Silver

bullet
By John Murphy

Veni, vidi, vici – as Julius Caesar said of his easy defeat

of the army of King Pharnaces II at Zela in 47BC: I came,
I saw, I conquered.
It could also describe Isuzu’s truck sales in New Zealand
where Isuzu has held the top position for nine years.
New Zealand Trucking tests a Gen 6, F Series Isuzu to
see whether the new F Series is likely to keep Isuzu at
the top.

The silver Isuzu looks
impressive, large hinged
doors on the left help with
loading and unloading.
P
art of that equation is Veni Vidi Vici
Ltd, usually shortened to V3, and owned
by Trevor Thomson. The Avondale,
Auckland company designs, builds and installs
exhibition stands and displays for corporate
events throughout New Zealand. In building
the stands, the in-house production facilities
use a wide range of materials, specialist tools,
CNC machining and digital printing. The
business employs about 11 full-time staff and
many part timers, according to demand. Three
company-operated trucks are supplemented
with hire vehicles when required.
Last year V3 were contracted to supply, set up
and dismantle a product roadshow at locations
from Invercargill to Whangerei over a seven-
week period. This was the catalyst for Trevor to
buy a new truck.
The criteria included the ability to carry
bulky loads, which are not usually heavy but
are of inconsistent sizes and shapes and vulner-
able to damage during handling and transport.
Generally, forklifts are not available so the truck
is loaded and unloaded by hand.
The truck needs to be easily driven by rela-
tively inexperienced drivers, safe and able to
cover long distances comfortably as well as work
around busy metro areas. V3 is an environmen-
tally conscious company and Trevor demanded
a vehicle that would have minimal impact on
the environment. Finally, V3’s business is largely
about presentation so the truck needed to fit,
and preferably enhance, the company’s image.
Trevor discussed his needs with TCL Isuzu
salesman, Craig Silby. Craig felt Trevor’s options
were to simply replace his aging Japanese import
with a newer version or, if he wanted to operate
more effectively, there was a better, albeit more
expensive, option. Trevor took Craig’s advice to
upgrade and says he will never regret it. The new
Gen 6, F Series Isuzu is ideal and he’s impressed
with Craig and Isuzu’s support in getting the

34  NZ Trucking  March 2009

vehicle on the road in time for the roadshow. V3 owner Trevor Thomson
The truck is an FSD700 model, the D in the comfortable behind the
model code designates rear air suspension; the wheel.
FSR700 model has the same specifications but Below: The Isuzu exhaust
with leaf springs fitted all round. system has a DPD system
The air suspension provides a constant chassis to reduce emissions.
height of 790mm, about 100mm lower than the
unladen height of its leaf spring-equipped broth-
er. Furthermore, at the touch of a hand control,
the height can be raised or lowered to overcome
the inconsistencies of loading dock heights and to
drop the vehicle when loading off the ground.
The truck has been fitted with a Custom
Motor Bodies body, seven metres long by 2.4
metres high. The left side has two large barn
doors that open 180 degrees to provide access for
forklifts and hand loading. The interior sides have
multi-rail tie points for securing light items, while

March 2009  NZ Trucking  35

The silver Isuzu Gen 6 is at
home on the highway or in
metro areas.
Isuzu supplied a loaded
test truck to trial their AMT
gearbox.
36  NZ Trucking  March 2009
the floor has several certified tie-down rings for
heavier items. A 2000kg capacity Zepro alloy tail
lift further improves versatility and ease of access.
Trevor plans to carry a small motorised, six-metre
scissor lift; the tail lift and load anchors are spec’d
to handle this useful tool when it arrives.
The body has good lighting as it is often
unloaded before sunrise and loaded after dark,
after an event finishes. A little floor misalign-
ment is evident in the body, the non-skid floor
panels do not quite meet evenly and catch
some loads as they are moved along the floor,
but Trevor is happy with the body and was
impressed with the bodybuilder’s efficiency in
meeting the tight deadline.
The truck arrived in gleaming white, before
being stripped and repainted in V3’s eye-catch-
ing silver by Truck Collision Repairs of Auckland.
We can confirm that it does create an impressive
image.
AMT

