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SANTA'S LITTLE HELPER
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Dafs latest offering combines big-truck ability with a small-truck cab — and while we take a close look at it we help out a special operator.
Santa Claus is well used to getting begging letters from the CM editorial team.A season ticket to West Bromwich Wanderers for the editor, and a new bicycle or a firelighter for the youngsters on the news desk, maybe.The freehold on a Guinness well would do for our legal editor, while the younger members of the operations desk would be satisfied by some alien sounds masquerading as music.The operations editor would happy with a spare turkey —just in case.
So it was no surprise when Santa called in the debt and asked for our advice. His letter says:"After what seems like an eternity. I'm hoping to be able get out of my rip-off contract with Lapp-Lease before next Christmas.1 tell you. I'll be glad to see the back of that damn sledge — the emissions are dreadful.As its replacement. I'd like something good around town.but not out of its depth on inter-urban trips.! spend hours behind the wheel, so a bit of car-like comfort would be nice, and with operating costs what they are, it needs to be economical and haul a decent payload. What would you suggest?"
Well Santa. read on and we may have the answer. If nothing else,the colour scheme matches your outfit.
Daf is unusual in effectively having two separate models at 18 tonnes GVW.The CF65 has Dafs own cab, while the LF55's is a bought-in item based on the Renault Midlum. Under the skin.the two models are more closely related, sharing the same basic sixcylinder engine. Paccar's version of the European Engine Alliance unit — effectively an updated Cummins B-Series, built at Darlington.The only difference is in rated power outputs — the LF55 normally gets 180 and 220hp versions, while the CF65 comes in 220 and 250 versions. Eight wheelbase options range from 3,450mm to 6,250mm.
The version tested here is an FA LF55 220, riding on a 5.850mm wheelbase. Bodywork is ; straight-forward 7.5m Boalloy box, with a full set of side skirts.
On the road
The 220 produces a reasonable amount of power for an18-tonner, but it doesn't have enough in reserve that we could risk recommending the 180 version. In its sixcylinder version, the Paccar engine escapes the annoying driveline vibration that afflicts the four-pots to some extent,regardless of brand. The common-rail fuel system produces a marked change in the engine note at around 1.400rpm, giving a sensation almost like variable valve timing.
On the M4 motorway section, we were able to maintain our limited speed on the great majority of the run from Newbury to the Severn Bridge, although our A-road average speeds were hampered a little by thick fog over the Lambourn Downs.
The Eaton eight-speed plus crawler box fitted to the test truck is an option. a ZF 6S850 coming as standard. On the road we tended to change down at 1,400rpm or so. In top gear. 40mph equates to 1,350rpm, so any adverse factors encountered on A-roads demand seventh, a very useful ratio.'The gear change gate is widely spaced but has a precise and unambiguous action.The range change switch is mounted on the front of the lever,and it's possible to hear it clang into action on occasions.
The first time we tried the brakes on the open road we had to take a look down at the pedal because we thought it might have been a footrest, such was the rather wooden feel. The four ventilated discs worked OK, though. although the proving ground emergency stopping distances were slightly down on the rivals The smooth action of the ABS was particularly noteworthy The exhaust brake is useful for checking speed on gentle top gear descents, but it really does need as much as possible of the 3,200rpm maximum engine speed for best effect, meaning sixth or even fifth gear. The park brake just about held on the 1-in-4 test hill and the Dal also managed to restart on the same slope with no difficulty.
A smoothly styled and chunky two-spoke steering wheel sits on top of a fully adjustable column, and controls an ideally weighted steering linkage. Compared with the 7.5-tonners we usually take around our Welsh route, the higher axle loadings made for a noticeably more stable and reassuring drive along the slimy Herefordshire A-roads.
The ride was firm enough to feel the road but not too firm for comfort.A degree of chassis roll was betrayed by the mud flaps grounding during more spirited cornering. Most roundabouts could be negotiated comfortably in sixth gear. In tighter situations, the 5.85m wheelbase needs a little extra attention to monitor the tendency to cut-in.
Productivity
There's not a lot of bad news here. Payback time for the small LF cab comes at the scales the basic product tested here drives off the Leyland production line, with a full 200-litre tank and a 75kg driver, at 5.085kg.The air seats, aero kit, ECAS, Eaton box and bigger tank add 236kg, 90kg of which is clawed back by the alloys. The end result is a highly attractive body/payload allowance of 12,770kg.
So. there's plenty of payload for Santa, but what about the economy? Don't worry, the news gets better. Quite simply, the Dal's overall economy of 14mpg is the best yet for an 18-tonnerin fact, it's not far off the figures for some of the lesser but admittedly faster 7.5-tonners around the same route. The previous best in class was another Daf, a Euro-2 65CF 240, but we've even improved on that by 0.8mpg.The situation was helped by an amazingly kind day in the first week in December, with barely any wind -just a healthy dose of cool, damp air.
Cab comfort
The higher mounted LF55 cab has one step more than the LF45, and the steps are layered outwards towards the bottom.making access very easy. Inside, although the engine hump is lower at the front, the biggest hindrance to moving across the cab is the small gap between steering wheel and gear lever.
At the risk of repeating ourselves, the interior accommodation of the current Daf range remains the benchmark for quality of build and materials that the opposition must aim for.The overall interior decor has a light grey feel with greenish-blue velour seat trims and a light-coloured floor coveringeven the gear lever has a leather gaiter. Our example was fitted with two luxury high back seats which incorporate two lumbar supports, heating, sliding cushion and integral belts. The dashboard features a car-like instrument panel with dials in recesses with smoothly radiussed edges.White on black dials, with orange backlighting. consist of matching rev counter and speedo, fuel, temperature and two air pressure gauges. In the centre of the panel is the driver information display screen, controlled by a large knob in the top centre of the dash, which acts as a navigation "mouse".
The stack to the left of the steering wheel has a bank of switches, including fog lights and panel light dimmer, then the radio which is above the array of soft-feel heater knobs. In the centre is a secondary row of switches which includes hazard lights, work light, heated mirrors (and heated windscreen, if fitted), reverse bleeper cancel, passenger door locking and body ultrasonic alarm over-ride. At the bottom is a large ashtray. complete with 24V cigar lighter, with another 12V socket nearby.
On top of the dash is a handy oddments storage tray. Other storage includes three net fronted bins above the screen. a couple of narrowish door pockets, a net on the rear wall and two coat hooks.The engine hump is home to an A4-sized box with a lockable lid incorporating an elasticated tray and two drinks holders. There are also small storage recesses in the gear and park brake lever housing.
The LF cab is pre-wired for telephone and audio, this example having the D1N-sized VDO MS4100 sat-nay/radio/single-disc CD unit. Its only problem is that most functions are controlled by the right-hand knob, which can only be reached by the left hand, which then obscures what you're looking at on its display. The DIN electronic tachograph is located close to the driver's right knee.
The interior noise levels of the LF cab are not far away from Scania territory, which is praise indeed. Its overall refinement highlighted the slightly agricultural sound of the Eaton gearbox. although in fairness, at 15,000km,the whole vehicle was considerably less run-in than usual.The cab suspension on four steel coils also suffered from a few squeaks on the very worst surfaces encountered.
The deep windscreen, relatively thin A-pillars and well located mirrors combine to give good visibility. A cab rear window is standard. deleted on this example, but useful for the many builders' merchants and the like who seem to favour Daf dropsides.The three equally sized sun visors give good coverage, although the driver would find it impossible to operate the one on the left while driving •