I Bet You've Never Seen a Monster Truck on a Dyno
Monster trucks are some of the craziest four-wheeled machines that compete around the world. While it may not be the most traditional form of motorsport, the teams behind every truck are still looking for maximum performance. Thanks to the folks at FuelTech USA, we have a chance to watch the Bad Company monster truck strapped down on a hub dyno for some high-power testing.
The Bad Company monster truck is helmed by Monster Jam driver John Gordon, who was on-site at FuelTech to oversee the dyno test. Getting a vehicle of this size onto a typical hub dyno is no easy feat, and the process requires some unique engineering decisions. The truck’s actual rear hubs were replaced by homebrew cap-off units, which eliminated a huge amount of torque multiplication from the equation. Without the caps, the truck’s torque load down low would’ve overpowered the dyno before any testing could be done. That said, the caps weren’t perfectly designed, adding a bit of vibration to the powertrain during the runs. The truck’s supercharged 540 cubic-inch big block Chevy V-8 also faced some initial teething issues, but those were quickly resolved after studying the fuel maps. Monster Jam trucks run on methanol, with Gordon later noting that he can burn up to 15 gallons of alcohol during a two-minute session.
The actual dyno testing doesn’t start until about the 15:00 minute mark, when the truck rips off an initial run of 828 hp. That figure dropped slightly to 802 hp during the second pull, which is quite a bit off from the target figure. Those three-digit outputs wouldn’t stick around for long, however, with the third pull resulting in 1097 hp. That number jumped up once more to 1153 hp during the final run.
Power is routed to the wheels via a two-speed PowerGlide and a 16-inch drop transfer case with quick change gear sets. Each corner of the truck also features a set of 66-inch tires, which each tip the scales at nearly 650 lbs. Having an engine that can make nearly 1500 hp doesn’t sound so crazy if your job involves launching a 12,000 lbs truck 40 feet in the air.
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