T
he second generation AMT
(automated manual transmis-
sion) gearboxes available with
the new Isuzu Gen 6 models are likely
to become more popular than the
manual units.
A fluid coupling and multi plate wet
clutch replace the traditional single
plate dry clutch, this drive unit ensures
a smooth lift off from a standing start,
along with smooth clutch release and
take up throughout the entire range of
gears. No clutch pedal is necessary. The
fluid coupling includes a lock up feature
that physically locks the two elements
at speeds above about ten kph, this
feature saves on slippage and, conse-
quently, fuel use.
A manual gearbox equipped with an
automatic changing mechanism takes
the place of a fully manual unit. The
advantages over a fully manual trans-
mission include changes being made at
 We were keen to travel in one of the new
Gen 6 trucks to see if it is as comfortable as
Isuzu claims. The F Series, mid-range trucks
are equipped with ISRI air-cushioned driver
seats and they are superb. They include four
adjustments for the back rest to suit individual
requirements. Unfortunately this extravagance
does not extend to the passenger’s seat, however
the front springs are soft and add to the interior’s
comfort and the cab has liquid-filled mounts to
further insulate the occupants.
Heating is not included in the seat, but once
you’ve experience this, it’s appreciated and
would be a practical option. Overall, the comfort
level clearly exceeds what is normal on a forward
control truck of this size and it is superior to any
competition without air front suspension.
The cab shape looks a little boxy, a look empha-
sised by the almost upright A pillars, although it
looks smart and creates a powerful presence
usually reserved for larger cab-overs. Isuzu say
that tests prove the cab has less wind resistance
than previous models. V3’s truck has an air foil
fitted – Craig says this was not designed for the
cab and it does create a little wind noise that was
not present on a similar model we tried without
an air foil. In fact Isuzu’s air flow diagrams imply From left: The prominent
that the cab design will ensure air flows over the rear airbags on the four-
body, even without an air foil. bag system provide a
The cab shape allows for significantly larger superb ride.
doors with wide angle openings, which make ISRI air driver’s seat is
entry and exit easy. The first step is reasonably excellent.
high, but a decent long grab handle makes up for V3 use roller cases where
the extra distance. possible to increase
Mirrors are another of the F Series strong efficiency.
points: large, aerodynamically designed units The nature of the job
incorporating a wide view mirror along with the demands labour for loading
normal one. The mirrors are heated and adjust- and unloading.
able from the driver’s position. A front bumper
view mirror juts out from above the windscreen
on heavy, somewhat ugly mounting bars. Its
placement prevents the fitting of an external
sun visor, but this may be part of Isuzu’s plan,
because a sun visor would affect the aerody-
namics and the robust mirror is more use than a
visor. Vision from the driver’s seat is great.
In the cab, controls are easily reached and
nothing is out of the ordinary when it comes to
finding commonly used switches. Central lock-
ing with keyless entry is standard along with an
engine immobiliser to prevent the engine being
hot-wired. The cab is roomy with enough space

 – Automated Manual Transmission

the most efficient time and easy use by
less skilled drivers. The new Isuzu gear
change is both simple and easily clicked
into the manual mode by slipping the
lever across the gate to the right.
On the road, the changes feel slower
than they do when manually changing,
however, it is probably only a feeling.
It’s likely that the change could be made
faster manually, but it’s rare that a good
driver would feel the need to force the
change so quickly. It is a godsend at busy
roundabouts and other places where
there are many distractions and it can be
difficult to change at the ideal time, the
AMT just makes the change.
Experienced drivers have found that
when using AMTs their trucks have
changed gears on steep sharp corners
where they have never been able to
change manual trucks.
An Eco feature is operated by the
push of a button, this programmes the
controlling module to make changes at
lower revs to reduce fuel consumption.
At appropriate times, such as pulling
up a hill with a heavy load, the button
would be switched off. When a bit more
punch is required, the manual mode can
be selected and the truck held in the
selected gear until the driver chooses
to flick the short lever forward or back-
ward to change up or down, or return to
the D position.
The driver can adjust the speed that
the clutch re-engages at to suit his or
her individual preference. There is also The AMT gearlever couldn’t be simpler to use
a first gear option that ensures the AMT
selects first for starting off, Isuzu recom- manual. While the AMTs fitted to the
mend using this for heavy loads and hill Isuzu Giga models with a multitude of
starts. gears will skip shift, Isuzu believe this
We tried a fully loaded Gen 6, F is unnecessary in the six-speed Gen
Series truck with AMT and can confirm 6 models, we found the transmission
that the ease of driving and efficient sequentially shifting up and down was
smooth change makes it essential to not a problem, however the driver can
try one before simply settling for a skip gears in manual mode if required.

