Q. What is a Monster Truck?
A. For the purposes of this FAQ we'll call a Monster Truck a highly modified
four wheel drive vehicle. The most distinguishing characteristic is the
extreme oversize tires.
Most monster trucks are speed and handling enhanced in order to race
similar trucks over obstacle courses usually set up with cars to run over
(crush), dirt ramps to jump, possibly a little water puddle, and a drag
racing style timing system.
Q. What is the MTRA?
A. The MTRA or Monster Truck Racing Association is the organization of
Monster Truck owners, drivers, sponsors, promoters, officials and Fans.
This group exists to promote the sport and to provide safety guidelines
for conducting events.
MTRA/Donna Purcell
Secretary/Treasurer
PO Box 2401
Florissant, MO. 63032
Q. Isn't there a second class of trucks now?
A. Well there was a class called Pro-Stock Class, a smaller tire class:
Sam Marino debuted the Raptor and the Pro Stock monster truck class in
June 1997 at the Truck Fest in Charlotte, N. C. Featuring 48" tires
in place of the more familiar 66" tires, the class was developed to allow
more participant growth in the sport.
(Info courtesy Andrew Palochko. Monster Zone)
Q. Why would someone build a Monster Truck?
A. It's a business! Maybe the owner/driver started to build a truck because
the sport seems exciting. Or maybe they own a 4 wheel drive or
performance shop and realize the advertising potential. The costs
involved are just too high for most individuals without a sponsor or a
business purpose.
Q. How many Monster Trucks are there?
A. There are currently 14 trucks in the BIGFOOT fleet alone. You can see a
list of these trucks along with their specifications in the Team BIGFOOT
Section of the Bigfoot home page:
Bigfoot4x4.com
Around the world there are over 500 monster trucks, only 100 or so of
which are full blown racing trucks. Others are exhibition, car crushers,
ride trucks, or promotions vehicles. This includes the majority in the
US. There are several in Canada, England, Australia, and New Zealand.
Q. How big are those tires?
A. 66 inches tall by 43 inches wide with about 10 psi of air. They weigh
about 900 lbs. with rims and (sometimes) tubes. Most of these tires are
run tubeless unless a puncture or other problems forces a tube to be
installed.
Q. Where does BIGFOOT get their tires?
A. These tires are often used on fertilizer spreaders and are called
flotation tires because they spread the vehicle's weight across a wider
surface. Some Monster Trucks have floated on water with these large tires
on. There is a used market for these tires, too.
Firestone and Goodyear both manufacture 66X43X25 Flotation Tires.
Q. About those tires, I noticed some have the treads cut! How do they cut
those treads?
A. Most of the crews have found a `Ginsu' knife blade mounted in a `Sawzall'
cuts the fastest and easiest. It's still a lot of hard, drirty work!
Q. How big are those engines?
A. The engine in a MTRA certified truck must be no larger than 575 cubic
inches! This refers to the bore or barrel size x the stroke or travel
length!
The actual engine displacement calculation formula is:
Bore in inches (Cylinder Diameter)
Bore Again
X Stroke in inches
--------
result
X 0.7854 (Factor to account for the cylindrical shape)
--------
result
X number of cylinders
--------
result Engine displacement in cubic Inches
We Prevent! Take a Bite Outta Crime!
Q. Can someone please explain planetaries and why they are so important?
A. The planetaries are the wheel hubs of most monster trucks! A Planetary
drive will have a input shaft entering one side with a gear (called a
sun gear) on the `inside the hub' end. Three stationary `planet' gears
will engage this `sun' gear and inturn engage a ring gear fastened to the
outside case that transfers the shaft torque through the planet gears and
on to the ring gear. The ring gear is fastened to the hub and the hub mounts
the wheel and tire.
Monster truck Planetaries provide a bigger bearing surface and much more
`meat' (metal mass) than a standard hub and bearing like a school bus rear
axle would have. There is also a gear reduction since the planet gears,
the sun gear and the outer ring can be different sizes (well, effective size
on the outer ring gear).
On a monster truck, the planetary also incorporates the steering knuckle
and Universal joint that allows the wheels to turn and steer the vehicle.
Planetary gear data
Q. How fast can a Monster Truck go?
A. BIGFOOT has been driven at over 80 miles per hour. On the quickest
courses, drivers usually can get the truck up to 65-70 mph in a 300-foot
span. Typically indoors, drivers max out at 25-30 mph.
