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1st May 1997, Page 34
1st May 1997
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Keywords : Erf, Man Ag, Sandbach, Truck

Roast beef, willow on leather, warm beer— and ERF. Even under new ownership, ERF still seems like the most traditional of truck builders. But its M1 1-powered eight-wheeler could destroy a few preconceptions. Does high power equal poor fuel economy? Does Euro-2 mean higher running costs? And does a German gearbox really belong in a Sandbach truck? Answer: Yes, to all three.

How much power do you need? It's nice to know that you've got more go than the next driver, but with speed limiters and Gatso cameras everywhere does it really make a difference? Several manufacturers now offer 32-tonners with 400 horsepower or so, implying that there must be more to the idea than mere bravado. Thus CM's test of an ERF 8x4 with Cummins' Mll engine rated at a nominal 380hp (actually 380PS, or 374hp). A power-to-weight ratio of almost 12hp/tonne should deliver a high average speed with minimal gear changing—but we wanted to see whether this will mean good fuel economy despite Euro-2 emissions controls.

• PRODUCT PROFILE You will have spotted by now that our test vehicle is not a straightforward tipper—it's a grain bulker operated by Triple 9 Haulage on behalf of Watlington-based feed supplier Lys Mill. The Bridge body looks handsome and unusual, but in terms of chassis specification it's much the same as any other tipper: an 8mm-thick bolted-up steel frame sitting on leaf springs at the front and a rubber-suspended bogie at the rear.

The ECI1 RD4 has ERF's trademark cab (designated SP5A) consisting of SMC polymer panels on a steel frame, and it's available in day or sleeper-cab form. This particular version is the sleeper, with four-point suspension and a decent specification including heated mirrors, an air-sprung driver's seat, a radio/cassette unit and a tinted glass roof vent.

Cummins is not the only engine choice offered by ERF (A Perkins Tx is also available) but the Mll has fast become a favourite. Euro-2 hastened the move to electronic injection control, and the advanced CELECT system can incorporate cruise control, engine 0.

monitoring and diagnostics in a range of similar engines at different power levels. ERF offers the EC11 at four ratings from around 300 to 400hp (see box above). This particular one has cruise control fitted, but does without the option of Road Relay—Cummins' engine and driver monitoring system.

ERF subscribes to the notion that the customer is always right—even if he's wrong— so they give him a choice of five basic types of gearbox in the EC11 8x4. The typical 12speed Eaton Twin Splitter is joined by the nine-speed Eaton/Fuller RoadRanger and the eight-speed ZF synchromesh box, and there is a choice of 16-speed synchro boxes: the ZF Ecosplit and the Eaton S-series. This tipper has the ZF box; not the expected choice, but a proven performer and no heavier than a Twin Splitter. Equally out of character, the MAN 18.403 tested last year was fitted with the Eaton S-series (which is, according to ERF's spec sheet, 30kg lighter than the ZF).

At least the axles are Rockwells as expected, with HN402 rubber suspension at the rear. Two-spring bogie suspension is an option, or you can specify rear HA460 air suspension. Chassis lube is a welcome standard feature.

• PRODUCTIVITY

The first bottom-line figure most people look at is fuel consumption, and round CIVfs Midlands tipper route at a full 32 tonnes this

truck returned 8.66mpg a good figure by any standards, but especially impressive for a tipper with such a lot of power. The clincher is that this was simply a well run-in customer vehicle, with no special fettling for the test, yet it got our best Euro-2 result so far.

The average speed figure is OK, but cruise control meant that we were sticking religiously to speed limits: a better indication of speed is given by the storming 0-80km/h time of 48.9 seconds. Anything less than a minute is impressive, and this is almost a 32-tonne record, only just being beaten by the 400hp MAN.

You'd expect an ERF to deliver a good payload, and this one doesn't disappoint: even with the sleeper cab (an extra 55kg), bulker body and all the trimmings it weighs in at just 12,450kg, and a standard alloy body would give you a payload of well over 20 tonnes. True, the chassis frame is not quite as heavyduty as some (the MAN had 10mm-thick chassis members) but the figures are still excellent, beating even the less powerful Leyland Daf—with a day cab.

The MI I was built with long service intervals in mind: actual maintenance periods are only every 50,000Iun, and if you exclude safety inspections the EC11 needs only two services (totalling 13.8 hours) in an 80,000km year.

