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Tough trial for navvying DAF
Page 65
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Page 67
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Steve Gray drives DAF's 2305 DHU n ne first of CV's on-site tipper tests. Brian Wea erley took the pictures.
-IF FIRST vehicle to get our :w tipper work-out, which we scribed in detail in last week's 14, is DAF's 2305 DHU 8x4 per fitted with a Wilcox alloy (ed-side body and Edbro tiprig gear.
As of last October, this hide has been equipped with e ZF nine-speed all-synchro iarbox which DAF felt would more appropriate for tipper )r-k. The box is laid out as a nventional four-speed-gate -ige-change, with crawler and ierse away to the left reached pushing against a detent ring.
Previously we used to run pers round the Midlands test
• cuit after completing the acific tests at MiRA. Then we iuld run them round a site to how they stood up in actual -road conditions. However were able to repeat the same ie of site test every time and re unable to check fuel connption on this part of the test. To overcome the problem, n, we have now cut out the Jland circuit and devised a N test which incorporates .h on and off-road running. is we take the vehicle round a igh road test circuit near jshot and then out onto the d.
Each run covers 20km (12.4 es) and we carry out ten such s in groups of five. Before ling, we fuel up at a station the A30 and at the end of the morning runs we refuel. The cedure is then repeated after ch, again with fuel checks. uture we are hoping to have uel meter fitted to each iicle so that we can dis tinguish between consumption on rough road work and that on ordinary roads.
As we haven't done any other tippers on our new test route, we aren't able to say if consumption of the DAF — 60 lit/ 100km (4.7mpg) — is good or bad. Considering the terrain involved on the rough road section of the test, I wouldn't ,think this is too bad a figure for an eight-legger with 169kW i230bhp) on top and fairly low gearing.
The power unit is the DHU 825 unit as fitted to the 2300 tractive units. It has a capacity of 8.25 lit (503cuin) and is both turbocharged and charge cooled. Maximum torque of 775Nm 572 lbft) comes in• at 1,60Orpm.
The combination of the DAF engine and ZF box is a good one, as I found both on and off the road. However, it was possible to beat the synchromesh if really fast changes were made with the box.
Curiously the range-change knob was of Eaton manufacture. In fact the range-change gave me some problems during the test. On two occasions I was approaching a fairly steep gradient on the rough road course and made a downchange from fifth to fourth, which necessitated a range change.
Unfortunately the switch failed to operate and, to quote an Australian racing driver, I was left with a box full of neutrals and no ideas! Eventually the switch worked and I got my gear.
When I questioned DAF about this particular malfunction, I was told that previous to our test, the vehicle had been on trial with a coal haulier and evidently some pieces of coal or coke had dropped into the operating valve on the gearbox.
While I can accept this explanation I would have thought some provision could be made to prevent foreign bodies gumming up the works. After all, the DAF is likely to be used on all sorts of work from coal hauling to aggregate.
Otherwise the box was pleasant to use and gave no problems. There seemed to be no yawning gaps in the ratios and the lever itself is well placed close to the driver's left side. On the open road the DAF was able to keep up with other traffic without difficulty and to maintain a good average speed. The DAF was able to average 37.9kmh (23.6mph) on each run,
Accessibility
One of the prime concerns on a tipper is accessibility to the cab. Tipper drivers are constantly jumping in and out on site to unlatch the tailgate and so on. The DAF has two wellplaced steps, with non-slip treads and two equally convenient handles. These allow the driver to gain entrance to his work-place without risk of injury.
Once in the cab, he sits on a Bostrom Viking suspension seat, but this is where I found my second complaint with the 2305. The seat would just not go back far enough for me to sit comfortably. At 6ft lin I'm not particularly tall and don't have very long legs, so I feel really sorry for larger people driving the DAF.
I asked DAF for their comments on this aspect and was told that moves were afoot to improve the situation. However, the seat was adjustable for height and the squab could be raised or lowered at the front edge.
Like German vehicles, the DAF has an enormous steering wheel. At first I thought it to be a little too big, but soon got used to it. What it does do is to pro-.
vide a clear view of the instrument panel which also houses switches for wipers, lights and other auxiliary equipment. Two stalks, one on the left, the other on the right, operate headlamp dip and flash indicators.
These are on either side of the dash — the DAF has no column-mounted stalks. Instrumentation consists of a tachograph on the right, a rev counter in the centre and a combined instrument to the left containing air, oil, temperature and fuel guages. I don't particularly like having the indicators on the dash but otherwise the controls are workmanlike in their layout.
Sensibly DAF has used rubber covering for the floor and the door trims of pvc look easy to keep clean. The park-brake control is mounted on the engine cover and is convenient enough but a little awkward in operation. Behind it are the tipper controls. A nice wide clutch pedal is sensible for a driver wearing welly boots. Not so good, I thought, is the steel brake pedal, which I felt could be slippery in wet and muddy conditions.
The DAF is equipped with an air-actuated lockable interdifferential. The switch for it looks to be something of an afterthought and is not too well sited next to the ash-tray on the dash itself. It can only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary.
Once in the driving seat, ft ward vision is good through ti large, flat screen, but I found tl joints on the corners were a litt disconcerning. The DAF has number of neat features, i cluding a kerb mirror on tt nearside. The regular rear-vie mirrors are excellent, providir a vibration-free view. Anoth good feature is the side indicat, lamps fitted to the front wing although they might be vulnE able in site conditions.
As always before doing at actual road route test, we ca ried out our specific tests MIRA.
Here, although the brakE pulled up squarely and easil, the 40mph stop produced quite lengthy distance. It mu! be said that there were no pro blems on the road and th brakes felt up to the job.
Gradability is a crucial poll with tippers, and the DA couldn't quite manage the 1 i 4, although the park brake hel on this slope. It could easil cope with a restart on the 1 in though.
Maintenance is usually a tir per man's biggest headache and DAF has done much t improve his lot. The cab tilts t 60 after a large handle at th back of the cab, inside, i released. Fuses are located the cab too and are marked b' means of symbols.
However, they are tuckel away above the brake pedal ant it means standing outside thi truck to inspect them. Also ol the driver's side is the clutcl fluid reservoir, while the washe bottle is on the nearside. Out side on the offside are the coo lant and oil fillers.
Summary As this is the first of our new style tipper tests, it's impossiblo to draw comparisons with tho DAF. It gave me the impressior of being a well-built, workman like vehicle capable of doing E good job. The ride over tilt rough site was comfortable anc reasonably smooth. On the oper road, the cab was again quie. and pleasant place to work.
Steering on the DAF waE light both on and off site, ane the synchromesh gearbo) makes life a lot easier. The alien Wilcox body, with a capacity ol 15cum (20cuyd) fitted to the DAF was of monocoque con. struction and helps make the vehicle a smart-looking outfit. DAF should alter the driving seat to adjust farther and do something about the range-change. The price of the vehicle as tested was £31,202.