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Cruiser's power complw

25th July 1981, Page 19
25th July 1981
Page 19
Page 20
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Page 19, 25th July 1981 — Cruiser's power complw
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Incorrect fuel-stop settings contributed to sluggish performance from LV's Buffalo replacement at 32 tons, but Bill Brock believes there's still no reason to suppose i won't sell well

ST APRIL we published a ack-to-back road test of Leynd's Cruiser at its maximum esign weight of 34 tonnes ross and the T45 Roadtrain also its design weight at 40 tonnes. ut to use the full weight potenal of either requires a change of gislation.

The recent Government inquy headed by Professor Armige came out strongly in favour f an overall weight increase, ut implementation is still a long ay off. The maximum weight flowed in Britain is still just 32 ns for an articulated vehicle nd will remain so until Transort Secretary Norman Fowler r some future transport minisr gets down from his political nce and has the strength to eke a decision on the facts preented to him.

Had changes been made in the eight limitations, Leyland would probably have included only two models in its Cruiser range at 28 and 34 tonnes. But, as things are, a 32-ton model is needed, and it differs from its heavier counterpart in one im'portant respect.

Cruiser 16.21 32-ton gcw), beneath the skin, carries on the Buffalo tradition. Fuller's ROT 609 nine-speed constant-mesh range-change gearbox is carried over from the previous model and has a lower torque rating than the ROT 9509A box used at 34 tonnes.

This is recognised by the marginally higher gearing particularly in the lower ratios, but with identical seventh (direct top) and overdrive top of 0.74 to 1.

Many other components have Buffalo origins as well but the chassis, although using the tried and tested all-bolted straightsided ladder design with reinforced flitching, now comprises light but tough high-tensile steel.

Outwardly the cab, changed from the G-cab design still employed on export models such as Land Train and soon to be seen on the WF replacement, is replaced by one based on the T45 concept and using the C40 shell.

Here it is 305mm (1f0 narrower than on Roadtrain but includes many of its features. Available as yet as a non sleeper only it offers a level of comfort equal to any in its weight class. The driver's Chapman Bremshey ma suspension seat cov

of4ALif ered in brush nylon provides the degree of adjustment that w have come to expect in vehicle at the top end of the market while the rake of the small steer ing wheel is adjustable to ac commodate most sizes an shapes of driver.

Most of the instrumentation contained within a single binni cle and, except for the tacho graph, tachometer and battery condition meter, all the units an interchangeable.

The park brake lever, unusua in its design, fits neatly into thr contours of facia and leaves thr area between the seats clear ex cept for the gearshift.

Pendant clutch and brake pe dais hang low above the flocy which is covered in a thick rub ber mat with transverse ribbinc for easy cleaning.

The cab is divided into two b) the shallow intrusion of an en. gine cowl, and a driver's toolbo) doubles as a footrest for the pas. senger. Front, side and real glazed panels make the cab environment light and give good allround visibility.

On the outside, two wide stag

-ed steps give a sure foothold ether entering or leaving the ), and as the door is opened, a urtesy light automatically nes down to make them safe Jse at night.

yell-placed grab handles on ler side of the door opening viate any need to pull up on !steering wheel to gain entry. :ront headlights are located :hin the front bumper. While bumper serves to protect the rips, just a slight knock could t them out of line and technily put the vehicle out of comssion. Rear-view mirrors used within aerodynamic Arfs allow simple adjustment hand without the use of spanrs.

rhe new shape is said to have luced wind drag by 30 per cent ien compared to the Ergo matic cab used on the Buffalo. What benefit might be derived, coupled to a box trailer, is difficult to tell. Attention to detail, such as with the flush Range Rover-type door handles and the gas struts which support the front inspection panel, will help it stand the test of time.

For maintenance purposes the cab can be tilted hydraulically to 62°. That is said to be enough to enable the engine and gearbox to be removed as a single unit with a straight lift from above. Two vertical diaphragms serve to brace the floor panel, withstanding localised tilting forces, and adds to the shell's overall torsional strength. Placed one either side of the engine they double as noise shields.

