I went away from ute's to trucks to get away from the 3 to 400k passenger vehicle driveline, and into million k commercial driveline. Purchase price of a truck was less than any of the passenger based stuff that I was looking at. Brake life has gone from approximately 40k to 200k per set of pads, and I'm carrying much more weight. Keep your passenger stuff for passenger use. Buy a proper commercial vehicle for commercial use. You will look back and ask yourself why you didn't do it years ago. BTW, my rego and insurance are both less.
Isuzu NLR truck all the way. I’ve been a builder for 20 years. For the first 12 years I used utes towing tool trailers. Even had a landcruiser wagon for a bit. Nothing but problems gearbox clutch diffs ect. Since going to a truck NEVER had an issue and a truck can take twice the weight and do it every day no trouble.
I saw the video title and I came here to say "Isuzu N series 4x4 crewcab every day of the week". Used to work for them, those things are fucking indestructible.
I drove a canter HD 45 ( 8200KG ) for over 10 years 340000 km, original motor and one gearbox change where I was working. I am now driving an Isuzu 107/210 10700kg and I know which one is going to last longer. Dual Cabs are for towing a van or boat on the weekends. For work buy a truck.
I used to drive a F100 with a tow capacity of 4.5 ton and because of that I would be asked to do towing for other people and invariably it would always be heavier than what they said it was, even just a few bricks would become 2 or 3 hundred. So having a big margin for extra weight is a must and the moment John started talking I thought truck, just get a truck. As a tradesman, I commend this chap for taking on extra apprentices, there just is not enough these days, I get right up my brothers clacker for not having an apprentice, people will always need things built and fixed.
I changed from a Cruiser to an NKR 200 flat low and mostly because of safety. I was forever getting flats and snapping wheel studs with the rear wheels only hanging on the wide rear hubs only just before I noticed something wrong. Best thing I ever did as all my shit is all out of site and out of mind with much more weight capacity, space capacity and safety. And is way cheaper to run than a Cruiser and apart from height, will fit pretty much where a Cruiser will fit. much better maneuverability.
RE: Death wobbles I had a 4.8m tandem axle flat deck trailer come off the towbar at about 90km/hr when I hit a dip just before a bridge. I was towing with the last gen Hiace, loaded up to the gills with builder tools, and the flatdeck was carrying steel temporary fencing. I completely lost control of the vehicle as the trailer thrashed around on the chains, and wound up on in the the ditch on the wrong side of the road. I had absolutely no ability to steer the van, and there was a blind hill of maybe 100m in front of me that trucks tended to come screaming down. Had another vehicle been going the other way at that exact moment, It would have been lights out for me and my young apprentice passenger, those vans have no protection for frontal impact. Had I not kept my wheels straight instead of trying to correct, I would probably have rolled the van too, it was snaking all over the road. Always triple check trailers, load them correctly, don't exceed towing capacity, and don't go too fast, a trailer can get you in a lot of trouble.
From UK - I am on my 3rd Ranger and have not managed to break one yet even though I tow up on the 3.5T (mini piling rigs on trailers) on twisty hilly bumpy roads way more often that I really want. I also tow up on 2T at the weekend with a caravan and a fully loaded bed with all the pruck (bits and boobs) required for the weekend away. Test drove all the alternatives each time I changed and you cant beat it for comfort and ability. First was a 2.2XLT, then a 3.5 Wildtrac both manual and latest is a 2L Twin Turbo Auto (best of the bunch so far) and all were up to the job. Less power in the 2.2 for sure and yes you really know your towing but all things considered they do a great job. I know your opinion on towing over 2T - and take extreme care - I have had a couple of speed snakes over 20 years of commercial towing both mostly due to poor load distribution. Prior to the Rangers I had 2 Navara's (both went away on tow trucks to the great scrappy in the sky in under 5 years at not much over 110k MILES) previous Rangers both sold on to new owners for about 1/4 of their new costs with similar age / and with over 120K miles. V6 has only been an option here if you go VW and the cost differential was prohibitive.
Working house renovation years ago ,we had utes and a three tonne little tip truck ,with racks up top ,the only trailer in the yard ,had a mini bobcat on it ,the truck did all the heavy lifting ,tip off tray and truck were priceless ,our utes were 2 wheel drive triton s , they never failed and were cheap on fuel , and towing shit just sucks in traffic
I am going through a similar scenario at work and have set a limit of 1:1.25 (80% trailer) for our trailer to vehicle ratio. We tow 2.5 tonne boats with Toyota Land Cruisers. Had to convince managers that the ratio wasn't vehicle to trailer.
Go for one of the dual cab trade pack trucks, cheaper than some dual cab utes, and even de-rated to 4.5t for a car licence, can still carry an extra tonne and tow more
What your describing is the American pickup truck! The American pickup truck in the 3/4 ton spec (250 or 2500) is the best target vehicle. It can be either Ford, Chevrolet, GMC or Ram. And you can choose from gas, diesel, gas/electric hybrid, and even full battery electric if you include the heavy half ton 1500 or 150 versions. Your hp begins in the high 200 and runs up to over 700, and your torque specs run from around 280 all the way up to around 1200 foot pounds, depending on what drive train package you choose. Plus you can spec them as a pickup box or as a chassis cab and put whatever type of tray configuration you want. But a quite popular purpose built trade truck is and has been the Isuzu NPR series of trucks (and their Chevrolet counterparts)
@@Dan-rg7jj I am not even sure if any American full size pickup is available in Australia or New Zealand, no mater what model or configuration it is, and if it is available, with import taxes and all, would be way to expensive to purchase compared to your other choices. With the departure of Ford and GM from manufacturing vehicles in Australia, I am concluding the American pickup is as dead as the dodo 🦤 bird there.
As far as I know, all the 4wd Ute's are rated at 3 tonnes, I'd personally freak trying to tow that mass behind my 2021 dmax. So I'm with you johnny boi.
My arborist has switched to a Ram for that sort of duty. It would be a bit of a pain to park. 6.7 litre cummins and 8 tonne towing capacity. Seats 6 tradies.
Yeah but no one sets up air and tows over 4.5t really here in Aus so the 8 tonne thing is a bit silly. They should have bought all the 2500 petrol models here. That would suit us better imstead of the 1500s which aren't much better then out utes.
great video John...of course we could tell our builder friend, there are some large "yank tanks" around that would probably solve his problem. Purchasing and then running those big cummins diesel V8's...pricey! As per most of the smart comments below... a small truck is by far the better option...heck you could buy a couple of them for the cost of a single "yank tank" with a cumins V8 in it!
As a recovering hoarder tradesman I fully agree go with a light truck if you can't leave that old four inch grinder at home with a clapped out bearing or the ten bags of rapid set concrete you got on sale
Well said, John. Your point will upset pretty much all dual cab ute company, but it is truth. 2.8 T daily driving with 3 guys plus the gear at the back, not any ute can handle well. The truck is definitely a better option, or get full size pick up like Ram. Get yourself a normal ute drive around the site daily, then offer a truck to a young fella with tools .
Looks like every comment here from builders and tradies who've bought trucks are saying they simply work better for carting weight. Not to mention last longer, have brakes, engines and gearboxes rated for durability. It's almost as if the manufactures of trucks designed them for commercial use, who knew?
