4x4 KEI TRUCK off road trails and camping in our Honda Acty JDM mini truck 

Hello! I have always wanted one and the Acty has been one of the best vehicles that I have ever owned. I use it for work around my house, in the forest cutting firewood and for camping. So useful and traction off-road is excellent! Thanks for watching 👍

After over a year of researching these trucks, I just bought my first one (a Honda Acty). It will be our farm call truck for my vet clinic. It should arrive in from Japan in February or March. I am SO excited. And Japan is amazing! Such a beautiful country and a truly amazing place to visit! The people I met there were so kind.

@@nosebot I would love to visit Japan someday! That would be a dream trip for me 👌

There really perfect for ranch work in the Texas hill country. An importer in my small town has a dozen in stock and they are far more useful than a side by side

@@shannonhughes610 i agree, having a heated or AC cab and higher payload is a huge benefit. Definitely a great design 👍

They are incredible little trucks! Excellent design 👌

And also if the car is too big it gets the ever living fuck taxed out of it

Been looking at these little trucks for a bit now, just love them, want one for a little hunting rig, is yours diesel? Kinda sounds like it, just wondering. Great video and loved the dogs just chillin in the back!!

​@jademayer4995 Cool truck. How di you mansge to buy one and get it shipped to the USA or Canada?? This isnt offered by and store or dealer.

Ha ha they are pretty fun (and useful)! I hope the prices go back down eventually, it’s getting pretty crazy.

Thanks for the awesome comment Andre! I should have another Kei truck video up next week. We just built a mini camper and it’s working great. Cheers man! 👍

Andre this comment means a lot to us! That’s exactly what we are going for

It’s a great spot, we can go from the beach to the mountains in about 30 minutes so lots of varied terrain here!

The dogs rarely miss a trip! 😂

Thank you for the great comment! We have had a lot of fun with this little truck, it’s really capable off-road and has been very reliable. 👍

Thanks Dan! I will keep making them 👍

Yeah I agree! Those mountains are really peaceful and it’s rare to see anyone else back that far. I slept great on the ridge that night, a perfect spot 👍

The Acty has been a really fun vehicle, I’ve never regretted buying it! Even hauling firewood or trips to the dump are fun in the Honda! 👍

Thanks for watching Paul!

Welcome to the channel! I am working on 2 new Kei truck camping videos at the moment so should have one ready to post soon.

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching and congratulations on your Hijet! A fellow we know has a Hijet Climber that he imported awhile ago, really cool truck. I’m hoping to do a video about his Daihatsu at some point. Cheers! 👍

@@OlympicOverland - My Hijet has the Hi/Lo transfer case but not the locking rear differential that the Climber has. My Hijet got off the boat with a worn out clutch (surprise!) so that needs to be fixed before I can license it and start using it.

That’s awesome, thanks for watching and subscribing! Mike and his mini truck will more than likely be in the next video 😂

Thanks! I’ve been exploring these dirt roads and trails for over 30 years and we are still finding new spots 👍

Thanks man!

Ha ha they never want to miss a trip!

The mini bike video is next! 👌

Thanks man! I have another trip video that I’m hoping to post this Friday or Saturday so keep an eye out. 👌

👌

Thanks man, welcome to the channel! The goal is to post more videos this year so should have a bunch of Kei content coming up 👌

Thanks Larry! I posted another Kei truck camping video recently and have another one in the works 👌

@@OlympicOverland Greetings from western Montana where there is still 18" of snow! I'll find one it just be a matter of time! Have you seen MotoCheez youtube channel?

@@turbogrin we have about 12” of snow at my place but it doesn’t stick around long. You guys get snow and it’s around for awhile! I have seen a few of the videos that he does, it’s a pretty cool community of people with these little Kei trucks 👍

Thanks man! I’m usually in the Honda or the Dodge so flag me down next time you see me, I’m sure we will cross paths on the dirt roads at some point 👍

Thanks for watching! The Carry’s are great trucks, my brother has taken his through some gnarly stuff 👌

Thanks! I have lived in this area for a long time and never get tired of the scenery. We are always finding new spots and the mini truck has been great for getting into this tight woods and difficult terrain.

