Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER

[Natedog]

Natedog is hardcore!

Lol, thanks bud. "thumbsup" I need to work on my body collection next, but you're the king of that. ;-)

I want pics of this virgin ascender while doing your mods. Has it been run at all yet? It'd be sweet knowing what I know now to get another one and just go to town on it all while it's all clean and new.
Ben

Pics starting at post #225:
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/vaterra-ascender/538944-natedogs-vaterra-ascender-12.html

I'll get more... so far progressing as a carbon copy of my first Ascender...I like it...I like it a lot. So much that I bought a second one. Wanna buy my freshly rebuilt SCX10 slider? :lmao:"thumbsup"

This truck is so capable, stable, and predictable how I have it setup. "thumbsup"

 

[norcallump]

I am a body wore aren't I?... looking for another set of ascended axles...

 

[Natedog]

Yes you are...buy Ascender kit and part out or keep spares of what you don't need. What you building now?

 

[norcallump]

Wraith chassis; ascender axles. Full 4-link. Keep it low. Drag the belly. This will be my rock rig. Pit bull growlers. Ci 2-stage foams. Holmes puller on 3s.

 

[Natedog]

Thanks lol.

 

[bill c]

Thank nate.... just thanks. we were out crawling Saturday nate gives me his remote for his vaterra!!!!!! well im a 2.2 guy not really into the 1.9 thing.. well damn I had a blast with it.. so now I have to get one and start the build.....Thanks nate...

 

[Bananaclip]

1.9 is the way to go bill:mrgreen: Nate's build has been very influential for many. I think Vaterra should consider a sponsorship or at least a free rig"thumbsup"

 

[new2rocks]

1.9 is the way to go bill:mrgreen: Nate's build has been very influential for many. I think Vaterra should consider a sponsorship or at least a free rig"thumbsup"

He's already on the payroll on the sly. :twisted:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Natedog]

Bill, it was good to crawl with y'all again and you're welcome. I can't wait to see your build!

Bananaclip, thanks for the kind words I enjoy helping others and don't expect anything in return. Just like Bill and Chuck helped the kid with batteries and charger yesterday, good job guys. "thumbsup"

It's always fun to see how others achieve similar results. After researching the ascender, I bought one and believe it's one of the best crawlers available, it's good to see it succeed. Mine pulls some incredible lines and is super stable.

 

[slow1500]

Man, seeing all these good posts on the ascender is killing me because I have so many parts yet to come in and hardly any time to build it.

Actually my wife won't be home to 9:30 or so some nights this week. That gives me about 4 or 5 hours of build time lol

 

[Natedog]

I hate waiting too. Good time to read, research builds, watch crawling vids and plan.

Nice evening build time.

 

[Natedog]

Santa brought some parts for the Ascender, VTR334024 One Piece Lower Link 90MM, the heavy duty machined aluminum lower links for rear of Blazer to match the front!




Full set of Vaterra machined aluminum HD lowers installed and tested.




The Chevy emblem sticker was looking little ragged by now and I wanted to personalize it a little more anyways. Scraped the chrome off with X-Acto knife, Testor's red paint pen and voila!






Steering servo in new Ascender2 got immediate replacement of output shaft bushing with an AvidRC bearing and little extra grease. Note the original busing next to new bearings.

 

[Natedog]

Super stable with rear swaybar and CI DW foams.

 

[Itali83]

Awesome pics! I just did a close inspection of my spektrum servo and the housing cracked around the output bushing. Both directions to almost the edge of the cover one way and to the idler gear shaft bore the other way. That's why I had so much output shaft play. Not sure when or how it happened. I know you are testing stock parts until failure but putting a high torque servo in with a bec is amazing! I know you have others and know the difference. But since I'm a noob it really blew me away how much more fun it is to have the steering do what you want it to and when.

My sway bar will hopefully be in in a day or two and can't wait to try it out. Figures, we haven't had snow yet and just got 4" and it's still snowing so testing on my dirt piles is out for a long time :evil:

 

[svt923]

The HD links look really good on the truck. I could never tell how they would look installed from Vaterra's pics.

So what are the future plans for everyone's favorite Ascender? You can't have 2 trucks that are the exact same. "thumbsup"

My sway bar will hopefully be in in a day or two and can't wait to try it out. Figures, we haven't had snow yet and just got 4" and it's still snowing so testing on my dirt piles is out for a long time :evil:

I feel your pain, its been raining and in the 70s here for like a week. :mrgreen:

 

[Natedog]

Awesome pics! I just did a close inspection of my spektrum servo and the housing cracked around the output bushing. Both directions to almost the edge of the cover one way and to the idler gear shaft bore the other way. That's why I had so much output shaft play. Not sure when or how it happened. I know you are testing stock parts until failure but putting a high torque servo in with a bec is amazing! I know you have others and know the difference. But since I'm a noob it really blew me away how much more fun it is to have the steering do what you want it to and when.

My sway bar will hopefully be in in a day or two and can't wait to try it out. Figures, we haven't had snow yet and just got 4" and it's still snowing so testing on my dirt piles is out for a long time :evil:

Thanks! Bummer about your servo, I'll have to watch my servos for the crack right down the middle lol. First one made loud snapping as I pressed it all together, but seemed ok and I had carefully seated the bearing when I installed it...didn't want to open it and look again. Second one went together nice and quiet. "thumbsup"

The RTR servo case is kinda hard thin plastic.

Yes, having a great steering servo with BEC is the chit. "thumbsup" Plus you can use it to wiggle yourself sideways out of a jam, it is a little harder on steering components though, but the trade off is worth it.

The HD links look really good on the truck. I could never tell how they would look installed from Vaterra's pics.

So what are the future plans for everyone's favorite Ascender? You can't have 2 trucks that are the exact same. "thumbsup"



I feel your pain, its been raining and in the 70s here for like a week. :mrgreen:

Thanks, yes the Vaterra HD links are nice pieces, beefy and the recessed ends help support the plastic ends. "thumbsup"

For now 2 trucks that are the same, serving as backup crawler, loaner, etc. Later, some swapping of more parts.


Send some of that rain to California please!

 

[norcallump]

What's shaking Natedog... nothing new here. Holding off on the wraith project for now. Going to put much needed time in the ascender. Knuckle weights, new wheels possibly...

 

[Natedog]

Same stuff, working on number 2 and planning few more projects. Did you get the swaybar installed on your Ascender yet? Pics, how's it working? Oooh those Vaterra knukcle weight disk brake rotors are sweet! Do it. What wheels?

 

[norcallump]

Don't know yet (wheels). Also going to order the tube for the axles as well. Trying to make the ascended a "triple threat"... class 1,2, &3.

 

[Natedog]

What wheels are you considering? Nice, every little bit helps. Can't wait to see what you do for class 1.