I am not a tradie but my son is and my grandson is too and all i hear about is how great the light truck is as the son has an Isuzu NPR and the Grandson has a Hino and nothing but praise for the trucks. I however am a Grey Nomad and I tow a caravan with a Toyota Hilux and it is a bloody "Compromise" as it is a poor ute and a poor sort of a car and not a great 4X4 unless i want to go into the local ARB and get one of everything fitted. As far as towing goes then you need to be bloody careful and so just watch the fuel disappear as well.
The problem with American trucks is no one realises that they didn't bring the HD 2500 petrol models here. That would be a big step up from our utes yet not be a waste like the HD diesels here which are meant for towing over 4.5T. Not at 4.5t but over. The 1500s are meant for towing under 4.5t. Petrol HDs for Aus all the way!
Large 4x4 ute single or extra cab with alloy tray . What people ALWAYS forget is use 12inch brakes on trailer Important **** brake controller ONLY CONTROLLER THAT HAS BOOST 3 LEVELS +10% +20% +30% [initial braking ] Used when towing trailers weighing more than vehicle Tekonsha ,P3 or Prodigy
Great video John, would love o know your thoughts on the F150/250, RAM, Silverado etc for these type of purposes as opposed to the Ranger, HiLux, Navara et al - and also compared to the 200 and 300 series Land Cruisers, Patrols for towing when people are looking at 3000KG+ Caravans and heading off to Dingo Piss creek.
I think cost would be the most prohibitive factor, I am a fan of the F series (don't dislike the others) and I have my eye on an F 350 but it is 90k for a 20 yo truck.
John'o isn't a fan of the F Trucks, Rams and Chev 1500, 2500, 3500 Ute/Trucks because of the lack of parts and service centres compared to the more established truck brands like Hino, Mitsubitshi, Iveco etc. Having driven semi's but mainly driving Heavy Ridge trucks, I definatley see the draw of using the 3500 rather than a fully blown truck. The ameneties, comfort and ability to use for domestic chores of the 3500 is better in comparison. However subjectively on the criteriea based on the capabilities, practicalites (read multiple under tray tooll boxes, ability to fit Hiab Crane or Bever tail etc) maintenance, insurance, registration costs and resale, a Light to Medium Ridged truck would probably be the correct choice. It's always about what weight you give each criteria and what compromises your propared to make. If it were me I'd prefer a mix of hart and head and go for the 3500 Ram, after all you only live once, give it a go and see if it works. Plan ahead for any down time for the vehicle eg. sus out a suiteable hire vehicle company ahead of time re availability and costs of a suitable vehicle should it be neccessary. Shit does happens regardless of our plans (think vehicle accidents illness) can / will the apprentices need to drive your choice of vehicle? C, LR, MR, HR licences?
I know a few serious tradies who run their own businesses and they run Isuzu or Hino Tradie Packs. Load capacity is far greater and they take a beating that the utes can't.
Highly reflective paper is messing with auto exposure of the camera. If your camera has areal auto exposure use that or manual (manual may blow the paper).
I've always enjoyed your vids about towing and hauling. I'm always impressed about the weights that Austrailians haul with a light truck and wondered why the larger ute/pickup variants weren't adopted more widely for some duties that really ride up to the edge of the smaller truck's spec. Is the reason for the slow adoption of the larger truck because of tax or import restrictions? I read somewhere that only now are Ford, GM and Ram really trying to make their way into the Austrailian market with the larger truck. But like a bunch of greedy bastards, they're leading this charge with the highly optioned models. WTF does a tradesman need with a panoramic roof and 20" wheels? Kind of a silly opening move for this segment IMO.
The other day I saw a brand new 300 series cruiser facing the wrong way on the highway with a 1500kg (ish) caravan flipped upside down still attached to via the safety chains. I personally tow 2.8T with a Pajero sport, short distances only (boat ramp and back) and don't really recommend it. It's a temporary situation, but the shite box 2021 Pajero sport does punch above its weight with the 8 speed box.
If a truck is out of the question, then get the ute and put a GVM upgrade on it prior to first registration so you can easily remain legal. Can even get some that upgrade the GCM (eg. Lovells do a GVM and GCM upgrade for the current gen DMax, not sure if it can also go on the BT50).
Yes might be legal but it’s not the point and not wise-- gcm will stay the same so can’t really tow more - and as JC say, it’s just a bad idea to tow more than tare weight of tow vehicle - so for most 4wd or utes - 2-2.5 ton trailer/caravan mass
I'm prety sure that John has said in past videos that he isnt a fan of GVM upgrades, he reckons you should get the vehicle that was designed to do what you want rather than mess with the engineering of the manufacturer even though engineer's are the ones providing the certification for the mods.
@@aron2199 I beleive it depends on the state whether they allow GCM upgrades, but you certainly can get combined GCM and GVM upgrades. I've given one example in my initial comment. I didn't say it was wise, I said if a truck is out of the question, in which case a GVM or GCM upgrade is better than doing nothing.
@@seanworkman431 trouble and expense? Pre-rego GVM upgrades are dead easy and only around $4000 for a D-Max. It's not actually much dearer than a normal suspension kit and if you are regularly hauling to the limit of factory GVM, the stock suspension is never going to cut it anyway. Lovells GCM upgrade only adds an extra couple grand on top of the GVM upgrade for a D-Max.
I'm curious as to why you didn't suggest any of the American utes like the F250 or Ram 2500, other than costing a bit more than an Isuzu or Canter truck, which would do the job easily and a bit cheaper, these would also do the job of being quite family friendly on weekends, which is one of the reasons why utes are so popular. Is there a problem with these?
I was doing a job in a workshop a few months ago and one of the vehicle that you are talking about was in there for a steering box repair. The exchange steering box was $25k !!! I actually know some of the dealers for this particular vehicle and was advised that the client was not getting ripped off. The dealer cost was more than a small car! If you are considering going that way, I suggest that you ask a few questions first.
Some Mazda /Ford Ranger had factory ruling that over 1800kgs load levelling bars had to be used . Do any of the latest ute models have this requirement ?? . This factory ruling is often hard to find . The aftermarket virtually ignore this requirement/recommendation . IMO nothing says more about vehicle suitability than levelling bars .
I've heard good stories about the VW Amarok. The V6 Diesel with the automatic pulls hard and can be pushed flat out for hours since its derated to 165kw. This engine can make up to 300kw reliably on an unopened block supposedly and its the most solid engine in VAGs portfolio. Only issue I've heard people complain about is the oil temperature under sustained load. So you have to fit an external oil cooler. 165kw ÷ 6 so one 500cc cylinder is contributing about 27kw under full load. Mate that thing can run a million kilometres like that if you religiously service it and do the inevitable timing chain job 😅 But the Amarok platform is pretty meh imo more like a heavy duty car than a worktruck which hey is something that sells well.
Check out what John has to say about Amarok, it's not good. Also VW has developed a reputation of being a lying manufacturer who doesn't care about buyers. Safety, which is high on Johns radar, is also very poor.
I did the big lap pulling a 3 ton van in an Amarok. I loved it. I ended up getting rid of it as I could see it costing me money when things breaks though.
