Hino readies for Dakar

Veteran campaigner Team Hino Sugawara has set its sights on the 2016 Dakar Rally, the gruelling event be held in South America from January 3 to 16.

The Japanese team says it has adopted a number of mechanical upgrades for its next tilt at the title, while its pre-Dakar program will also see it contest Rally Mongolia.

A shakedown test of the team's Hino 500 Series Car 2 was recently conducted at a Hino Motors test complex, where its modifications were evaluated by team members and Hino Motors vehicle development and fabrication specialists, before the vehicle was shipped to Mongolia.

The changes concern the truck's taper leaf springs and coil-over shocks, which were fitted on all four wheels for the first time at last year's Dakar Rally.

This year's set-up uses only two leaves per side for the front suspension and one for the rear suspension to reduce friction and minimise resistance between the leaf springs, providing smooth and predictable suspension strokes.

Coil springs are now fitted to paired shock absorbers supporting each wheel, which compensate for the lower spring rates of the new leaf spring setup.

Coil springs are easier to replace than leaf springs. The team will now carry different rate coil springs so they can alter suspension settings to suit varying conditions.

In January the team will be aiming for its seventh consecutive under-10-litre class Dakar victory, along with an improvement in its overall rankings.

Father-and-son team drivers Yoshimasa and Teruhito Sugawara finished second and first respectively in their class this year, mirroring their 2014 performance.

Their results placed Teruhito 16th and Yoshimasa 32nd overall for trucks, from a field of 43.

Check out the video below to see the team in action at the 2015 Dakar Rally.