HIGH, WIDE AND HANDSOME
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is one of the tallest around, and although it has nicely radiussed edges and a clean outline, it is still vaguely reminiscent of earlier upright cabs like that of the Leyland Marathon.
The height of the cab is daunting when entering it for the first time, but is no problem thanks to three well-spaced steps and a trio of grab handles. The lowest step is formed in the air dam and the others are positioned progressively inwards (a la T45) and lit from the centre step. Climbing up when carrying a large overnight bag can be hazardous, however.
The air-suspended Isringhausen seat is supportive and remains comfortable over long distances. It compensates for varying drivers' weights and has a full range of fore, aft and height adjustments. The seat base can be moved separately to the front or rear.
A clamping lever on the steering column allows for different height and rake settings without the wheel obscuring any of the gauges on the plastic fascia.
With the seat pulled further back, however, sight of the Visar gear selection indicator panel is lost, and short drivers sitting doser to the pedals will see less of the strip of warning lights above the gauges in the centre.
Beneath the Visar fuel consumption indicator is the nvs (Intelligent Warning System) monitoring panel which allows a driver to check out different circuits even before any problems arise.
The Spacecab's heating and ventilation system is first rate and can automatically regulate temperatures to a predetermined figure via a concealed sensor on the dash. Slide controls and switches are clearly lit at night.
Many other useful extras are featured in the Spacecab, such as the electricallyoperated roof hatch and heated seats and mirrors. An externally-opening locker set under the bunk behind the driver provides tool storage space, while another locker on the other side opens internally, using part of the bunk as its lid. Over the tool locker against the cab wall is the Spacecab's zipped wardrobe, and there are deep shelves on each side of the header board with a secure double locker in the centre.
There is also plenty of space to store maps, clipboards, flasks, pens and the like in the centre console and door pockets.
The wide single bunk can accommodate drivers over 1.8m (six-feet) tall quite easily, and there is ample lighting: swivelling reading lights in recesses above the side windows are neat, and do not cause glare when driving. A drinks tray pulls out of the centre console, and the flap over the steering wheel hub hinges down to form a resting place for tachograph charts.
The insulated interior is well finished off with full carpeting and grey-and-bluestriped se-at covers that make the cab an attractive, comfortable workplace.
Driving at speed over some of the wet and muddy test tracks at MIRA left the upper part of the cab spotlessly clean, although dirty spray did cover the lower parts of the door panels and the step area and some of this dirt tends to collect on trouser bottoms as a driver climbs into and out of the cab. The door handles, in particular, were covered with mud which may well cause maintenance problems with seizing door locks.
The A posts are slim and are slightly inclined to the rear but tapering side windows are deeper towards the front. This, combined with a deep, curved windscreen, gives an extensive field of vision.
Gauges, instruments and controls are sensibly arranged in order of priority and the Cabtec avoids the restrictive cockpitlike arrangements of some premiums sleeper cabs; it is clearly designed to minimise driver fatigue. This is helped by an in-cab noise level of only 71dB(A): one of the lowest we have recorded in any tractive unit. This is partly thanks, no doubt, to encapsulation of the engine.
There are many hi-tech features to the F249 cab, not least a sophisticated air suspension which is standard only on the 95 Series Spacecab variant. It is a fourbellows system with integral, electronically-controlled levelling valves to stop pitching and rolling under hard braking and acceleration. The system is supplemented by hydraulic dampers and a torsion bar at the front. Driving through parts of Northumberland, where some roads are deteriorating badly, the air suspension proved its worth — in fact cab roll is reduced to a point where the driver can be lulled into cornering or joining roundabouts a little too quickly. With experience, no doubt, drivers will compensate automatically, but the cab does stay uncannily level.
The smooth cab suspension is backed up by electronically-controlled air suspension (ECAS) on the rear axle which is also very responsive and gives a superb ride under normal road conditions.
The ECAS suspension has its remote control panel on a wanderlead mounted behind the driver on the B post, and should be extremely useful when coupling up to different trailers.
Like other UK and continental truck manufacturers, Leyland Daf now offer operators the benefits of ZF's compact Servocom power-assisted steering. Servocorn is earning a reputation for offering easy manoeuvering in confuted areas and at low revs: it certainly lived up to its name during this test.
• PERFORMANCE
The excellent overall performance of our 95-380 test vehicle underlines the benefits of the crossflow cylinder heads that are now standard on the in-line six-cylinder WS282 air-to-air charge-cooled engine.
As well as more efficient combustion and lower noise levels — both of which will be an advantage in the event of any further noise and exhaust emission legislation — the engine also runs cooler than before. Ancillaries such as the fuel injection system and the water-cooled compressor have been relocated for easier access.
There is an 8.0kW power increase over the DKZ engine fitted in the Daf FT3600 tractive unit road which we tested last year (CM 4 January 1986), while torque is up from 1,420Nm (1,0471bft) to 1,526Nm (1,125lbft). Although maximum torque is only 6% higher, it is developed 50rpm higher (at 1,300rpm) and contributes to the 95-380's more vigorous, fuel-efficient performance.