Q. How heavy are most Monster Trucks?
A. Somewhere in the range of 10,000 lbs. For Racing, the bare minimum is
10,000 lbs, and most trucks will come across the scales at just about
that weight.
Older trucks from the early 80's weighed nearly 20,000 lbs. and added
weight simply because they would look better crushing cars. However as
time evolved and monster truck racing was introduced, most started using
aluminum to replace steel, tubular chassis and fiberglass bodies to
reduce the weight.
Minimum weight now, according to the MTRA, is 9,500 lbs.
(Courtesy Andrew Palochko - MonsterZone).
Q. Who makes these fancy shocks?
A. One company is Kuster out of California. Also, Knight Stalker's Steve
Combs has built many shocks for the high tech trucks, such as Carolina
Crusher and Grave Digger.
Q. Who makes those four link frames?
A. Dan Patrick, of Patrick Racing Enterprises, Inc., specializes in Monster
Truck frames and chassis components. Patrick, who also owns the SAMSON
Monster Truck, was instrumental in designing and building the first ever
tubular chassis on Bigfoot 8 back in 1989.
At a recent event I attended, every truck there but one sported a Dan
Patrick frame. One of the trucks was completely built by Dan for a
owner/driver client.
See also the suppliers listings at the end of this document!
Q. How do they move a Monster Truck from one place to another?
A. Most often these are hauled in a semi-trailer with all the tools and
spare parts needed to move and repair the Monster Truck. On a real short
run the truck may be `Wide Loaded' on a flat bed trailer.
Q. How do they get a Monster Truck into the semi-trailer?
A. The crew members remove the big tires and install small tires that will
clear the sides of the enclosed trailers and reduce the height of the
truck to where it will clear the ceiling during loading and
transportation.
Q. HOW DO YOU GET IN THEM THINGS?
A. In most of the new fiberglass body trucks, there is a hatch in the floor
for the drivers to climb up through.
On a older truck, the driver would open the door, grab hold of the seat
and door, push off the front tire and pull himself into the truck. The
hatch is definitely easier.
Q. How does the driver steer the rear wheels? Are they hooked to the
steering wheel also?
A. No, the rear wheels are not hooked to the steering wheel. On most Monster
Trucks there is a toggle switch mounted where the driver can operate it
with his free hand. The center is off and moving the toggle in either
direction cause the rear wheels to steer more left or right.
Many of these steering systems also have a second switch to select a
automatic centering capability. When the driver removes pressure on the
steering toggle the wheels will return to a centered (straight ahead)
position.
Finally, when racing most drivers mechanically lock the rear steering at
center position by bolting on a locking bar or aligning a hole in a
locking tab on the steering tie rod with a corresponding hole on the rear
housing.
Q. What kind of fuel do they run in a Monster Truck? Do they run
Nitrous Oxide, too?
A. Racing Methanol (alcohol) is the fuel of choice for most monster trucks.
Methanol runs cooler while producing more horsepower. Nitrous oxide is NOT
allowed by the Monster Truck Racing Association and a monster truck won't
pass Tech. Inspection and will not be certified to race with an engine
injected on it.
Most of these trucks use a little gasoline to start the engine, either
squirting it in by hand through the Blower air intake or using a
auxiliary fuel pump to inject a small amount to the intake area.
Q. How can I get a ride in a Monster Truck?
A. The Virginia Giant, Bigfoot 4x4, and Grave Digger all have trucks
that have been converted to multi-passenger ride trucks. BIGFOOT #2
has a BIGFOOT Body while BIGFOOT #3 appears as the SNAKEBITE! The
Grave Digger Ride-on is a old Ambulance body!
Other monster trucks which have sister ride trucks include
Excaliber, Pure Pride, Eradicator, Shake-A-Paw, and Small Change.
You can take a ride in one of these enormous trucks at various
events like Street Machine Nationals, Fairs, and of course Monster
Truck Races. Performance Motorsports almost always brings the
Virginia Giant to their shows. There is usually a small charge per
person to ride (or is included as part of general admission).