The bears seem to really like that area! The biggest black bear that we have seen so far was heading down dirt roads by the Hood Canal, it was huge! 👍

Nice! Mine is a 1991. It’s a shame Honda has recently discontinued production of the Acty in Japan.

@@OlympicOverland Agreed-

Thanks Dan!

Fun and useful trucks, probably one of my favorite vehicles ever! We are considering picking up a Kei van as well, they are all tempting 😂

Thanks man 👍

Thanks for watching and congratulations on your Acty! Kei trucks are awesome and I’m sure you will enjoy it. I should have another trip video posted next week and will be making some snow camping videos as well 👍

I had to wait three excruciating months after purchasing my Hijet for it to arrive in Newport News. I picked it up a little over a week ago. It needs a new clutch so I'm dealing with that while doing piddly little repairs and upgrades. Looking forward to having it on the road. Importing a kei truck is not for the impatient. On the plus side, when your Acty arrives, it'll be almost spring so you can enjoy it. Short winter days and cold weather are keeping me from getting much done on my long Hijet list. I heard a rumor that the Tacoma port is going to insist that every importer uses an import broker. Too many of you crazy guys showing up for a kei truck? :-)

I just picked up my truck from the port today! It finally got here. And it is SUPER FUN to drive! I was wondering if driving a manual with the stick on the “wrong” side would be difficult and it isn’t!

Yeah we need to get out on another trip with both trucks soon! Let’s take the mini bikes too.

@@mraaron12341 ha ha yes, we are brothers! Lots of good times hanging out with that guy and some crazy adventures over the years!

@@mraaron12341 Cheers man, thanks for watching!

Thanks man! Hopefully you can find some decent trails around your area eventually. I will keep the videos going 👌

They are great trucks! I wish I would’ve bought one years ago 😁

Thanks Jeff! Bike’s are definitely a different pace than the Kei trucks on all of those roads and float over everything so good. Ha ha, I thought it was game over when we saw that gate and washout but a little work kept us going! 👍

Thanks man! Yeah, I don’t know why I kept thinking it was a Chinook? Stacy said she thought it was a sockeye too. I got the trout right 😂

Thanks for watching and hello from the U.S.! The Yokohama’s are a great option to use without a lift. I’ve also heard great things about the mini Toyo Open Country tires. Some of these are available through eBay. I’ve been happy with the Forceum MT’s that we have but they require a 13” wheel and a bit of a lift. Cheers! 👍

@@OlympicOverland is the truck you used in the video lifted? I’m looking at getting one of these but I do want more aggressive tires on it so I’m curious how much of a lift I’ll need to do without going overboard. 😂 I really like the look of yours it seems to be just right. 👍🏻

@@teddyapproved I have a 2” lift and 13” Forceum MT08 tires. It’s been a great setup. I wouldn’t go much higher than a 2” lift because the CV angles start to get pretty steep with a bigger lift.

@@OlympicOverland Awesome! Thanks for the knowledge.

A fine machine!

Thanks for subscribing! Ha ha the Yorkies are always keeping an eye on things! 😂

Thank you! 👍

I’ve definitely been thinking about that one! I’m hoping to build a simple & light box for the back with a bunk, diesel heater and good insulation. Snow camping! ❄️

The Yorkies are great copilots! Todd and Shamus are always out camping with us and rarely miss out on a trip. 👍

@@OlympicOverland nice

Thanks man! Good luck on your Acty search, I’m sure you will find a good one. We are lucky on the east and west coast because of all of the shipping ports, lots of trucks and much easier access 👌

Thanks Jared! 👍

Thanks Jeff 👍

Ha ha yes! You have been putting some miles on yours, that Jimny is sweet too. I’ve been looking at the mini Pajero’s and Jimny’s lately but need to find one with a rear diff lock. So many cool machines out there! 👍

They are a lot of fun and really useful! Test drive a few different models if you can, they are all pretty good but definitely have a different feel through the range pf manufacturers. If you are planning on using it off-road often then I would recommend trying to find one with a locking rear differential as well. Good luck! 👍

The benefit of a locking differential is that one wheel can continue to rotate when the other is suspended?

