Hino 500 Series Review
TRUCK REVIEWS
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Hino 500 Series Review
Medium Duty Workhorse for Crane and Tray Applications
A truck that spends its day carrying steel, timber, tools and equipment needs to do more than simply move the load. It needs a chassis that can handle constant work, a driveline that won't complain when the truck is loaded, and enough versatility to make the investment worthwhile.
That is where the Hino 500 Series has built a strong reputation among Australian truck operators.
For owner drivers, particularly those working in construction, building supplies, landscaping, civil work and general freight, the 500 Series makes a lot of sense. Fit it with a tray and crane and you have a truck that can deliver materials and unload them on site without needing a separate machine.
That's a big advantage.
Hino 500 Series: What Makes It Interesting?
The Hino 500 Series sits in the medium-duty truck market, where buyers are often looking for a balance between payload, manoeuvrability, driver comfort and operating costs.
You don't necessarily need a massive prime mover for crane and tray work. In many cases, something smaller is easier to operate around residential building sites, industrial estates and suburban streets.
The Hino 500 is designed for this sort of work.
Its cab-over configuration gives the driver a good view around the vehicle, while the relatively compact front end can make positioning easier in confined areas. That matters when you're backing onto a building site with a load of materials hanging off the tray.
And if you are the owner driver, you'll appreciate that every extra minute spent fighting the truck is money lost.
Why the Hino 500 Works Well With a Crane and Tray
A crane and tray combination turns a medium-duty truck into a surprisingly versatile piece of equipment.
Think about a typical building supplier.
You collect a load of timber, plasterboard, steel or other materials, drive to the customer's site, position the truck and use the crane to place the load where it's required.
One vehicle does the transport and unloading.
That can save considerable time.
For an owner driver, the combination can also open the door to different types of work. You're not restricted to simple point-to-point freight because the truck has its own unloading capability.
The Tray Matters More Than Many Buyers Realise
When buying a Hino 500 for crane work, don't concentrate solely on the truck.
The body configuration is just as important.
Tray length, width, deck construction, sideboards, tie-down points, crane location and payload all need to be considered together. A poorly matched body can turn a good truck into an awkward one.
You also need to consider where the crane is mounted.
A rear-mounted crane may provide different loading and unloading advantages compared with a crane positioned directly behind the cab. The right choice depends on the materials you carry and how customers expect those materials to be delivered.
Engine and Driveline: Built for Working Days
The exact engine, transmission and specification varies across Hino 500 models and model years, so buyers should check the specifications of the particular truck they are considering.
That's especially important when looking at used trucks.
Don't assume every Hino 500 is mechanically identical.
What matters to an owner driver is how the complete driveline suits the job. A truck spending most of its life carrying heavy loads on short urban runs has very different requirements from one travelling hundreds of kilometres every day.
Before buying, look at:
Engine specification and power output
Transmission type
Gross vehicle mass
GVM and payload after body and crane installation
Rear axle rating
Wheelbase
Braking system
Suspension configuration
Fuel tank capacity
The numbers on the brochure are useful. The real question is whether they work for your actual payload.
Payload Is the Big One
Here's where some buyers make an expensive mistake.
They see the truck's GVM and assume that number represents the amount of material they can carry.
It doesn't.
The crane, tray, toolbox, hydraulic equipment, fuel, accessories and driver all contribute to the truck's operating weight.
For example, imagine a truck with a GVM of 12 tonnes. If the completed truck weighs several tonnes before you put building materials on the tray, your available payload can be considerably less than expected.
That's why I would strongly recommend getting the completed vehicle weighed.
Not guessed.
Weighed.
If you're buying a truck specifically for crane and tray applications, establish your typical load before committing to the chassis.
How Does It Drive?
For owner drivers, driver comfort isn't a luxury.
You can spend most of your working week sitting behind the wheel.
The Hino 500's cab-over layout provides a commanding driving position and good visibility, which is particularly useful around construction sites and busy urban areas.
The driving position also gives the truck a different feel compared with a conventional bonneted truck.
