Light Japanese Trucks used as Tow Vehicles here

Years ago I rented a UHaul truck for a 100 mile move. Great, an Isuzu diesel, should get great mileage. By the end of the trip my back and right leg were killing me. Had to keep the darn thing floored to make 60 mph!

gbopp wrote:
When I think of Light Japanese Trucks my mind goes to the old Datsun and Isuzu built Chevy LUV Trucks. :)

These are light Trucks here a Japanese Medium can go to 58,000lb GVWR

folivier wrote:
Years ago I rented a UHaul truck for a 100 mile move. Great, an Isuzu diesel, should get great mileage. By the end of the trip my back and right leg were killing me. Had to keep the darn thing floored to make 60 mph!

Not with these can cruise at 60mph, normal highway speeds when towing.

blt2ski wrote:

So I would suggest EVERYONE take OP a grain of salt.

Marty

I agree

blt2ski wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:
I wouldn't call and truck that has a payload capacity of over 8 tons "light".

Unfortunately, light in Oz includes all rigs to about 25-30k gvw. Where as here, you are up into the class 7 max 33k gvw both light duty to 14k g w, then medium duty from 14001-33,000 gvw.

So I would suggest EVERYONE take OPs light vs med vs heavy vs super train truck classifications with a grain of salt.

Marty

Exactly, a US Truck eg F350 would be a Ute or Pickup here. Japanese manufacturers think anything under 33,000lb GVWR is a light Truck

rjstractor wrote:
You can't throw a rock around here without hitting one. They are very popular with landscaping companies and you see lots of box trucks too. I can't imagine them ever catching on as a tow vehicle for a travel trailer when a full size HD pickup is better at that specific job in every way except turning radius. There are many other jobs that these trucks excel at but as a personal use tow vehicle, not so much.

problem here is US Pickups have a payload problem. So if you have a pretty substahtial payload, these are the way to go. As well they can retail at Aus$60,000 dollars

When you say light Jpn trucks these come to mind :)

https://youtu.be/NKqSZD6-Y4Q

free radical wrote:
When you say light Jpn trucks these come to mind :)

https://youtu.be/NKqSZD6-Y4Q

They are Kei Trucks really mini trucks. Japanese Mediums range from 33,000lb GVWR to 58,000lb GVWR, there is like the Kei vehicles no equivalent US classification.

Shucks, if I had a truck that size I wouldn't need a trailer! I'd build out the box as a camper. :)

we love pickups so much they developed their own sub-categories of "light" and "heavy". Throw in marketing, enter the Ford, not light, not even heavy, but "super" duty!

In the real trucking world, yes, they're all light. However, North American market demands 400+ hp trucks that can yank an 18,000 lbs trailer up a grade at 70 mph. So in the power sense an F350 really is "heavy duty" by any standard. i.e. more power than some Class 8s.

I'd personally love a light COE truck, with 4x4. But realize I'm in the 1% enthusiast group, and OEMs won't cater to us.