I couldn't agree with John more of this, I run a welding business and had a D40 Navara for the first two years with a GVM upgrade, ute was 3.2 ton over a weighbridge, after I did the second set of wheel bearings in 7'000 kays I bit the bullet and bought a Hino 617 truck instead and its a much better way to do it, I'm carry way more shit and it does it easily, and I can still ad more plus a trailer if I need to, rego and insurance are both the same or cheaper, and it actually uses less fuel than the ute did.
My view is that no Ute you buy is set up to tow more than 1.5-2 tons to tow more safely the trailer needs proper brakes, and I personally exclude push coupling hydraulic brakes as they are shit, and my utes get airbags not so much for load but for leveling the Ute as most utes have quite light springs and extra springs are a ok solution for just a loaded Ute but not for a towing Ute as the geometry goes to shit on most utes as soon as you put 150kg on the drawbar and as we are towing 2t we want +200kg.
Hi John I would like your opinion on a problem I have with an Iveco Daily. it has no adjustment for the camber, you can buy an adjustment kit ( fitted $1000). My vehicle scrubed out one of the front tyres in 18000 ks A wheel alignment business informed me that some dealers fit the kits when new some don't. If they are set for country's in Europe, this would explain it. I feel this should be done by the dealers before delivery. Would appreciate your feedback. Regards Gary Young
I've had a 4x4 dual cab Daily for 3+ years with very few issues (rear pinion seal) Problem is if you want the 4x4, they are rare and pricey. The new model is out soon but once again $$
Well done as usual Mr. Cadogan, aside from the 'Merica swipes lol - you take a practical problem and instead of just calling it out, provide a path forward for the physics challenged/ man in the street so to speak. I really appreciate the compliance = low bar comments. As much as anyone hates being restrained by the rules, basic understanding of beer garden physics protects all of us mostly.
Great vid… like many other comments a light truck is a better choice in nearly all cases. As a workshop operator for years (no longer) I could see the pain and anguish many tradies went through trying to use light vehicles in these roles. D
Merica says, get a F-450 Super Duty and ye be ✅ . In all seriousness, here in Merica we typically wouldn’t see tradesmen using such light weight vehicles towing heavy loads. I’d definitely go with an actual truck. Safety first! “Tail wagging the dog” not a good thing.
g'day john. love your no B/S videos. what's the best brand / model for a large size van. I'm currently in an older ford transit looking to upgrade. cheers James
Hi John. Can I just point out something many don't think about with wanting to be within weights. When up at the limits of load and towing, the rear axle load limit will quite possibly be over. This is what they look at when weighing at a random check. Love your content and delivery. Steve
@@76tfdtr4r5 can you point me to where you get this information from? Just to clarify are you saying that if the rear axle loading is stated to say 1800kg you can add tow ball weight on top of that? Eg. 1800 + 350 = 2150kg
@@76tfdtr4r5 you are not supposed to drive as fast when towing, I stand by the statement that GVM is not altered by GCM, you're max axle load and max tyre load does not miraculously change when towing.
I don’t get your advice around trailer weigh, trucks are hauling 40,50,60 tonne, and all of that is substantially heavier than the truck itself. If you start getting speed wobbles you simply speed up and it’ll usually sort itself out.
Canter is good to end up in the dealer often. Foton. No support. Isuzu is best unlike the utes. Hyandai, depends on service but it's not used by truck fleets so I'd imagine it isn't going to be that great.
@@Low760 yep, I own 3 Isuzu trucks , awesome , Iveco is another brand that doesn’t like to stray too far from the dealership, but there are other options
@@AutoExpertJC Or maybe a 78 Series dual cab with the following options: Custom service body with dog boxes, custom rack, 3 awnings, a compressor, fridge/ freezer, oversize bonnet scoop, 3" exhaust, Chip, 9 LED light bars, alloy wheels, 35" mud tyres, 2 winches and vinyl wrap 👊💵🍾
@@lc1966 if you're not a business owner but a huge flog instead. heavier tyres and more shit when you need to carry weight. Not smart. Oh and no auto option unless you want to spend 20k. And all that listed adds up to over 120k vs aln Isuzu tray truck at 76k or so.
The rear axle loading on the RAM 1500 is quite low for such a big vehicle. It can tow large loads but has the same payload issues as the smaller utes mentioned in the video.
What's the point of having ANCAP Ratings if people put very large stick out towbars and Bulblars on their vehicles. Surely these items void the ANCAP Rating.
I love my ute. It's great for doing the occasional tip run, picking up garden supplies, furniture, etc. And that's where it ends. It's a ute, not a truck.
Best truck for towing? Go with a light duty truck, as the Mitsubishi Fuso. No need for expensive modifications as suspension upgrades, or chassi reinforcements, as GVM changes.
Iveco daily 3L with the auto box twin wheel upgrade and hd spring upgrade ftom factory Tows 3.5 tonne like its not there I also tow with v6 amarok . Daily beter all day long
Towing limits stated by manufacturersare, in my opinion, are too high. Towing half the vehicle's weight is more realistic to prevent the tail from wagging the dog, using a real truck, Hino 300 or Isuzu NPR, for full time heavy use is a better option than stressing out a passenger vehicle at maximum load.
Would a Mercedes Sprinter MWB dual cab chassis and tray with the V6 diesel be a viable alternative to a heavy duty ute? Or would that be firmly into small truck territory 🤔
Can never understand why tradies buy utes when a small truck is the better outcome. Maybe it's the sexy looks of driving a smooth looking ute as opposed to a proper 'rig' built for purpose.
Probably price and ease of ownership. Take a Hino 300 right a proper compact truck you would want to own one unless it's really needed. I think I'd just have a Van: Lots of space and they are comfy.
For me the lightest pick up i would use would be a ford f350 dually last time i weighed my work truck there was 2800 pounds of tools thats be for the fluids and air compressor and welder/ Generator would not even think about towing A trailer been thinking about moving up to a t300 kenworth or 330 pete
A Ute is just a machine, if you push the loading to its maximum limits on a regular basis it is going to wear out faster and or fail, a truck is not marketed as being a sexy vehicle like the Ute but is far more suited to do the job.
Hi John, off topic but just wondering what the model is for the watch you are wearing in this video please? It caught my eye and I’d like to investigate the specs etc. Cheers!
do you have any detailed Info on this? (go to the VIC roads license category website fucking TH-cam wont let me link it) VIC roads wont elaborate any more then whats on there website! like how it say under Car licence category i can "tow a single trailer up to 9 tonnes GVM or to the manufacturer's specifications (whichever is less)" but then under LR "a car or light rigid vehicle that is towing a single trailer that has a GVM not more than 9 tonnes" do i need the LR to tow 9 tonne or is that a redundant statement? also the "You may tow a single trailer up to 9 tonnes GVM or to the manufacturer's specifications (whichever is less)" my 75 never got a tow rating as it was not a legal thing back then is this like the old GCM system where if it never got the legal tag its limits was the max legal limit. IMO it would be nice to have a full video on this pleas people need to know about this hell i only found about this as i was looking to see if the time need to hold a car licence to get (LR,MR,HR) had changed or not. also how does this apply to other states? say i upgrade from my 5 tonne cattle trailer to a 9 tonne could i legally go to SA with it.
