Hi everyone,
The other day I had my first trip in a Hino tipper, and it was also my first 16-speed manual gearbox. It was similar to a Merc or Iveco knock-over, but had a splitter switch on the back of the gearstick. I found the choice of which gears to use pretty easy, and the splitter didn’t complicate things much.
However, I often found that I couldn’t get the gearstick into the position – it sometimes took two or three goes, and on one occasion when on a roundabout (on the A33 approaching the junction with the M4 from Basingstoke) I was trying to put it in 3rd low, I think, to move away (empty) from a roundabout, and try as I might I couldn’t get the gearstick to go into position. I finally managed it with a couple of seconds before the lights changed.
I later mentioned this to one of their other drivers (it was an agency booking, and it was my first time at that company) and he told me there was nothing wrong with the gearbox, it was my lack of experience or the fact that I wasn’t used to a splitter or a ‘gate’, or some such thing. I’ve actually driven tippers in the past, including a Scania with a four-over-four and a Merc with a side-by-side, and I know how to operate a manual gearbox. This problem is one I normally find on crappy little vans, and I don’t need it when trying to manoeuvre a 32-tonne truck along a B-road. The ladies in the office took it a bit more seriously, though.
The truck was a 63-plate. Is it just me or was this a dodgy gearbox?
It could be a number of things. But the simplest to try is, if it acts up, go back to neutral, foot off clutch, pause, back on clutch and ease the stick into position.
Of course this may not be the cure but it’s well worth a try.
Pete 
I know the feeling. I dove one of those Japanese Fuso things. Horrible it was, crap inside and out. The gearbox placement and gating made it really hard to find the gear you actually wanted.
I dont know what box they fit in Hino,s now but they used to fit Eaton Twin Splitters and Fuller 9 and 13 sp at one time.
Radar19:
I know the feeling. I dove one of those Japanese Fuso things. Horrible it was, crap inside and out. The gearbox placement and gating made it really hard to find the gear you actually wanted.
You know, I thought a Hino tipper would be better quality than a Fuso or Deathtrapsu 7.5T truck, and it is but not much - nothing is where it usually is on a truck that size. Hino make small trucks as well and they look just like Fusos. They should be run off the roads, all of them. I don’t mind the Japanese selling their trucks here but they should be built to European standards, and they’re not.
I thought the idea of HINO was to get away from european more electrical problems than you can shake a stick at that are dealer only fix, and get down to Japanese if it aint broke don’t fix it simple durability…bit like do you buy a LandRover or a LandCruiser…for the correct answer ask an Aussie going to the outback and wishing to come back.
The very fact they arn’t like european designs, stuffed to the gills with ever more automation and electronics should be the big selling point to those able to think slightly outside the current box.
But what the hell do i know.