It’s Prime (Mover) Time

In-depth

2 Feb

Hino 700 SS 2848 Prime Mover

Some may remember my adventures with Hino’s 700 Series rigid recently, entitled ‘Where’s The Red One?’ For those that missed it, here’s a link ….

https://www.truckinwithkermie.com/blog/wheres-the-red-one-hino-will-never-lend-me-another-truck

Being the honest chap that I am, I came clean on my misadventures with the company’s latest and greatest, wrote the story and gave it the sub-title, “Hino Will Never Lend me Another Truck!”

Well they did. And this time it was A-Red-One! They gave me the keys again and said, “See ya when you get back.” Lovely folk at Hino.

This time around it was the 700 Series 2848 Prime Mover Hi Roof Cab version with reefer trailer attached and considerably more weight on board than the rigid. Again, it was powered by the biggest engine in the range, being the 13 litre with 480Hp and 2,157 Nm peaking at just 1100rpm. The torque curve is nice and flat from there to 1,800 revs where it is still twisting 1,800Nm

The engine’s output of 480 horses has recently been trumped by a Japanese rival who’s got a donk now putting out 520. I’ve no doubt that Hino will be looking at matching this down the line, but really, 480 is plenty for the 700’s intended working life. The truck lugged along the open roads and up all but the steeper inclines with aplomb.

I was in a conversation with my Canadian truckie mate, Mike Murchison sometime after the 700 test drive – and also after the Scania 770 (horsepower) – and described the Hino’s drive as ‘leisurely’ after experiencing the Scania. Mike laughed and commented, “Well, just imagine how leisurely my drive is in the Peterbilt, pulling two A trailers across Canada and the US with just 430Hp.”

I instantly felt spoiled!

The auto gearbox is a ZF AS Tronic with 16 speeds going onto a final drive ration of 3.9 to 1. The changes are crisp and succinct and the ‘box has the ability to be changed manually if desired. Hino has stuck with drum brakes but I’ve no complaints with their stopping power. Aided by pedal activated engine compression braking as well as the best 4-stage intarder in the business, the truck pulled up in time, every time. Indeed, the intarder is so good that the brake pedal was usually only used over the last few metres when pulling to a stop – and that was in both city and country driving.

If you are Olde School you can order the 700 with the ubiquitous 18 speed Road Ranger but I’m suspecting few will do so, given this truck will probably spend much of its time in built up areas.

All the usual safety gear is there with Adaptive Cruise Control, emergency braking (Autonomous Pre-Collision in Hino speak) which works beautifully when needed (see the article on the rigid version), as I found out on one occasion during the drive. Lane Departure Warning, ABS, Stability Control and Safety Eye – which was more than happy with my concentration on this run and stayed quiet.

Initially I’d thought of leaving Dandenong and continuing on the Princess Highway down into Gippsland, sleeping in the cab overnight and returning the next day. I loaded my gear into the truck including sleeping bag, pillow and a mattress topper. Looking behind me at the ‘bunk’ I had a rethink. Fact is this is for emergency sleeping only. Whilst having lost 23kg puts me in the size bracket where I’d fit in/on it, the thought of the wonderful mattress that I’d left that morning outweighed testing the bunk on behalf of you lot. Hino freely admit that it’s only there for emergencies and hey, it’s there if circumstances dictate.

**Hino doesn’t pretend that the bunk is for more than emergency use.**

So it wasn’t a hard decision to head home to Mootown, stay the night in my own bed and head back to Dandy the next day. Furthermore, I decided, it was a chance to drive the 700 Semi across varying conditions and take note of where it is best suited.

Remembering the mistakes of last time, I dawdled through built up traffic at Dandenong, sat at 100km along the Eastern Tollway to Ringwood, drove through the ‘burbs and on to Yarra Glen. Then it was cross-country, up hills, down dales and along rough surfaced, windy country roads to Yea and on to Seymour before hitting the freeway from there to Shepparton and Mootown. Plenty of sunshine on this trip – unlike the last – gave me the chance to fire up the air-con which works a treat, cooling the cabin in no time.

The interior of the 700 Series prime mover is a carbon copy of the rigid version save for the Hi-roof which adds a more spacious feeling – although the rigid in no way felt cramped. Fixtures and fittings are identical and a great colour palette gives an ambience missing from many trucks with their grey-on-grey. As mentioned previously, while looking great, surfaces tend to be hard plastic - which will withstand the rigours of trucking life - but the addition of some non-slip material on storage trays would be welcome.

Driving through shopping strips, along freeways and through the burbs is a doddle in this truck. With a 43 foot trailer in tow I took a couple of diversions along neighbourhood back streets and through some pretty tight roundabouts with ease. Steering is light enough to twirl the wheel one-handed through tight turns. You’re not going to build up your biceps with this steering.

Along major arteries and freeways the truck sits happily on the ton, the adaptive cruise control keeping a happy space between the odd slower vehicles in front. One driver planted his brakes in front of me and the Hino’s emergency braking did its thing instantly – proof that it does work. Luckily for it, the car in front was not made from cardboard (read my earlier story above for context).

Test driving a truck means plenty of stopping for photo opportunities, read: in and out of the cab A LOT. I can assure you that entry and egress is a doddle with steps well placed and spaced.

Out of the ‘burbs past Yarra Glen, up The Slide to Yea and beyond to Seymour where the roads become progressively worse, as is the Australian Way. Maybe it’s just me, but I felt this combination was more planted than the rigid version over our crap roads. More weight behind perhaps? The Lane Departure Warning which at times in the rigid was singing a veritable tune to me was almost totally silent on this run – possibly due to driver acclimatisation as well as avoiding roads that proclaimed ‘Low Branches Ahead’. Lol.

From Seymour it’s an easy run to Mootown and I pull up in front of our home (and some of next doors) ready to find a dram of Monkey Shoulder. Standing outside the 700 I am again struck by what a good looking vehicle this is, particularly in this red and chrome iteration. I was not alone in that. Aside from our street rarely hosting a Semi – a number of people passing by that afternoon, stopped and commented on how good it looked.

A decent night’s sleep and it was back to Dandenong, this time through peak hour traffic as the truck was required in Sydney ASAP. Wish they’d told me earlier – I’d have happily obliged.

Hino have done a great job with the 700 in all its iterations. Good lookin’, comfortable, quiet, the latest in safety tech and the brilliant Hino Connect.

If you’re in the market for this type of truck, take the Hino 700 for a spin. You won’t be disappointed.