A truck is always the answer to a tradie that has to tow heavy shit, but the problem is they're not sexy. The first manufacturer to make a truck that looks good enough to take the missus out for dinner in is going to make a motza.
Cab over trucks are practical, why would you take a 5.4m long vehicle to dinner? Just get a nice car. Oh wait. People loved driving Thier 5.4m long Rams and Silverados.
The biggest problem is the dual cab tradie is also used at weekends to go camping, fishing and all things financed by the ATO with all those mods., why some readies even right off their camper as a business expense..trucks are not as sexy camping and fishing.
Not when I could by dodge ram for 90 grand and be in a cabin that's comfortable which is an important practical consideration, when you spend a long time in a seat and those boring jap trucks get trying to drive in the first 5mins
@hamishfullerton7309 So you have driven a 2022 isuzu tradepack platinum ? The isuzu has a 5 meter tray and can carry 3 times more weight then the shit box RAM and you would still need to tow a trailer
@@tighematthew well I did courier work with the older similar style Mid 00s Canter and Isuzu trucks and although reliable and probably reasonable well built,they didn't feel hugely powerful , didn't think the engine had changed that much over a 10 year period remember they probably weigh more than most utes and 4x4s and only have a 4 cyclinder engine size less than most large sedan's ,unless you get the really big versions or make roll coal like in Thailand, they also have the areo dynamics of a brick and still all the problematic diesel pollution gear. If you can honestly say that the Ram after driving it was less gutless, less comfortable and wouldn't do most job's you require and not that much less realible or expensive to run , that's fine but personally if the 5 meter tray was a must, I'd use a trailer or I am sure you find someone to fit one, for me there just to commercial and I know that's why certain guys love them, but I d rather be stuck in traffic in more comfort and a less utilitarian vehicle
@hamishfullerton7309 Im in construction, and there is no way a ram could do what my truck does. There is really no way at all the ram could benefit me at all. Maybe if i was towing a caravan but the truck could do it easily and use less fuel than the ram. They are petty much useless.
While I agree the truck is the way to go, there’s nothing stopping you using a ute. I’ve never seen a tradie get wheeled by law enforcement or the mermaids (c$&@s with scales). The overweight fines are geared towards heavy vehicles anyway. If you overloaded your ute by a few hundred kilos, I doubt the fine would be 3 figures
Shit-load of the boys in North Queensland have purchased a RAM to tow the work trailer all week and either take the the mob camping or tow the boat and big note their cracks.
Here in Europe we get Mercedes sprinter, WV crafter, Ford transit, Iveco daily... For slightly more shit MAN 150, Iveco cargo... Trailer situation is for I do that 5-10 times year
Smart young guys go straight to the light truck with all the storage space and when or if your towing and you need to stop in hurry ,, the trucks brakes will out brake your ute and less likely to shove you off the road in a jack knife , now engines in the trucks are as mentioned by others designed for very long run life of up to million km , and geared to pull , not rocket ship fast , most 125kmh max , speed limit 110 max so it can do free way speed shit easy and loaded , and can be bought for less than most 4x4 utes , but will last for 20 years piss easy
Brochure. Car sales people: Bro sure it will tow it. Bro sure it won't break down. Bro sure it's safe. Bro sure we are here to help. Bro sure the car is never the problem. Bro sure it's cheaper than anyone else is offering. Bro sure it's the best vehicle ever made. Bro sure we can finance it at 3 times it's worth. Bro sure the chick's will love it. Bro sure our dealer network won't r#pe you. Bro sure it doesn't require maintenance. Bro sure we are here for you.
A dog trailer would be the only trailer I'd tow as its a steerable trailer. Road trains have a front trailer and prime mover working on 45500 kgs and then two dogs dragging behind that are combined 80000 kg. They are safe.
A lot these so called Trucks,Ranger,MAzda,Nissain, D Max,Triton Ect are simple plain to small for what a lot people want to do & need to step up to Dodge Ram,Ford F150 Chevy Trucks
I went away from ute's to trucks to get away from the 3 to 400k passenger vehicle driveline, and into million k commercial driveline. Purchase price of a truck was less than any of the passenger based stuff that I was looking at. Brake life has gone from approximately 40k to 200k per set of pads, and I'm carrying much more weight. Keep your passenger stuff for passenger use. Buy a proper commercial vehicle for commercial use. You will look back and ask yourself why you didn't do it years ago. BTW, my rego and insurance are both less.
Quite so, horses for courses.
Most sensible response I’ve seen here.
Yes that's why they make the smaller trucks, but for some reason many people think that commercial trucks don't suit their self image.
what's the fuel efficiency like?
Did the same, the Hino does a great job
Isuzu NLR truck all the way. I’ve been a builder for 20 years. For the first 12 years I used utes towing tool trailers. Even had a landcruiser wagon for a bit. Nothing but problems gearbox clutch diffs ect. Since going to a truck NEVER had an issue and a truck can take twice the weight and do it every day no trouble.
Exactly.
I saw the video title and I came here to say "Isuzu N series 4x4 crewcab every day of the week". Used to work for them, those things are fucking indestructible.
Double the cost of a dual cab ute to maintain, ensure and fuel
Hino 300 every day. I've switched from Dual Cabs to Light trucks and couldn't be happier. You're unlikely to exceed GCM as well.
…and the girls love em
Isuzu NPR is better imo, but definitely not a canter.
@Low760 they're so close to each other that there's not really a winner. I've still got the NPR but tried the 300 for the slightly extra grunt.
@@Low760 what’s wrong with a canter??
Just hating on the Mitsubishi brand or do you have something sensible to say.
@@Low760what’s wrong with a canter
I drove a canter HD 45 ( 8200KG ) for over 10 years 340000 km, original motor and one gearbox change where I was working. I am now driving an Isuzu 107/210 10700kg and I know which one is going to last longer. Dual Cabs are for towing a van or boat on the weekends. For work buy a truck.
The Isuzu will definitely do more than 340,000km...
I used to drive a F100 with a tow capacity of 4.5 ton and because of that I would be asked to do towing for other people and invariably it would always be heavier than what they said it was, even just a few bricks would become 2 or 3 hundred. So having a big margin for extra weight is a must and the moment John started talking I thought truck, just get a truck. As a tradesman, I commend this chap for taking on extra apprentices, there just is not enough these days, I get right up my brothers clacker for not having an apprentice, people will always need things built and fixed.
I changed from a Cruiser to an NKR 200 flat low and mostly because of safety.
I was forever getting flats and snapping wheel studs with the rear wheels only hanging on the wide rear hubs only just before I noticed something wrong.
Best thing I ever did as all my shit is all out of site and out of mind with much more weight capacity, space capacity and safety.
And is way cheaper to run than a Cruiser and apart from height, will fit pretty much where a Cruiser will fit.
much better maneuverability.
RE: Death wobbles
I had a 4.8m tandem axle flat deck trailer come off the towbar at about 90km/hr when I hit a dip just before a bridge. I was towing with the last gen Hiace, loaded up to the gills with builder tools, and the flatdeck was carrying steel temporary fencing. I completely lost control of the vehicle as the trailer thrashed around on the chains, and wound up on in the the ditch on the wrong side of the road. I had absolutely no ability to steer the van, and there was a blind hill of maybe 100m in front of me that trucks tended to come screaming down. Had another vehicle been going the other way at that exact moment, It would have been lights out for me and my young apprentice passenger, those vans have no protection for frontal impact. Had I not kept my wheels straight instead of trying to correct, I would probably have rolled the van too, it was snaking all over the road.
