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The DAF CF 8x4 is well thought of in the

European construction and building market. DAF has fitted the FAD frames with straight front axles, which is a down-to-earth concept that competes well with the other constructors.

The DAF tipper handles tough off-road jobs very well, and the cab is appreciated by all drivers. The dash is well equipped and easy to work with. The driver will know where everything is: their confidence in the machinery at their disposal will be high, so it won't take long to get to grips with what the DAF offers.

The CF has very direct steering characteristics, the automatic transmission shifts fast and exactly at the right moment. All the knobs and switches are situated where they should be, and all-round visibility is excellent.

The sporty steering wheel improves the feel of the steering, but the seats could do with a bit more sophistication. But as a whole, the cab interior and layout is well thought out.

Since DAF made the cab bigger by lengthening it, there is lots of storage space at hand for personal items and safety gear.

Although the interior looks luxurious and very well designed, it is also very easy to clean after a long day in the quarry.

While working in an unforgiving and muddy environment, the DAF shows its true driving characteristics. Almost light-footed, the CF ploughs through the heavy soil. The more mud that sticks to the DAF, the harder it has to work and the nicer the engine sounds.

Off-road software

The 7F AS-Ironic automated gearbox is equipped with off-road software. The effect is later and faster gear shifting with more revs. That means the right amount of power and torque at the right moment. Although a lot of drivers would prefer manual gear shifting, the DAF proves, with this automated gearbox, that It anticipates as well as any driver would do.

The DAF scores well on visibility. The mirror housings are not too big and leave enough space to reduce the blinds pot.

The 460hp MX engine accelerates very well and even leaves the impression that it is overpowered for the job. But it is an excellent powerhouse if you pull a low loader behind the CF. Ground clearance and the angle of ground clearance between the front axle and bumper leaves nothing to wish for.

A very well thought out detail is the step on the driver's side of the cab so the driver can keep his eye on the loading of his truck. On the road the handling is still fine, but the CF generates a bit more noise. Iveco has something in common with Ferran. They are both from the same Fiat group. Although the association with the Prancing Horse was never particularly clear to us, after driving the Iveco 8x4 through the dirt in the quarry, we now know better, but more of that a bit later.

Iveco is not a strong player in the construction market, which is odd, since Magirus Deutz was market leader in construction trucks when the Italians took over. Iveco never seemed to exploit that newly acquired knowledge sufficiently.

Still, the Trakker has some good driving characteristics for the heavy jobs it is built for working on building sites and in quarries.

Low windows

The cab is positioned high over the chassis and also leans forward a little over the front axle. The windows in the door are fairly low, which can be to a driver's advantage while moving around a city or through a village. The interior of the Iveco is bright and roomy, and the plastics used in the interior are of better quality than in earlier versions. The seats are up to standard, but are a bit on the thin side they don't really make a sturdy impression. The steering wheel is adjustable, as is the driver's seat, which makes for a relaxed driving position.

The dashboard divided opinions, but since it can be set up to your own liking, it's more a case of individual preference rather than anything fundamentally wrong. The display is very clear and one of the most effective around. The mirror adjustments, for instance, show up in the display, which is unique.

Iveco sent us a truck with a manual gearbox. Shifting is done via the well-tested double-H pattern. Two-times four gears with a splitter, so you can split all eight gears. We have not seen that almost old-fashioned shift pattern for a while, and it does take a bit of getting used to, but once you do, it works very well.

The manual gearbox distributes the power of the Cursor 13 engine, which is equipped with a turbo with variable geometry, resulting in lots of power at low revs. This showed up very well because the loaded Trakker is also equipped with an on-board crane that more than holds its own in the quarry.

Our big question, though, was whether or not the gearbox worked flawlessly across the testing terrain of a quarry. Surely you can cross a quarry, for example, much easier with an automatic transmission, as its competitors do, but working a manual gearbox has the effect of keeping you on your toes?

This 7F gearbox gives the driver a lot of confidence. It is factors like this that really turn Iveco into a very strong competitor. In addition, there is enough storage space in the cab, while cleaning the windscreen is made easier due to a collapsible step. The bogie can also take a lot of punishment. Also of note is the fact that while turning, the front wheels have a really tight lock, which means a small turning circle. MAN has really hit the bullseye with its latest versions of the TGS and TGX series. The restyled cabs look tough, but are well designed and come in the right dimensions. They really overshadow the old TGA series. MAN, like Mercedes-Benz, has made a name for itself in the world of construction vehicles.

