I posted this on the “Old Timer’s” board a few weeks back, but perhaps it’s at least as relevant here.
So, this is not make specific, just a place to throw impressions, likes/ dislikes and opinions around. This is based partly my own experience and partly inspired by comments like this from [zb] anorak on the synchro box thread in the Old Timers forum:
Why can’t the Japs make lorries? They do everything else to a high standard, but the best thing you hear on this forum about them is “basic but it works”.
In my experience, as far as smaller capacity vehicles go (say up to 7.5TGVW), the more recent ones don’t seem too bad (let’s leave the horrors of Isuzu SBRs and KS’s and early NPRs, and Toyota Dynas out of it for a minute). They’re light, pedal efforts are (usually) light, steering is light (if sometimes too light and feel-less) and economical. On the debit side, they can be cramped, the seats are made to fit something other than an average human, seat adjustment is limited, the interiors can be really nasty and don’t start me on their auto boxes…
The market for medium weight wagons (say up to 9-10T payload 4-wheelers) is dominated here in Oz by Jap trucks - Isuzu, Hino, Mitsubishi (Fuso), UD (Nissan Diesel). Again they’re light but the cabs are at best functional, the steering is too light and the engines all need a good kicking. I guess if that’s what you’re used to it’s no big deal, but I was brought up on European wagons in the 80s, which even back then were mostly about developing good torque figures at lower revs - so coming from say an FL6 Volvo (in Britain) to a Hino FF (in Oz) was a helluva shock. As I said elsewhere I’ve recently driven a (new) Hino GH 1728 6-legger (23T gross) which I didn’t like very much at all (I thought it was a slug and hard to see out of), and when I got in the much older Merc 2328 (same GVW) I realised how much better the Merc was.
I’ve not had the privilege (if that’s the word) of driving Jap prime movers (tractors) with semis (artics), so if anyone has any experience with them by all means give us your impressions, warts and all. Over here there are quite a few more heavyweight Hinos and Mitsis appearing on the roads, towing semi-trailers around on local distribution work, so they must be finding favour (mostly with Toll as far as I can see).
OTOH I know from prior reading that the 8-legger Hino is a good tipper - rugged, good traction and cheap to run.
So, Jap trucks. Whaddaya think - good, not so much, or not at any price thank you?