Always triple check trailers, load them correctly, don't exceed towing capacity, and don't go too fast, a trailer can get you in a lot of trouble.
From UK - I am on my 3rd Ranger and have not managed to break one yet even though I tow up on the 3.5T (mini piling rigs on trailers) on twisty hilly bumpy roads way more often that I really want. I also tow up on 2T at the weekend with a caravan and a fully loaded bed with all the pruck (bits and boobs) required for the weekend away. Test drove all the alternatives each time I changed and you cant beat it for comfort and ability. First was a 2.2XLT, then a 3.5 Wildtrac both manual and latest is a 2L Twin Turbo Auto (best of the bunch so far) and all were up to the job. Less power in the 2.2 for sure and yes you really know your towing but all things considered they do a great job. I know your opinion on towing over 2T - and take extreme care - I have had a couple of speed snakes over 20 years of commercial towing both mostly due to poor load distribution. Prior to the Rangers I had 2 Navara's (both went away on tow trucks to the great scrappy in the sky in under 5 years at not much over 110k MILES) previous Rangers both sold on to new owners for about 1/4 of their new costs with similar age / and with over 120K miles. V6 has only been an option here if you go VW and the cost differential was prohibitive.
Working house renovation years ago ,we had utes and a three tonne little tip truck ,with racks up top ,the only trailer in the yard ,had a mini bobcat on it ,the truck did all the heavy lifting ,tip off tray and truck were priceless ,our utes were 2 wheel drive triton s , they never failed and were cheap on fuel , and towing shit just sucks in traffic
Another piece of very sound advice. Love your work.
I am going through a similar scenario at work and have set a limit of 1:1.25 (80% trailer) for our trailer to vehicle ratio. We tow 2.5 tonne boats with Toyota Land Cruisers. Had to convince managers that the ratio wasn't vehicle to trailer.
Go for one of the dual cab trade pack trucks, cheaper than some dual cab utes, and even de-rated to 4.5t for a car licence, can still carry an extra tonne and tow more
Happy New Year, thanks for pumping out the content.
What your describing is the American pickup truck! The American pickup truck in the 3/4 ton spec (250 or 2500) is the best target vehicle. It can be either Ford, Chevrolet, GMC or Ram. And you can choose from gas, diesel, gas/electric hybrid, and even full battery electric if you include the heavy half ton 1500 or 150 versions. Your hp begins in the high 200 and runs up to over 700, and your torque specs run from around 280 all the way up to around 1200 foot pounds, depending on what drive train package you choose. Plus you can spec them as a pickup box or as a chassis cab and put whatever type of tray configuration you want.
But a quite popular purpose built trade truck is and has been the Isuzu NPR series of trucks (and their Chevrolet counterparts)
Yeah but they don't sell gas 2500s here or gas Isuzus.
@@Dan-rg7jj I am not even sure if any American full size pickup is available in Australia or New Zealand, no mater what model or configuration it is, and if it is available, with import taxes and all, would be way to expensive to purchase compared to your other choices. With the departure of Ford and GM from manufacturing vehicles in Australia, I am concluding the American pickup is as dead as the dodo 🦤 bird there.
This episode shows just how many things you need to consider when looking at the purchase of a commercial vehicle. Compliance vs safety.
Awesome video John, and really top notch advice as well! 👌
Don't let the tail wag the dog.
Thanks for the enlightenment.
Regards Tony
As far as I know, all the 4wd Ute's are rated at 3 tonnes, I'd personally freak trying to tow that mass behind my 2021 dmax. So I'm with you johnny boi.
A friend in a similar situation got a Iveco daily....works out great for him.
basically a truck
My arborist has switched to a Ram for that sort of duty. It would be a bit of a pain to park. 6.7 litre cummins and 8 tonne towing capacity. Seats 6 tradies.
Yeah but no one sets up air and tows over 4.5t really here in Aus so the 8 tonne thing is a bit silly. They should have bought all the 2500 petrol models here. That would suit us better imstead of the 1500s which aren't much better then out utes.
This was a solid delivery in information.
Be interesting to here what decision/path the viewer made in the end.
🤔
great video John...of course we could tell our builder friend, there are some large "yank tanks" around that would probably solve his problem. Purchasing and then running those big cummins diesel V8's...pricey! As per most of the smart comments below... a small truck is by far the better option...heck you could buy a couple of them for the cost of a single "yank tank" with a cumins V8 in it!
As a recovering hoarder tradesman I fully agree go with a light truck if you can't leave that old four inch grinder at home with a clapped out bearing or the ten bags of rapid set concrete you got on sale
Great advice..yeah I think a light truck like a Hino
''They never crash test loaded commercial vehicles, d'you know why? 'cause they'd all fail!''
2:22
Well said, John. Your point will upset pretty much all dual cab ute company, but it is truth. 2.8 T daily driving with 3 guys plus the gear at the back, not any ute can handle well. The truck is definitely a better option, or get full size pick up like Ram. Get yourself a normal ute drive around the site daily, then offer a truck to a young fella with tools .
Looks like every comment here from builders and tradies who've bought trucks are saying they simply work better for carting weight. Not to mention last longer, have brakes, engines and gearboxes rated for durability.
It's almost as if the manufactures of trucks designed them for commercial use, who knew?
I am not a tradie but my son is and my grandson is too and all i hear about is how great the light truck is as the son has an Isuzu NPR and the Grandson has a Hino and nothing but praise for the trucks. I however am a Grey Nomad and I tow a caravan with a Toyota Hilux and it is a bloody "Compromise" as it is a poor ute and a poor sort of a car and not a great 4X4 unless i want to go into the local ARB and get one of everything fitted. As far as towing goes then you need to be bloody careful and so just watch the fuel disappear as well.
The problem with American trucks is no one realises that they didn't bring the HD 2500 petrol models here. That would be a big step up from our utes yet not be a waste like the HD diesels here which are meant for towing over 4.5T. Not at 4.5t but over. The 1500s are meant for towing under 4.5t. Petrol HDs for Aus all the way!
Large 4x4 ute single or extra cab with alloy tray .
What people ALWAYS forget is use 12inch brakes on trailer
Important **** brake controller
ONLY CONTROLLER THAT HAS BOOST 3 LEVELS +10% +20% +30% [initial braking ] Used when towing trailers weighing more than vehicle
Tekonsha ,P3 or Prodigy
Great video John, would love o know your thoughts on the F150/250, RAM, Silverado etc for these type of purposes as opposed to the Ranger, HiLux, Navara et al - and also compared to the 200 and 300 series Land Cruisers, Patrols for towing when people are looking at 3000KG+ Caravans and heading off to Dingo Piss creek.
I think cost would be the most prohibitive factor, I am a fan of the F series (don't dislike the others) and I have my eye on an F 350 but it is 90k for a 20 yo truck.
John'o isn't a fan of the F Trucks, Rams and Chev 1500, 2500, 3500 Ute/Trucks because of the lack of parts and service centres compared to the more established truck brands like Hino, Mitsubitshi, Iveco etc.
