Real World Fuso Driving Experience Wanted

[whatcharterboat]

We use our truck(FG649 2003) for touring we travel at 60kph to 100pkh depends on roads and what is out the window to see and on how much fuel we have.
They are great for crusing around in but no high speed tourer by any means and if you are touring why would you care how fast you going take your time see stuff.

Hi Pete. Well thanks. You heading away for Easter?

Anyway...yes ...very valid point ( I can't spell "touche") but that truck that will do 127kph flat out on level ground would rarely do over 95kph in reality and at that speed it would be VERY miserly on fuel. We only ran it up to top speed on our GPS based speedo on flat ground in both directions when we did our speedo re-calibration. We did build another 649 with virtually the same specs that the owner often loads up well over 7 ton on tour and it returns close to 8 kpl .

how did that rig sound with the hot-dog mufflers in it

Hi Andrew,

That thing that looks like a hotdog is actually a Taipan XP Vortex Chamber. Works like a Hi-clone in your exhaust instead of your air inlet. ....no silencing effect at all....the second one is the muffler and yes...it was obviously louder than normal but not as loud as a canon straight behind the exhaust brake and Andrew, I have never considered even the latter to be too loud either. Turbos have a great habit of slicing sound waves....it's just when the wastegate opens that you have a problem.

(Peter, that should answer your question but the owner made the exhaust brake...ring me if you ever need a 3" brake though)

 

[DzlToy]

PK not sure what kind of car you have, but "keeping up" with semi's even in the smaller economy cars in the US is no problem. On the way home tonight, I was easily doing 80 MPH on winding country back roads. Though there was not much elevation today, a recent trip to the mountains saw heavy trucks lumbering in the far right (slow) lane doing 20-40 mph, while traffic passed at 50-70 mph. I can easily drive twisting climbing mountain roads at twice the posted (25-35 mph) speed limit in an economy car with no worries. We are not talking sports cars or bikes here...

I realise that an FG is not designed for this and one who is on tour or holiday should not be concerned with these things. However there is something to be said for getting there (JMO). Maybe I am an impatient American who just cant slow down, but even when I have no timeline or schedule I just cant travel at 35-45 mph in a car..

I further realise that 130 kph in a truck is going to drink fuel and wear things out quickly, so I would not advocate that either. Maybe when I retire, I will slow down and take it easy and drive at 80 kph instead of 80 MPH.....

Cheers

 

[PKDreamers]

DzlToy,
Mate our roads down here are just Sh%t house would be the best way to discribe them and that is being nice. Anyone in OZ tell me if i am wrong here.
Most Hi ways top legal speed is 100kph with good bits 110kph out west sum of the road are single lane too but in alot of places you just cannot do those speeds because of the poor condition of the roads. Plus we mobile speed cameras, fixed speed cameras, unmarked police cars with speed cameras, etc etc etc.
I have driven a few road in USA ( loved Texan roads)except everything was on the wrong side lol lol lol and Canada which where all just a dream to drive on.

John we are off to Styx River (NSW) a few days before easter for about 8 days which should be great, get the camp oven going and do sum cooking.
We hope it is not too cold so the kids can swim.
:REOutCampFire03:

What are you and your family up to?

 

[whatcharterboat]

What are you and your family up to?

Pete, we live in Noosa....so always just stay at home and ride our push bikes down to the beach every day cause you won't get a park otherwise that weekend.....I can't handle camping with crowds so I don't even try. Heading to Tuff Truck just before Easter though....BTW Styx River sounds cool...hope you'll post some pics. A few of the guys from work are all heading to Bali.....That'd be cool too. Thanks.

Sorry for the OT.
John.

 

[john101477]

No experience with the FUSO but lots with a loaded NPR which in many ways is the same animal. Even with smaller tires, loaded pulling hills was a 30 mph ordeal. It was a solid truck though and the low end torque these things come with is crazy.
Good Luck and have fun

 

[alan]

Pete, we live in Noosa....so always just stay at home and ride our push bikes down to the beach every day cause you won't get a park otherwise that weekend.....I can't handle camping with crowds so I don't even try. Heading to Tuff Truck just before Easter though....BTW Styx River sounds cool...hope you'll post some pics. A few of the guys from work are all heading to Bali.....That'd be cool too. Thanks.

Sorry for the OT.
John.

John, have they been to Bali before?