Natedog's Vaterra ASCENDER

[Natedog]

Drilled some extra holes, cut the Double-DZ-RCS RULRs in half to fit with Vaterra aluminum battery tray pivots, all sandwhiched togeterh with thhe Codyboy sliders!

Dear Photobucket, thanks for the upside down pics lol.

 

[Chris81]

Need a little flat diamond plate step on top of those!

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[fyrstormer]

Edit: Even though I'm paying for it, why is Photobucket such a buggy piece of crap some days? Dam pics won't show as properly rotated in the links I posted here.

They are properly rotated for me. Most likely your browser is displaying a cached copy of the original non-rotated image. Hit Shift+F8 to force a reload of all content on the page.

 

[M J]

Looking good!

 

[Natedog]

Need a little flat diamond plate step on top of those!

That would be scale sweetness, have to remember to check at LHS next time for some. "thumbsup"

They are properly rotated for me. Most likely your browser is displaying a cached copy of the original non-rotated image. Hit Shift+F8 to force a reload of all content on the page.

That should take you straight to safe mode during boot, I deleted all my browser cache and fixed. "thumbsup"

Looking good!

Thanks! "thumbsup"

 

[doubler]

Nate your threads are so enjoyable to view. Very informative and well thought out. If your not sponsored by Vattera I think you need to be. You are very influential and have been responsible for many vattera sales! Good honest opinions are appreciated by all. Thanks for being you buddy"thumbsup"

 

[Natedog]

Thanks buddy, always try to help others and pass it forward.

Happy New Years everyone!

 

[youngDUMP]

Looks awesome. Love the stainless sliders. I have a couple of questions.. First, how much reduction in articulation did you see after installing the sway bar? In the 1:1s we disconnect to wheel because of limitations, I'm curious how it effects these scale rigs. Reason I ask is I feel I need to address this TT.

Second, how are the vaterra lower links? do they offer more frame clearance in full compression? My rear lowers contact the frame at full compression, which isn't necessarily bad as it stops flexing with about .5mm between the rear upper links and the stock esc mount. Just curious if the angle in the links eliminates that contact.

Thanks,
Logan

 

[Natedog]

Hey Logan,

Thanks, Ernie did a great job on the sliders! Swaybar did reduce rear flex, there are pics of the different swaybars that I used. That is why I made my own thinner bars to gain back a bit of the flex. On my 1:1 Toyota I also ditched the swaybar, but they can be useful sometimes even off-road.

Vaterra lower links are very nice, heavy duty (add a little weight down low), ends are recessed to capture and support the plastic ball ends very nicely. I did have to twist the fronts inboard at the tops a bit so that they just barely touch the inside lower frame rails at max compression travel. Both my Ascenders bottom the shocks about the same time as the front lower links touch the frame, if they touched more I'd just touch up the spot on the links with my Dremel sanding drum. The rears have been excellent too and do not touch the frame at all and have not needed to be twisted inboard at all.

Thanks,
Nate

 

[Itali83]

Have you been wheeling the old blazer at all lately? I miss the great pictures you take. Done anything to the blazer or I 10 at all? I know they're set up awesome and just work. I haven't touched mine much. Been a cold and snowy winter this year so mine has been staying warm in the basement.
Ben

 

[youngDUMP]

Thanks Nate. I think I'll try one in the near future. This TT is getting at me. Not an issue crawling, but when I get frustrated and wanna sling for a minute it becomes a problem. I like the look of the links, the low down weight you pointed out is an added plus. I've got several other things ahead of them on my list though. Good to hear real talk on them instead of speculation.

I'm sure I've seen your 1:1 on here. I've been digging so deep lately I can't remember. Is it the red single cab 3rd gen?


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[Natedog]

Hey Ben, I need to crawl more but it's been a very rainy winter so not as much crawling as I'd like. Thanks, more great pics soon. ;-) I've been playing with Blazer setup a little, but still mostly how it was dialed in. I hear ya on this winter, seems colder and wetter, but we really need the water after 5-6 years of west coast drought. My garage is well setup, but a basement would be nice.

Logan, You're welcome. Rear swaybar, outboard shocks and/or rear upper link risers will all help and you may not need a swaybar after playing with the others. The lower links are heavy duty for sure, always try to help.

There's a pic or two somewhere, 1981 Toyota shortbed, desert tan, then Cat Yellow and back to desert tan (but Krylon flat). See if I can find a pic.

 

[Natedog]

RCC Userid TODBLDZ now has Double-DZ-RCS RULRs in stock, pm him to purchase! "thumbsup"

Found a pic in my Honcho thread, here's my old Yoter on the Rubicon Trail with 36" TSLSXs and my home-made bed. Seeing your new Toyota hardbody Ascender build and your 1:1 makes me miss my old trusty truck, tons of fun!

