• Home
• Used vehicles
• Product news
• Dealer news
• Compliance
• Buying advice
• Archive

They don't come less like gaffers' motors than the mighty

Volvo F16. It's one of the flagship tractors that owner-drivers lust after and while the cab's looking a little dated, demand remains high.

• Back in the mid-eighties the Swedes were happily running huge loggers at 57 tonnes, so the power of Volvo's 16-litre engine could easily be justified on its home ground. But when it was introduced in the UK the F16 was just about the most powerful truck you could buy—so the only terms on which it was going enter the large haulage fleets was as a flagship or a specialist heavy hauler.

For the few owner-drivers who could cough up the cash, however, the Globetrotter cab (one of the first to incorporate a high roof) was equipped to roam the Continent in style and comfort, while all those horses made molehills out of mountains.

EVOLUTION

When the F16, bulged 470, was first imported into the UK at the end of 1987 its six-pot 16litre engine was rated at 465hp at what is still a relatively slow l ,860rpm. Volvo was an early user of four valves per cylinder. From the outOD'

it? set the engine drove through

„, the new SR2000

14-speed syn chromesh gear box. There were three standard tractor

models: a 4x2, a 6x2 with tag-axle S-ride, and a 6x4 with heavier T-ride suspension. Volvo didn't make a 6x2 F16 with a pusher axle; the chassis was already crowded enough between the axles. Some were built with air suspensions on front and rear axles for computer transport, but air suspension didn't become standard on the rear until 1990.

The basic cab construction was the same as the F10 and F12 sleeper models but the F16 came with the high-roof Globetrotter as standard. It also had ABS braking, long before it was made mandatory, and air conditioning. A revised cab layout with the swept-around dash appeared towards the end of 1990.

Power was increased to 485hp in 1989 and then to 500hp in 1992 (when it also gained electronic diesel control) and was claimed to be the most powerful in Europe. It certainly offered the greatest amount of torque, producing 1,5931ft at 1,100rpm, even though torque had been restricted by the strength of the direct-drive SR2000 gearbox.

That shortcoming was overcome in 1994 with the arrival of the uprated SR2400 box, allowing the FH16 lump to be uprated to 520hp with 1,7701ft of torque. The range of axles developed for the 1716 has also been carried over to the latest FH models.

Over a seven-year run Volvo sold about 200 FI6s in the UK.

OPERATORS

Dave Fuller is the workshop manager for Kent-based contractor Gallagher. As well as looking after a wide range of plant equipment that is used on site, and in the company's own Ragstone Quarry, he cares for a fleet of roadgoing vehicles; mostly six and eight-wheelers from Volvo, MAN and Mercedes-Benz.

Gallagher also ran a G-reg Volvo F16 6x4 tractive unit; to ensure it was well used it could be coupled to any one of four trailers including a bulker, tipper and a flat. With a low-loader Ncxyteboom trombone trailer the rig was rated at 76 tonnes GTW

So why did Gallagher choose a Volvo F16? "We needed something that was versatile as well as being able to achieve its predominant roll of moving items of plant from one site to an other," says Fuller. "We did look at the prices of some of the other makes but we have operated Volvo's tippers for some time and they have done us proud. It just seemed the right choice as the then main dealer, Maidstone Commercials, was just half a mile away and Volvo's back-up was there 24 hours a day. In fact there wasn't much difference in the prices. The Volvo was specced up for our type of work with a beefed-up chassis and tow hitches front and rear. It's got the Globetrotter cab which gives the drivers plenty of room; we run double manned some of the time.

"It's heavy, it tares out at 21 tonnes with the low loader," he added. 'We work it hard on and off site. It's covered over 455,000 miles but it still pulls like a train. On average we get between 4.6 and 5.5mpg."

You don't do that sort of mileage without something going wrong. "There was a modification for the water pump early on and then we started replacing Ws in the drive line," said Fuller. "It turned out that the propshaft was out of balance but you couldn't feel it until the Ujs started to break up. We replaced it and that cured the problem. About a year ago the drive to the oil pump seized but we were lucky—the driver noticed the drop in oil pressure and stopped immediately and saved the engine. It wasn't covered by warranty and we got a bill for £1,500. After a bit of discussion we got it reduced to £700—we were negotiating for five new 8x4s at the time which must have helped! We have replaced the clutch but only ever needed one spring on the suspension; the brake linings give a good life. There have been niggling problems with the electrics, mainly switches and relays for the lights.

