Hino joins the AMT revolution with the latest version of its 700 Series prime mover
By Gary Worrall | October 4, 2010
Hino has joined the AMT revolution with the latest version of its 700 Series 2848 prime mover, and what a truck it has become with the new gearbox.
While it will still struggle to penetrate the B-double linehaul market, Hino has decided to market the truck as an intra- and inter-urban single trailer prime mover, and this could be the best decision the company has ever made.
Along with the latest version of the proven ZF AS-Tronic 16-speed automated manual transmission, the Hino 2848 also gained the integrated ZF Intarder 2 transmission retarder as standard equipment.
In a single stroke, Hino has gained one of the best back-to-base fleet operations prime movers available locally, with a smooth ride, strong on-road performance and decent levels of operator safety.
While the overall performance was exemplary, the performance of the Intarder 2 made the biggest impression, pulling up the fully-laden semi trailer time and again, with barely any need for the service brakes.
On the familiarisation leg, from Cronulla to Wollongong and back, including the steep Mt Ousley descent, the retarder alone was worth the price of admission.
The Hino comfortably held third place in a conga line of heavy trucks with the Intarder set on maximum.
Where the other trucks around us – especially those of the American persuasion – had the Jacobs brake bouncing off the stone walls we were guilty of noting more than a sibilant hiss from somewhere under the cab.
So strong is the Intarder that the whole descent could be done without using the brakes at all.
At one point we were in danger of coming to a complete stop and had to accelerate up towards the 40km/h truck and bus speed limit despite a weighbridge ticket that showed us sitting right on the 42.5-tonne weight limit.
While the retarder is impressive, it would be unfair to overlook the work Hino has done on creating an integrated workplace with niceties like Isringhausen suspension seat for the driver, airconditioning, high quality plastics and vinyls throughout the cab.
It also has a multimedia touch screen entertainment system, complete with iPod dock, bluetooth and satellite navigation unit.
See the November edition of ATN
for the full report on the Hino 2848 prime mover.