Massive custom builds, like the unique six-wheel “Spud Truck” at Matt’s Off-Road Recovery, often face big hurdles during construction. Fans following the project recently shared a major victory with the crew as they finally got the truck’s huge, custom-built hydraulic rollback bed working correctly.

Getting the Spud Truck’s bed to slide back and tilt down required installing and plumbing a complex hydraulic system. The team focused on mounting the control levers near the cab and carefully routing all the hoses connecting those controls to the large hydraulic cylinder responsible for moving the heavy bed. The project involved tricky fabrication and fitting work on the truck’s chassis.

After finishing the installation, the moment arrived to test Matt’s design. The crew started the hydraulic pump, worked to bleed air from the newly connected lines, and cautiously operated the control levers. Viewers then saw the payoff: the large rollback bed responded smoothly, tilting and sliding backward and forward just as intended. The successful test concluded when the team easily loaded crew member Colin’s Jeep onto the Spud Truck’s now-functional bed, proving the system worked under load.

Seeing the bed operate correctly brought visible relief to shop owner Matt, who personally designed the hydraulic setup. “Honestly, I’ve been nervous about this because this is the first… hydraulic system that I’ve designed outside of power steering,” he admitted on camera after the successful test. Witnessing it function as planned, he added with clear satisfaction, “This is everything I dreamed it would be!”

While the Spud Truck’s progress marked the video’s highlight, the video also gave glimpses into other shop happenings. Colin worked on his Jeep’s axle, Jake installed new Raceline wheels and Milestar tires on the “Blue Steel” tow truck, and Matt even shared his extensive, somewhat surprising collection of classic Chevrolet Corvairs with viewers before heading out to check on another potential project car.

Big off-road projects like the Spud Truck demand creative thinking and lots of hands-on work to bring unique ideas to life. What do people following the building think of seeing this complex hydraulic system finally come together? Do projects like this inspire others to tackle their own ambitious off-road creations?