Flooded Bayou / RTV Parked Today
- Thread starter TWO GUNS
- Start date
TWO GUNS
Senior Member
So we decided to rebuild engine & replace clutch and throw-out bearings in a mini truck ...........Cajun Style
Figured it would be a great rainy day project !!!!!
1. Turn truck on side and remove engine
2. Seperate engine / transmissioin
3. Rebuild Engine
4. Install new clutch & bearing
5. Attached Engine & Transmission back together
6. Install new Engine & Attachments
7. Flip Mini-Truck back on it's Feet
8. Fill Engine / Transmission with fluids
9. Install Battery & Fuel
10. Test Fire machine
Figured it would be a great rainy day project !!!!!
1. Turn truck on side and remove engine
2. Seperate engine / transmissioin
3. Rebuild Engine
4. Install new clutch & bearing
5. Attached Engine & Transmission back together
6. Install new Engine & Attachments
7. Flip Mini-Truck back on it's Feet
8. Fill Engine / Transmission with fluids
9. Install Battery & Fuel
10. Test Fire machine
Attachments
Wow Two Guns! Nice project. How do you like that machine? I considered one but could never chase cows with a shift and automatics are harder to find and more $. Plus I love the diesel K. I about froze today.. Cows get fed 2x a day with it this rainy /cold and muddy= miserable.
muleman RIP
Gone But Not Forgotten
Nice mini truck, is it a Hino? We had enough rain to melt the snow and fill the creeks. After 2 days of 50+ temps we are heading downhill and expect 2-4 inches of fresh snow tonight. Temps will be single digits by Sunday. That truck would be handy around here for farm use. Can it handle a round bale in the bed?
TWO GUNS
Senior Member
Oh, Should have added this statement ...
This really belongs to a very close friend.
We found it together, but he doesn't own a "utiltiy vehicle "
He wanted to go into partnership on this thing. I said don't
need another set of wheels. You need it. You buy it.
Plus, I couldn't see
splitting the cost of a whole Total of $200 >>>
Elderly lady, who's hunsband Only owned it a few weeks
before he died. Burned the clucth trying to learn this thing.
He purchased it from a man who brings them in from overseas.
She said that "she NEVER liked that rat truck", and wanted someone just
to haul it off. So scrap yard said they would give her $100 for it. So
we asked her how much ? She said $100, being it run and all. He made
her smile with two 100 bills. She was tickled to death. Said she cussed
her husband ever since he got that thing, and even more when he left it
with her.
Everybody Happy, Happy, Happy !!!
So figured that going to install clutch, Had to pull engine anyway. Why not just go threw new engine with all new parts. So we ordered and it came in. ( Yep, a whole $1188 dollars). Only thing original was the block, and head .... Re-worked head too !!!!
Went into engine, dis=assembled it. Don't know even why we did such then. Seen that These little engines are built like a tank !!! tuff , tuff , tuff.... .... No groves, everything just like new. But we had the parts, might as well go back with them.
Paint job was from the elderly man. Was a white machine. That was another cussing that man got when he " Camo'd " his new toy.
Mud on machine, was from elderly man. Good deal on machine, give credit to cajun woman !!!!
This really belongs to a very close friend.
We found it together, but he doesn't own a "utiltiy vehicle "
He wanted to go into partnership on this thing. I said don't
need another set of wheels. You need it. You buy it.
Plus, I couldn't see
splitting the cost of a whole Total of $200 >>>
Elderly lady, who's hunsband Only owned it a few weeks
before he died. Burned the clucth trying to learn this thing.
He purchased it from a man who brings them in from overseas.
She said that "she NEVER liked that rat truck", and wanted someone just
to haul it off. So scrap yard said they would give her $100 for it. So
we asked her how much ? She said $100, being it run and all. He made
her smile with two 100 bills. She was tickled to death. Said she cussed
her husband ever since he got that thing, and even more when he left it
with her.
Everybody Happy, Happy, Happy !!!So figured that going to install clutch, Had to pull engine anyway. Why not just go threw new engine with all new parts. So we ordered and it came in. ( Yep, a whole $1188 dollars). Only thing original was the block, and head .... Re-worked head too !!!!
Went into engine, dis=assembled it. Don't know even why we did such then. Seen that These little engines are built like a tank !!! tuff , tuff , tuff.... .... No groves, everything just like new. But we had the parts, might as well go back with them.
Paint job was from the elderly man. Was a white machine. That was another cussing that man got when he " Camo'd " his new toy.