 

[youngDUMP]

Ah yes! Killer rig man. Mines an 83 long bed #firstgenfam
wish I had rocks like that in Mississippi. I'm currently getting spoiled being in Kentucky for work. Lots of parks around with good crawling. Most recent trip was to Adventure off-road park. Will be heading back there in a few weeks.


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[Natedog]

Thanks, ah yes the first square headlights, great year too.

Yes, we are spoiled with great rocks, but most of the good crawl spots are under water and it's been cold and raining a lot more this winter, still places to crawl and trail, just not as good.

Since it's mostly cold, dark and raining heavily, might as well ride. The river was down from it's high couple weeks ago, but still way above average and flooding back into the mountain and roadbike trails in the greenbelt, time for some SS rigid zen. I had to retrace my route and hike a bike through grass, brush and under around many large fallen trees many times due to flooding.




Yes, that's the trail through about 6' of water and up to the left lol.



American River flowing!



Roadbike couple days ago, river was up, back down and had been about 5' deeper on last Saturday (rode Sunday instead of Saturday) Yes, those are a pair of Mallard ducks swimming on the paved roadbike trail way back there. What's a guy to do? Shoot, MTB trail with skinny road slicks, think I need a Cross bike! Road it all, except two spots where it had steep sudden up hill, would've spun out at best lol. Yes, that's sunshine on my face, actually started getting little too sweaty on the MTB trail dressed for higher road speeds. I shaved a little too, just for you guys.








Pedestrian/bicycle bridge, last Saturday it was so deep (about 5' deeper) as to barely make a ripple on the surface above this lol.




Ride reward, garlic marianted pork chops with sliced assorted baby potatoes!

 

[Natedog]

Nikki helping.




Getting my K10 lights and rocklights all wired up, relocating ESC lower and still waiting on some parts! Suspension is re-adjusted and set for MRB Fire and Ice in Reno, supposed to rain but snow would prolly be better? :ror: :mrgreen:
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/competitions/576952-team-mrb-fire-ice-4-lost-trails.html




Repaired and reinforced the handle of my Hi-Lift jack front body mount pin. Touched up the paint and goobed some extra around the body clips to keep them more stationary to ease installation.

 

[Yeti.stealth]

Stay safe Natedog, hope your not near the big dam that is on the news!

 

[Natedog]

Thanks bud, we are southeast of it by a decent amount so should be ok. If it breaks it will disrupt California's entire lifestyle for months, several entire towns will be gone, roads under water and/or completely washed away hundreds of thousands of people dead and/or without homes and jobs. Hope it holds, but the State should have beefed this up years ago, we've got many other dams that may be in similar state, not to mention the levees that might be compromised by the wall of water. Our highways and surface roads are pot-holed and crumbling too, nothing like when I grew up.

 

[youngDUMP]

Yep. First year with the square lights, but the PO swapped in round headlights and a 1980 grill. Sending prayers y'all's way. Hoping everything holds out.

That yellow chevy just looks great though.


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[CODYBOY]

Thanks, ah yes the first square headlights, great year too.

Yes, we are spoiled with great rocks, but most of the good crawl spots are under water and it's been cold and raining a lot more this winter, still places to crawl and trail, just not as good.

Since it's mostly cold, dark and raining heavily, might as well ride. The river was down from it's high couple weeks ago, but still way above average and flooding back into the mountain and roadbike trails in the greenbelt, time for some SS rigid zen. I had to retrace my route and hike a bike through grass, brush and under around many large fallen trees many times due to flooding.




Yes, that's the trail through about 6' of water and up to the left lol.



American River flowing!



Roadbike couple days ago, river was up, back down and had been about 5' deeper on last Saturday (rode Sunday instead of Saturday) Yes, those are a pair of Mallard ducks swimming on the paved roadbike trail way back there. What's a guy to do? Shoot, MTB trail with skinny road slicks, think I need a Cross bike! Road it all, except two spots where it had steep sudden up hill, would've spun out at best lol. Yes, that's sunshine on my face, actually started getting little too sweaty on the MTB trail dressed for higher road speeds. I shaved a little too, just for you guys.








Pedestrian/bicycle bridge, last Saturday it was so deep (about 5' deeper) as to barely make a ripple on the surface above this lol.




Ride reward, garlic marianted pork chops with sliced assorted baby potatoes!

Thim is just to good to you!!!!;-) Tell her hi for us, and you guys be safe.
Ernie