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To see if a "SAFARIFOOT" Truck (Bigfoot or Snakebite) will be in
your area, check out the Appearance Schedule in the Tire Tracks
section of:
www.bigfoot4x4.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Grave Digger and Eradicator ride trucks are permanently parked
on the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey each summer, giving rides to
all of the beach going fans. You'll find these trucks located next
to the NJHRA Office on the boardwalk. (Info courtesy Andrew Palochko
www.truckzone.com)
The Grave Digger Ride Truck has its own race course located at
Grave Digger headquarters. Beginning after April 1 of each year,
the Ride Truck is available for rides from dawn till dusk. The
last price I heard was $5.00 per person. Call ahead to be sure.
The Grave Digger Ride Truck can be reserved for birthday parties,
graduations, weddings - you name the celebration, and Grave Digger
will make it a "Monster of a good time!" All reservations are
subject to prior approval, and must be made at least one week in
advance for birthdays, and two weeks in advance for other events.
http://www.gravedigger.com
See also the ride truck listings further on in this document!
Q. Have you ever rode in a Monster Truck??
A. Yes! I rode out for a parade lap and intro in the Equalizer Monster
Trax vehicle! And The Virginia Giant Racer! Plus, I've spent so much
time riding with passengers on The Virginia Giant Ride-On Truck I've
completely lost count!
Q. Have you ever driven a Monster Truck?
A. Gee, I just knew that would be the next Question!
Q. How can I get a Pit Pass??
A. First you need to find out, "Do I need a pit pass?" Pit Passes are given
to Media Representatives and people who are required to be in the Pit
Area during the show! If the event includes a `Pit Party' you won't need
a Pass for that!
If you really need a pass, then call the show promoter, tell them EXACTLY
why you need a pit pass and request one!
According to Andrew Palochka of Truckzone, Pit passes are available on
the USHRA site at www.ushra.com. Make sure there is a pit party prior to
the event.
Q. What is the killer box?
A. Let's call these by their official name, "Remote Ignition Interrupter"
or `RII'. This is a specialized radio receiver mounted in the truck
and a hand held transmitter tuned to the frequency of the RII. The
transmitter looks like any other `Walkie Talkie' but has the ability
to signal the Receiver with a special code!
The Remote Ignition Interrupter can be used to `interrupt' the
ignition by radio should the truck veer off the track and/or the
driver become incapacitated.
This `RII' attempts to shut off the engine but it doesn't stop or
"brake the truck".
Q. What are the lights in the Windshield for?
A. There are two or three lights mounted in the windshield of most monster
Trucks. One tells the track crew and starters when the engine is actually
running. The other two lights tell the track official(s) who run the
Remote Ignition Interrupters which side the driver has chosen to run his
`RII' receiver box on.
You will see a 2" X 2" sticker in the windshield with a number on it from
1 to 10. This number is the radio channel number. A letter also may
indicate right or left for use during single performances.
Q. I saw the starter's lights on TV. Where can I get info on building a
set of those for our club?
A. Send me a private E-mail and I'll fix up a wiring diagram and E-mail
it back to you! The lights are just tractor clearance lamps with green
and yellow lens! The battery is a 12 car batt. and the switch is a
`SPDT' (single pole - double throw switch) with center off!
Q. Where can I rent a set of `Stop Motion Video Cameras' and Recorder * system?
A. Find a `Surveillance Equipment' dealer and ask them for prices. Or
work a deal with them! Them things are pricey! And be very selective
where you set it up! You don't need a color system!
I own a B/W betamax system but have not considered renting it! Too much
custom setup work and cabling to get it positioned!
Q. What do they do at the drivers meetings?
A. Usually, there is a drivers meeting before the show, to discuss
the format of the show, any safety issues, and who gives the
signals to move a truck and when. So everybody involved with the
the show knows what is supposed to happen and when.
Q. I know the drivers wear seat belts, helmets and special suits. Can
you elaborate a little on what they have in the truck?
A. The drivers wear fire resistant suits, gloves, a helmet liner and
shoes. They are held into the seat by a standard 5 way racing harness.
The helmets are racing quality Snell Foundation approved (Minimum
rating is Snell 90). Most drivers also wear Helmet Restraints (Straps
running from underarm to clips on sides of helmet)!
Drivers must wear a neck collar and some drivers wear a `kidney belt'
to help absorb the impact compression forces on the spine and neck.
All MTRA certified race trucks must be equipped with a approved
onboard fire retardant system. The vehicle must also have a Halon
or ABC type 2-1/2 lb. (min.) fire extinguisher within the driver's
reach!
Andrew Fielder (Monster Trucks UK) put together some safety info you
you can read here and you'll find the MTRA site here!
