Up Close and Personal With a Florida Mega Truck
In the southeastern portion of the United States, mud is a big part of the landscape — and Southerners make the most of it thanks to monstrosities like these. Best known as “mega trucks,” they sport gigantic tractor tires, custom suspension systems, military axles and V8s that crank out big horsepower. Depending on the venue, it’s not uncommon for 25 to 50 of these behemoths to show up and blast through the mud (can you say “Trucks Gone Wild?”).
To get the scoop on what exactly makes these mega monsters tick, we caught up with Justin Hildebrand of JH Diesel & 4x4 in Bradenton, Florida, and his 2004 Super Duty. Read on for an inside look at one of the newest trucks on the Florida mud scene.
The Build Sheet
Based on an ’04 Ford Super Duty, the F-250’s body hovers above 66-inch V-tread tires, a 4-link front and rear suspension system, and rests on 5-ton Rockwell axles. A bulletproofed 6.0L Power Stroke connected to a fully-built TorqShift automatic transmission and backed by an SCS drop box transfer-case combine to get the truck through the mud both quickly and reliably.
12-Day Transformation
Believe it or not, the truck was converted into a mega truck in less than two week’s time. Owner Justin Hildebrand was driving the ¾-ton Ford on the street all the way up until it was time to put it under the knife.
“We literally drove it in the shop on the stock axles and tires, and drove it out on the 5-tons and tractor tires 12 days later,” he told us.
Custom Suspension
Two pairs of 18-inch long F-O-A coil overs span from the frame to the axles, while a custom 4-link suspension system allows ample articulation and helps locate the axles. The 4-link was fabricated (from start to finish) at JH Diesel & 4x4’s facility by Hudson’s Welding out of Sarasota, Florida.
Limit Straps
Most mega trucks like this make use of limiting straps in order to keep the coilovers from hyper-extending (in which case they can blow out). Thanks to their friends at nearby Hudson’s Welding, Justin got something truly unique and brutally strong: an industrial strength chain used in marine applications.
Rockwells and Pinion Brakes
Sourced out of an M939 military truck, the 5-ton Rockwell axles sitting under the Super Duty will likely never be a weak link. The rear unit sports a locker, but to limit the rare occurrence of breakage (and because his motto is “never lift”), Justin left the front differential open. To bring everything to a halt, front and rear pinion brakes are employed, which consist of Wilwood calipers and brackets, as well as 12-inch diameter rotors from Plan B Fabrication in Orlando.
Potent Power Stroke
While some might scoff at the truck being diesel powered (and some diesel lovers scoffing at the fact that a 6.0L Power Stroke sits under the hood), times have changed. Diesels can be made to make considerable horsepower and it’s in the nature of the beast for them to produce gobs of low-end torque — perfect for digging through the goo.
In the case of Justin’s truck, a rebuilt engine is made reliable via ARP head studs and is capable of handling prolonged 4,000+ rpm instances thanks to Hamilton Cams’ performance valvesprings and Manton chromoly pushrods, along with a Stage 2 cam from Colt Cams. For fuel, a set of 190cc injectors equipped with 75 percent over nozzles from Holder’s Diesel got the nod, as did a Driven Diesel regulated return fuel system. PCM tuning courtesy of Gearhead Automotive Performance and a tuned FICM from Power Hungry Performance dial in fuel delivery.
Bulletproof Transfer Case
A Quick Change transfer case (also known as a drop box) from SCS Gearbox is tasked with sending power to the front and rear Rockwells. With a 12.66-inch drop, the near-indestructible transfer case helps keep the driveline working in as straight a line as possible (so the U-joints and yokes don’t see any added stress).
In front of the SCS unit sits the factory-based 5R110 TorqShift automatic transmission from Ford. But in order to live behind the potent 6.0L Power Stroke and cope with the truck’s 11,000-pound heft, the TorqShift was beefed up with various internal part upgrades from Sun Coast Converters.
Let ‘er Eat
It boils down to personal preference as to whether a mega truck owner opts to crawl through the mud or hit it full throttle. Justin’s personal inclination is to bury the tach and let the truck eat.
No Slouch
With 5-ton Rockwells and 66-inch tractor tires sitting under a Super Duty foundation, obviously Justin’s mega truck wasn’t built for speed. Still, for an 11,000-pound rig, it can get up to its gearing-limited top speed of 50 mph in a hurry.
Bumper-to-Bumper
Tug o’ war competitions are a hot-ticket item for mega trucks as well. Here, Justin takes on Nick Draganov’s 6.4L Power Stroke-equipped Super Duty. These bumper-to-bumper battles are a big hit with spectators, and the back-and-forth mayhem can rage on for several minutes at a time.
As Good as It Gets
A wise, gray-haired Floridian once told us that “mudding is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.”
This photo certainly makes a case for that peculiar statement. After all, blasting through head-high mud holes with a truck full of friends is probably never a bad time.
