BroDozer: Diesel Brothers’ Step Into Monster Jam

You may or may not know about the Monster Jam truck series. Monster Jam is the pinnacle for any monster truck driver or enthusiast. The trucks weigh nearly 12,000 pounds and fly through the air higher than they rightfully should. Oh, and for horsepower, yeah, they make a wild 1,500 horsepower out of nitro-burning engines. Finally, a diesel-powered truck has hit the ranks. Meet BroDozer.

The newest addition to Monster Jam made its debut in Nashville, Tennessee, at Nissan Stadium on June 23. BroDozer was the first diesel-powered truck to compete at any Monster Jam event. There have been diesel-powered monster trucks, but they haven’t actually hit the big stage. The hit television show on the Discovery Channel, Diesel Brothers, teamed up with some of the industry’s best to create this build. The truck is a completely custom tube chassis riding on a set of monster BKT tires. Weighing in at 12,000 pounds, the Diesel Brothers machine must make some serious horsepower to compete.

Brodozer

Although Heavy D has had a lot of practice outside of the event, with all of the pressure and lights down on him, he killed it in his performance, nailing the freestyle performance, racing, and the two-wheel challenge.

For years, gas engines have dominated this sport because no other alternative has appeared. The diesel industry is rapidly growing and we are seeing more diesel-powered vehicles in gas-dominant sports. It was only a matter of time until a group of the right companies hit the drawing board to build something the crowd won’t forget.

The arrival of BroDozer is the result of countless hours of research and development as Monster Jam continues to broaden their horizons and create a greater appeal to a wider audience. The truck was inspired by the namesake BroDozer created by “Heavy D” Sparks and “Diesel Dave” Kiley from the show. It took a collaborative effort from Monster Jam, Diesel Brothers, Wagler Competition Products, and S & S Diesel Motorsport to make it all a reality.

Before, Heavy D and BroDozer had an hour of testing in the arena to make sure all of the components were going to function correctly. This included the safety kill switch, which could be triggered by the show officials. The body was taken off of the truck to ensure nobody would release a photo of the truck prior to its reveal.

There were a variety of obstacles to overcome in developing BroDozer. The powerplant had to be built within USHRA specs. Efficiency was a key consideration, which resulted in several repeat tests to ensure the build met their expectations. While the mechanical crew was working to create an engine that met exacting standards, the fabrication crew set about the task of mimicking the iconic look of the original.

Heavy D and Diesel Dave both earned some additional fans at this event. It didn't take long before fans were wearing BroDozer merchandise and lining up for the meet and greet.

In Nashville, BroDozer was driven by Heavy D, who has undergone extensive training at Monster Jam University in preparation for his debut. Diesel Dave, who is also trained for possible future driving appearances, is expected to be on hand to cheer on his best friend during the event.

In probably one of the coolest shots of the weekend, we saw the diesel-powered BroDozer unveiled on the top jump. The new kid on the block, if you will, is being circled like prey by none other than the predator himself – Adam Anderson and the Grave Digger.

Luckily for them, the Diesel Brothers have Wagler Competition Products and S & S Diesel Motorsport on board in this build. Pushing the BroDozer tank through the air is all because of a Wagler-built, 6.6-liter Duramax diesel with S & S Diesel tuning and fueling components. This engine is like most diesels – turbocharged with a large compound setup. The engine is equipped with a 68/70 turbocharger fed by a 3×3.35 Precision Turbocharger. Additionally, the fuel to support this amount of air is forced from a Waterman lift pump. From there, it feeds into 200 percent over stock LBZ injectors and twin 10mm CP3 injection pumps from S & S Diesel.

Unfortunately, after testing, the BroDozer suffered a faulty water pump. Although it did see elevated temperatures, the truck came away unscathed. After a new water pump install, the truck was ready for the rest of the evening.

This Wagler-built diesel engine made nearly 45-psi of boost in the launch during the testing session prior to the event. Coming from a fellow enthusiast, that is leaving the line hard with those big tires. Backing this fire-breathing machine is a Powerglide transmission. An aftermarket transmission like this can withstand nearly anything thrown at it.

This 6.6-liter Duramax engine is cranking out over 1,100 horsepower. Now, that is a ton of horsepower; but at the end of the day, the diesel is still the underdog. This engine is over 100 cubic-inches smaller than any of the other trucks competing. This is the definition of bringing a knife to a gunfight.

After speaking with Luke Langellier from S & S Diesel, he assured us the truck would be making some great power this weekend. “We are excited to see a diesel-powered truck out here under the lights and in front of all of these fans,” said Langellier. “The truck should be making more than 1,000 horsepower during its runs.”

BroDozer

These known monster trucks were favored in all of the events, but the BroDozer showed them all up.

This power is transmitted through a Coan Powerglide transmission, and to establish a seamless connection between the engine and the transmission, a Coan torque converter and Browell bell housing are employed. Ensuring the power delivery from the transmission to the axles is the SCS drop box transfer case, purposefully integrated within the BroDozer. Custom axles efficiently transfer the power from the transfer case to the axles, equipped with shielded and strapped U-joints to prevent potential shaft breakage from endangering spectators. To facilitate stopping power whenever necessary, the BroDozer is equipped with TBM Brakes F4 calipers and Revolution rotors, operated through pinion brakes.

Heavy D qualified with the fastest racing time out of all of the trucks. After a slight misjudgment, Heavy D was barely beaten out in the first round of competition. Still upbeat and excited for more, Heavy went on to do very well in the two-wheel challenge. He did tricks including wheelies, stoppies, and bicycles.

BroDozer

Heavy had no problem doing the two-wheel challenge, racing or freestyle. This leads us to wonder when will we see the first diesel-powered backflip.

In the freestyle round of the competition, Heavy D gave an electrifying performance that left the crowd in awe. With his remarkable jumps, incredible saves, and a touch of diesel smoke, he truly brought his monster truck to life. Heavy D’s freestyle routine garnered him a phenomenal score of 9.003, which remained the highest score for the majority of the night.

Heavy D’s performance in the racing round of the event on Saturday night was unfortunately quite disappointing. Despite his best efforts, he stumbled and ended up losing in the first round of the competition to Brad Allen driving Brutus.

Team BroDozer has a ton of work to do to get this truck 100-percent, but for its first outing, it did very well for itself. It qualified number one in racing, placed well in the two-wheel challenge, and led the freestyle challenge scoring for most of the night. Maybe one day we’ll see a new king on top.

For more information on the BroDozer and the rest of the trucks, be sure and check out Monster Jam’s website. What do you think about the diesel monster truck? Let us know in the comments below.

About the author

Artie Maupin

Artie Maupin is from Southeast Missouri and has an extreme passion for anything diesel. He loves drag racing of all kinds, as well as sled pulling competitions.
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