@@shivesja hi Janelle, yes with the diff lock on, both rear wheels have direct power. On a standard open differential if a wheel lifts or loses traction it will just spin and stop power delivery to the opposite wheel.

Winnie, the newest Olympic Overland crew member

Thanks for watching! 👌

Left hand drive converted Kei trucks are pretty rare here in the U.S. and are usually from very small batches ordered as runabouts for the military or government use. Many are rebranded as Cushman’s & have a reduced top speed. I would love to visit the Philippines some day! I just watched some of your drone videos and the landscape looks beautiful.

@@OlympicOverland i see! thanks for dropping by my channel! the kei cars here are manually converted . the parts are still the same. You can check this link if you want to see how they do it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-i_uToxbFUZY.html&pp=ygUebXVsdGljYWIgZGFzaGJvYXJkIGNvbnZlcnNpb24g disclaimer: might not be in english language.

@@kelnovi thank you! 👍

The tires are great and I do recommend them. Forceum MT’s are stout 8 ply tire but do have some road noise like most mud terrain tires but it’s not bad and the traction is incredible. The rims are from an early 90’s Honda Civic and are a 4x100 lug pattern. The offset is correct so they fit on my truck without wheel spacers. I think Sambar’s up to 1999 had a 4x100 pattern as well but I’m not sure what offset Subaru used so you may want to double check your truck. Sambar’s are awesome, the push button 4wd and low 1st are nice. Thanks for watching! I am editing another camping video so should have it posted soon.

Thanks Don! We definitely spend a lot of time off-road and the little Acty has been great for exploring 👍

It’s my favorite light truck! Very balanced and great off road 👍

Thank you! Stacy is the best camerawoman ever and is always ready to get the shot, even if it means getting muddy 😁! She is also a great stunt driver 👍

Yes! 👍

The Attack’s are awesome! In this video I still have the stock exhaust but in the last 2 videos I’ve posted I am using the Wiruswin stainless Acty exhaust. I bought mine from AllthingzJDM because he buys a batch occasionally and ships them from Japan. I’ve also seen them on eBay from time to time. They are about $300 with shipping but it’s made in Japan and welds/quality are very nice. It’s loud but comes with a diffuser that I recently added and that is great for daily driving. The exhaust flange is thicker than stock so I drilled the original studs out and replaced with longer stainless hardware. I think some people just run it with only a few threads holding on the stock studs but I didn’t trust it. Maybe some Acty’s have longer exhaust studs? There is also a air intake heat tube that that comes off of the stock exhaust. Some people say it’s to help with carb icing issues but I just connected both ends together with silicone tube and haven’t had any problems, I’ve also never heard of anyone else running an aftermarket exhaust on the Acty having intake icing issues either. I will probably do a walk around video of the truck soon and can include the exhaust in that video for you. Cheers man and thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching Nicholas! I agree, harnesses are a better solution for sure. When I have had to use a standard leash we keep them tethered to the window rack at a length short enough to not allow them to fall over the bed rails but a harness is ideal. 👍

I haven’t replaced my front springs yet but will probably order a set soon. Possibly going with a slightly longer set of rear shocks as well. I think Smokey Mountain Imports in Tennessee may have springs that will fit your Daihatsu so might be worth checking with them. Thanks for watching!

The Acty has a 2” lift with Forceum MT08 8 ply mud terrain tires on 13” wheels. My brother has the same setup on his Carry and it works great. I have a video that shows his truck with wheels/tires that I will try to post a link to. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6HNzl7vAHNk.htmlsi=V-qkpirKs9dKN4Ld

@@OlympicOverland how are they on pavement?

