HINO500 Series Car 2 Undergoes a Shakedown

From July 2 to 5 at Hino Motors' Ibaraki test course, members of HINO TEAM SUGAWARA and Hino Motors' vehicle fabrication team conducted a shakedown of the HINO500 Series Car 2 that will be entering Rally Mongolia.

During the driving tests, the team checked the upgrades made to the vehicle's taper leaf springs and coil spring-equipped shock absorbers, components that were fitted on all four wheels for the first time for the previous Dakar Rally. This year's setup uses only two leaves for the front suspensions and one for the rear to reduce friction between leaf springs and minimize resistance, which in turn translates into smooth and supple suspension strokes.

Coil springs have been fitted to the paired shock absorbers that support each wheel to compensate for the smaller spring rates resulting from the reduced number of leaf springs in use. And because coil springs are easier to replace than leaf springs, the team can now stock coil springs with different specifications that can be replaced to alter suspension settings and accommodate different track conditions. The team will be perfecting their suspension settings - which involves complex interplays between leaf springs, coil springs and shock absorbers - at their self-directed driving training in Mongolia and at Rally Mongolia 2015.

Additionally, because the team was able to confirm that the torque rods - components first introduced in the previous Dakar Rally to improve axle retention - provided sufficient rigidity, they have been able to make substantial improvements to these rods and peripheral components to achieve a weight reduction of about 300 kilograms. Moving forward, the team plans to conduct extensive rigidity tests in addition to suspension setting checks.

Immediately after the shakedown, the HINO500 Series Car 2 was shipped to Ulan Bator, the capital city of Mongolia.

The truck undergoes a test for suspension stroke travel.

Dealer Mechanics Chosen for FY2016 !

Each fiscal year, the mechanics who take part in the Dakar Rally as members of HINO TEAM SUGAWARA are chosen from among applicants at Hino dealerships nationwide. A large number of applicants were again present at this year's screening, where four of the best and brightest were ultimately chosen.

These mechanics joined the team on July 6 to carry out export preparations for the HINO500 Series truck that will be racing in Rally Mongolia 2015. We caught up with them to ask about their aspirations for the Dakar Rally.

Masaki Tagoku (left), Hachioji branch, Tokyo Hino Motor Ltd.
"I've been dreaming of making the Dakar Rally team since I joined the company, so I'm very excited. As a member of the team, I intend to use what I've learned so far in my career as a mechanic to give everything I've got. I'll be the first mechanic to make the team from a Tokyo Hino dealer in the Tama area, and I intend to put teamwork first so we can all bring our best performance to the team and win our seventh straight Class championship. In doing so, I also want to show my appreciation to all the people who continue to support my entry into the team."

Masato Kondo (right), Shizuoka branch, Shizuoka Hino Motor Ltd.
"Now that I've been chosen as a member of the Dakar Rally 2016 team, I'm committed to drawing on my past knowledge and experience to master all the special skills required of a rally mechanic. I also intend to uphold the tradition of bringing our trucks to the finish line - a long-held tradition passed down to us from our predecessors - and ensure that we win our seventh championship in the Class. My first step will be to take part in Rally Mongolia with the same commitment that will be required of me in the Dakar Rally, and to acquire all the basic skills that a rally mechanic needs."

Nozomi Tonoike (2nd from left), Marugame branch, Kagawa Hino Motor Ltd.
"I intend to play my part on the team so our drivers, Yoshimasa Sugawara and Teruhito Sugawara, can step on the gas pedal without any trepidation, and I'll put teamwork first as we aim to achieve high positions in the overall rankings. I'll put in my best effort to meet the expectations of everyone at my company and family who've sent me off as a representative of Kagawa Hino!"

Hideyuki Sakaguchi (2nd from right), Fukuoka branch, Kyushu Hino Motor Ltd.
"I think we have a very good chance of coming in high in the overall rankings if all four of us put teamwork first as we work together and service the trucks in ways that win the confidence of our team's drivers, Yoshimasa Sugawara and Teruhito Sugawara. I'm the first mechanic to be chosen from Kyushu Hino since the 1995 rally. I'm very grateful to my branch for allowing me to be our first representative on the team in 20 years, and for the support my family has given me. I'll give it my best!"

On July 27, these mechanics will left for Mongolia, where they are to spend a month honing their expertise and skills as rally mechanics in both the team's self-directed driving training and at Rally Mongolia 2015. Once back from Mongolia, they'll work on modifications on Car 1 and carry out post-race servicing on Car 2 in preparation for the main event, the Dakar Rally.

The Hino Profia FU Support Truck is Back from France!

The Hino Profia FU support truck was commissioned as an official truck at Rally Mongolia 1999, and has functioned as the support truck for HINO TEAM SUGAWARA since 2004. Thanks to the excellent terrain-traversing performance achieved by its 21L V8 engine and six-wheel-drive power train, the truck has conquered some of the harshest terrain in Africa's Sahara Desert and continued to provide crucial support for the HINO500 Series trucks as they achieved their record number of consecutive finishes in the Dakar Rally over the years. The truck was retired after Dakar Rally 2013 due to vehicle age limits in the regulations, and was succeeded by the HINO700 Series ZS support truck.

After a decision was made to have the Hino Profia FU provide support to enhance team capabilities during the driving test in Mongolia, it was imported back to Japan early in July from its garage in France. Once back in Japan, the truck was serviced and loaded with parts, after which it was shipped off to Mongolia.

Rally Mongolia 2015 entry details

Race truck specifications (previous specifications as of Dakar Rally 2015 in brackets):

Mongolia Training Camp Overview

Driving training

Rally Mongolia 2015