Real World Fuso Driving Experience Wanted

[dtruzinski]

I am trying to get some real world driving experience from people who have built on the Fuso Fg140 platform. I expect to spend the majority of my time in the US/Canadian Rockies and touring Alaska. So most of the freeway journey will include passes and mountain elevations. Will a FG140 with an expedtion camper be able to keep highway speeds of 60 - 65 mph? I plan on running 19.5' wheels with 35-36" tires which should help top end speed, but I am really concerned about a vehicle with only 347 ft/lbs and 12-13K lbs fully loaded pulling hills. Would really be interested in other's observed performance, comfort, and general drivability (especially in inclement weather, eg snow)

 

[kerry]

I've got some comments on various threads on my FG's performance in the Rockies. I have the FG639 and I'm running around 11,800 lbs or so. I'm happy in the Rockies. It's not going to climb Vail Pass at 65mph.

 

[DzlToy]

Simple physics will tell you that a 13,000 pound brick with 36" tires and 147 hp is not going to do 65 mph up a mountain pass.

Swap in a Cummins or Duramax or get used to going slow. These trucks are well built and will run a long time if cared for, but they are nothing, if not slow.

I have no personal experience driving an FG140 in the Rockies, but this is not rocket surgery here.....

 

[Amesz00]

gday,
my 3.9L FG649 is only running about 9-9500lb, but running bigger 39" tyres.i get a consistent 5.8km/L (bout 13.7MPG) from the truck at 60-65mph. up steep hills is a bit slow, but it depends what your used to- its not a V8 car, it is a 6t truck. if you do lots of steep mountain driving, the stock power/torque figures can be easily improved on.

 

[dtruzinski]

I am in limbo...I get that a 6T truck w/347 ft/lbs it is going to be slow, I just don't know if I can go that slow...the alternative is to step up to a Unimog u500, but it seems like overkill. I like the thought of creating some performance improvements on the base FG140. What manufacturers produce perf products?

On the suspension, I planned on re-working the stock leafs and shocks. Anyone have some systems that worked particularly well.

dzltoy...i get the basic block physics, but was secretly hoping that this was either grossly understated HP or Torque or some other obscure anomaly.

btw...I think this is the best online community I have ever participated in...you are all very helpful. Once I pick my rig, I will start building the camper and I am going to rely on exped portal for guidance.

 

[Amesz00]

I like the thought of creating some performance improvements on the base FG140. What manufacturers produce perf products?

well if you want more poke from it, very first thing to do is the exhaust- 2 1/4" on a 4.9L motor is a joke- should be at least 3", if not 3.5. the intake setup on these is not too bad, but replacing the stock plastic snorkel + water catch with a bit of 4" pipe helps a little. in Oz there are a couple of mobs that do power chips (DPchip + Steinbauer notably), this will give around 20-25% by itself (but effects are helped greatly by bigger exhaust + more boost). next step is probly start playing with the boost control, the stock turbo will be ********** in its efficiency at standard boost, so will flow a bit more before it chokes, for example stock boost on my 3.9L is 10psi, im running it at 17 (flat out), and you can feel it starting to choke at around 15.
Andrew

 

[whatcharterboat]

very first thing to do is the exhaust- 2 1/4" on a 4.9L motor is a joke- should be at least 3", if not 3.5. the intake setup on these is not too bad, but replacing the stock plastic snorkel + water catch with a bit of 4" pipe helps a little. in Oz there are a couple of mobs that do power chips (DPchip + Steinbauer notably), this will give around 20-25% by itself (but effects are helped greatly by bigger exhaust + more boost)

ANDREEW>>>> 3" exhaust (even the exhaust brake) + DP + big wheels = 127 kph but can still tow a really big boat in soft sand.

 

[kerry]

You need to drive one fully loaded. I wouldn't call mine slow in the Rockies but our standards may be completely different. I also drive a Bluebird Wanderlodge at 33k lbs and 210hp. That is slow. The FG is lightening fast by comparison.

 

[westyss]

I regularly go into the mountains with a boat in tow, we have an area of 8% grades on the Coquihalla highway here in BC, and the FG will climb that no problem but I see speeds down to 45 mph on the steepest parts, I dont understand the need to go 65mph up these grades?? I pass semi's on there all the time so whats the problem with not being able to do the speed limit up mountain passes? These trucks are what they are, if your needs are to go up mountain passes at 65-70mph in full travel mode, I'd suggest getting some big north American pick up that has a big diesel and go that route, but I also end up passing my brother in law in his F350 towing his fifth wheel when he needs to pull in at the pumps.
As for comfort, well I believe that has been well documented and in my opinion these trucks need a suspension makeover,
highway speeds are easy to maintain, but ride comfort and mpg's will suffer the faster you go. I am not too familiar with the traits of the U-500 but cant imagine these would cruise the highway's at 65mph either?? Anyone??

In bad weather, snow etc, no problems, the view and driving position is awesome.

 

[haven]

Highway driving in the mountains is where the American diesel pickups shine. Nothing like 650+ lb-ft of torque (880+ N-M) to muscle your way up to the Eisenhower Tunnel.

(For those unfamiliar, the Eisenhower Tunnel sits at 11,000 feet / 3400 meters on Interstate 70 in the Colorado Rockies west of Denver. The highway approach to the tunnel from the west is a steady 7% grade for seven miles. This stretch of road is often used to measure a truck's high altitude, high speed performance.)

The US diesel pickup can be quite economical, too. The extra torque lets you shift to high gear quickly, reducing engine revs. Unloaded, the diesel pickups return as much as 20 miles per US gallon.

 

[lehel1]

driveability ??

hello all

i have an 08 fg and have a custom full size camper on it. i'm also running 19.5 wheels with 35 in tires. total rig weight with full tanks (2 fuel tanks and camper water tanks) and motorbike 13,000 lbs.

i drive the california seirra's regularly and find i have no problems on 6% grades holding 45-50 mph (4th gear, at around 2600 rmp). 65 mph the rest of the time is no problem, with that said we ussually run 60 mph which helps our fuel economy by 1-2 mpg at around 2200 rpm.

we are happy with the performance of the fg. we've had a unnimog (not a u500) but have driven them and u1300 and i think you'd be surprized your not likely to get any more from one of those.

i'll be at the expo next week if you happen to be there and would be happy to take you out for a drive to see whats its like first hand

cheers lehel and laura

 

[DzlToy]

I may take you up on your offer, even though there are no mtn passes around....

 

[Amesz00]

ANDREEW>>>> 3" exhaust (even the exhaust brake) + DP + big wheels = 127 kph but can still tow a really big boat in soft sand.

yea i notice my truck has a lot more torque than a stocker, 3" zorst + dpchip. how did that rig sound with the hot-dog mufflers in it? coz im running straight pipe and it is waayy too loud to sell as is.

+ DP + big wheels = 127 kph

think the highest ive gotten the old girl to was 130- pretty quick on those tyres but...- hence reasoning to go for 12.5 XZLs XD

 

[PKDreamers]

Hi,

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.
We take our time to get places, call the semi's though on the UHF radio to over take us.Because it is very hard now days to keep up with semi's even in a car.
It has been up to 120kph with No kids in the truck but not for too long because they like to drink a bit of fuel over 100kph.
We average 17l per 100km running 19.5 wheels.
We would weigh in about 9000lbs may be less.

 

[PKDreamers]

ANDREEW>>>> 3" exhaust (even the exhaust brake) + DP + big wheels = 127 kph but can still tow a really big boat in soft sand.


John how are you?
Who did his exhaust system?