@@dogger99 they work great on pavement and are no louder than any other mud terrain tire that I’ve used over the years. They have a really stout sidewall so you can run them low and not worry about abrasion in rocky terrain. The load rating is also great for these trucks so hauling weight isn’t an issue like some of the ATV/SXS tire options.

The Acty gets between 35-45 mpg and tank size is 8 or 9 gallons so overall range is actually pretty good!

@@OlympicOverland that's really good! Just wondering cause I didn't really see carrying alot of extra fuel in your video!!

I try to enjoy the summer here as much as possible, as gnarly as the rainy season gets we still try to enjoy that too! 😂👍

Hi Dave, I put the lift on before mounting the tires so never ran them with my Attack at stock height. I don’t think you would have any issues in the back but up front might rub slightly? The diameter of the Forceum MT08’s is really close to 23” so hopefully that helps. The best price that I’ve found the Forceum tires so far is on eBay. Let me know if you have any other questions but they are a great tire with stout sidewall and off-road traction is really good.

Forceum MT08 mud terrain tires on 13” Civic steel wheels. These videos of mine have a bit of info about the tires: Kei truck camping with the Honda Acty and Suzuki Carry Japanese 4x4 mini trucks + Coleman mini bikes ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6HNzl7vAHNk.html Everyday Is An Adventure When You Own a 4x4 JDM Kei Truck [Featuring Honda Acty & Suzuki Carry] ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SnFKsjZpts0.html

@@OlympicOverland thanks for the reply, can I ask one more thing. I'm in Ireland and I'm looking for a 4x4 selector knob for my 1990 carry but I can't find one for love nor money. You don't happen to have one or know where I could get one?

@@williamdgmartin I would try these guys, they are in the U.S. but might be able to help. Japanese Mini Trucks and Parts | G & R Imports | United States www.grimports.com/ You could also try Yokohama Motors but they are kind of expensive. 👍

The Acty is mid engine and has its air box access at the rear of the truck. The air duct is baffled and pulls air from a higher point under the bed but a snorkel would be nice! I think your air box on the Hijet is similar to the one on my brothers Suzuki Carry and they would be pretty easy to build a snorkel for. 👌

It makes an excellent off-road truck and definitely fits through the trails nicely! I’ve always liked the old Jeeps. The Acty has great visibility in the cab as well, such a great machine! 👌

Hi, the Acty is great and ours has been really useful. The SDX version has a 5 speed vs the Attacks lower gearing and 4 speed but you get a rear locking differential on the Attack model. The Mazda Scrum is a great truck too and I’m pretty sure it’s built by Suzuki so it’s basically a Carry. My brother owns a Suzuki Carry and really likes it. They are both very good trucks, I would recommend driving them both and choosing the one that feels best to you, get one with a locking diff if you will be using it off-road often. 👍

A couple of suggestions in looking for a Kei class truck. Get dump, or scissors lift-dump version. It is lots easier to work on, because you tip, the bed and remove one plate, and you have full, unobstructed access to the engine and transmission. Look for one with a locking rear axle. It is not a feature all of them have. I highly recommend not looking at the Scrum, because it is far easier to find parts for it’s brother, the Suzuki Carry if you need them. There weren’t that many Scrums in Japan, and even less get imported. So, they are hard to get parts for. The Hondas and Subarus have some parts interchangeability with smaller cars which were imported, and you can sometimes use the car parts on the Hondas and Subies. I like my Hijet, and i bought it not because I think the Hijets are superior, but becasue I found one with all the options I wanted, sooner than I found any other minitruck.. I definitely wanted the dump bed and was looking for a dumper, when the “pick tipper” showed up an w web page of a Japanese company which generally sells shipping containers of eight truck to dealers. I emailed them, and asked for contact information to who in the US was getting it. We emailed back and forth for a few weeks until it actually made it off the ship, and he got the container. Two weeks later the truck was delivered to my driveway.