March 2009  NZ Trucking  37

Access isn’t an issue when the side and rear doors are open. Trevor has still to decide if he will refit the Isuzu name across the front after the paint
job. Although he likes the Isuzu brand, he also likes the clean uncluttered front.
The front view mirror is
effective and prominent.
Large alloy mounts support
the trailing arms for the air
bags.
Doors open wide and
provide excellent access.
The air foil creates some
wind noise.
38  NZ Trucking  March 2009
behind the seats for an average sized person to
have a snooze, although it’s not really designed
as a sleeper. The fold-down centre seat is useful,
especially for a situation like V3’s where several
people may have to go out to a job.
In common with many new models, a hill start
aid (HSA) is fitted. Although ideal for new driv-
ers, most experienced drivers also appreciate this
when starting on a steep incline. It’s particularly
useful for V3’s truck which will often work off
steep ramps leading to loading bays in tight
backstreets.
Isuzu have focused on occupant safety with
the Gen 6 models. The cabs meet what Isuzu
term “best-in-class crashworthiness”. High ten-
sile steel reinforcements are fitted to the doors
and crucial areas of the cab. Pre-tensioner seat-
belts are fitted and a driver’s airbag helps maxi-
mise occupant safety.
Cruise control is also fitted and is standard
on most of the F Series trucks. Air condition-
ing is also standard. In-cab storage is good and
includes neat lockers above the windscreen. A
good fluorescent interior lamp provides plenty
of light when required.
The six-cylinder, 24-valve engine, with a single
gear-driven overhead cam, provides 240hp and
521 ft/lb torque – solid figures for a truck with
a GVM of 14,000 kilograms and a GCM of
20,000 kilograms.
Isuzu don’t dwell on their engines’ power out-
puts; they prefer to let the performance do the
talking while they emphasise the low emissions
and, in particular, the heavily reduced amount
of diesel particulates released through the DPD
(diesel particulate diffuser).
They point out that their new engines meet
Euro4 while their Japanese competitors meet a
less stringent – but still acceptable – US standard
that allows up to six times more particulate matter
to be released. EGR (exhaust gas reticulation) is
combined with the DPD to minimise emissions.
With Trevor at the wheel we headed towards
the North-Western Motorway with a light load
to drop off at an off-site storage facility. Pulling
out of intersections onto the busy Auckland
arterials, Trevor drove the Isuzu like a car, chang-
ing gear as quickly as he would in a manual
car and bringing the large-bodied truck up to
the required speed as quickly as much lighter
vehicles moving in and out of the traffic flow.
This was one of V3’s demands for its new truck;
it had to be easy to drive around busy streets
safely and efficiently by non-professional truck
drivers. Fast acceleration, easy gear changes, com-
fortable, safe braking and excellent vision all con-
tribute to the truck meeting this requirement.
Grant Precious is the truck’s main driver. He
got his HT licence less than a week before climb-
ing into the Isuzu and driving to Invercargill
with Tony Hoskins, a more experienced V3
truck driver, for the start of the seven-week
roadshow. After the show the truck arrived back
in Auckland with 5000 kilometres on the clock
and a cracked windscreen the only signs of use.
This says a lot for Grant, who Trevor says is an
excellent member of the team, and indicates the
truck’s user friendly nature.
Power is transmitted through a six-speed Isuzu
gearbox; the change is particularly smooth. Isuzu’s
AMT (automated manual transmission) units are
an option. Trevor would have considered the
AMT option if it was available when he bought
the truck, but the Isuzu’s easy gear change opera-
tion makes the manual more than adequate for
the job. In fact, we found the air assisted gear
change is probably the best manual shift we have
experienced in a truck of this size. Six-speeds are
more than enough with the combination of light
loads and the horse power available.
On the motorway the truck was deceptively
smooth and easily maintained maximum legal
speed with only a couple of tonne on board.
Steering was also smooth and precise and the
air over hydraulic drum brakes did a nice job of
slowing the vehicle when necessary. The brakes