Mud on machine, was from elderly man. Good deal on machine, give credit to cajun woman !!!!
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TWO GUNS
Senior Member
Mitsubishi Brand
They have a load capacity of 1500 lbs., large flat deck with drop sides.
There is many used in the farming community ....
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PAJeep, if you perform an internet search such as google for "mini truck", you will find all sorts of suppliers for the mini truck similar to the picture posted by TwoGuns. My brief search tonight identified cost from about $5k to $23k. Most mini truck available in the US are used imports from Japan/China areas. The $23k price was for a 2012 model. These trucks normally have the steering wheel located on the right hand side. I test drove one some 10 years ago. My first response was that they a designed for very small people to drive, not my 6'1" 275 lb body. The throttle location as I remember would present charlie horses for me because it is located close to the front of the seat. They would be great on a farm if one's body fit within the cab.
TWO GUNS
Senior Member
They are sold all over the internet as mentioned before .
This is just one of so many:
http://www.badgerlandminitrucks.com/contact.htm
All have right side driver. They come in different forms and different makers.
They are great little trucks.
Many use them down here for everyday drivers. Many farms use them not only for farm work, but just like full size trucks. Going back and forth to and from the farmers co-ops and farm suppliers.
They are so quiet, you can't hear 'em run. They will go just about anywhere.
They are light in weight and light on fuel cost.
Road ready. Some with air/ heat.
.......... two guns
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Heatwave
Active member
Those little HiJet trucks suggest to me that there's a market in America for mini-trucks ... or whatever you call them. I suspect there are a lotta potential buyers for high-quality mini-pickup trucks made to American standards ... left-hand drive, better-spaced pedals and steering wheel, safety features, a/c, etc.
Japan entered the small-pickup market way back in the 60s and sold every one they could import to our shores. Ford, GM, and Chrysler laughed at them. To be expected of Ford, GM, and Chrysler. But over the years they got bigger and bigger ... which is too bad for people wanting a small pickup truck.
I recently ... last month ... sold my Tundra 4x4 and bought a Camry Hybrid. The Tundra was eating me up in gas bills ... never more than 14-15 mpg. I loved the truck. Absolutely loved it. But it was just a very expensive handy thing to have around ... an occasional load of mulch, hauling stuff for neighbors, towing a trailer loaded with the motorcycle or tractor, etc. An American-spec'd HiJet would do all the "handy" things acceptably well without devouring my gasoline budget.
I wonder if Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi are paying attention to the HiJet sales. I'm confident Ford, GM, and Chrysler aren't ... they major in staying behind the curve.
Good trucks, those HiJets ... and everyday I seen one or two more on the streets.
Japan entered the small-pickup market way back in the 60s and sold every one they could import to our shores. Ford, GM, and Chrysler laughed at them. To be expected of Ford, GM, and Chrysler. But over the years they got bigger and bigger ... which is too bad for people wanting a small pickup truck.
I recently ... last month ... sold my Tundra 4x4 and bought a Camry Hybrid. The Tundra was eating me up in gas bills ... never more than 14-15 mpg. I loved the truck. Absolutely loved it. But it was just a very expensive handy thing to have around ... an occasional load of mulch, hauling stuff for neighbors, towing a trailer loaded with the motorcycle or tractor, etc. An American-spec'd HiJet would do all the "handy" things acceptably well without devouring my gasoline budget.
I wonder if Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi are paying attention to the HiJet sales. I'm confident Ford, GM, and Chrysler aren't ... they major in staying behind the curve.
Good trucks, those HiJets ... and everyday I seen one or two more on the streets.
Yea, check with your State on whether they're allowed on roads.
I looked into these pretty heavily a few years back. I was going to order a cargo container full of them (4 or 6 vehicles?) right from Japan. (There's a few companies over there that do this and take care of getting them to you).
A couple things I remember when looking at them. Go with a name brand you know has quality. Honda, Suzuki and Mitsubishi were the top 3 as I recall. Avoid other brands if you can.
Parts can be an issue. I can't speak for now but assume it's getting better due to their popularity, but a few years back parts were hard to come by and very expensive.
I looked into these pretty heavily a few years back. I was going to order a cargo container full of them (4 or 6 vehicles?) right from Japan. (There's a few companies over there that do this and take care of getting them to you).
A couple things I remember when looking at them. Go with a name brand you know has quality. Honda, Suzuki and Mitsubishi were the top 3 as I recall. Avoid other brands if you can.
Parts can be an issue. I can't speak for now but assume it's getting better due to their popularity, but a few years back parts were hard to come by and very expensive.