Light Japanese Trucks used as Tow Vehicles here

[RobertRyan]

Much to my surprise Japanese Light Trucks are gaining momentum for pulling 26ft+ Travel Trailers

[RobertRyan]

rjstractor wrote:

RoyJ wrote:
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.

I like the way they drive too. I see one running around my area that's all built up as a fifth wheel puller. I'd like to ask him what he's done to the motor, if anything. When I was still doing landscaping I test drove a really nice little Fuso 4x4 dump truck. Problem was it was so underpowered it could barely get out of it's own way empty. Towing or hauling a heavy load would have been miserably slow.

A lot of large Japanese Trucks are large 5tg wheel pullers here.

[RobertRyan]

RoyJ wrote:
The Fuso, a lowly 161 hp. But, it's meant for efficiency in commercial use, not high performance recreation.

Recreation demands "fun factor". Look at boats - an offshore sports fisher can run 1500 hp, all to catch 3 tunas. A commercial trawler with a 25,000 lbs salmon hold may run a 90hp Perkins.

That Fuso is only a 3 Litre Diesel, these are 5.2 Diesels
Fuso can go to 480hp, 2300lb ft of torque

[RobertRyan]

Grit dog wrote:

rjstractor wrote:
I test drove a really nice little Fuso 4x4 dump truck. Problem was it was so underpowered it could barely get out of it's own way empty. Towing or hauling a heavy load would have been miserably slow.

Yeah, RR, what kind of power are these "light trucks" putting down?

They're cool, but seems all our class 5-7 COE trucks here are pretty neutered in the power department.

Enough to drag a 5000b payload and a 8000lb to 9000lb Caravan at a cruising speed of 60mph

[RoyJ]

The Fuso, a lowly 161 hp. But, it's meant for efficiency in commercial use, not high performance recreation.

Recreation demands "fun factor". Look at boats - an offshore sports fisher can run 1500 hp, all to catch 3 tunas. A commercial trawler with a 25,000 lbs salmon hold may run a 90hp Perkins.

[Grit_dog]

rjstractor wrote:
I test drove a really nice little Fuso 4x4 dump truck. Problem was it was so underpowered it could barely get out of it's own way empty. Towing or hauling a heavy load would have been miserably slow.

Yeah, RR, what kind of power are these "light trucks" putting down?

They're cool, but seems all our class 5-7 COE trucks here are pretty neutered in the power department.

[rjstractor]

RoyJ wrote:
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.

I like the way they drive too. I see one running around my area that's all built up as a fifth wheel puller. I'd like to ask him what he's done to the motor, if anything. When I was still doing landscaping I test drove a really nice little Fuso 4x4 dump truck. Problem was it was so underpowered it could barely get out of it's own way empty. Towing or hauling a heavy load would have been miserably slow.

[RobertRyan]

RoyJ wrote:
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.

Here the heavy payloads of these Japanese Trucks are what they are used for. Depends on the Japanese Truck you can yank 20,000- 30,000lbs up a grade, but the one illustrated is a reasonably priced vehicle that can carry a nuch heavier payload than a F350 but a 9,900lb Caravan

[RoyJ]

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.

[rexlion]

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

[RobertRyan]

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.

[free_radical]

When you say light Jpn trucks these come to mind 🙂

https://youtu.be/NKqSZD6-Y4Q

[RobertRyan]

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

[RobertRyan]

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

[Grit_dog]

blt2ski wrote:

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

Marty

I agree

[RobertRyan]

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.