As at 34 tonnes power comes from Leyland's own TL11A sixcylinder turbocharged engine rated at 156kW (209bhp) at 2,200rpm, while for operation at 28 tonnes gross a lower-revving downrated version is fitted.

Here with a power-to-weight ratio of 4.7kW (6.5bhp/ton), though better than at 34 tonnes, it is still less than generous and this is reflected in both acceleration and journey times.

A maximum geared speed of 103km/h (64mph) allowed a motorway cruising speed of 96.5km/h (60mph) for only short periods where neither wind resistance nor gradient proved too great. A more typical rate of progress was around the 92km/h (57mph) mark.

Over the most severe terrain, along the A68 south of Edinburgh, the engine's high torque was not enough to compensate for the lack in power so that co stant gearchanging was need( to overcome even relative slight inclines.

On the steepest hills, rap loss of momentum could be r duced only with an ear downshift so as to maintain e gine revs at a moderately h4 level. With the engine workir hard a degree of gearbox judd crept in from time to time.

Under less taxing conditio the thermostatically controll, radiator fan rarely came in operation except at high spee on the motorway and wh, working hard on the hills.

Ironically, this is just the tir that the 7.46kW (10bhp) or consumed by the fan could best used to propel the vehic Only to drive the fan, wh needed, saves fuel and over t 735 miles test route contribut to the Cruiser's consumpti figure of 41.6 lit/1 0 0 k (6.78mpg).

Integral power assistan meant that little effort so% needed to steer the Cruiser ite of its small steering wheel. edback might, however, be proved to give a more posie feel. The foot controls were ht enough except for the iniI clutch movement.

The full air braking system akes extensive use of nylon pework and incorporates an ti-freezer unit and automatic am n on the service tank as stanrd. An exhaust brake, not inuded on the test vehicle, is a -oduction option.

Imperfections of braking stribution came to light on the st track during maximum brakig stops. From 4 8km/h Omph), both the drive axle and e trailer axles locked up leavg the steered axle still rotating. From 64.3km/h (40mph), the .lhicle reacted more violently Id the brakes had to be reased to bring it back into line.

we considered it unwise to y to obtain minimum stopping distances from this speed, despite the vehicle's high brake specification which includes load sensing.

So often, even with new factory-prepared vehicles, the device does not prevent the drive axle brakes from locking, usually through maladjustment. What hope then has it of working safely in service?

Secondary braking is covered in the first instance by the split service system. A separate secondary system can be actuated using the facia-mounted park-brake lever allowing full effort to be applied to the front axle but only partial effort to the drive axle, so limiting the risk of jack-knifing.

Even though I was instructed on operational procedure my natural inclination to squeeze the grip allowed the lever to pass the stop into the park brake position and activate the spring brakes which not only apply equal pressure front and rear but give a lower level of braking effort — resulting in a longer stopping distance.

On the road, the service brakes worked progressively and without a hint of instability, but then I never needed to use them in anger.

Daily check items are spread around the vehicle. The oil dip and fill, located on the offside wing, needs a very long dipstick, while the filler cap is too accessible to the inquisitive eight year old or anyone else who has a mind to drop something in.

Both radiator header tank and power steering fluid reservoir are located at the rear of the cab, while access to the wiper motor, screenwash reservoir, cold-star device, heater motor, clutch fluic reservoir and footbrake valve are all housed beneath the plair panel front.

Weighing about 305kg (6cwt more than the Buffalo, thE Cruiser gives the operator more for his money but less potentia earning power.

The Buffalo sold well as a gen uine 32-tonner and until suct time that maximum weigh. limits are changed there is little reason to suppose that its suc cessor should not do the same But reductions to the workinc day could make Cruiser's slow journey times unacceptable al least until a sleeper version is produced.

The new cab updates Leyland's standards at 32 tons while mechanically it continues with proven components, but priced at £22,245 it is expensive when compared with imported models built for operation at 32 tons.

• After our test, Leyland returned the Cruiser to its workshop and found that the maximum speed fuel stop had been incorrectly set resulting in a 14 per cent loss of power effectively reducing the engine's output from 210bhp to around 1135bhp. With correct settings, overall journey and acceleration times should improve, but fuel consumption would be similar.


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