Apart from the crossflow heads on the 11.6-litre WS Series engines and the sturdier ZF 16S-160 synchromesh gearbox, the 95-380 has inherited a lot of ATi engine and driveline technology from the FT3600 we roadtested last year. In addition their gear and final drive ratios are identical, and we used the same fullyladen Crane Fruehauf tri-axle test trailer in both cases, so differences in the two sets of figures are of particular interest.
• FUEL ECONOMY
Last year the slab-fronted FT3600 returned an extremely good fuel consumption figure of 40.0k/1001cm (7.06mpg) at what was then the quickest ever average speed around our Scottish route of 71.9km/h (44.7mph).
Those figures placed the FT3600 at the top of its class, and although its journey times have since been narrowly beaten, its thrift has yet to be bettered. Our 282kW 95-380 4x2 test unit returned identical overall economy figures but at an even faster average speed of 73.41cm/h (45.6mph) over the three days.
Its extra torque is reflected by quicker times through the gears. At 0-80km/h, for example, the 95 Series Spacecab took 9.5 seconds off the 3600's 62.0 seconds. Driving at 801on/h in top (811) gear has the engine humming smoothly at 1,400rpm, just below maximum torque. At these revs its specific fuel consumption curve is close to bottoming out at around 197g/kW/h.
At the 60mph (96km/h) motorway limit, engine revs rise to 1,650, where it is still delivering over 1,450Nm of torque and its SFC curve is just topping 200g/kW/h.
The WS282 is so flexible across its 1,250-1,750rprn "green" economy band that on level roads it pulls easily right down to 1,000rpm, where it still pushes out 1,400Nm of torque and easily keeps up with fast urban traffic.
• TRANSMISSION
An important factor in the 95-380's good driveability is a significant change in its transmission specification: Leyland Daf has chosen to specify ZF's "single-H" gear shift pattern for the 168-160 Ecosplit box, so eliminating the long, awkward throws of the original "double-H" gear selection. Range-changing is achieved by a collar below the geark.nob which has to be raised by some 25mm to engage high range. Gears are split by twisting the collar back and forth.
On level ground the 95-380 will pull away in 2L, followed by a change to 4L. Quickly raising the collar, and going back across the gate to allow the unit to pull easily from 5L and 6L, after which splits are necessary. With experience this pattern can be varied to suit terrain.
The 95-380 has a pendant-type clutch pedal which requires more effort to apply but has a shorter travel. Combined with the new gear stick, less time and unnecessary effort is expended. This contributed to the quicker journey times across the severe A68 section, particularly through Redesdale and over Kiln Pit Hill. Its hill-climb times were also a shade quicker than the 3600's and in some cases faster than some much more powerful models we have tested. The time saved by using this shift pattern is the difference between settling for the lowest gear necessary on a difficult section and climbing in a relaxed but painfully slow fashion, and being able to select just the right ratio with minimal delay and a consequent saving on time and fuel.
It is not quite as slick as Eaton's Twin Splitter or some of the semi-automatic transmissions, but is a great improvement over the original "double-H" arrangements. Lf ZF would alter the shape of the collar to make it more "grippable" it would be even easier to use.
Unusually, the gear selector rods below the cab are sited over the left side of the engine on all models. The cross-over linkage is concealed under the bulky centre console.
• BRAKING
The park brake alongside the console is handily placed for difficult restarts, but was not too effective on the test hills at MIRA. There was no holding the vehicle on the 25% (1-in-4) slope, for example, because of wheel slip as the weight of the load transferred itself to the rear.
The foot brake was much more convincing, although the front of the vehicle did pull slightly to the right on hard brake applications from 48 and 641cm/h. Leyland Dots engineer believes that faulty contacts on opposite wheel sensors upset the truck's Wabco ABS system, and an intermittantly-flashing warning light shortly afterwards would seem to bear this out.
Apart from that the brakes functioned extremely well around our test route. There seems to be less pedal movement than on the 3600 model, but its retarding effect is reassuringly firm and progressive. When applied on long downhill runs on the motorway it can be used effectively with only a light pedal pressure.
The exhaust brake is well positioned, high on the raised platform to the left of the clutch pedal. It is reasonably effective for normal road use, helps fuel economy and takes some of the load off of the service brakes.
• SUMMARY
Operators become familiar with particular marques and are notoriously reluctant to switch loyalties, so it takes something more than just a new cab to sell a truck range — especially one that bristles with electric and electronic gadgetry.
Mechanical servicing is well provided for on the 95 Series, but one can only hope that the training of electrical tradesmen is keeping abreast of these developments, and that the cost of repairing these systems remains affordable once the warranty has expired.
With its torquier engine and the wellproven ATi drive-line, the Spacecabequipped flagship is bound to put brand loyalties to the test. At 246,750 the 95380 is not cheap, but it does look like a sound long-term investment. The Spacecab's 7,165kg kerbweight is comparable to that of the FT3600 and offers a reasonable payload potential.
The new models will help Leyland Daf maintain its lead in the 34-38-tonnes sector end of the truck market — but with Volvo, Iveco Ford and even ERF breathing down its neck there is little room for complacency. El by Bryan Jarvis