# Fuso FG



## downtoearthnh (Jan 16, 2009)

I bought my first cabover, a 4WD Fuso Fg this spring. It is a great mowing truck, with a much larger bed than a 1 ton domestic truck, and a larger GVW of 14,000. I discussed plowing when I bought the truck, and the salesman was going on about the turning radius, visibility and all the positive features of the truck. 
When I went to the plow manufacturers, all hell broke loose. I was informed that the truck was not capable of anything larger than an 8 foot V plow. The wheel base is 102", so that plow wouldn't even clear the rear wheels!
The salesman told me it was a warranty issue with the truck, but it turns out the 9'6" V is only 135 pounds heavier than the 8 footer. That, I told the salesman is not even the difference of having another man in the cab. We fought, and I finally decided to ignore the warranty issue and put the plow that should be on the truck, the 9'6". 
Then, when I had the plow installed, the battery was the equivalent of what would be put in a volkswagen! The salesman this time advised me that they had discussed that with the manufacturer, but had not come to a resolution. 
Does any manufacturer understand the real work truck world? I am beginning to think not!


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## gene gls (Dec 24, 1999)

downtoearthnh;1499446 said:


> I bought my first cabover, a 4WD Fuso Fg this spring. It is a great mowing truck, with a much larger bed than a 1 ton domestic truck, and a larger GVW of 14,000. I discussed plowing when I bought the truck, and the salesman was going on about the turning radius, visibility and all the positive features of the truck.
> When I went to the plow manufacturers, all hell broke loose. I was informed that the truck was not capable of anything larger than an 8 foot V plow. The wheel base is 102", so that plow wouldn't even clear the rear wheels!
> The salesman told me it was a warranty issue with the truck, but it turns out the 9'6" V is only 135 pounds heavier than the 8 footer. That, I told the salesman is not even the difference of having another man in the cab. We fought, and I finally decided to ignore the warranty issue and put the plow that should be on the truck, the 9'6".
> Then, when I had the plow installed, the battery was the equivalent of what would be put in a volkswagen! The salesman this time advised me that they had discussed that with the manufacturer, but had not come to a resolution.
> Does any manufacturer understand the real work truck world? I am beginning to think not!


MY Fuso came with duel batteries.....


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## Dogplow Dodge (Jan 23, 2012)

gene gls;1499500 said:


> MY Fuso came with dual batteries.....


Mine too, and they were real truck batteries as well. Did have to replace them, and I wound up going to napa and buying a pair of them to replace the OE batteries. The OE batteries are longer than the napa's, but the Napa's had more CCA's in each one, by comparison. Nothing that a slight modification to the battery box couldn't handle.

When I bought mine, I was told that the frame's front sector of these truck are too weak for a plow of any real size. Apparently, they're still the same in 2013.

You guys must have the exhaust re-burn system if you have an 08 or newer, and from what I hear, it's a real pain in the butt.


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

How did you make out with the Fuso?

I just had mine in for service, quite a few issues, including worn front shackle bushings. Dealer wouldn't warranty, because they said truck wasn't designed to carry a plow Only 7 months old, and 11000 miles!
A call to Fuso, and they agreed to pay the warranty.

Just wondering if any other Fuso owners are happy with their truck

Bill


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## gene gls (Dec 24, 1999)

nsmilligan;1638392 said:


> How did you make out with the Fuso?
> 
> I just had mine in for service, quite a few issues, including worn front shackle bushings. Dealer wouldn't warranty, because they said truck wasn't designed to carry a plow Only 7 months old, and 11000 miles!
> A call to Fuso, and they agreed to pay the warranty.
> ...


I loved mine and it wasn't 4x4 . When I bought it, in 2000, the upfitter wanted to put a 10'er on it but I went with a Meyers 8'. I had to replace the king pins after a few years. The wireing was a nightmare, always had light problems.


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## XYZSnowPros (Dec 16, 2010)

Looked at the fuso's last year 2012 and you guys are absolutely right. They said they haven't re-engineered the front ends yet to be a more winter capable plowing machine. Next answer was to look at european machines. So far the best choices I have found in my opinion for winter and summer maintenance are these companies.

http://www.reform.at/en/agriculture/muli-transport-vehicle.html

http://www.reform.at/en/agriculture/muli-transport-vehicle/muli-t10x.html

http://www.aebi-schmidt.com/en/products/municipal-technology/423

http://www.aebi-schmidt.com/en/products/municipal-technology/404

Yes you can drive them here in the USA. Yes they have fast ship parts and shops that can work on them. They also have awesome parts cubes where they give you a huge crate of spares. Neat stuff.

