2002 Dodge Ram Cummins Monster Truck - Diesel Monster

"How do you get in?" Here's the answer: one foot on the suspension, one on the tire, and then climb up through the body.

Dave is quick to credit the help of his wife Michelle. "Driving through a crowd of people or trucks can be dangerous because I can't see what's right under me," Dave says. "Michelle is my eyes and ears on the ground. When I am moving the truck around, I don't do anything without looking at her first." She also lends a hand in tire changes, booking hotel rooms, and any other needs that may arise from Dave's monstrous new lifestyle.

Yes the truck has rear-steering, it has to because it is so large. The back and front steering are both hydraulic; the front is controlled by the steering wheel, while the rear is steered with a toggle switch that Dave operates with his right hand. Both the front and rear can be operated independently as to enable the truck to "crab walk" like so.

Making a cameo in Diesel Power is Lloyd Mills and his 1,280hp Dodge, giving you an idea of how big this truck really is. While Lloyd might have a slight horsepower edge, the real question is-can he crush cars?

Dave's monster truck makes the Cummins look like a small engine. The huge wheel cutouts are a feature of the '02 Dodge GTS fiberglass body that allows the big 66-inch tires to be stuffed into the wheelwell during a hard landing.

The Cummins engine in question is a P-pumped 24-valve built by Scott Hovey at Mass Diesel Performance. Built with a Scheid cam and P-pump, an AirDog fuel system, and many components from Haisley Machine, this engine is a solid foundation for the twin High Tech turbos that are mounted up top. The engine also has ARP 625 head studs and 14mm main studs to keep it alive at 70 psi of boost and 5,000 rpms.

A 727 Torqueflite was used because of its compact nature. The 727 has all the goodies to handle four-digit power, including billet shafts, a DTT converter, and upgraded internals. It also has a manual valvebody so Dave can shift his own gears.

The Hushpower muffler not only made the truck quieter, it added 17 hp!

The axles are 106 Rockwells that have 20-ton Clark planetaries. These 20-ton planetaries are what enable the truck to actually jump over cars without breaking parts.

Suspension travel is cool, and this monster has a 46 1/2-inch long Kuster shock at each corner that provides plenty of mobility and clearance.

An SCS drop box sends the power to the front and rear differentials, which use an incredibly steep 6.83 gear ratio to make sure the truck has plenty of car-crunching torque.