1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184 
FODEN ALPHA 8x4 TIPPER
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
F,
P oden Trucks has worked hard to sustain its image as a strong, dependable and durable player in the tipper market. As one Foden Alpha Next Generation tipper's owner-driver proudly announced, he bought a Foden truck because You see so many of the old 4000 series still running around, they must be reliable". High praise indeed.
The original Foden Alpha 3000 Series hit the road in the spring of 1998 replacing the old 2000 and 3 000 Series which boasted Foden's trademark GRP cab. The original Alpha 3000 range of three and four-axle rigid chassis, powered by Caterpillar or Cummins engines, has since been replaced by the 'Next Generation' Alpha rigids in the first quarter of zoo2.. The subtle cosmetic difference between the Foden cab and its Paccar cohort, the Daf 85 Series cab, was a specific new grille with Foden kite, corner wind deflectors, different door panels and composite moulded wheel arches.
Tools Of The Trade (CM 27 April-2 May z000) suggested the new Alpha 3000 had met with a mixed response from the industry and summed up the Alpha eight-legger as a drivers' favourite, with solid performing driv
elines and a potential for good residuals, but a sting in the tail—disappointing fuel figures.
Product low-down
The truck put forward for our used truck test is from Lincolnshire aggregate tipper company FD Greenly & Sons and was registered in June 1999. It has a private number plate, A8 FDG, but apart from that it comes exactly as recommended by Foden for tipper work. It has a Rouse and Beer aluminium aggregate body filled with a load of sand, which our co-driver Neil Matlock had to deliver to Mansfield once we'd finished the test. Under the all-welded steel cab sits the Caterpillar Cro.38o
turbo-charged direct injection diesel 10.3-litre six-pot, which turns out 383hp maximum power at 1,700rprn; 2001TM more gets 365hp rated power.
Maximum torque is 1,83oNm and kicks in at Lzoorpm. The 19982002 Alpha 3000 offered plenty of scope for engines. Cat's Cro was rated at 38ohp as well as 34ohp and the Cl2 at 400hp—all at Euro-2. When Euro-3 was introduced, Foden offered just the C12 in 345, 400 and a whopping 45ohp.
Cummins initially provided the Mil engine in three power ratings before it was replaced in 2000 by the ISMe engine, which offered three ratings at Euro-z, then 345, 385 and 42ohp at Euro-3.
Foden Trucks has no particular preference for either engine although the construction industry operator has slightly favoured the Caterpillar for the Alpha 3000 8m rigid. This is a trend that has increased slightly in the current market, while Cummins has been preferred for the general transport and haulage sector. The Eaton fz-speed over-drive synchromesh transmission comes with a range-change and a splitter on the top range of gears.
The steel day cab, which has a five-year anticorrosion warranty and is mounted on fourpoint coil spring suspension. Options include a single-bunk sleeper, as well as an optional third seat for the clay cab.
The chassis is high-tensile steel with bolted construction, and Foden FF20 raised rubber suspension on the rear bogie with straight beam front axles giving it f.f3m chassis height and overall 3.22m cab height when laden.
During its four years on the road, A8FDG has clocked up 350,000kin travelling the highways of Lincolnshire and Nottingham. Foden has priced this test truck at £32,000 (ex-VAT). This is very competitive compared to the 130,000 (ex-VAT) retail price listed in the May edition of the Cap Red Book for Used Commercial Values. Here the sheet cover has helped maintain a decent residual value on FD Greenly 8c Son's tipper.
Bottom line
Unlike their kinfolk who truck up and down the motorway with curtainsiders and pallets in tow, tipper owners are always looking for something other than award-winning fuel returns. Idling, PTO work, low speeds with tough gradients on site, and a double-drive rear bogie with up to 20 tonnes on it, do not lend themselves to economical performance.
Strength, consistency, reliability and versatility can come at a price at the fuel pump. So simply glancing at the fuel figure at the top of the page will only give you part of the story.