We went over to Germany , Austria and Switzerland to view these machines and many other offerings they have for winter and summer maintenance. Test drove some of the machines and got tours of their facilities. They really put American engineering to shame in my honest opinion. 
Who cares if their stuff costs a bit more. Gotta spend money to make money. Everything can just be done faster and more reliably and efficiently with their setups. We will be going this route before winter arrives.


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## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

Interesting, any idea on pricing? I see both types have an optional 50 k transmission, so their road speed would be the same as a tractor. The Reform is kinda a big UTV, I think a Tool Cat would be just as useful and a lot better dealer support on this side of the pond.
The Schmidt Varo looks like a similar transmission to the Case CVT, and again 50 K(30 MPH) is optional. I priced a few Schmidt products, and the price was high. Again my big concern would be dealer support, my Case CVT's are totally computer controlled, and without the proper software are impossible to service, and the software and updating service isn't cheap even if you could buy it.
We had a Unimog years ago which was a super winter machine, but the last time I priced 1 it was a lot more then an Ag tractor, and again they have been dropped from the NA market.


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## XYZSnowPros (Dec 16, 2010)

I'll private message you the invoices when we take delivery nsmilligan.
More often than not what I observed from being over pond it is no different than the USA. Buying a 1 to 3 year used model will sufficiently bring the price down within most operators reach here in the USA. We visited a couple different dealers as well to see how the used machine business with them runs.

The tool cats are complete junk in my honest opinion for their price. We had 2 cities around me buy a few of them. Their mechanics are outraged at how they break so easily and how the metals and everything else just turns to crap after a single year. These machines were well lubed and taken care of. That is first hand knowledge and seeing these machines in person.

Reform and aebischmidt tactors and transporters come in many different sizes.
You choose which machine is right for your operation. You also choose which specs will suit you better.

We very much looked at the logistics of parts and service. We have an exceptional mechanic that works for us. He is all in on a raise for learning any types of new machines we may put into our arsenal. Also we believe in turning most of the wrenches on our machines. Saves time, energy, money on parts etc.

Mercedes is starting to compete with the types of machines companies like aebischmidt and reform build. Unimogs are quite large machines. Mercedes has a newer lineup of machines that are slimming down and becoming just as powerful yet more compact. The fuel savings and power from euro engines far outweighs the crap we have in the USA.

Basically these euro machines are a far more technologically sound machine than the isuzu npr's, mitsubishi fuso's and the like. Each implement is not made for the machine unless it can support it's use unlike isuzu and mitsu and the other small vehicle transporters stuff.

To get a misubishi fuso 4X4 FG longer bed with all the bells and whistles and the implements we want to use with it, in essence the out the door price on a reform muliT10 is only 23k more. The reform muliT10 will save that much in efficiency in our estimates in one season of winter maintenance alone for what we will be using it for.

Also take a look at the weight of these machines relative to what they can haul, trailer and withstand the implements that go on them. These machines have almost the capability to do as much work as a freightliner that weighs 16 thousand pounds more. If my opinion counted in this ridiculous democratic society, all of my cities vehicles would be of euro descent. It would take well over 1/3 less the vehicles and use half the diesel and gas that they use now. Not to mention the engines are much much cleaner than ours. Plus most vehicles can serve to do 5 or 6 different functions because of their ever changing implements instead of just 2 as ours do here.

What I see in the euro vs american market is that the euro companies have tried their best to give american's a chance to buy products worth their price. Most american's didn't bite. They are cheap slave drivers. So the euro companies stopped trying to compete here for the most part. They will leave the american morons to their devices. They don't need us like we apparently need china.


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## unimogr (Feb 18, 2004)

If you're looking for Schmidt (German not the American Schmidt) contact 
Beauregard Equipment in Maine. They stock many Schmidt parts, sanders and plows.

www.beauregardequip.com

No relation etc etc


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## unimogr (Feb 18, 2004)

I wanted to follow up to see if XYZ had brought in one of these machines. If so how did it work out?


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