Having driven semi's but mainly driving Heavy Ridge trucks, I definatley see the draw of using the 3500 rather than a fully blown truck. The ameneties, comfort and ability to use for domestic chores of the 3500 is better in comparison.
However subjectively on the criteriea based on the capabilities, practicalites (read multiple under tray tooll boxes, ability to fit Hiab Crane or Bever tail etc) maintenance, insurance, registration costs and resale, a Light to Medium Ridged truck would probably be the correct choice.
It's always about what weight you give each criteria and what compromises your propared to make. If it were me I'd prefer a mix of hart and head and go for the 3500 Ram, after all you only live once, give it a go and see if it works.
Plan ahead for any down time for the vehicle eg. sus out a suiteable hire vehicle company ahead of time re availability and costs of a suitable vehicle should it be neccessary. Shit does happens regardless of our plans (think vehicle accidents illness) can / will the apprentices need to drive your choice of vehicle? C, LR, MR, HR licences?
@@gregjacques3159 I agree, I would not buy a F 350 for practicality, it is all about the trouser teepee.
Buy a Winnebago instead.
Great explanation John.
Reccommend a LC79 dual cab. Will do the job
I know a few serious tradies who run their own businesses and they run Isuzu or Hino Tradie Packs. Load capacity is far greater and they take a beating that the utes can't.
Highly reflective paper is messing with auto exposure of the camera. If your camera has areal auto exposure use that or manual (manual may blow the paper).
I've always enjoyed your vids about towing and hauling. I'm always impressed about the weights that Austrailians haul with a light truck and wondered why the larger ute/pickup variants weren't adopted more widely for some duties that really ride up to the edge of the smaller truck's spec. Is the reason for the slow adoption of the larger truck because of tax or import restrictions?
I read somewhere that only now are Ford, GM and Ram really trying to make their way into the Austrailian market with the larger truck. But like a bunch of greedy bastards, they're leading this charge with the highly optioned models. WTF does a tradesman need with a panoramic roof and 20" wheels? Kind of a silly opening move for this segment IMO.
The other day I saw a brand new 300 series cruiser facing the wrong way on the highway with a 1500kg (ish) caravan flipped upside down still attached to via the safety chains. I personally tow 2.8T with a Pajero sport, short distances only (boat ramp and back) and don't really recommend it. It's a temporary situation, but the shite box 2021 Pajero sport does punch above its weight with the 8 speed box.
If a truck is out of the question, then get the ute and put a GVM upgrade on it prior to first registration so you can easily remain legal. Can even get some that upgrade the GCM (eg. Lovells do a GVM and GCM upgrade for the current gen DMax, not sure if it can also go on the BT50).
Yes might be legal but it’s not the point and not wise-- gcm will stay the same so can’t really tow more - and as JC say, it’s just a bad idea to tow more than tare weight of tow vehicle - so for most 4wd or utes - 2-2.5 ton trailer/caravan mass
I think by the time you go to all that trouble and expense a truck is the way to go, even a little one.
I'm prety sure that John has said in past videos that he isnt a fan of GVM upgrades, he reckons you should get the vehicle that was designed to do what you want rather than mess with the engineering of the manufacturer even though engineer's are the ones providing the certification for the mods.
@@aron2199 I beleive it depends on the state whether they allow GCM upgrades, but you certainly can get combined GCM and GVM upgrades. I've given one example in my initial comment.
I didn't say it was wise, I said if a truck is out of the question, in which case a GVM or GCM upgrade is better than doing nothing.
@@seanworkman431 trouble and expense? Pre-rego GVM upgrades are dead easy and only around $4000 for a D-Max. It's not actually much dearer than a normal suspension kit and if you are regularly hauling to the limit of factory GVM, the stock suspension is never going to cut it anyway.
Lovells GCM upgrade only adds an extra couple grand on top of the GVM upgrade for a D-Max.
I'm curious as to why you didn't suggest any of the American utes like the F250 or Ram 2500, other than costing a bit more than an Isuzu or Canter truck, which would do the job easily and a bit cheaper, these would also do the job of being quite family friendly on weekends, which is one of the reasons why utes are so popular. Is there a problem with these?
I was doing a job in a workshop a few months ago and one of the vehicle that you are talking about was in there for a steering box repair. The exchange steering box was $25k !!! I actually know some of the dealers for this particular vehicle and was advised that the client was not getting ripped off. The dealer cost was more than a small car! If you are considering going that way, I suggest that you ask a few questions first.
Some Mazda /Ford Ranger had factory ruling that over 1800kgs load levelling bars had to be used .
Do any of the latest ute models have this requirement ?? . This factory ruling is often hard to find . The aftermarket virtually ignore this requirement/recommendation .
IMO nothing says more about vehicle suitability than levelling bars .
I've heard good stories about the VW Amarok. The V6 Diesel with the automatic pulls hard and can be pushed flat out for hours since its derated to 165kw. This engine can make up to 300kw reliably on an unopened block supposedly and its the most solid engine in VAGs portfolio. Only issue I've heard people complain about is the oil temperature under sustained load.
So you have to fit an external oil cooler.
165kw ÷ 6 so one 500cc cylinder is contributing about 27kw under full load. Mate that thing can run a million kilometres like that if you religiously service it and do the inevitable timing chain job 😅
But the Amarok platform is pretty meh imo more like a heavy duty car than a worktruck which hey is something that sells well.
Check out what John has to say about Amarok, it's not good. Also VW has developed a reputation of being a lying manufacturer who doesn't care about buyers. Safety, which is high on Johns radar, is also very poor.
@@FlakeyPM yeah obviously not the safest but it gets 5 stars in real world crashes according to Monash so it can’t be too bad.
I did the big lap pulling a 3 ton van in an Amarok. I loved it. I ended up getting rid of it as I could see it costing me money when things breaks though.
I couldn't agree with John more of this, I run a welding business and had a D40 Navara for the first two years with a GVM upgrade, ute was 3.2 ton over a weighbridge, after I did the second set of wheel bearings in 7'000 kays I bit the bullet and bought a Hino 617 truck instead and its a much better way to do it, I'm carry way more shit and it does it easily, and I can still ad more plus a trailer if I need to, rego and insurance are both the same or cheaper, and it actually uses less fuel than the ute did.
My view is that no Ute you buy is set up to tow more than 1.5-2 tons to tow more safely the trailer needs proper brakes, and I personally exclude push coupling hydraulic brakes as they are shit, and my utes get airbags not so much for load but for leveling the Ute as most utes have quite light springs and extra springs are a ok solution for just a loaded Ute but not for a towing Ute as the geometry goes to shit on most utes as soon as you put 150kg on the drawbar and as we are towing 2t we want +200kg.
John, I am curious why at no stage did you mention the option of the slightly larger American "trucks".
Hi John
I would like your opinion on a problem I have with an Iveco
Daily. it has no adjustment for the camber, you can buy an adjustment kit ( fitted $1000).
My vehicle scrubed out one of the front tyres in 18000 ks
A wheel alignment business
informed me that some dealers fit the kits when new some don't. If they are set for
country's in Europe, this would
explain it.
I feel this should be done by the dealers before delivery.
Would appreciate your feedback.
Regards Gary Young
Hi John.