@@randallthomas5207 great advice, I totally agree on the dump bed. It makes servicing the engine and transmission a piece of cake. The diff lock was a key option for me as well

Look at this might help you! www.classicjapaneseimports.com/

Hi, the tires I am using are the 165/80R13 Forceum M/T 08 they are an 8 ply tire with a really strong sidewall. It is a load range D so can handle a decent amount of weight. I have been really happy with these tires and will definitely buy another set when these wear out. You will probably have to find a set of 13” wheels for your truck, I believe most of the Daihatsu’s run a 4x110 bolt pattern but you should double check that. I have another video up that shows my wheels and lift kit in a bit more detail so have a look at that as well. If you decide to stick with a 12” stock size wheel check out the Yokohama Super Digger and the Toyo Open Country, there are a few sellers on eBay that have them ( & the 13” Forceum tire) and they are a good option with a nice tread pattern. I believe the prices will range from about $400-$500 for a set. 👍

@@OlympicOverland thanks so much for the info. the s 83 I have is a 94 model, high side dump truck. Its unique. A guy around here made a go at selling kei trucks, it didnt last, the one I have was sitting at the back of the lot and had been parked for years. I got several stories about what happened to it, none the truth, But after diagnosis I found out that the timing belt had broken and clashed the valves. He had put another belt on and buttoned it up thinking that it would run. So after discounting the lies, and no compression, a leak down test confirmed the valves were clashed. Im glad it broke on him, cause he didnt have a chance to trash the thing. I pulled the engine and did a total rebuild, Wasnt too bad, have a friend in Tokyo who sent me parts. I plan on using it for my small farm, trips for manure, feed etc, and fun, thx

@@madthewirdo4236 nice work man! After going through the motor I’m sure it will be around for a long time. The dump beds are nice!

Good times!

Thanks Matthew and congratulations on your Acty. I have a 2” lift and early 90’s Civic 13” steelies. I go over the lift and tires a bit in another one of my videos but the Forceum MT08’s are a great tire.

Thanks. Went and watched your other videos and couldn’t find any more info on the lift. Is there a specific video? Thanks for the addl on the wheels and tires. I’m going to find a set

@@matthewneal609 it’s a 2” lift that I ordered on ebay from a fellow that makes them in the U.S., quality hardware and everything was a good fit. I wouldn’t go more than 2” because the CV angles can get pretty steep. Depending on your springs, you may have to get slightly firmer ones after the lift, the leverage changes slightly and springs feel softer sometimes after lifting some trucks. Here is a link to the kit that I bought. www.ebay.com/itm/266035211062?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=aWk2zssoQBC&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=Tcq6iqqPSpi&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Yeah, we are working on some small campers at the moment but they do great off-road. The locking rear diff and low gearing on the Attack model are nice 👌

So the Acty has independent suspension all the way around but it has a large rear suspension bar across the back that ties everything in at the leaf springs and in the right situations can look just like a straight axle. It’s an interesting setup and I will probably show it in a walk around video about the truck sometime. My brother Mike’s Suzuki Carry has a straight axle. These trucks are sprung pretty stiff so it’s hard to tell if either one actually rides better than the other but the Honda is mid engine so maybe that helps a little 😂

No, I have seen Kei trucks with automatic transmissions but I have heard that the automatics are not as sturdy as the manual transmissions in many of the older trucks that we get here after the 25 year import law. I see a lot of modern Kei cars and trucks that are available in Japan with auto’s so I’m guessing that the newer versions of the transmissions are probably improved quite a bit.