While our overall 8.o5mpg fuel figure was slightly hampered as we headed straight into a strong wind on day one, heading south-west towards Llandrindod Wells, the same direct wind gave us an assisted return as we trekked back to Hinckley in a north-easterly direction. The A-road section returned 7.57mpg with the motorway providing 9.25mpg.
For the weight-conscious, the chassis cab offers an overall body and payload potential of 23,190kg, with a distinctive 21 tonnes written in red on the aluminium body.
On the road
With four years on the road and above Cap
average mileage, you'd expect a few gripes with the driveline to come to the fore. But apart from a clutch already being replaced, some work to the rear bogie and new brake linings, A8 FDG seems to have lasted pretty well. Besides, this type of service and replacement seems normal for tippers.
Once you have clambered the extra 20CM into the cab, which sits on the raised suspension, the first real driving experience comes with the high-bite twin-plate clutch. It's an acquired taste, but with familiarity comes confidence and bringing your foot right up to the top starts to feel natural. To change though, especially through the splits in the top half of the 22-Speed box, your foot needs to go right to
the floor.
To get the best from the engine, full gear changes should be done just before 1,500rprn for it to drop into Ltoorpm and move up into peak torque at 1,2000rprn. Splits should be made sooner and, unless you are on a tough gradient, splits up or down are best reserved for the top two gears.
Eaton has moved out of the market since this vehicle hit the road but the ía-speed gearbox with the splits in the top half, regardless of make, is probably the best set-up for tippers. Sixteen-speed transmissions offer more versatility down the box but not much more, and the optional Eaton nine-speed offers less choice.
We were slowed on the first corner of Dolfor Hill by a keen 7.5-tonner with a job to finish but our tipper recovered well to achieve a credible time. We got up to loth gear but a change further up would have proved too much. Most of the work was done in and around sixth and eighth gears.
With Foden's gearing, the climb up Dinmore Hill proved easier than expected and we dropped a half-gear too much and spent the last 200 yards in 61., regretting the pessimistic choice.
This truck came fitted with a Jake brake, always a wise choice, and dropping down the other side of Dinrnore was done by dropping to 8L and then 8H, both at 2,100rpm for a decent roll towards Hereford on the A44.
Like many tippers, A8 FDG is fitted with drums rather than discs. With a full 32 tonnes to take care of they preformed pretty well, although good use of the Jake brake certainly reduced footbrake activity and hopefully ensures a longer road life for the drums.
Overall A-road performance was strong and the speed consistent regardless of gradient, although some of the local trucks seemed a little miffed by a tipper keeping strictly to the 40mph speed limit.
On the motorway the Cat's revs were pushed up towards I,600rpm, but with its gearing it was more in the power zone than the peak torque band, burning fuel. However, as FD Greenly & Sons company director Andrew Greenly pointed out, less than 2% of its work included motorways so a fleet trunking low rear-axle drive spec was hardly top of the list.
Cab quality
The interior of day cab tippers normally means a dust layered dash with a hi-vis jacket and blue safety helmet strategically placed, plus a sandwich box, flask and Daily Comic. A8 FDG did not disappoint here as it's a working truck and had come straight off the site. Apart from having some of the outside layered on the inside, it was pretty well looked after, and there were only signs of ageing rather than physical damage. The holder on the back wall still has its lid, the seats are in one piece and the driver's footwell is dean.
The driver's wing mirror creates a blind spot at junctions but it's difficult to change its position. Nonetheless, all-round vision is decent enough.
CM verdict
It would be very easy to discount this truck on its fuel figures alone— but that would be a mistake. A8 FDG, with The Alpha 8x4 provides four years under its belt and 350 , 000km on all the essentials— the clock, produced a solid road performance reliability, strength, without any grumbles from the driveline and longevity and plenty with plenty of power left in the bank. of character.
It holds the road well and the Jake brake allows the driver to work roundabouts and descents with ease. The clutch has been replaced but, apart from that, its major components are still going strong. We recommend this vehicle as it provides all the essential ingredients an owner of an aggregate tipper would need—reliability, strength, longevity and plenty of character.
• by Kevin Swallow