What's your thoughts on the Iveco daily ? It would be awesome if you do a review on it .
Thanks mate keep up the awesome work.
Just don’t - not for commercial use - all the ones we’ve had just don’t go the distance.
I've had a 4x4 dual cab Daily for 3+ years with very few issues (rear pinion seal) Problem is if you want the 4x4, they are rare and pricey. The new model is out soon but once again $$
@@strauss9920 l
Well done as usual Mr. Cadogan, aside from the 'Merica swipes lol - you take a practical problem and instead of just calling it out, provide a path forward for the physics challenged/ man in the street so to speak. I really appreciate the compliance = low bar comments. As much as anyone hates being restrained by the rules, basic understanding of beer garden physics protects all of us mostly.
Great vid… like many other comments a light truck is a better choice in nearly all cases.
As a workshop operator for years (no longer) I could see the pain and anguish many tradies went through trying to use light vehicles in these roles.
D
Merica says, get a F-450 Super Duty and ye be ✅ . In all seriousness, here in Merica we typically wouldn’t see tradesmen using such light weight vehicles towing heavy loads. I’d definitely go with an actual truck. Safety first! “Tail wagging the dog” not a good thing.
Isuzu NPR. Better service than Hino and easier motor to fix at 600,000km. The auto is a torque converter amt.
How about the axle limits? Not considered from what
g'day john. love your no B/S videos.
what's the best brand / model for a large size van.
I'm currently in an older ford transit looking to upgrade.
cheers James
good job
Hi John. Can I just point out something many don't think about with wanting to be within weights.
When up at the limits of load and towing, the rear axle load limit will quite possibly be over. This is what they look at when weighing at a random check.
Love your content and delivery. Steve
@@76tfdtr4r5 I think that may be incorrect, you have GVM and GCM, the second one does not alter the first one, so your tongue weight is part of GVM.
@@76tfdtr4r5 I've never actually heard that. Have you more information on it please
@@76tfdtr4r5 I wrote 'think' because I cannot immediately point to the regulations, however, weight is weight, be it on the bed or on the tongue.
@@76tfdtr4r5 can you point me to where you get this information from? Just to clarify are you saying that if the rear axle loading is stated to say 1800kg you can add tow ball weight on top of that? Eg. 1800 + 350 = 2150kg
@@76tfdtr4r5 you are not supposed to drive as fast when towing, I stand by the statement that GVM is not altered by GCM, you're max axle load and max tyre load does not miraculously change when towing.
I don’t get your advice around trailer weigh, trucks are hauling 40,50,60 tonne, and all of that is substantially heavier than the truck itself.
If you start getting speed wobbles you simply speed up and it’ll usually sort itself out.
Tow the trailer with the Hino.
Doesn’t matter what a Tradie buys. Fully tax deductible, dude.
Australia. The land of the Millionaire Tradie.
Judging by all the new utes with construction signage towing 200k+ Bayliner and Malibu boats at our local lake this summer I'd say you're spot on.
2024 Ford Ranger Long Wheelbase incoming.
Canter, Hino, Foton , Isuzu light truck, Hyundai light truck, etc. they are all very good these days
Canter is good to end up in the dealer often. Foton. No support. Isuzu is best unlike the utes. Hyandai, depends on service but it's not used by truck fleets so I'd imagine it isn't going to be that great.
@@Low760 yep, I own 3 Isuzu trucks , awesome , Iveco is another brand that doesn’t like to stray too far from the dealership, but there are other options
@@biastv1234 I hate dailies that end up at my work over the years.
Hino 300 series
Probably.
@@AutoExpertJC Or maybe a 78 Series dual cab with the following options: Custom service body with dog boxes, custom rack, 3 awnings, a compressor, fridge/ freezer, oversize bonnet scoop, 3" exhaust, Chip, 9 LED light bars, alloy wheels, 35" mud tyres, 2 winches and vinyl wrap 👊💵🍾
@@lc1966 if you're not a business owner but a huge flog instead. heavier tyres and more shit when you need to carry weight. Not smart. Oh and no auto option unless you want to spend 20k. And all that listed adds up to over 120k vs aln Isuzu tray truck at 76k or so.
@@lc1966 Jesus I’d never recommend a land cruiser they drive worse than a base model triton
@@Low760 It's a piss take... I'd go with my original choice of Hino 300
What about the RAM 1500, incoming F150 or as much as i hate to say it 79 Series cruiser?
The rear axle loading on the RAM 1500 is quite low for such a big vehicle. It can tow large loads but has the same payload issues as the smaller utes mentioned in the video.
What's the point of having ANCAP Ratings if people put very large stick out towbars and Bulblars on their vehicles. Surely these items void the ANCAP Rating.
The nightmare of light trucks is all the 'no trucks over 3T' roads.
Dual cab Hino, Isuzu or Mitsubishi truck is the way to go. Why bother with a Ute!👍👍🇭🇲
I love my ute. It's great for doing the occasional tip run, picking up garden supplies, furniture, etc. And that's where it ends. It's a ute, not a truck.
because not everyone needs a truck...
G,day John how the fuck do you get to the bins in the background mate ps love your work thanks
Picked up a big load from Toronto? Any chance of an invite to the "bonfire?"
Funny thing after watching the video there was an advertisement for a 3 pronged swastika LOL
Best truck for towing? Go with a light duty truck, as the Mitsubishi Fuso. No need for expensive modifications as suspension upgrades, or chassi reinforcements, as GVM changes.
John, how is the h2x global warrego ute coming along in Australia? 👍
Iveco daily 3L with the auto box twin wheel upgrade and hd spring upgrade ftom factory
Tows 3.5 tonne like its not there
I also tow with v6 amarok . Daily beter all day long
Towing limits stated by manufacturersare, in my opinion, are too high. Towing half the vehicle's weight is more realistic to prevent the tail from wagging the dog, using a real truck, Hino 300 or Isuzu NPR, for full time heavy use is a better option than stressing out a passenger vehicle at maximum load.
John, i know you are not strong on Musso, but is it any [possibly?] worse for service than Ford?.
Would a Mercedes Sprinter MWB dual cab chassis and tray with the V6 diesel be a viable alternative to a heavy duty ute? Or would that be firmly into small truck territory 🤔
Small truck
It's a way to go broke getting a sprinter.
@@seanworkman431 OK, so same group as the Canter etc...
@@alasdairhompstead7950 yes, pretty much, the reason Ambulances are Mercedes Sprinter is because of their weight capability.
Can never understand why tradies buy utes when a small truck is the better outcome. Maybe it's the sexy looks of driving a smooth looking ute as opposed to a proper 'rig' built for purpose.
Probably price and ease of ownership.
Take a Hino 300 right a proper compact truck you would want to own one unless it's really needed.
I think I'd just have a Van:
Lots of space and they are comfy.
For me the lightest pick up i would use would be a ford f350 dually last time i weighed my work truck there was 2800 pounds of tools thats be for the fluids and air compressor and welder/
Generator would not even think about towing
A trailer been thinking about moving up to a t300 kenworth or 330 pete
What's that in kg?
Kenworth or Peterbilt?
Why?
Do you hate yourself, and having money, and not being broken down on the side of the road?
