ISO Canter Crane, looking for advice

[after oil]

Hi
My back hurts! Solution: Crane Truck!! Ive got 2 Lifted WVO Deli's on the road and thats silly and impractical. Makes more sense to have one Deli and one work truck.
I am fully able to import from Japan and have done it a few times. I am also willing to buy one already in Canada. I think if i import, i might do only the minimum safety repairs. Ill only be using it locally and not daily in Powell River mostly.
If somebody knows a thing or two about Diesel Canter Crane trucks, your thoughts would be helpful.
Model #s?
Preferred Years?
Preferred engine?
Expected Cost?
anything else?

thanks

[Tojo]

Hi After Oil,

My crane truck just landed last week! I too am tired of lifting stuff by hand, so I decided to get one of these nifty little rigs. Fold down sides, flatdeck, 4300 cc non-turbo diesel, 24V electrical, cab forward, duallies, OHC that's gear driven so no need to change the timing belt or chain. It's not a Canter though. After meeting some crane truck owners in town (Metro Van) and talking to CVI about which trucks are the most reliable, I ended up choosing an Isuzu ELF, model NKR66. Isuzu also makes the NPR series which is good too. Ask your agent to get a pre-inspection to make sure that you get 16" rims, not 15.5" or 16.5" or some other weird size, also try to avoid getting split rims. Would have been nice to get a steel flatdeck, instead it's the stock plywood that needs to be replaced, no big deal.

Here are the stats:
1997 Isuzu Elf Diesel
2.0 ton capacity
Tadano 3-stage crane
4.3 liter diesel, Engine code 4HF1
Grade 4
Interior C
Exterior C
81,739 km
5sp, AC, PS, PW
Left side power mirror
Almost new Yokohama tires

I'll PM you the price.

[after oil]

Looks like a sweet truck
Is that a 4x4? Does a truck like that need to be 4X4?

[Tojo]

There are 4WD versions of the same model, but they are very expensive and extremely rare. Expect to pay double that of a 2WD. I was told by other owners that if you do park the truck downhill on a slippery grassy slope without a load on the back, you might get stuck! I plan to install a big winch behind the cab in order to haul logs up onto the deck. Also going to put some spotlights under the bar pointing backwards. Still need to find a 24V stereo though...

[after oil]

anyone else with some experience?

[psilosin]

I think you should decide first what you are going to be lifting and hauling etc then you can at least decide what class of Canter (or other brand) yuo will be looking at. The Canter name carries from the smallest with teh 2.8L diesel to the biggest with the 4.2L diesel with various tonnage capacities. If you can get by with a smaller Canter with teh 2.8 then you already have a parts supply (same 4M40 engine as L400 without teh turbo) and wheels are standard pickup truck size and the ride is a bit smoother like a normal pickup truck. The bigger Canters have the industrial wheels where you need a 10ft breaker bar to loosen and definately a more harsh ride esp unloaded. Parts are still available for the bigger engine at Fuso dealerships but no quick forum answers.

I was looking to go bigger than my Liteace truck (0.75ton) and I test drove a 3.xL 2.0ton Canter and over any bump it was like getting kicked in the ass and it had a very short usable rpm range and stiff shifting and was in general not that fun to drive around in stop and go traffic. Liteace felt like a Cadillac afterwards in comparison :).

[after oil]

I think you should decide first what you are going to be lifting and hauling etc then you can at least decide what class of Canter (or other brand) yuo will be looking at. The Canter name carries from the smallest with teh 2.8L diesel to the biggest with the 4.2L diesel with various tonnage capacities. If you can get by with a smaller Canter with teh 2.8 then you already have a parts supply (same 4M40 engine as L400 without teh turbo) and wheels are standard pickup truck size and the ride is a bit smoother like a normal pickup truck. The bigger Canters have the industrial wheels where you need a 10ft breaker bar to loosen and definately a more harsh ride esp unloaded. Parts are still available for the bigger engine at Fuso dealerships but no quick forum answers.

I was looking to go bigger than my Liteace truck (0.75ton) and I test drove a 3.xL 2.0ton Canter and over any bump it was like getting kicked in the ass and it had a very short usable rpm range and stiff shifting and was in general not that fun to drive around in stop and go traffic. Liteace felt like a Cadillac afterwards in comparison :).

Sweet! more good advise, thanks!
i think i'll know more what im gonna be carrying when i start carrying stuff. so not much really. i want a pickup, and might as well have one that lifts stuff for me. i'd probably go with the 3.X or the 4.2 so i also have something that pulls better than my L300. Ill be running it on WVO, as my second vehicle, mostly around powell river area so not too much stop and go.