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If you're in the market for a tough-looking, heavy-duty 6x4
Page 46
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tractor, Merc's Actros makes a strong case. The high-roof Long Distance cab is enhanced by headlight stone guards, a raised-clearance bumper, a folding lower step and a swathe of other adaptations which suit it to muckaway and landfill work. The traditional Actros V6 powerplant is fated at 456hp and 2,200Nm; a 16-speed G240 box is bolted up to it, with a hub-reduction bogie completing this rugged drivel ine.
Coupled to our Mere was a Wilcox monocoque aggregates trailer, creating a useful rig for our task of hauling pea gravel -there was just enough trailer for the job in hand while overhead clearance was improved (no bad thing on our test route where low branches are frequently encountered).
The Actros unit weighs in at a reasonably hefty 9,970kg on standard steel wheels; this truck is built for durability rather than just payload.
Climbing into the Actros takes a fair amount of effort as the steps are almost vertically arranged and the floor is nearly 1,500mm off the ground. Inside the cab there is little to distinguish the off-road Actros from its freight-hauling stab lemate, as it has the same classy interior trimmed in high-quality materials and features the excellent second bunk which rates as among the best we have ever spent a night on. One area where it does differ from a run-of-the-mill Actros is in the gear selection you will rarely spot a conventional manual shift in the latest Actros line-up, but for this tipper application there is a manual stirrer to the left of the driver's seat.
The Merc's peppy V6 has enough grunt for 44-tonne operations, even round the Cotswolds, though progress up the timed climb at Fossebridge was impaired by the awkward slap-across rangechange box which was much slower than the Renaults 7F installation. The V6 proved reluctant to give up the ghost when challenged, enabling the Actros to maintain a steady pace on all but the toughest hills without the need to thrash the engine revs outside the rev counter's economy sector, The standard exhaust brake was adequate, if nothing exceptional, and the Actress all-disc brake package lived up to its usual standards, giving superb bite and plenty of power.
The ease with which the Actros 2646S tackles the roughest off-road tracks is one of its most endearing features, yet when you return to the main roads it rides just like a regular on-highway version. A full-width cab provides plenty of living space, but demands extra attention from the driver when taking the Actros through country lanes. Thankfully the steering is pretty direct, though it lacks the razor-sharp properties of some of its rivals.