Off the Road Again

For the past few years Australia’s biggest selling vehicles have been 4×4 dual cab utes, often loaded up with all manner of accessories to better equip them for the occasional – if ever – off-road adventure.

American-style larger 4×4 ‘trucks’ are also gaining in popularity and have spawned a successful local conversion industry.

The 4×4 Hino 300 Series 817 model provide yet another viable option and has been developed specifically for Australian applications and has been available in Australia since 2017 in single and crew cab configurations.

The relative longevity of the model is testament to the extensive testing and evaluations that took place in Australia prior to the final specifications being determined for the production models.

We’ve driven the 300 Series 817 4×4 previously but mostly on sealed roads. This assessment has been planned to put the capabilities of the Hino 4×4 to a realistic test utilising some of the roads and tracks within the Deura, Monga and Morton National Parks, departing from Canberra and eventually emerging many hours later on the NSW South Coast for an overnight stop in Mollymook.

Our vehicles for this trip are a modified version with a manual transmission and a more standard model equipped with an Allison six-speed full automatic transmission.

The auto version isn’t just along for the trip to act as a standby winch anchor point in case the tricked-up model got seriously stuck.

Despite not having an Eaton locker rear diff as fitted to the manual, the auto model was able to tackle anything the manual could handle without having to worry about shifting gears, confirming that a two pedal solution is a worthwhile consideration for such applications, but it does come with a price premium.

The six-speed synchro manual overdrive transmission is complemented by the two-speed transfer case from the larger Hino 500 Series GT 4×4. Selecting high or low range and four-wheel drive is accomplished by using dash mounted switches.

This is a ‘truck’ gearbox as distinct from what is typically fitted to a ‘ute’ and the driver needs to be mindful of this and ensure shifts are performed in a steady manner rather than attempting to be like a race car driver.

Using high range and overdrive with plenty of torque from the engine helps in keeping at a steady 100 km/hr when on cruise control on the highway, enabling efficient fuel consumption from the two tanks which have a total capacity of 170 litres.

The Hino 817’s 7.5 tonne GVM can also be optioned at 4,495 kgs to accommodate car licenced drivers. The GCM of 11,000 kgs will accommodate a trailer and equipment such as a small excavator or a large off-road caravan.

The chassis has a rivet-less straight top flange that lends itself to the easier fitting of bodies, whether steel or alloy or custom such as with the test unit.

The Dynamic Campers body is equipped with two fridges, a slide out berth for the BBQ and numerous other storage options including a section large enough to accommodate a swag if the weather precludes sleeping at ground level.

The removable body is held on by just four bolts and is fitted with jacking points at each corner.

LED lighting is fitted throughout the body cavities and the 200amp/hour auxiliary battery keeps the fridges cold and maintaining its charge is helped by a couple of solar panels located on the roof platform.

A 15,000lb-winch is fitted to the rear along with a 4.5-tonne tow bar. A 100-litre water tank is located between the chassis rails and helps keep the centre of gravity as low as possible despite the raised suspension and the larger diameter steel wheels which carry aggressively treaded 315/70 x 19.5 tyres, up from the 17.5-inch standard rims.

The cab’s front steps have been realigned to clear the larger rubber and the rims are offset to achieve the same track width front and rear which is a benefit when off-roading. The combination of Hino underpinnings and the quality aftermarket additions provides a high level of confidence when venturing away from paved surfaces.

Vehicles such as this open up access to some wonderful vistas which are cherished even more due to their remoteness and difficult access. As examples, this trip includes some scenic deep creek crossings and accessing the spectacular 63-metre Granite Falls in the Morton National Park.

The Hino’s package of additional goodies includes a custom steel front bumper fitted with a 20,000 pound Sherpa winch and extensive bar work protects the A pillars and the front windscreen to a certain extent and also provides mountings for the three LED light bars that easily turn night into day when switched on.

Before we divert off the bitumen the pressure in the tyres is dropped from 90psi to 60psi to extend the tyres’ footprint and significantly improve grip.

By harnessing momentum and traction we have no need to spool out any of the winches despite tackling some serious sections of poor quality tracks. Overnight rain has contributed to a much lower co-efficient of traction as we negotiate overgrown tracks and washed out power line access roads.

The obtuse approach and departure angles of the Hino combine with the impressive suspension articulation to make the negotiation of even the deepest washouts a straightforward exercise. A

s our confidence rises in the abilities of both the extensively modified and big-tyred manual, and the more factory spec auto, we actively seek out the more challenging routes rather than taking the “chicken tracks”.

Travelling downhill on the most challenging tracks we select low range, switch off the Vehicle Stability Control, and use the exhaust brake in combination with the four wheel disc brakes to control our speed without declutching, as the engine’s torque and the extremely low gearing make the Hino almost impossible to stall.

The four-litre diesel engine provides 165hp (121kW) of power at 2,500 rpm and a handy 464Nm of torque at a very low 1,400rpm. The Euro V compliant engine utilises a self-cleaning diesel particulate filter.

The truck suspension has long front leaf springs and two stage leaves at the rear mounted on a sub-chassis.

Aftermarket shock absorbers from Powerdown assist with the ride, as does the magnetically dampened driver’s seat.

Despite the harsh nature of some of the so-called tracks, we only manage to bottom out the seat a few times over two days.

Catering for the intention of taking this Hino seriously off road include swing away brackets on the door mounted mirrors and an aftermarket snorkel that draws cleaner air from the top of the rear of the cab.

The interior of the cab is typical business-like Hino complemented by the large touch screen which also acts as the high-definition display for the standard equipment reverse camera and it features night vision plus microphone at rear —handy when being guided by someone not in the cab.

The capabilities of the Hino “fourby” are extensive, whether driving off-road for business or pleasure, or when cruising the bitumen out of necessity to get to the next bush track.