That also might be the reason why it turned up in the quarry with an example of its fully loaded latest generation of vehicles. The older TGA had a dull interior, but the factory has really put some effort into re-styling the TGS and TGX interiors. This cab sports a lot of storage space and has excellent seats. The sturdy steering wheel is multifunctional, while the middle console is equipped with a few very handy drawers.

Behind the seats we find enough space to store safety equipment and personal effects. The cab is well finished and MAN has put a lot of effort into finding smart storage solutions.

The dashboard needs a bit of getting used to, particularly finding the right switches, but the dash looks very up-to-date and reminds you more of a car.

The switches on the steering wheel, however, are a different matter they are well designed but a little less functional. While steering, you can easily hit them by accident.

Over the years. the 020 and D26 engines have proven their reliability. The MAN TGS is equipped with a D20 engine. One of the most up-to-date engines in the truck industry, the 020 is coupled to the Tipmatic automated transmission equipped with special software for off-reading.

All this leads to a faster shifting automatic transmission and more constant torque at the wheels, especially while accelerating.

Normal surfaces

The highest gear s an overdrive, which is especially useful on normal road surfaces less revs, less noise and lower fuel use.

The rear axles are well constructed. A bogie with two hub-reduction axles slowed down by drum brakes and extra stabilisers keeps the TGS in line. This is the axle set-up we found on all our test trucks.

The angle of ground clearance between the front axle and bumper and ground clearance are perfect for tough off-roading, but this big high riser does have a setback. The blindspot is rather large, due to the truck's large mirror housings. That means that one or more blindspot cameras will be an absolute necessity if you are driving around town with this big boy. Mercedes-Benz has oult up a strong reputation for building trucks that work on construction sites and

IAt 80km/h* 67.8 roads. There are many companies that buy an Actros Full throittel701 68.8 that will last them for many years. Little wonder, since a -measured at 1,450rpm Mercedes-built vehicle can easily clock up more than a million miles.

You do have to keep in mind the fact that an Actros working in a quarry suffers tar more wear and tear than one that works solely on the road.

Mercedes-Benz offers a choice of 8x4 chassis: the Axor and the Actros. The Actros belongs in the top-of-the-range construction segment, and this certainly shows when you enter the very luxurious cab, which boasts a superb dash and some quality seats.

Mercedes has listened to the drivers there is an eye for detail to make a hard day's work in the construction world a very relaxed one. The steering wheel is of a decent diameter and is not too big, not too small a very important and almost overlooked issue.

It must be said again that this cab Is as luxurious as that of a long-distance road-hauling tractor. It also remains comfortable in the cab if you're engaged in some off-road work. The cab is spacious to say the least, and offers the driver enough space to stash personal belongings, Thermos flask and safety equipment.

It takes a little getting used to working the new-generation Powershift 2 auto transmission. Not that the Powershift is more difficult to work with, it's just different. What is a bit annoying, however, is the clicking noise when the Powershift moves cogs.

The operation of the diff-locks and rocking-mode is easy and leaves no room for mistakes.

The displays and buttons are an example for other manufacturers to follow.

High on its wheels

The Actros stands very high on its wheels. In fact, it is the tallest truck of them all. That means that one really needs a blindspot camera. Vision around it is limited because of the positioning of the Actros cab.

On the move, the Mercedes handles with ease on and off-road. On normal road surfaces, the Actros shows a little bit of sluggishness in its steering character, which is very obvious compared with the OAF or the Volvo they both show a more direct steering character.

Its turning circle, ground clearance, angle of clearance between the front axle and bumper, and the dead angle all show very acceptable figures.

Throughout this tipper test, the Actros and the MAN boasted the lowest cab noise levels. Comfort counts! The large Actros V6 engine is rarely audible. The Mercedes-Benz Actros is, as expected, a real go-getter during off-road driving. Once you have finished your day out in the dirt, you should have no trouble cleaning that beautiful cab either. The Scania in this test is a P420 CB 8x4 HNZ. The first thing you notice is that it does not have as much ground clearance as the other competitors. It's a truck that is more suited to normal road surfaces. Scania has the MNA available, with much more ground clearance, but one was not available for us to test.