@@ChristopherHallett
Have had good with both them
Want to add some more gear
Weight range i will get
26000 to 30000
Are full size pickup trucks available in Australia ? I have not seen John review a full sized truck . No Titans or Tundras ? No Ford F250s?
Yes we can buy Rams, for example. Ridiculously expensive though compared to buying one in the US.
@@Mark_Bridges thanks for the reply . Some full sized pickups are more expensive than some decent small houses here in the US .
yes too big and hideously expensive since they are imported
Yep. And you guys get small Isuzu trucks with 6l v8s and still buy huge utes that can't carry the same weights.
We tend to use our brains and buy real trucks, not those American oversized utes.
A Ute is just a machine, if you push the loading to its maximum limits on a regular basis it is going to wear out faster and or fail, a truck is not marketed as being a sexy vehicle like the Ute but is far more suited to do the job.
gwm cannon x be the best option
Hi John, off topic but just wondering what the model is for the watch you are wearing in this video please? It caught my eye and I’d like to investigate the specs etc. Cheers!
I could be wrong, but I think it's a Casio G-Shock Master of G MUDMASTER GWG1000
It's a Casio Mudmaster.
Thanks guys!
@@AutoExpertJC might be tie for a MALS watch in the line up?
do you have any detailed Info on this? (go to the VIC roads license category website fucking TH-cam wont let me link it) VIC roads wont elaborate any more then whats on there website! like how it say under Car licence category i can "tow a single trailer up to 9 tonnes GVM or to the manufacturer's specifications (whichever is less)" but then under LR "a car or light rigid vehicle that is towing a single trailer that has a GVM not more than 9 tonnes" do i need the LR to tow 9 tonne or is that a redundant statement?
also the "You may tow a single trailer up to 9 tonnes GVM or to the manufacturer's specifications (whichever is less)" my 75 never got a tow rating as it was not a legal thing back then is this like the old GCM system where if it never got the legal tag its limits was the max legal limit. IMO it would be nice to have a full video on this pleas people need to know about this hell i only found about this as i was looking to see if the time need to hold a car licence to get (LR,MR,HR) had changed or not. also how does this apply to other states? say i upgrade from my 5 tonne cattle trailer to a 9 tonne could i legally go to SA with it.
Hino 300
A decent option, for sure.
@@AutoExpertJC especially with the JO5E engine and 6 speed auto. Designation 921 I believe.
A truck is always the answer to a tradie that has to tow heavy shit, but the problem is they're not sexy. The first manufacturer to make a truck that looks good enough to take the missus out for dinner in is going to make a motza.
Cab over trucks are practical, why would you take a 5.4m long vehicle to dinner? Just get a nice car. Oh wait. People loved driving Thier 5.4m long Rams and Silverados.
The biggest problem is the dual cab tradie is also used at weekends to go camping, fishing and all things financed by the ATO with all those mods., why some readies even right off their camper as a business expense..trucks are not as sexy camping and fishing.
Maintenance man went for a iveco 4x2 small truck box body on the back for the tools and a quarter deck for the messy shit drives like a car
I’m not a tradie but I want one, it’s massive, it’s manly, it’s me.
Just get a isuzu tradepack platinum and be done with it $78.000 with all the mod cons. 👍
…and the girls love em
Not when I could by dodge ram for 90 grand and be in a cabin that's comfortable which is an important practical consideration, when you spend a long time in a seat and those boring jap trucks get trying to drive in the first 5mins
@hamishfullerton7309 So you have driven a 2022 isuzu tradepack platinum ? The isuzu has a 5 meter tray and can carry 3 times more weight then the shit box RAM and you would still need to tow a trailer
@@tighematthew well I did courier work with the older similar style Mid 00s Canter and Isuzu trucks and although reliable and probably reasonable well built,they didn't feel hugely powerful , didn't think the engine had changed that much over a 10 year period remember they probably weigh more than most utes and 4x4s and only have a 4 cyclinder engine size less than most large sedan's ,unless you get the really big versions or make roll coal like in Thailand, they also have the areo dynamics of a brick and still all the problematic diesel pollution gear.
If you can honestly say that the Ram after driving it was less gutless, less comfortable and wouldn't do most job's you require and not that much less realible or expensive to run , that's fine but personally if the 5 meter tray was a must, I'd use a trailer or I am sure you find someone to fit one, for me there just to commercial and I know that's why certain guys love them, but I d rather be stuck in traffic in more comfort and a less utilitarian vehicle
@hamishfullerton7309 Im in construction, and there is no way a ram could do what my truck does. There is really no way at all the ram could benefit me at all. Maybe if i was towing a caravan but the truck could do it easily and use less fuel than the ram. They are petty much useless.
While I agree the truck is the way to go, there’s nothing stopping you using a ute.
I’ve never seen a tradie get wheeled by law enforcement or the mermaids (c$&@s with scales). The overweight fines are geared towards heavy vehicles anyway. If you overloaded your ute by a few hundred kilos, I doubt the fine would be 3 figures
How about the RAM 1500 or 2500 - will be legally compliant and safely tow especially the 2500
Shit-load of the boys in North Queensland have purchased a RAM to tow the work trailer all week and either take the the mob camping or tow the boat and big note their cracks.
Haha, hav3e seen tit.
Here in Europe we get Mercedes sprinter, WV crafter, Ford transit, Iveco daily... For slightly more shit MAN 150, Iveco cargo...
Trailer situation is for I do that 5-10 times year
We have crafters, sprinters, dailies, but they suck with you need to fix them.
Dmax. Dmax. Dmax. Nothing else comes close.
Smart young guys go straight to the light truck with all the storage space and when or if your towing and you need to stop in hurry ,, the trucks brakes will out brake your ute and less likely to shove you off the road in a jack knife , now engines in the trucks are as mentioned by others designed for very long run life of up to million km , and geared to pull , not rocket ship fast , most 125kmh max , speed limit 110 max so it can do free way speed shit easy and loaded , and can be bought for less than most 4x4 utes , but will last for 20 years piss easy
You can change the rear gears in some utes. Get a diff out of a manual like 4.10. No one does it tho.
Because there so practical there boring, that why American trucks are starting sell so well
Iveco Daily ???
1 ton ('Merica) all the way.
Brochure.
Car sales people: Bro sure it will tow it. Bro sure it won't break down. Bro sure it's safe. Bro sure we are here to help. Bro sure the car is never the problem. Bro sure it's cheaper than anyone else is offering. Bro sure it's the best vehicle ever made. Bro sure we can finance it at 3 times it's worth. Bro sure the chick's will love it. Bro sure our dealer network won't r#pe you. Bro sure it doesn't require maintenance. Bro sure we are here for you.
A dog trailer would be the only trailer I'd tow as its a steerable trailer. Road trains have a front trailer and prime mover working on 45500 kgs and then two dogs dragging behind that are combined 80000 kg. They are safe.
They’re big dogs
If he gets the right truck and kits it out properly, he won't need a trailer.
What about the LDV T60?
A different approach would be to get a van, load it up and forget a trailer. Lots of tradies are doing this.
A lot these so called Trucks,Ranger,MAzda,Nissain, D Max,Triton Ect are simple plain to small for what a lot people want to do & need to step up to Dodge Ram,Ford F150 Chevy Trucks
None of those are called trucks in Oztralya.