• ON THE ROAD Starting the Cummins Mll is like countdown for the Shuttle: you have to wait for three lights to go out in succession before you can turn the engine over. Then it idles smoothly at around 575rpm, though you can adjust the engine speed for PTO work using the cruise control buttons. Pulling away is made easy by

the engine's high-torque characteristics: as you lift the clutch pedal, you forget the accelerator and just let the engine take up the strain—this makes for a smooth getaway without over-revving. Just watch out for the clutch which engages very high up, it could do with less travel.

Once you are on the move, cruise control makes economical driving easy. The switches for cruise control are poorly sited in front of the handbrake, and all look the same, but the system has been designed well. Press the rocker switch to set speed, and it comes in without any lag or change in speed. You can then adjust speed up or down using the switch, or cancel cruise control by brushing the brake or clutch pedal.

The accelerator does not cancel cruise control, but allows you to feed in more power and speed—for overtaking, perhaps, or as you approach a hill. Lift off, and the speed returns its preset value. Working with the cruise control, anticipating hills or gaps in traffic, driving becomes very smooth. This is a sensible system but the switches are still in a lousy position.

Speaking of which, why does the EC11 still have a right-hand indicator stalk? "Your left hand's for changing gear!" said the man from ERE And a firm left arm is useful the ZF box needs a measured change, don't rush it. It's not really slow, which was valuable on our test hill, where a precise range-change is essential, and we were grateful that ERF does not favour the slap-across double-H style of shift; there's a button for split and a proper switch for range-change.

Unfortunately, we were baulked going up Edge Hill, where we might have set a new record time.

Down hills you are grateful for firm brakes: the ERF may not have discs, but its drums are precise and fuss-free. The Jake Brake is equally useful, with a nice fat pedal and two stages of operation, and seemed effective at engine speeds as low as 1,500rpm.

Despite using the tried and trusted ZF Servocom steering box, the Eld' hasn't got the steering precision of other tippers; it was not actually bad, and tracked well on the motorway, but felt a little woolly on the A-roads. Not a real problem, but something that could be improved.

• CAB COMFORT When you open the door of a tipper you don't expect to see walnut infills, but that's what you get with the LX trim specification. Perhaps the veneer is fitted by moonlighting Rolls-Royce Motors employees from Crewe, just down the road from Sandbach. LX trim also includes an electric passenger window, carpeted engine cover and ... er, that's it. But options such as the exterior locker and electric roof vent are also available with the LX.

The bunk looks basic (a sprung mattress is optional) but overall space is good, and build quality is up to Teutonic levels. One rattle eluded us, but it may have been something rolling around in the overhead cubbyholes.

The air seat is standard, but it's not the best of its type: like the cab itself, it feels a bit undersprung and underdamped. Ours squeaked, too. The cab soaks up bumps OK, but sways a little from side to side—fine for the motorway, though it is apt to be defeated by nasty roads like the A422 on our test route. Perhaps the extra weight of the sleeper cab is the culprit.

The same Rolls-Royce employees who possibly fitted the trim may also have been working on the ERF's sound insulation: this is an exceptionally quiet tipper. From tickover to peak power the Mll is smooth, with a particularly quiet patch around peak torque at 1,200rpm. At tickover it's almost 6dB quieter than the MAN 35.403, though the gap is narrowed at speed (perhaps due to slightly poorer aerodynamics). The sleeper cab may be soaking up some of the vibes, and Euro-2 noise legislation must help, but in any case this is the quietest tipper we've driven. For once, ERF can teach MAN a thing or two about refinement, • SUMMARY When a truck is built with a bought-in drivetrain, you might expect it to feel a bit, well, cobbled-together. But the ECEL proves that this need not be the case: it's exceptionally pleasant to drive, its solidly assembled and it feels well developed, in the same way that a Volvo, a Daf or an MAN does. Clearly ERF's long experience with Cummins is valuable, and they have worked hard on the installation of the ZF gearbox. The bottom line looks good, too: the base price is low, we achieved an excellent fuel consumption figure at a good average speedand it was easy Like the 400hp MAN tested in CM last year, this truck had power and torque to spare, minimising gear changes and leaving the driver more relaxed at the end of the day. Cruise control and a Jake Brake were icing on the cake.

So, what about Euro-2? It may have increased front-end pricing (though we suspect that customer pressure has minimised the premium), but CM's test indicates that it has not made fuel consumption significantly worse.

And the increased sophistication of Euro-2 engines makes them quieter and more driveable than ever.

We were genuinely encouraged by the EC11.38: it showed that even a small manufacturer, relying on our-sourced components, can produce a truck to compete with the Continent's best.

by Toby Clark

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