One reason for the moderate off-road performances of the Scania was its front underrun protection (FUP), and because of that, the Scania had the smallest angle of ground clearance between the front axle and bumper.

The higher Scania MNA chassis does not sport the FUP, hence better ground clearance figures all around, Exemption for such an FUP has to do with the type approval process for any off-road truck. The Scania made available to us was loaned by H. van Leuken & Sons in Schaijk.

The truck had already clocked up a few miles. The Scania is equipped with a 420hp Euro-5 engine, which sports an SCR system. The Scania has a small P-type cab, but you can also order a longer CF-cab. We prefer this roomier option because it has more extensive storage space and better seat adjustments.

However, the cab of our test truck was very compact, with far less storage space due to the fairly high engine cover. That said, even the biggest driver could fit into the cab with ease. The driver's seat and steering wheel adjustment allows them a comfy ride. Still, we would prefer a bit more space behind the seats. The eix4 has the Opticruise automated gearbox with clutch pedal — many drivers prefer this set-up.

No matter how the 'Rocking-modes' from other brands are put to use, nothing beats a clutch in some circumstances. It still amazes us that the Opticruise arrangement, an automated transmission with that clutch pedal, always needs getting used to. But at Scania they have seen the light and the latest versions are also available with fully automatic transmission. Some of us will miss that extra pedal.

Serious problems

In the quarry the Scania has serious problems driving through the slippery and muddy terrain. The reason was not so much the ground clearance but the very high tyre pressure and the torque in the low revs.

The Swede gave up where others waded through with no problem at all. It shows that this King of the Road really belongs on and not off the road.

But on the bright side, this was the truck with the best on-the-road handling: it drove superbly. The smart Opticruise and versatile 420hp engine made that all possible.

It also had the best blindspot figures.The cab was quiet, despite the driver almost sitting on top of the engine. The low point of gravity is obvious when you stand in front of the Scania, and that is the reason for a stable ride and good driving characteristics. You will not find many Volvos working on construction sites at the moment, but the Swedish brand would like to get more of a foothold. You will find many Volvo vehicles on building sites, but these are not trucks, but shovels, dumpers and diggers. In that segment, Volvo rules, Volvo did not have an 8x4 tipper as a demo available, so we had to find one ourselves.

At PK Trucks of Moerdijk, there were plenty. PK Trucks sells tippers and building trucks all over the world, and it gave us the Volvo FM 400 8x4 that you see here.

The configuration of the FM 400 is a bit odd. It has a so-called B-ride double-driven tandem set-up with parabolic suspension and drum brakes all round. With its 3.78:1 ratio, single-reduction axles and VT2514 manual gearbox, the engine really has to work hard, and the amount of revs needed really tells the story. On the other hand, though, that means a lot of torque.

According to the factory specs, the Volvo is capable of climbing steep 46% hills. Volvo has chosen drum brakes over disc brakes, which are more vulnerable to damage and getting clogged up with dirt.

Disc brakes are available from Volvo. In the UK, for example, disc brakes are the preferred option because they are lighter than drums.

Our Volvo FM had only 7,000km on the clock, with a very Spartan interior no frills or thrills to be found here. This vehicle is just a down-to-earth working truck. And that is just what it does very well. The Volvo is quiet and strong with a direct steering character, but it has a bit less ground clearance. All in all, that amounts to a lot of benefits for the driver.

The Volvo dash is logical and ergonomic. The view all around is perfect and, because of the lower position of the driver's seat, there is almost no blindspot. We are used to the I-Shift, but this particular Volvo's manual gearbox handles pleasingly well.

Off-road, the Volvo is a very comfortable piece of equipment to work with. On normal road surfaces, the FM also handles very well and steers precisely. Its turning circle is more than up to standard. It is only the angle of the ground clearance between the front axle and the bumper that leaves something to be desired when it goes off-road. The sober FM cab is a bit on the small side and does not leave the driver a great deal of storage space.

But there's one very useful item -and one that no other truck hasand that is a rail on the back of the cab, complete with hooks, where the driver can hang up his clothes. Since the cab is so simple, it is easy to clean.

This vehicle was a pleasant surprise it was just pulled out of the rack and made a good impression on our test team.

It's worth noting that the Volvo had to make do with the smallest amount of horsepower of all the test vehicles, compensated by a very smart traction set-up. To us, the Volvo is a truck that is everybody's friend.