The ride!

[Sixinarow]

How is the ride quality on the FG4X4 or COE trucks in general compared to a regular truck, say a Ford F-450?

My buddy runs a data destruction company and has two Isuzu box trucks. He has warned me about the ride quality and wanted to see how much truth there is to that?

I know an empty truck will be worse than a loaded truck.

My local dealer doesn't have any 4x4s in stock otherwise I'd go test drive one.

Thanks!

Nick

 

[dlh62c]

Tire pressures set for the load will make a big difference.

With a lightly loaded truck and tire pressures at 90psi, your risking serious injury and even death if you attempt to pick your nose while under way.

 

[Czechsix]

dlh is right....but to really know, you have to take the ride. There's gotta be someone around with one.

My truck is 9600# or so, with the ATW suspension, wheels and the M608Z tires. I normally run around 65psi, and I use the hell out of the suspension seats

But, to answer your question, a cab over truck will never ride as well as a conventional. You're right over the axle, right over the source of acceleration, and that's just the way it is. You can mitigate it, but not eliminate it. That being said, once the truck is loaded, and with a proper suspension....even the wife with her back issues had no problem with the ride quality in the ATW Alpha. Likewise, I had no issues with ride quality in the Earthcruiser FX unit, with a stock suspension and the Stratos seats, and correctly inflated tires.

 

[SkiFreak]

How is the ride quality on the FG4X4 or COE trucks

One word.... RUBBISH!
Without a change to the suspension and/or tyres you would be pushed to believe that these trucks actually have suspension.

 

[mog]

I found a huge change with going to super singles (37" on 16" rims). The high sidewalls and low sidewall belt count (Falken Wildpeak AT) of 3 made a world of difference. So much my planned switch to longer parabolic springs has been downgraded in priority.
But compared to my F-250 ('02, crewcab, 35") the ride will never be as nice as that. Say on a 4 hours trip, with a 12 being a Maybach and 1 being a tractor, the Fuso is around a 5 and the F-250 is around a 7.

 

[chosen]

dlh is right....but to really know, you have to take the ride. There's gotta be someone around with one.

Someone who you feel comfortable with enough to pick your nose with whilst you take it for a test drive! That is the only way you will truly know if you will survive or not ;-)

 

[Sixinarow]

Haha, thanks guys! I posted in the Four Corners subforum asking if anyone in the Denver area wants to show me theirs...

Their FG, not their nose picking abilities.

 

[dlh62c]

Tire manufacturers publish tables regarding air pressure vs load. If a Canter weights out around 8800 lbs with an empty cargo body tire pressures in the rear can be around 45psi with duals and around 55 psi in the front. Running with reduced pressures will result in a ride that's less nauseous.

When attempting to use the radio channel preset buttons, it's safer to come to a complete stop otherwise you might break your finger.

 

[dtruzinski]

The good news is that the factory radio is so poor that you will never want to turn it on. Further there are no known instances of anyone falling asleep at the wheel of a Fuso FG while driving...with stock suspension and wheels, you will hang on for dear life and fear bridge transitions and concrete freeways.

It can be improved, but I agree, it's hard to get to the F550 or 5500 comfort level...maybe more like a 1970's CJ5.

good luck

 

[Maninga]

The ride is certainly different. I stepped out of a WRX into my Canter, man that took some adjustment. ATW Super singles, parabolics, ride wasn't great but I didn't have much load on it with the drive home (I was probably 1800-2300kg under what the suspension is set up for). Wife got motion sickness on the drive home, a pedometer she put in the centre console registered 9000 steps while traveling the 2000km.

The biggest thing for me though was getting used to the lack of a bonnet, and sheer height you're now up. Driving over bridges/overpasses with a somewhat boatlike ride took some getting used to, the drop looks right in front of you. I don't like heights, thankfully I'm getting used to it now.

 

[unkamonkey]

I'm having some battery issues right now, otherwise you could come up and see what they are like to drive. I would place it about equal with my neighbors F350 4X4 dually without any weight in it.

 

[Mock Tender]

Dlh62c and dtrunzinski are dead on. Their answers just about made me pee my pants from laughing so hard at those exact experiences. At 6 tons fully loaded and using 315 75R16 Cooper St/Maxx on EC wheels, the 4 wheeling fire roads, Schafer trail in canyon lands, logging trails and etc is not bad (better than the old stock cj7 we had. But the 25 to 60 mile an hour rough/potholed/expansion joint highways are insane. We have a very good motorcycle lift that has been rock solid in all the 4 wheeling we have done: but has not been able to hold the bike tight enough on two highway occasions which resulted in a broken rear window (shattered) on the camper and the left rear turn signal on the bike being snapped off. This was on Trans Canada 1 in Newfoundland. We are going to be installing a new leaf spring shock very soon.

 

[Raker]

Once you have driven a 1967 Diamond Reo prime mover, bobtail. The bit'samissin canter isn't that painful.:hehe:

 

[peneumbra]

Do any of these trucks come with optional air suspension? that and air-ride seats really help in calming things down.

Oh, and speaking of nose-picking:VVV

 

[unkamonkey]

Once you have driven a 1967 Diamond Reo prime mover, bobtail. The bit'samissin canter isn't that painful.:hehe:

Once in a while I drove a '53 Mack bobtail, Duplex transmissions. I drove from CO to AL in the FG. The ride wasn't so bad, it was trying to sleep with several diesels idleing near all night that sucked. I built my motorcycle carrier out of 2X6 channel, a brace to the back of the camper and five straps to hold it in place. I just sold the last motorcycle last weekend, I suppose I can remove the carrier now.