So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that showed
a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing 'cause I
wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are the "Big
Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or 5 feet or
thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top. Jacques Lazier
snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit this afternoon, so
I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how those guys avoid
breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when they're trying to
crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a jump. It seems like
those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a half a ton or more of
unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to moving that something's gotta
give...

Anybody know?

Scotty
'99 TJ Sahara 4.0L I-6
'99 XJ Sport 4.0L I-6
'03 BMW Z4

*** This reply requires 4 size "AA" batteries (not included) ***

 

On 30 May 2004 22:42:02 GMT, gotcherpicher@aol.common (Scotty) wrote:

>So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that showed
>a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing 'cause I
>wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are the "Big
>Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or 5 feet or
>thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top. Jacques Lazier
>snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit this afternoon, so
>I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how those guys avoid
>breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when they're trying to
>crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a jump. It seems like
>those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a half a ton or more of
>unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to moving that something's gotta
>give...
>
>Anybody know?

Heavy duty torque converter? :-)

--

Less drivel, more Dremel.
Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite,
and furthermore always carry a small snake.
- W.C. Fields

 

On 30 May 2004 22:42:02 GMT, gotcherpicher@aol.common (Scotty) wrote:

>So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that showed
>a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing 'cause I
>wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are the "Big
>Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or 5 feet or
>thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top. Jacques Lazier
>snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit this afternoon, so
>I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how those guys avoid
>breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when they're trying to
>crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a jump. It seems like
>those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a half a ton or more of
>unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to moving that something's gotta
>give...
>
>Anybody know?

Heavy duty torque converter? :-)

--

Less drivel, more Dremel.
Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite,
and furthermore always carry a small snake.
- W.C. Fields

 

On 30 May 2004 22:42:02 GMT, gotcherpicher@aol.common (Scotty) wrote:

>So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that showed
>a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing 'cause I
>wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are the "Big
>Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or 5 feet or
>thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top. Jacques Lazier
>snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit this afternoon, so
>I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how those guys avoid
>breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when they're trying to
>crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a jump. It seems like
>those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a half a ton or more of
>unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to moving that something's gotta
>give...
>
>Anybody know?

Heavy duty torque converter? :-)

--

Less drivel, more Dremel.
Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite,
and furthermore always carry a small snake.
- W.C. Fields

 

On 30 May 2004 22:42:02 GMT, gotcherpicher@aol.common (Scotty) wrote:

>So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that showed
>a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing 'cause I
>wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are the "Big
>Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or 5 feet or
>thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top. Jacques Lazier
>snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit this afternoon, so
>I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how those guys avoid
>breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when they're trying to
>crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a jump. It seems like
>those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a half a ton or more of
>unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to moving that something's gotta
>give...
>
>Anybody know?

Heavy duty torque converter? :-)

--

Less drivel, more Dremel.
Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite,
and furthermore always carry a small snake.
- W.C. Fields

 

Scotty did pass the time by typing:
> So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that
> showed a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing
> 'cause I wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are
> the "Big Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or
> 5 feet or thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top.
> Jacques Lazier snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit
> this afternoon,

Puny little axle, bad-*** engine. :)

> so I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how
> those guys avoid breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when
> they're trying to crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a
> jump. It seems like those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a
> half a ton or more of unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to
> moving that something's gotta give...
>
> Anybody know?

The parts those monster 4x4s use are purpose built. That little pickup
you see isn't anything more than a collection of fiberglass and steel
body panels bolted to a tubular frame.
http://www.bigfoot4x4.com/bf_home.html

<http://www.truckworld.com/Monster-Trucks/Monster-Tech/tech-5/monster-tech.html>

--
DougW

 

Scotty did pass the time by typing:
> So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that
> showed a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing
> 'cause I wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are
> the "Big Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or
> 5 feet or thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top.
> Jacques Lazier snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit
> this afternoon,

Puny little axle, bad-*** engine. :)

> so I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how
> those guys avoid breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when
> they're trying to crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a
> jump. It seems like those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a
> half a ton or more of unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to
> moving that something's gotta give...
>
> Anybody know?

The parts those monster 4x4s use are purpose built. That little pickup
you see isn't anything more than a collection of fiberglass and steel
body panels bolted to a tubular frame.
http://www.bigfoot4x4.com/bf_home.html

<http://www.truckworld.com/Monster-Trucks/Monster-Tech/tech-5/monster-tech.html>

--
DougW

 

Scotty did pass the time by typing:
> So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that
> showed a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing
> 'cause I wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are
> the "Big Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or
> 5 feet or thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top.
> Jacques Lazier snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit
> this afternoon,

Puny little axle, bad-*** engine. :)

> so I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how
> those guys avoid breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when
> they're trying to crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a
> jump. It seems like those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a
> half a ton or more of unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to
> moving that something's gotta give...
>
> Anybody know?

The parts those monster 4x4s use are purpose built. That little pickup
you see isn't anything more than a collection of fiberglass and steel
body panels bolted to a tubular frame.
http://www.bigfoot4x4.com/bf_home.html

<http://www.truckworld.com/Monster-Trucks/Monster-Tech/tech-5/monster-tech.html>

--
DougW

 

Scotty did pass the time by typing:
> So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that
> showed a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing
> 'cause I wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about are
> the "Big Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are maybe 4 or
> 5 feet or thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup perched on top.
> Jacques Lazier snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car away from the pit
> this afternoon,

Puny little axle, bad-*** engine. :)

> so I started wondering about the monster trucks. I wonder how
> those guys avoid breaking axles just trying to get rolling, particularly when
> they're trying to crawl over a pile of junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a
> jump. It seems like those 4 huge wheels must collectively weigh around a
> half a ton or more of unsprung dead weight and would be so resistive to
> moving that something's gotta give...
>
> Anybody know?

The parts those monster 4x4s use are purpose built. That little pickup
you see isn't anything more than a collection of fiberglass and steel
body panels bolted to a tubular frame.
http://www.bigfoot4x4.com/bf_home.html

<http://www.truckworld.com/Monster-Trucks/Monster-Tech/tech-5/monster-tech.html>

--
DougW

 

Back in the early 1980s I was told that they used payloader axles, but it
looks like I was misinformed. Here's one history of monster truck axle
use:

TRUCKWORLD ONLINE! .
<URL:http://www.truckworld.com/Monster-Trucks/Monster-Tech/tech-4/monster-tech1.html>


On Sun, 30 May 2004, Scotty wrote:

> So while watching the Indy 500 this afternoon, a commercial came on that
> showed a monster truck bouncing around... I don't know what it was doing
> 'cause I wasn't paying that much attention. The trucks I'm talking about
> are the "Big Foot" types -- you know, the ones with the tires that are
> maybe 4 or 5 feet or thereabouts in diameter with a little pickup
> perched on top. Jacques Lazier snapped an axle just pulling his Indy car
> away from the pit this afternoon, so I started wondering about the
> monster trucks. I wonder how those guys avoid breaking axles just trying
> to get rolling, particularly when they're trying to crawl over a pile of
> junk cars or climbing a ramp to do a jump. It seems like those 4 huge
> wheels must collectively weigh around a half a ton or more of unsprung
> dead weight and would be so resistive to moving that something's gotta
> give...
>
> Anybody know?
>
> Scotty
> '99 TJ Sahara 4.0L I-6
> '99 XJ Sport 4.0L I-6
> '03 BMW Z4
>
> *** This reply requires 4 size "AA" batteries (not included) ***
>
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