Review: Isuzu FYJ2000 8x4 tilt tray

Name: Review: Isuzu FYJ2000 8x4 tilt tray
Brand: Isuzu

When you need to shift some major gear, you can do a whole lot worse than Isuzu's FYJ2000 8x4…

Trucksales had a good look at Isuzu's FYJ2000 8x4 last year in its popular agitator format, but when the opportunity cropped up recently to revisit the platform in a tilt tray application, we didn't need to be asked twice.

Introduced in early 2013, the FYJ2000 has been a big hit for the Japanese brand in this country, where it's made solid inroads in the agi segment in the under 400hp category. However, and as our week spent in Melbourne's gridlocked traffic attests, the Isuzu FYJ2000 isn't just a one-trick pony.

Our test vehicle, collected from the Westar Trucks dealership in Derrimut, in Melbourne's western suburbs, actually began life as an agitator, before it was converted by Isuzu Australia Ltd to serve as a tilt tray.

As such, this particular truck has a 7440mm wheelbase – substantially longer than the 6700mm wheelbase of the extra-long wheelbase model. Unlike the agi, which can be supplied by Isuzu complete with bowl, this tilt tray was built installed by Custom Transport Equipment (CTE). With slick chrome-ringed LED taillights, an LED light bar and twin storage bins, matched in this instance to polished Alcoa rims and a large polished storage box, the truck really does cut a striking profile as it tackles the metro sprawl.

Scaling the heights

But therein lies one of very few foibles for this truck – it really is a big, towering cab for a tilt tray, and vehicle recovery drivers in particular will certainly get a decent workout from scaling those heights numerous times a day.

Of course, that height also translates into excellent vision when you're on the go, and with a driver height equal or even higher than you'll find some in prime movers, it's a commanding view ahead indeed. The A-pillars are pretty skinny too, and with a full complement of mirrors – including a kerb and a front bumper mirror – all-round vision in the FYJ2000 is nothing short of superb.

A reversing camera at the rear is also a big help in a rig this long, and further cameras can be added to address blind spots if desired.

The excellent vision adds to what is really a very easy truck to drive, even in the stop-start melee of peak-hour Melbourne traffic. The twin-steer front end delivers a surprisingly healthy turning circle for a truck measuring over 12 metres from tip to tail, while the steering wheel requires only a light touch. It's really quite nimble for its size, which pays dividends when accessing tight work sites and negotiating accident and breakdown scenes.

The suspension delivers a thoroughly proficient ride, too. Another vehicle was the logical choice to throw a bit of weight on the back of the FYJ, and Westar Trucks managed to find a spare NNR 45-150 (click here to read a recent Trucksales review of the Isuzu NNR 45-150 Vanpack) to answer the call. With a tare weight of around 2300kg, it was enough to settle the springs, if not exactly a major test for the FYJ's payload capacity.

Riding on taper leaf springs with shocks and load-sharing axles up front and Hendrickson HAS461 airbags down the back, the FYJ2000 suspension package still took the worst of the sting out of the bumps and dips, but I'll wager that ride quality will improve again with some extra weight on the back.

And it can handle plenty of weight. With a tare weight of around 8500kg, and maximum legal axle limits giving a GVM of 28 tonnes, even with the tilt-tray body in place we're talking a payload capacity of around 14 to 15 tonnes.

Performance plus

So it was no surprise that the FYJ barely noticed the NNR when it came to on-road performance. Admittedly, taking off in first gear, the power delivery is fairly subdued, but the truck hits its straps in second, where a noticeable wave of urge sees it sweep forward.

It's Isuzu's 6UZ1-TCN six-cylinder turbo-diesel providing the urge, producing a maximum of 257kW (345hp) at 2000rpm and 1422Nm of torque at just 1400rpm. Emissions are handled by an EGR system with Diesel Oxidation Catalyst, so there's no AdBlue to worry about.

The Allison 4430 auto transmission is a big drawcard for this vehicle. For operators it opens the truck up to a wider driver pool and for the drivers themselves, it simply makes the FYJ2000 so simple to drive, allowing them to concentrate on the road and the ever-changing environment around them instead of adding a manual 'box into the mix (although an Eaton 10-speed constant mesh and ZF nine-speed synchromesh transmissions are also available).

At 100km/h in sixth gear the engine with Allison auto is spinning at around 1700rpm, putting it just outside of it's indicated 'eco' zone.

Gear changes are affected rapidly and smoothly; in many instances it's only the change in engine note that reveals there's been a gear change at all. Gears can be selected manually via the push-buttons or you can simply let the transmission do the thinking for you.

Quiet, please…

Speaking of the engine note, your ears won't be left ringing from the FYJ's – the sound suppression employed in this cab is first rate, and there's very little engine, road or even wind noise, and certainly not enough to hamper a conversation via the Bluetooth setup or impinge on the decent sound emanating from the stereo.

Yes, it's Isuzu's DAVE (Digital Audio Visual Equipment) unit again, and it's a handy little package, incorporating AM/FM radio, digital DAB radio, and the reversing camera display. It can also be hooked up to the optional factory satellite navigation and Isuzu Telematics, as was the case in our test truck.

There's very little fuss in pairing a phone but the FYJ suffers like most light and medium-duty trucks in that there are no integrated controls in the steering wheel. The voice commands work okay, although the system does seem to get tripped up easily enough, but it would be far better to be able to access DAVE's many functions via steering wheel buttons than by manually taking a stab at the touchscreen.

The dash has a logical layout and it's easy to find whatever function you're after, from cross locks and power dividers to the cruise control and comprehensive trip computer. The dials for the climate control are large and easy to use and the heating and cooling works well, with a super effective front window demister coming into its own during chilly morning starts.

Comfort is exemplary. The ISRI 6860 air suspension driver's seat is a great unit, with all sorts of adjustment possible to suit all sorts of drivers. Combine this with a steering wheel adjustable for tilt and reach, and life behind the wheel is good.

There might not be an abundance of concealed storage in the FYJ cab, but throw in the sleeper and there's a heap of room for all your gear. A sleeper seems to be overkill for a largely metro-bound truck like this, but in any case it's ADR 42 compliant and good enough for a quick nap, not that we've come across many towies who would be caught napping!

As for fuel economy, our test truck's trip computer was giving an overall average of 39L/100km, or 2.6km per litre – you can't complain about that.

Summing up

Just a short amount of time behind the wheel reveals why the Isuzu FYJ2000 8x4 is as popular as it is. When the little details are taken care of – from the good sweep of the triple windscreen wipers to the sturdy grab rails and comfortable seating – you can be pretty sure that attention to detail extends through to the big ticket items, like the robust and reliable nature of the powerplant and the sturdy construction of the chassis and the truck in general.

It's simply difficult to find anything to criticise about this truck. It's a capable unit and it's just a nice thing to drive, and when you find yourself enjoying your time behind the wheel, even when you're stuck in peak-hour traffic, you know you're onto a winner.

2017 Isuzu FYJ2000 8x4 Specifications:

Engine: '6UZ1-TCN' 9.8-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel

Power: 257kW (345hp) at 2000rpm

Torque: 1422Nm at 1400rpm

Emissions: ADR 80/03

Transmission: Allison 4430 Series six-speed automatic

Configuration: 8x4

Front suspension: Taper leaf springs with shocks

Rear suspension: Hendrickson HAS461 airbags

Front axles: Meritor FG941

Rear axles: Meritor RT-40-145GP

GVM: 28,000kg