"The cab still looks good," he said. "There's no rust but with the drivers getting in and out all of the time the seat got a bit worn. We're not ready to get rid of it yet but we find part exchanges give us the best deals. I don't know that we will replace it with another Volvo It might be Scania next time; it depends on the alternatives."

Ashfield Trailer Services operates a temperature-controlled haulage operation out of the Luton Cold store. Owner Ron Adams has been in the business for 22 years and runs a fleet of eight trucks including four Volvos and two MANs at 38 tonnes with two MAN 17tonners. Four of the tractive units were 6x2s which give better load tolerance on the axles with the fridge trailers.

"Some time ago we needed a tractor to replace an MAN .362 6x2," said Adams. "We saw this G-registered Volvo FI.6 4x2 at Riverside Commercials. It had been stretched by Chassis Development to give a 3.7m wheelbase, which suited our purpose. There was about 700,0001un on the clock and the engine was breathing a bit heavy but the dealer was prepared to cover it with a three-month warranty We didn't have to take him up on it though; the truck just needed a good service. It's got the Ambassador leather cab trim package and we believe it was Volvo's show model.

"The spec was quite advanced for its age," he says. "It's got ABS brakes, a dual night heater with timer, central locking, electric windows and heated mirrors. It had belonged to an owner-driver and our driver looks after it as if it were his own. I think we paid the right price for it. It cost about £69,000 when it was new and we got it for £28,000—most of the depreciation has gone out of it now. I can't see it dropping much below £20,000 and it will clock up well over a million kilometres while it stays with us. Despite alloy wheels it weighs about 8,5 tonnes which makes it as heavy as our MAN 6x2s. We have hardly had to lay a spanner on it. Apart from routine maintenance we have only had to tack up the vertical stack support. We feel confident to send it anywhere just so long as we are careful how it is loaded.

"I don't think t is geared just right with the 14 speed box," sid Adams. "The closer ratios in a 16 speed bcix would make sure that there was a gear for eterv occasion and might even improve the ful consumption. That's something that Volv kept a bit quiet; they never gave the 465 to ny of the truck magazines to test. I keep a ve y strict record and if the driver keeps an eye on the turbo gauge the best we get is 7.1mpg, which I am very pleased with, but into a strong head wind it can drop to 6.4mpg. All df our other Volvos are FL1Os and when we have gone to the main dealer it has never been stuck for a part. A loca does our servicing. We use 15/40 Esso drain oil which is replaced every third St but the filters are changed every time. 1 get a problem on the road Action Volvo i liant; I've never had a Volvo that didn home under its own steam.

"The one thing that can be annoying tacho," he concludes. "You have to lowi steering wheel to get the chart in. I don't turn the engine off then you are a bound to switch the wipers on. It's the with all Volvos that use that cab wit Veeder Root tacho."

Over the past 22 years Peter Rof always bought high-profile trucks from Scania or Volvo. At one time he operated units and 20 trailers from his yard at Leil Buzzard but over the past two years h reduced the fleet to a size that is more manageable and allows him a little more time for inter

to 0— the business. His ests outside of unusual: it had air suspension on both axles but it's the Globetrotter cab and stainless steel bumper that made it stand out from the crowd.

"I don't go in for shows," said Roff, "but I do like them to look smart and the specification includes a lot of the extras. Normally I replace them after two or three years. The Scnnias sell slightly better but there is always someone ready to buy the Volvo F16 at a realistic price. Most owner-drivers can't afford a new one, with all of the extras, but they can second time around. Nearly all of my old ones are still running around in Europe somewhere.

"The Volvo F16's strong points are performance, reliability and comfort," he added. "It's weight is against it. The unit weighs 8.2 tonnes and the Globetrotter cab is arguably

too small when you see what the later highroof cabs can offer.

"We run back and forth to Germany and fuel consumption relies a lot on the driver and how the truck is driven. We have returned as much as 8.0mpg and as little as 6.5mpg; but I've got good lads now. The earlier models were a bit thirstier.

"Most of the servicing is done by workshops on site but I get on quite well with my local dealer," he said. "Brakes last about three years and tyres just get better and better—we use Michelin 315/80s. They are the originals on the drive axle and they still have 6mm of tread left after 268,000km. I don't know yet if I will replace this F16 with the FH but then the Scania might become dated with its present cab."

