Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER

[Natedog]

Thanks, glad to help and congratulations on your new Ascender. Please start a thread in the Ascender section when you have time.

I thought about using small bushings on the swaybar, but they would be very small and thin walled, might not last long. It's simpler without them and I tried it without and the small amount of play between the bar and Traxxas ball ends has not been a problem. The swaybar makes a huge positive improvement in the crawling ability and gets rid of the TT.

 

[CODYBOY]

Hey Nate, I might be a little prejudice, but the sliders are looking pretty good on your truck!"thumbsup"
Ernie,

 

[easyover]

Nice sliders, lookin' good!

 

[Natedog]

Hey Ernie, I have to agree with you, they turned out perfect !

Easyover, thanks!

 

[ReefmanRC]

nice truck and nice photos, great location to crawl too, looks like alot of fun.. i enjoyed the thread thx

 

[963567]

Sensei (I hope you don't mind this kind of my respectful treatment to you), what do you think about JC Design RULRs?


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[Natedog]

No problem, I haven't tried those yet, but really like the idea. Ben (Itali83) has some rear upper link riser mounts today from rc addicts he just installed on his Blazer:
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/vaterra-ascender/548229-my-baby-blazer-6.html

 

[Itali83]

Thanks Nate. I looked up the JC design ones and the rc addicts ones look much beefier. I can say that they fit nicely, came with the new screws that were needed. Not sure if they really help like claimed, I did it just for the pinion angle change which they definitly do help that, but it sure doesn't hurt the climbing ability. Check out the video I posted yesterday. The ascender sure does ascend!
Ben

 

[Natedog]

You're welcome Ben, yes the RC Addicts ones you installed looked beefier to me too. Nice vid of your climb too!

 

[Levesque87]

you need to get some mud or a rash on them. Looks like a mall crawler.

 

[Bananaclip]

Sliders turned out great!

 

[963567]

No problem, I haven't tried those yet, but really like the idea. Ben (Itali83) has some rear upper link riser mounts today from rc addicts he just installed on his Blazer:
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/vaterra-ascender/548229-my-baby-blazer-6.html

Actually I have some doubts in choosing this upgrade. JCAD has video and climbing improvement is clear in it.
In Itali83's video the rig has some troubles imo. Different surfaces?

What is your opinion?

 

[Itali83]

Actually I have some doubts in choosing this upgrade. JCAD has video and climbing improvement is clear in it.
In Itali83's video the rig has some troubles imo. Different surfaces?

What is your opinion?

I'm not going to hijack Nate's post here but the rulr's from each company do the same thing. The geometry is very close if not exactly the same. Just the construction is different. The rc addict ones are much beefier and use two bolts to mount it to the frames to keep them from twisting under stress. They have more material around the link mount which is good because both need to be trimmed if running a 2 speed and I like how much material is left after making a notch on the rc addict ones.

As for the videos I stated in my video that I had just run over some wet sand and had some still on the tires. The rock had some very smooth sections to it. Not a consistent surface and grade like the plywood test in the other video. I can say that the rulr's did not hurt my climbing at all. I never did a test before and after on the same exact climb for any real results. I only did the mod for the pinion angle change.
Ben

 

[Natedog]

you need to get some mud or a rash on them. Looks like a mall crawler.

I have many projects going at once, they will be dirty and scratched soon enough. "thumbsup"

Sliders turned out great!

Thanks! "thumbsup"

Actually I have some doubts in choosing this upgrade. ...the rig has some troubles imo. Different surfaces?

What is your opinion?

Different surfaces and different weather. The only way to do a properly scientific test would be to run them back to back, same day, same climb, within minutes of each other. Any moisture, sand, or dirt on the rocks makes the climb more difficult. Early morning and late in the day the rocks are colder and offer less traction too, I've made hard lines midday in full sun and then have been unable to make the same climb in the evening when the sun was off the rocks and they were cooling. Tires become less sticky in cold or damp weather. "thumbsup"

...the rulr's from each company do the same thing. The geometry is very close if not exactly the same. Just the construction is different. The rc addict ones are much beefier and use two bolts to mount it to the frames to keep them from twisting under stress. They have more material around the link mount which is good because both need to be trimmed if running a 2 speed and I like how much material is left after making a notch on the rc addict ones.

As for the videos I stated in my video that I had just run over some wet sand and had some still on the tires. The rock had some very smooth sections to it. Not a consistent surface and grade like the plywood test in the other video. I can say that the rulr's did not hurt my climbing at all. I never did a test before and after on the same exact climb for any real results. I only did the mod for the pinion angle change.
Ben

Not a hijack at all, I appreciate the input. Agreed on your statement. "thumbsup"

 

[fyrstormer]

Looks like a nice capable truck. I was looking at the Bronco at my LHS a couple weeks ago; I swear it looks 10x better in-person, which is to say it doesn't look awful like the Vaterra product photos suggest. I almost bought one...but then I saw it only has room for a shorty battery, and that was a dealbreaker. I have one size of battery that I use in all my vehicles and I like it that way; it keeps maintenance costs down.

 

[Natedog]

Thanks, yes it's very capable especially with a few cheap and easy mods. Bronco looks good, but even better in person. Shorty packs are not a problem and with lipo prices so cheap, it shouldn't be a problem. I don't know what size battery you use, but I see way too many crawlers with 5000mah batteries strapped on and they don't crawl that well, especially on a sidehill. Here's some affordable and good quality lipo hardcase shorty packs, softcase and 3s, 4s also fit, as usual measure carefully and check the battery dimensions. Try an Ascender, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

SMC Batteries $32.95 and up for 4400mah 2s:
http://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/category&path=67_91

Hobbyking for Turnigy, Zippy, Rhino (I've found the Turnigy seem better than the other two brands):
Radio Control Planes, Drones, Cars, FPV, Quadcopters and more - Hobbyking 

Gens Ace and Sky lipos:
HobbyPartz.com - Lowest Price for Arduino/RC Hobby Parts, Digital Servos, Brushless Motors, ESC, LiPo Batteries/Chargers for RC Helicopters, RC Planes, RC Cars, Robots, RC Toys, 3D Printers

 

[Biomedchad]

You can mod the tray. I've done it and run 3s 2200. I show how I did it in my YouTube videos.

 

[Natedog]

Yes, good info, the tray can be modded several different ways. 8) "thumbsup"

 

[963567]

Sensei, need your advise about GCM rear axle truss. On rcaddict.com product's description page it's said 'Vaterra Ascender trucks are designed from the factory to use equal length links, but unfortunately that doesn't allow good rear suspension geometry.' But it seems that front links are 110 mm and rear ones are 120 or smth. Would you advise me to use this truss considering the fact that I've already ordered rear link relocation tabs (they suggest to fix pinion angle using spacers after axle truss mounting)?


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[rockhugger]

Sensei, need your advise about GCM rear axle truss. On rcaddict.com product's description page it's said 'Vaterra Ascender trucks are designed from the factory to use equal length links, but unfortunately that doesn't allow good rear suspension geometry.' But it seems that front links are 110 mm and rear ones are 120 or smth. Would you advise me to use this truss considering the fact that I've already ordered rear link relocation tabs (they suggest to fix pinion angle using spacers after axle truss mounting)?


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The link length should be fine. The relocation tabs just raise the upper links up at the chassis to improve anti squat, and pinion angle (think parallelogram). I've not heard that the gcm axle truss moves the links from stock location at the axle, so put it all together and see how it works, make adjustments as necessary..