Getting your kicks while behind the wheel is arguably much easier when you go off-roading than on asphalt. And while you can hardly get more badass than a monster truck, driver comfort, and superior handling are not exactly priorities when it comes to such behemoths. Well, the Tmaxxx monster truck sitting before us begs to differ, as the contraption makes use of all-round independent suspension.
As any car enthusiast spending too much time on the internet, I’ve seen my fair share of monster trucks over the years. And, even though I’m no suspension expert, noticing one of these car crushers that uses double A-arms at both ends sent my jaw to the floor.
Most monster trucks feature four- or five-link suspension at both ends and you can instantly see their live axles. The key asset here is sturdiness, something you want when jumping the vehicle is one of the main attractions.
Now, as Dave Tucker, the creator and driver of Tmaxxx puts it, this is the first and currently the only all-independent suspension monster truck to have ever slammed into planet Earth.
Speaking of which, the way this thing lands reminds one of how trophy trucks suck up bumps. Plus, at least as far as I can tell from this side of the screen, the handling is pretty neat for a machine that weighs as much as the arena it’s playing on.
The ups and downs of running the monster truck
As documented in a YouTube video you’ll find at the bottom of the story (helmet tip to Marilyn Wilber), Dave introduced the world to T-Maxx back in 2012. It’s worth noting the machine has had multiple bodies meanwhile (more on this below).
And in over one decade of action, running the vehicle has unfortunately not been without accidents. Most notably, a Monster Trucks Wiki Fandom community post shows, in August 2021 TMaxxx was running at the Clark County Fairgrounds when one of the front wheels detached. The loose wheel ended up in the concession area and hit a spectator.
As faith would have it, the monster truck broke a rear A-arm during an adventure it had last month. However, this has already been fixed, so the AWD Goliath can once again come out to play.
The all-independent suspension monster truck looks like a giant RC toy
What’s in a name? Well, if you’d hit this machine with a shrinking ray, you may end up with something resembling the T-Max RC truck that Traxxas builds. But hey, that’s one “x” and a dash away and besides, I could instantly think of more spectacular uses for a shrinking ray.
Elsewhere, Tmaxxx shares multiple features with many others of its breed, from the double heavy-duty shocks for each wheel to the tube-frame chassis. As for the current body, the front end resembles the twelfth-gen Ford F-150 that sold like hotcakes between 2009 and 2014—while we’re talking rough terrain oddities, have you seen this Peterbilt 6×6 lifted semi?
Of course, the all-independent suspension of the monster truck can be both a blessing and a curse. For one, this makes the tracks extra-generous, which means Dave has to remove the wheels when hauling the vehicle on its trailer.
As for Tmaxxx being too wide for the entrances of certain venues, having the monster truck forklifted over the fence only seems to add to the show.
Oh, and since somebody in the comments section of Dave’s Instagram posts suggested a new Ford Bronco body for the monster truck, you should know this sort of digital fantasy has been around for a while.