Q. How much does a Monster Truck cost?
A. Roughly, around $100,000 (not including the engine)! A engine can
cost $40,000 by itself. After that, you have to figure in how much
it costs to maintain the truck throughout the year. The cost of a
vehicle to move the Monster Truck is also a great initial expense.
Q. How long does it take to build a Monster truck?
A. It can take anywhere from 3 months to a year to build a monster truck. Of
course this figure varies depending on how much time is put into detail
work and how many people are working on the project.
Q. When will BIGFOOT be appearing in my town?
A. For a listing of the most up-to-date BIGFOOT events, check out the
Appearance Schedule in the Tire Tracks section at The BIGFOOT WEB
PAGE:
http://www.bigfoot4x4.com
This schedule is updated every week & has at least one month's
worth of information so that you only get the most accurate
information available. Along with the schedule, you can view
information about the event & get the telephone number of the
promoter putting on the event.
See also the calendar section of this FAQ!
Q. How can I get the autograph of my favorite BIGFOOT driver?
A. There are a few different ways to accomplish this. One way is to
attend an event. A lot of times, there is a pit party before the
races where you can meet the drivers & get their autographs. There
is also a autograph table at many events either during intermission
or immediately after the event.
Q. How can I get a Tee-Shirt of my favorite truck(s)?
A. Check some of the Web pages! Sometimes you can use a Credit Card
over the Web but you might want to fax the card number or use the
telephone instead!
You may order a BIGFOOT picture or t-shirt from the BIGFOOT online
catalog found in the Merchandise section of The Bigfoot WEB Page.
If you want your item autographed, just request that the driver of
your choice sign the item, when placing the order.
http://www.bigfoot4x4.com/merch.html
Grave Digger has a excellent selection of merchandise. Shirts,
shoestrings, jewelry, and hats. They even have a deck of playing
cards last time I looked.
http://www.gravedigger.com/souvenir.htm
Most of the shows have a concession area, and sell all kinds of mementoes
including apparel items. And most trucks have a home shop and are
receptive to fan requests.
Q. Where can I find a large group of pictures and Info in one place on
the Internet?
A. Try this site The World's Largest Monster Truck Home Page.
And there is Monster Mania with over 1000 pictures and growing!
See the Major Web Sites section and the individual truck pages listings
on this site (right here)!
Q. I want some Monster Truck Windows Wall Paper. What can you tell me?
A. Here ya' go!
http://www.monstermania.com
http://www.bigfoot4x4.com
http://WWW.VirginiaGiant.com
Q. Isn't there a computer game? Know any Urls?
A. Check out "Monster Truck Madness" then you can be the driver of
your favorite Monster Truck!
http://www.windows.com/games/monster/default.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/games/monster/downloads.htm
Check out The BigFoot Internet Racing Team.
http://www.bigfoot4x4.com/mtm2/bfteam.html
I haven't tried this out but there is some kind of online game
(over the internet) called `the zone' or something like that. You
need a Active X enhanced browser like MSIE 2.0 and Windows 95, or
Windows NT! And the games home page will even let you download MSIE.
http://beta.zone.com
Finally, Don't forget Monster Highway's Games Links!
Q. I'm really into Monster Truck Madness II but I want some other trucks?
A. Check these links!
http://mtm.naz.com
http://www.ieway.com/yeast
http://www.vales.com
http://www.terminalreality.com
Garret tells me he has made several add-on trucks for mtm1 at Yeastman's
page (www.ieway.com/yeast) including Stomper, Taurus, and Extreme Overkill.
Q. Just one more game. Please?
A. Do you like trivia? Send your E-mail address to:
bmanson@SBTek.com
Tell him you want to join the trivia game. He'll add you to the mailing
list and once a day you'll receive a E-mail with a trivia question.
Q. How do I become a BIGFOOT Driver?
A. To become a BIGFOOT Driver, you must be 25 years of age & have a
current CDL (commercial drivers license). You need to be in good
physical shape, have knowledge of mechanics, electrical & metal
fabrication before you are even considered for the crew. If you
make the crew, you would most likely serve 2 years apprenticeship
to learn to drive.
Q. I have wanted to drive monster trucks since age 5. I am now 18 and was wondering how do a get on a Monster Truck Team?
A. Probably the best thing you can do is get a CDL. I've had drivers ask me if I had a CDL because they needed some help. I see that most teams want new crew members to have a CDL. If two guys show up for an interview and one has a CDL he's probably the one who will get the job.