DEALERS Ian Hamilton is a used truck salesman for Volvo Franchise dealer JR Billows which has outlets at Leicester, Bedford, Peterborough and Kettering. "We like to keep a stock of about as trucks hut late models on J an K plates are very difficult to get hold of," he reports, "because new ones weren't sold in any quantity over the past few years. The F16 is a sought-after vehicle, mainly by ownerdrivers who want the comfort and space of the Globetrotter cab. It's a delete option so most of them have it. When we advertise one the phone gets red hot. We bought our last one at auction: it was an E-reg and had clocked up 720,000km but it didn't need much doing to it. We relined the brakes all round. At some time the oil-cooler had been replaced but the system hadn't been flushed out so we did that, and the speed limiter needed setting up.

"Our Bedford branch looked after one of the early 465s," says Hamilton. "It belonged to an owner-driver and covered more than 80,000km and it only needed a set of injectors, a starter motor, oil pump, mains and big ends. It's got to be good for well over a million miles. They don't have any real problems apart from split oil filters. The same filter on the F10 hasn't been a problem but on the F16 they have been known to split round the cap.

"For the later ones the book is about right. A 4x2 on the K will fetch about £34,000.1f the price is much above £42,000 the customer might as well buy new and take advantage of what ever discount he can arrange, the free service and warranty Patrick Allen is salesman for non-franchise dealership Andrew Davies of Ashby De La Zouch in Leicestershire, which has up to 100 trucks in stock at any one time.

"Out of the 500 or so trucks we sell a year three or four might be F 1 6s," he said. "We

sold one just before Christmas. It was an Gregistered 6x2 with the S-ride tag axle and we had it priced at £23,500. We generally buy direct from the user. The F'16 has got a big engine which won't have been worked too hard but it is a bit thirsty," said Davies, "so the big fleets didn't buy many. It's more of an owner-driver's truck and they generally looked after them well. They're buying the fuel so they're not going to screw their foot to the floor. It's a good strong motor and I wouldn't say it has any major faults to look for outside of the normal wear and tear,"

SUMMARY

With only a limited number of Fles available those that do appear on a dealers lot are soon snapped up. Older models still look good and their high original specification helps to bolster residuals.

By today's standards the cab might be considered a little cramped and all models are heavy but the engine is said to be good for at least a million miles, although early models have a reputation for being thirsty.

The operators we talked to reported few problems other than the occasional split oil filter. Quite what the cause is we don't know but it could be vibration or a build up of pressure, even though the oil pump has a release valve to prevent pressure build-up on starting. In any case the result could be very expensive if unnoticed. Volvo's backup through its dealer network is generally rated as very good. N the F16 a good buy? If you can get one the answer is a definite "yes"!

Li by Bill Brock MODEL: Volvo F16.485 4x2 tractive unit with Globetrotter sleeper cab as standard.

Design GCW: 50 tonnes.

Manufacturer: Volvo (GB) Wedgnock Lane Warwick, CV34 5YA,

ENGINE: Volvo TD16211 four-stroke, direct-injection, air-to-air charge-,

cooled.

Cylinders: Six in-line.

Capacity: 16.12 litres.

Maximum net power: 357kW (479hp) at 1,850rpm. Maximum net torque: 2,160Nm(1,593114t) at 1,100rpm.

TRANSMISSION: Volvo SR2000 14-speed with range-change and spl tier 400mm-diameter twin-dry-plate clutch. Hydraulic with air assistance. Final drive: Volvo RAEV91 single-reduction with differential lock; ratio, 3.10:1. BRAKING SYSTEM: Full-air, dual-line with air dryer, load sensing on drive axle and Full ABS anti-lock system. Parking: Spring brake on both axles. Exhaust broke: Air actuated on manifold.

STEERING: Recirculating ball with hydraulic power assistance.

CHASSIS: Pressed-steel channel, cold riveted construction.

Suspension: Shackle-mounted parabolic leaf springs with anti-roll bars front and rear.

Wheelbase: 3.60m.

Wheels and tyres: 315/80R 22.5 tyres on 9.00x22.5 10-stud wheels. Fuel tank: 550 litres mounted on off-side.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 24V, 2x12V/220Ah batteries Generator: 55A alternator.

WORKSHOP TIMES

Manufacturer's standard workshop hours Replace clutch assembly 1.8 Replace injector set 3.5 Replace head gasket 5.7 Replace brakes, front and rear 3.6 Remove and replace engine 16.0 Remove and replace gearbox 9.8 Renew engine oil and filter(s) 0.5