Need Hino Ranger Truck Advice

Locking Hubs

New member
So I have the opportunity to purchase a 1989 Hino FF17. It has a 6.7 H07C non turbo diesel engine and a 6 speed manual gearbox. It seems its stood the test of time and other then few cosmetic issues due to rust its very mint to Canadian standards. I realize its a rare vehicle here and the 70 year old man that owns it purchased it for $5500 2 years ago and is offering me to buy for $5000 so my question is.... would you guys purchase such a vehicle?
 

John M.

New member
Hino makes a solid truck. There many factors for you to weigh - parts availability for a 32 year old truck being perhaps the most fundamental. What sort of service did it perform in its previous lives? Hauling round bales across the prairie is easy, hauling dry freight over the Rockies is not.
If the cab is showing rust I would be very concerned about the frame in places your can't see - these are also the places your can't clean......

The price is attractive, but that is only the first bill you'll be paying :) If the frame looks good and parts are gettable, it may be a great choice.

J.
 

Locking Hubs

New member
All the standard maintenance items seem relatively easy to source (filters,brakes,bearings,tires). Anything that's not supposed to break seems to be hiding in florida junkyards or australia. Not completely sure on its history but owners says it has 26k miles and ya was used as a tool truck for an excavating outfit for a very long time so this might be once in a lifetime chance.

Ya rust will be a thing to check for but its not frame I'm worried about, mostly just the brake/fuel lines that would concern me. Gonna make the trip on Thursday and hopefully bring her home. But please if anyone here has any experience with this truck please give me any tidbits of information or things to really inspect. I have sourced alot of insight from google aswell as middle eastern/asian youtubers lol (visually very helpful but cant understand them)
 

DirtWhiskey

Western Dirt Rat
Hi there. I picked up a Hino Ranger FT 4x4 crew cab that I still haven't dug into. It has the H07D N/A diesel on it and a five speed. I'll keep you posted when I get moving on it. I'll also bookmark this page to watch your progress.
 

Locking Hubs

New member
Well I must say it was an extremely joyful and beautiful experience. I trekked 500 kilometers with $35.25 simply to meet a 70 year old man, simply but probably clinically however the HINO FF17 I must say I fell in love instantly, the visceral experience of what I can only express as the "TRUE ORIGIN OF A TRUCK".

Within 5 minutes of being around the perfection... I lit a cigar. Only the gods of mankind could tell me to slow my roll, and even then my backup was this HINO so technically fair game. Issues galore in every way imaginable but give me 10 minutes and we got her temporarily sorted. Behind the wheel I go and felt it instantly through every corner of the vehicle I would trust it to the end of the earth even in its current state. Simply astounded and truly honored to have operated such an amazing piece of art, culture, and capitalism. Genuinely fascinating.
 
So.. what have you been doing with it asides from hiding from salt all winter?

And could you perhaps pm the details on the 5 lug alibaba specials? I'm soon going to be in a predicament where those may prove a necessity.
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
I drove a Hino tilt cab with an 18' box for 10 years and 240K. In all that time it ate a water pump,ignition key tumbler,driver's side key slot. That's all I can remember. Normal wear items. 4 speed Allison and a four cylinder turbo powered diesel. Most reliable vehicle I ever driven.
 

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