You'll want to take a proper test drive, though.
Don't drive around the dealership for five minutes and make your decision.
Load the truck if possible. Test it in the conditions that resemble your normal work. Pay attention to steering, braking, transmission behaviour, visibility, cab access and how easily you can position the vehicle.
Small annoyances become major annoyances after 50 hours a week.
Crane Work Changes the Equation
A crane truck isn't simply a truck with a crane bolted onto it.
The installation affects weight distribution, chassis loading and overall vehicle performance.
That means the crane needs to be properly matched to the truck and the work you intend to perform.
Think carefully about lifting requirements.
How heavy are your typical loads?
How far from the truck do you need to place them?
How often will the crane operate?
Do you need maximum lifting capacity close to the truck, or greater reach?
These questions should be answered before choosing the crane.
A crane that looks impressive on paper may not be the best option if it consumes too much payload or doesn't suit the type of work you're doing.
Hino 500 Reliability and Ownership
Reliability is one of the major reasons medium-duty Hino trucks attract Australian operators.
But no truck is maintenance-free.
A working truck needs regular servicing, inspections and attention to consumable items. Crane trucks also introduce additional components that need checking, including hydraulic systems, hoses, pins, mounting points and stabilisers.
For a used Hino 500, service history is extremely important.
Look beyond the odometer.
A truck that has been properly serviced and operated within its limits can be a much better purchase than a lower-kilometre truck that has spent years being overloaded or poorly maintained.
Check the chassis carefully.
Look for signs of repairs, unusual wear, fluid leaks and damage around the crane mounting area. If you're spending serious money, an independent mechanical inspection is cheap insurance.
Is the Hino 500 Comfortable for Owner Drivers?
This is another area where the truck needs to be judged as a workplace.
Cab access matters.
Seat adjustment matters.
Visibility matters.
Noise levels matter.
So does getting in and out repeatedly during a delivery day.
Crane and tray operators can climb out of the cab dozens of times during a busy shift. A truck that is comfortable to operate and easy to access can make the working day considerably less tiring.
The Hino 500 is aimed squarely at commercial operators, rather than being designed as a luxury vehicle.
That's perfectly reasonable.
You're buying a tool for making money.
Hino 500 vs Buying a Larger Truck
Bigger isn't automatically better.
A larger truck can provide more payload, but it can also bring higher purchase costs, larger dimensions, greater operating expenses and restrictions that may not suit your work.
If most of your jobs involve building materials, pallets, steel, timber or equipment delivered around metropolitan and regional areas, a medium-duty crane truck may provide a better balance.
You need enough truck.
Not necessarily the biggest truck.
That distinction can make a major difference to your finance repayments and weekly running costs.
What Should Owner Drivers Check Before Buying?
Before signing anything, work backwards from the job.
List your normal loads. Then calculate the weight of the tray, crane, accessories and equipment.
Check the truck's GVM and axle ratings.
Then look at your operating environment.
If you regularly visit tight building sites, visibility and manoeuvrability become important. If you're travelling long distances, fuel capacity and driver comfort deserve more attention.
Also consider resale value.
A properly specified Hino 500 with a useful tray and well-matched crane may appeal to another operator when you're ready to upgrade.
Final Verdict
The Hino 500 Series deserves serious consideration if you're an owner driver looking for a medium-duty truck for crane, tray, construction and delivery work.
Its appeal isn't about having the biggest engine or the largest possible truck.
It's about finding a practical working package.
A correctly specified Hino 500 can give you a useful combination of payload, manoeuvrability, visibility and versatility. Add the right crane and tray, and the truck becomes more than a delivery vehicle. It becomes part of the equipment you use to earn your living.
The key is specification.
Don't buy the truck first and work out the application later. Decide what you need to carry, how you need to unload it, how much reach the crane requires and what payload you need after the body is fitted.
Then find the Hino that fits those requirements.
For an owner driver, that's the smarter way to buy a truck.
Contact Wayne Taylor on 0418 266 994 today for an obligation-free discussion and discover how the right finance solution could help move your business forward.