with and has amazing talent on designing and making scale crawler parts. I'll leave you with a short video of some side hill action. Still loving my Ascender.

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[rc2000]

My setup will be changing in the near future. I plan on adding the GCM front motor mount. Also, I really like the truck performance now but to eliminate some hang ups on the skid I talked my friend in to making me a Delrin high clearance skid. That and some bent lowers and I'll start testing the performance difference between my current setup.