how to jump a short course truck

by Nicholas Koepp 5 min read

Halfway up the face of the jump, a big prod at the brake shifts the weight of the truck forward, compressing the front suspension. Then you immediately let off and get hard on the throttle. As soon as you do, all that compression unloads and the front end rocks backward, just as it's leaving the jump.

Full Answer

Before You Step on the Gas, Do the Math

When it comes to approach, Pastrana says his technique is specific to the type of car he's jumping. And while weight distribution, aerodynamics, and Newtonian physics are inescapable—even for Pastrana—he insists that, "For the most part, it's just mass and speed. It's math."

Clear for Takeoff

Too much takeoff velocity, and you face-plant. Too little, and you won't reach the landing ramp. Launch speed can dramatically alter your landing point, and each mile per hour can translate to as much as 15 or 20 feet. But our guru dictates that acceleration, not just speed, is key to setting up your car for a correct airborne trajectory.

Hang Time

After avoiding excessive upward or downward pitch as you exit the takeoff ramp, the next task at hand is midair car control. No, that is not an oxymoron. Strategic throttle or brake application during flight can affect the orientation of the car, because of the gyroscopic effects of the wheels.

Happy Landings

Once you've reconnected with earth, your suspension does the rest of the work by mitigating your vehicle's downward momentum with immovable tarmac or dirt.

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