A monster truck traditionally comprises of a pickup truck that has been completely modified from its factory version and outfitted with larger tires as well as a bigger suspension. Although there are people who still drive modified pickup trucks, there has been an increased uptake of themed vehicles and SUVs (sports utility vehicles). Unlike in the past where metal was the common material, most bodies are today made using fiberglass.
When it comes to their weight, a monster truck is required to have a minimum weight of 10,000 pounds. There are, however, a few that have a total weight of 12,500 pounds. Weight is an important factor in monster trucks as it plays a direct role on the total strength that can be injected into its engine and body frame short of compromising its maneuverability and swiftness.
Engines
The engine of a monster truck is normally methanol-injected, supercharged, and built according to custom specifications. Its sheer size alone means that the engine easily consumes two and a half gallons of gas with each complete run.
Its motor size is often limited to five hundred and seventy-five cubic displacement feet. For monster trucks taking part in professional or competitive shows, you will find that the team behind it will normally burn up to five engines in a span of twelve months. An average monster truck will cost around $250,000 while a single engine will cost you $50,000.
Tires
It is not possible to discuss monster trucks without mentioning their really big tires. All monster trucks are required to run the same set of tires. The tires should be sixty-six inches tall and forty-three inches wide. Each tire ought to run between eight and ten lbs of pressure. This means that the tire will weigh between eight hundred and nine hundred lbs.
All tires used by the competitive or professional monster trucks are custom-made by BKT, Firestone, and Goodyear. BKT also happens to be the official tire supplier of many monster truck competitions, e.g., Monster Jam. The company also manufactures tires for use by agriculture machines as well as large farm tractors.
It takes an average of fifty hours to cut each tire to be used on a truck. Each tire costs an average of $2,600.
Axles
The axles in use by modern-day monster trucks are a custom build and tend to be very solid. The axles should be able to withstand the impact that can be dished out by the monster truck, its tremendous torque, as well as its horsepower.
In past years, monster truck designers relied on cast steel military grade axles. The problem with this set of axles is that they not only broke down more often, but they also happened to be very heavy thereby compromising their speed and swiftness.
Each truck comes with two lockers: front and rear. The purpose of these lockers is to make sure that the differential is always engaged. They also serve to provide equal power to all the wheels in the truck. Provision of equal power is essential as it makes sure that even when all the other wheels are in the air and only one wheel is touching the ground, the driver is still able to accelerate without encountering any issues.
Body
As mentioned earlier, the body of the average monster truck is constructed using fiberglass and not metal as many enthusiasts seem to believe. Its body is also custom designed depending on the theme that the team or truck owners want to go with for that particular truck.
Once the design is complete, the fiberglass is molded on to the frame. A body will on average cost around $15,000. If you are looking for a remake, this will cost around $8,000.
Shocks
Many trucks are today using nitrogen gas shocks in their runs. There are those that use a single shock for each tire, while others choose to use two shocks per tire. Each shock package comes complete with a spring and coil-over-shock kit.
In many cases, the nitrogen gas shocks are installed in each and every corner of the monster truck. When combined, the shocks provide twenty-eight inches of travel. You can also easily adjust their firmness based on the train as well as the firmness of the track being used for the runs.
In the early days (early and mid-90’s), leaf springs were used on the trucks. The downside to this is that these springs were only able to provide between four and six inches of travel. This is in addition to breaking every so often.
It is, therefore, noteworthy to mention that the nitrogen shocks are considered to be a major improvement. These are shocks that make it possible for the truck to jump high and as far as possible. And after all, this is what the audience in the competition stands paid to see.
Paint Job
All trucks have to be painted in order to hide the rough fiberglass that makes up its body frame. Truck owners can choose to use vinyl wrapped stickers or opt for a professional paint job. Airbrushing is the recommended choice for those that want to paint their trucks.
Often, you will note that the trucks will need to be repainted after each and every show. For this to occur, the body must be removed from the truck, airbrushed and then replaced back on the frame.
Wheels
The safety of the spectators, as well as that of the drivers, is always given priority when the trucks are being designed. Each truck comes with a number of safety measures which guarantees that even if any part breaks down, it will remain close to the truck and will not be thrown in the spectator stands.
A good example of such a safety measure is the installation of a braided steel cable. The cable is used to ensure that each and every wheel is securely attached to its axle. The purpose of this particular safety measure is to make sure that in case the wheel spindle breaks down, the affected wheel will not be thrown off, but will instead remain tied to the side of the truck.
Driveshaft
Another important safety measure that easily stands out in each truck is the presence of a shielded driveshaft. Each shaft, both in the rear and front of the truck must be caged in using bars and steel rings.
The purpose of this cage is to make sure that the shaft will not spin off from the vehicle once it breaks down. The truck’s brakes can be found at each shaft. This means that the truck does not have lots of mechanical gear or lines running across each tire.
Instrument Panel and Transmission
All instruments panels are quite similar in that they feature the standard indicators for voltage, temperature, as well as oil pressure. Two handles that can be used to promptly cut power and fuel are also supplied.
Transmission is pretty basic. They comprise of automatic Powerglide transmissions with two gears. Here, the first gear is used to get the car moving before immediately shifting into the second gear as the RPMs begin to increase.
Fire Extinguishers
Given the size, torque, and horsepower carried by each engine, it is not uncommon to find trucks catching fire when on a run. As such, the trucks need to have a set of onboard extinguishers located close to its engine.
It is yet another safety feature which helps the driver put off any flames that may startup when they are on a run. Apart from the two extinguishers located close to the engine, there is another onboard extinguisher that is within the driver’s reach.
Conclusion
Based on all the features that have been described above, it is quite easy to see why all monster trucks are heavy and also why they cost a fortune to build from the ground up.