Snow plows are pretty common on these but I would try to find one with a rear differential lock if you are plowing. At 6’2” you would still be ok with headroom but legs can get a bit cramped around the 6’ range. I would search for a Jumbo cab, they have a bit more room behind the seats and you can move the seat back further. Also consider a deck van, they have seats for 4 people and a mini bed but are still the same length as a standard Kei truck. 👍

i'm 6'2" as well, that's about the limit comfort-wise for the ACTY. Mine's a 1998

@@horacerumpole6912 👌

Hi, Lake Samish is definitely a beautiful spot but this was further west in Crescent

@@OlympicOverland I'm a trucker from Vancouver B.C. and I ran the Seattle/Tacoma all the time. Lake Samish is quite a beautiful lake I always wished I had time to go jump in. Of course there's no place to stop a truck. Too bad they put that noise I-5 next to it lol.

@@quarlow1215 yeah it’s tuff to have to pass places up sometimes! We did a race through Baja awhile ago and I saw so many cool spots that I wanted to explore but we were trying to finish with a decent time. I had to go back on my motorcycle and take a slower trip through to see everything! 👍

Yes, my 2” lift and 14” MT tires made a big difference. If you lift more than 2” the CV shaft angle can get a little too steep .

Hi, it’s a 2” lift.

Hi, I mounted the m1031 box with large stainless hardware and was able to utilize most of the original mounting points on the frame. I used thick rubber pads cut from an industrial conveyor belt between the box and frame to isolate vibration and give the box some extra flex, similar to a basic pivot system. It has worked great over all kinds of terrain. We have been through ditches, deep ruts and plenty of situations with full articulation on the suspension and the box has held up great 👌

@@OlympicOverland awesome, as far as mounting points on the box itself, did those generally align with the mounting points on the truck? I’ll be looking at a m1031 box for the first time soon and just am interested in the mounting procedure. I have a 97 single cab 12 valve long bed that I’m looking to replace the bed on.

@@isaaclohnes548 it’s box and channel aluminum under the M1031 box so you can center it and drill any of the locations to mount it. I had to trim a small portion on the back of the frame (maybe 1”) to clear the piece of plate aluminum that hangs down at the tailgate but you could just cut the aluminum as well. You will have to make a small bracket out of plate steel or angle iron if you want to utilize a set of the center mounts. It’s pretty easy to mount up though and the box is surprisingly light.

@@isaaclohnes548 some trucks have longer leaf spring hardware at the shackles so you may also have to trim the excess on the bolts because it gets pretty close on the inside of the lowest storage boxes near the back. Easy to do with an angle grinder. Bring your tape measure and do some calculations but it should fit your Dodge fine. Mine is a 1995 extra cab but also has the long bed.

😂Ha ha thanks! I have a bunch of videos on the way, glad you are enjoying the channel. Cheers man!

Hi Brian, it’s just a basic iPhone app called Speedometer Simple. It works off of the phone GPS, is free, easy to read and accurate.

Hi, I installed the 2” lift kit and 13” wheels with Forceum MT08 tires.

Hi, look on Facebook Marketplace, I have seen a few people importing them and selling around the Seattle area. Keep an eye out for one with a rear diff lock, they are rare on Sambar’s but do exist

Hi Ayden, I used a Go Pro Hero 9 Black and a Panasonic G85 with a 25mm prime lens & I think a couple of clips from my girlfriends iPhone. 👍

Hi, headroom is usually pretty good in all of the trucks but over 6’ and legs get pretty cramped. Test drive a few different brands if you can, some newer Subaru Sambar’s seem to have a bit longer front portion (nose) of the cab and that helps a bit. You would probably be best with a Jumbo Cab Daihatsu Hijet. They have more room behind the seat so you can move it back. A deck van would be good too but they are not very common. You could also just buy one of the Kei vans if you don’t need the truck bed. 👍

Ha ha nice! 👍

As long as you give them a lift they love it ha ha! 2 Sasquatch is about the maximum weight for these trucks but it’s great for traction when the trails get muddy 😁

Honda had advertised the Acty as high as 44 mpg but after 32 years of use and larger/heavier mud terrain tires I am getting mid 30’s for mixed off-road, town and highway driving.

@@OlympicOverland Dang that’s still really good. Beats the hell out of my Tahoe’s 13.5mpg. 😂