are ABS and a dash switch operates a traction
control system, called ASR, that is controlled
through the ABS unit to reduce the chances of
getting stuck in slippery conditions.
The most noticeable thing about the truck’s
on-road performance was its ride on the rear air
suspension. Isuzu’s four-bag system definitely
provides a ride that is smoother than in any
other Japanese unit we have driven. When it
came to choosing air suspension, V3 were equal-
ly influenced by its versatility for loading and
unloading the vehicle and by its load-friendly
ride. Much of their load consists of furniture,
showcases, computers and electronics that can
be sensitive to a rough ride and Trevor believes
customer service is enhanced by providing the
best ride available.
At the off site, the tail lift and large side doors,
combined with five young guys, made unloading
simple. Most of the gear for shows is packed in
roller cases which cuts the loading time down to
about an hour; without cases loading takes four
or five times as long.
We were concerned that we hadn’t tried a fully
loaded F Series Isuzu, so Craig Silby came to the
party and loaded a slightly smaller model to the
maximum payload for a run. Although it didn’t
have air suspension and had a little less horse-
power, it allowed a reasonable comparison.
The torque peaked at 1450 revs and the truck
pulled away well from this engine speed, the
torque curve remained almost flat up to 2400
rpm when maximum horsepower is reached.
Heading south over the Bombay Hills we had to
drop only one gear and easily maintained 80 kph,
although by dropping another gear and taking
advantage of the extra horsepower the increased
revs provided, the truck speed increased to close
S p ecificati o n s
Isuzu FSD700
Tare weight: 6,420kg
GVM: 14,000kg
GCM: 20,000kg
Wheelbase: 5560mm
Engine: 6HK1-TCN
Capacity: 7790cc
Compression ratio: 17.5:1
Maximum power: 176kW (240hp) @2400RPM
Maximum torque: 706Nm (521 lb/ft)
@1450rpm
Clutch: Air assisted, hydraulic
control
Diameter: 381mm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
synchromesh on gears 2
through 6, with air assist
shift. PTO provision.
Rear axles: Full floating banjo type
Ratio: 4.55:1
Rear axle capacity: 9,000kg
Chassis: Cold riveted ladder frame.
Weldable steel parallel side
members.
The body interior is light and has almost unlimited points for securing the inconsistent
shaped loads typically carried.
to 90 kph. Heading north up the steep incline
we had to drop two gears, but still held almost
70 kph; by dropping another gear in excess of
75 kph could be maintained, good speeds from
a small truck loaded to the max.
Going down the steep side of the Bombays
with a full load provided an excellent opportu-
nity to test the single stage exhaust brake. With
the transmission down two gears and the exhaust
brake applied, the truck kept slowing without any
service brake application. Eventually we changed
up a gear to prevent slowing the other traffic. The
exhaust brake is effective, but its effectiveness
increases with an increase in engine revs.
We came, we saw the Gen 6, F Series Isuzu
and we liked it a lot.   Interior lighting is excellent.
Chassis Dimensions: 225x70x6mm Electrical system: 24 volt. Alternator 60amp.
Front suspension: Single stage, alloy steel, Instruments Speedometer with odometer
taper leaf spring with & equipment: and trip meters.
stabiliser bar. Tachometer, engine coolant
Front axle: Isuzu F050, reverse Elliot I temperature, fuel level and
beam. dual air pressure gauges.
Front axle capacity: 5,000kg Two speed wipers. HSA.
ASR (traction control). DPD
Rear suspension: Isuzu 4 bag electronically
manual regeneration.
controlled air suspension
Warning lamps: check
raise or lower, auto return to
engine, oil pressure, ABS,
default height above 20km/
SRS, alternator charge,
h. Air spring 197mm dia x
service brakes, park brake,
220mm high.
seat belt unbuckled, low air
Steering: Power assisted recirculating
pressure, air suspension
ball.
fault, low fuel level, cab
Brakes: Dual circuit air over
lock, check AMT (AMT only)
hydraulic front and rear auto and water in fuel.
adjusting drum brakes Indicator lamps: HSA, warm
Park brake: Spring up system, high beam, ASR,
Auxiliary brake: Exhaust DPD status, exhaust brake,
Wheels: 19.5x6.75x147mm eight stud turn signals.
steel wheels
Tyres: 265/70R19.5 140/138M
March 2009  NZ Trucking  39