Most cabs are shielded with Lexan (or comparable polycarbonate), which not only protects the driver from track debris, but also allows for increased visibility. Many trucks are constructed with the driver sitting in the center of the cab for visibility. Trucks are equipped with three shut-off switches: the RII (Remote Ignition Interrupt), one within the driver's reach in the cab, and another at the rear of the truck so that all electrical power may be shut off in the event of a rollover. The trucks have many safety features, several of which are required just to run in the small arenas that the trucks frequent. This image of Grave Digger, minus much of its body work, reveals how far removed monster truck designs are from the traditional trucks they somewhat resemble. Lenco transmissions are usually found in two-speed or three speed configurations, and are commonly shifted using compressed CO 2. Trucks running a Lenco use a centrifugal clutch as opposed to a torque converter, which are used in automatic transmissions. Most of the automatic transmissions are heavily modified with transbrakes, manual valve bodies, and heavy duty gear sets. A limited number of trucks utilize a Lenco transmission, which traces its roots to drag racing. Most trucks utilize a modified and/or custom designed automatic transmission, such as a Turbo 400, Powerglide, Ford C6 transmission, or a Torque-flite 727. The tires are typically "Terra" tires used on fertilizer spreaders, and are of size 66"×43"-25", nominally 66" diameter, 43" width, to fit 25" rims (168×109-63 cm). All trucks have hydraulic steering in both the front and the rear ( four wheel steering), with the front wheels controlled by the steering wheel and the rear wheels by a toggle switch. Axles are mostly taken from either heavy-duty military trucks or road vehicles such as school buses, and are modified to have a planetary gear reduction at the hub to help turn the tires. Mounted just behind the driver on most trucks are the engines, which are typically supercharged, run on a methanol alcohol and corn-based oil fuel, and have displacement of up to 575 cubic inches (9.42 L). Today, trucks now have custom built tubular chassis, with four-link suspension to provide up to four feet of clearance, and they also now have fiberglass bodies that go onto the chassis separately and are designed to be easily removed and easily replaced when damaged. LetterSchool is the best app I've found for practicing making letters (there's a free trial version if you want to check it out).The first monster truck ever built was a pickup truck that was modified with a larger suspension and larger tires. There's optional classical music gently playing in the background, and the little touchscreen features are super cute and feel authentic to the stories. The stories highlight each word as a narrator tells the story, and you have the option to turn narration off and have the child read it themselves. I also really like the PopOut! digital pop-up books (they have a couple of Beatrix Potter ones, The Night Before Christmas, etc.). If the makers of Beast Academy designed a preschool / kindergarten app, it'd probably look a lot like these. Their apps are extremely responsive (no frustrating lag or spontaneous crashes), cute, and entertaining. My absolute favorite apps are the Endless series:Įndless Numbers (includes virtual manipulatives)Įndless Alphabet (includes phonetic sounds)Įndless Spanish (I don't have personal experience with this one but it looks very similar in quality to the others) Bugs and Buttons wins out for being more visually striking and less repetitive, but it's also more play and less instruction. The best apps in that all-encompassing category that I've found are Reading Raven (still a bit cluttered for my tastes), and Bugs and Buttons. I don't like Reading Eggs or ABC Mouse for the same reason Jackie shared-too cluttered (and expensive).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |