Best of Both Worlds

The new Hino 500 Series GT 1528 has improved load capacity on front and rear axles.

Australia’s strong interest in off-road vehicles is epitomised in Hino’s new 500 Series GT 1528.

Born out of the necessities of war, four torque are noticeable on and off the road and the wheel drive vehicles for a long time bore benefits are maximised with the use of the torque a reputation for being uncomfortable, convertor and the automatic transmission. difficult to drive and severely The axles have contributed to the GVM being compromised in their on-road performances due increased by 1.5 tonnes to 14.5 tonnes, making to the requirements of their all-terrain applications possible a nominal payload of around 9 tonnes. taking precedence over more genteel activities. A logbook-exempt 12 tonne rating is available as Medium Duty 4x4 trucks are an intriguing category an option. with traditional applications in industries such For the GT 1528 the cab can be a three-seat as emergency services, mining, agriculture, and single version, or as with our test truck, a seven infrastructure support now being expanded seater crew cab. Both cab styles have electroby becoming the basis of campers and mobile hydraulic tilt mechanisms and are available with homes for people who want to ‘go bush’ with a either a 4,250mm wheelbase or the new, longer, lot of gear. High expectations in terms of off-road 4,650mm wheelbase. The additional longer capabilities should be tempered with a reasonable wheelbase is particularly good for crew cab load capacity and a comfortable performance when models as it allows the fitting of a practical length being used on roads that are considerably better body without excessive rear overhang which than bush tracks. would be undesirable when driving off-road. Hino’s latest 500 Series GT 1528 goes a long way The five speed, single overdrive Allison 2500 full towards disproving any notion that a four wheel automatic transmission is standard equipment. drive medium duty truck can’t climb mountains, ‘On the fly’ 4x4 selection is achieved using a dash carry a load, accommodate seven adults in relative mounted switch while low range in the two-speed comfort and cruise the streets as well. transfer case needs to be selected when the vehicle Appearances can be deceiving, and from the outside is stationary. The transfer case has been beefed not a lot has changed for this new Hino 500 Series up to handle the extra power and torque of the GT 4x4, but where it matters is underneath. The engine. Another advantage of the Allison, perhaps 2020 Hino GT 1528 benefits from being extensively its greatest, is that it provides the truck with the re-engineered from the bottom up starting with the ability to safely traverse quite rough terrain without front and rear axles which have increased capacities having the driver being concerned about shifting compared to the previous model. gears or overloading the driveline components. The higher axle capacities are in line with the The selector for the Allison is a ‘man-sized’ T-bar significant increases in power and torque provided shifter which doesn’t have a ‘park’ position as by the six cylinder Hino J08 turbo engine. air/spring brakes are used for parking and are Power has gone from 215hp to 280hp with operated by an air valve in the cab which looks the additional 65hp representing a 30 per cent very much like a ratchet handbrake used on increase, while torque has risen by 29 per cent smaller trucks. Having ‘reverse’ at the top of the from 637Nm to 824Nm. The engine meets Euro quadrant makes for quick and easy back and fill 5 emission regulations using a combination of turns as the driver can virtually row from drive Exhaust Gas Recirculation and a Diesel Particulate to reverse. An ability to lock the transmission in Filter with no AdBlue required. Fuel tank capacity one gear is a benefit when both climbing and is 200 litres. The engine’s additional power and descending rugged sections of ‘road’.

Its seven seater cab seems a long way above ground level during the drive off-road.

The turning circles of all wheel drive trucks are never expected to be a strong point due to the restrictions of steerable front hubs although the GT 1528 has managed to tighten the turns with a one metre reduced circle over the previous model. The braking system consists of air-overhydraulic drums on all wheels with the Anti-lock Braking System sensibly disconnected when low range 4x4 is selected. Instead of electronic brake actuated traction control found on Hino’s road going 500 Series, the GT 1528 employs a conventional and effective no-spin rear differential. The engine’s exhaust brake is nicely integrated with the Allison, which downshifts automatically to boost the engine brake’s effectiveness, sometimes so much so that on undulating highway driving we usually leave the steering column mounted control lever in the ‘off’ position, only flicking it to ‘on’ when we really do want to wash off some speed. There is adequate storage of compressed air to accommodate ‘riding’ the brakes on long steep descents. Standing on 22.5 inch wheels shod with 11R22.5 tyres, the cab seems a long way above ground level and access involves using a wheel step, several handles and a couple of forwarded-mounted steps. This could prove a minor challenge for drivers with shorter statures although access to this type of vehicle will always involve a compromise due to the requirement for adequate ground clearance and perhaps an additional folding step would assist some driver and passengers. Once inside the cab there is an abundance of features starting with the ISRI driver’s seat which has a comprehensive array of adjustments including pneumatic damping and the integrated seatbelt provides practical comfort and safety. We’ve driven similar trucks over the same roads and have occasionally had to resort to unclipping the seat belt or risk damage to the shoulder or collar bone. In the single cab models the outside passenger also gets an air suspended seat. Hino’s impressive multimedia system has a 6.5 inch screen with the capability to connect up to four cameras, plus Bluetooth music streaming and mobile phone voice dialling. The Android operating system has Wi-Fi connectivity to enable over the air software updates. The test vehicle is fitted with the optional truck specification GPS system complete with live traffic updates. Standard equipment also includes a reversing camera and a driver’s SRS airbag. The heated electric mirrors are located on spring mounted folding arms which prove their effectiveness on some of the narrow tracks we take where the saplings close in. The standard electric windows and door locks can be optionally replaced with manual equivalents to meet with certain fire authorities’ requirements. Long taper leaf spring suspension at the front combined with effective shock absorbers delivers a vastly improved ride compared with the semi-elliptic spring packs used on previous models. We managed to put a shudder through the vehicle only once by bottoming out when travelling just a little too quickly over some broken rock. The standard shock absorbers are, by nature, a compromise to deliver the best ride under most conditions the Hino is likely to encounter including streets and highways. Getting there is supposedly half the fun, and on the road to and from off-roading adventures the GT 1528 provides a smooth and remarkably quiet ride. It would not have been unexpected with a vehicle of this type to be subjected to intrusive noise from the chunky tyres or the whine of the driveline, but the Bridgestone tyres and the Allison transmission deliver none of that. With the air-conditioning on, the music playing softly and the cruise control set we are able to motor along in style and keep up with the other truck traffic despite being loaded to gross a little over 12 tonnes. We endeavour to put the GT 1528 through its off-road paces on some of the Watagan Mountains’ toughest logging and fire trails. Weather, budget cuts and disrespectful off-road hoons have resulted in a very evident lack of maintenance on the access roads with 400mm ruts and loose rocks peppering roads that 18 months ago could have been easily traversed by a typical family sedan. Needless to say the Hino eats this all up with ease. To that extent, Hino’s experience from being perennial, and usually successful, participants in the Dakar Rally has filtered through to its multi-purpose trucks such as the GT 1528.