Being able to weld and do basic machine shop work might help also.
Q. What is a CDL then?
A. A commercial Drivers License! Permits you to drive a semi truck!
Q. I need to find out exactly how to get to a show! How can I get a
Map or directions?
A. Ask the promoter or venue first! If you have or can get the Street
Address (with number) try Yahoo:
http://www.yahoo.com
Navigate to the maps section and fill in the form to search for a
Map, expand the map if needed and print it out if your printer allows
that (most do now-a-days)!
Q. Is there a mailing list?
A. Yes, TRUCKZONE PRESS! To subscribe visit the www.truckzone.com main site
and fill out the form with your e-mail address and any other information
where asked. You may also view the archive of previous newsletters.
Truckzone runs a moderated chat every Wednesday night at 9PM EST. We
always have a good assortment of fans, drivers, and promoters. Truckzone
is also working toward implementing a WWWBoard.
There's also the Monster Mania newsletter....
newsletter@monstermania.com
topic SUBSCRIBE
I also run a low volume list from here (Monster Highway BBS) and I'll
be glad to put your name on it. My list is mostly late breaking news
and info I think the Monster Truck (Insiders) community should have!
To post something to it send the message to:
jhawkin@usa.net
To subscribe to the list use the same address but use the Subject:
"Subscribe your.email.address@your.ISP.TLD"
P.S.: If you want to start a mailing list, do let me know! If I can
help you accomplish this, just ask!
Q. I want to know when there is a change to my favorite Web Pages!
A. Many Web Pages have made arrangements with URL minder services!
You might want to try this one:
Net Mind
Q. How do I `grep' a usenet group?
A. Wrong FAQ, buddy! But if you want to mail out adverts to `qualified'
leads, then check out the FAQ about advertising on Usenet!
http://www.landfield.com/faqs/usenet/advertising/howto/part1/
Also if you participate actively in a Usenet Newsgroup, the people
there may be very interested in a `venture' or a product/service you
offer. In most business circles it's called networking, right!
Q. How can I find a drivers E-mail address?
A. Try the associated Web Pages! Ask others! Check four11.com!
http://www.Four11.com
There is also a E-mail addressing FAQ that might help! No, I'm not
going to give e-mail addresses out!
Many of the official truck home sites (Web Pages) are adding E-mail
forms now and Mail-to: addresses! You may use those forms to E-mail
and addresses to contact drivers and crews!
Q. I really need to ask a question of some driver! How can I?
A. See the answers above and below here for more ideas!
Q. Is their someplace I can chat or e-mail to other people interested in
Monster Trucks?
A. Try posting to The Monster Truck Discussion Board!
MonsterZone and Sudden Impact run live chats every Wednesday evening
at 8PM and 9PM EST respectively. We have a ever growing attendance with
drivers, promoters, fans, and spectators alike.
Monster Zone Chat
Sudden Impact and Eradicator Chat Room
Monster Highway's List of Chat Sites and Programs
Or point your news reader at:
news:chatdev.gcomm.com
Look for a newsgroup called:
Monster_Trucks
Q. How can our drivers publish a E-mail address, without clogging their
personal Internet accounts?
A. Rocketmail, Hotmail, Juno, Netaddress, and Cybermail all offer free
or cheap E-mail addresses! If you have a Web Page, your ISP can often
give you more addresses on a server and `MX' the addresses to your
Domain Name or Machine Name at Domain Name! Cybermail, Netaddress and
others will even forward the mail to another account if needed!
NetAddress, symetsys, and Cybermail can be retrieved via POP3 also - much
better than WEB only In my Humble Opinion!
Also try:
http://WWW.EmailAdresses.COM
Q. How can our drivers get Internet E-mail while on the road?
A. A client package like Net-Tamer can be run on a cheap computer and
call the home base ISP long distance, grab the mail, and log off in
a couple minutes. Usually under three! Some ISPs have local numbers
in the larger cities nationwide also.
These packages read and answer E-mail offline and can be setup with
Fax software and Fax modems to send/receive faxes in the field also!
^^^
http://www.nettamer.net
Also, check with Juno! They have local phone numbers all over the
country. And the National ISPs - Worldnet, AOL, CIS, Maranatha, delphi
and smaller ISPs with national agreements!
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Last Update Monday, October 30, 2006 04:28:36 AM