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MAN'S Euro-2 disco dancer
Page 24
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by Bryan Jarvis • Muckaway and heavy-duty tipper operators have always been attracted by MAN's powerful, durable eight-leggers and the latest F2000 8x4s will undoubtedly have the same appeal.
CM has driven the first 400hp (29-1kW) Euro-2 RHD model across the Chilterns and were impressed, to say the least.
MAN's eight-legger range is shaken up for Euro-2 with the 3401ip five-pot 10-litre-eng-ined 35.343 replacing the old 32.322 arid the 35.403V ER squeezing out the 32,372.
More power
Outwardly the new range looks little different to its F90 predecessors but there's more power and ventilated disc brakes on the front axles.
The first of MAN's new 32tonners, which come on stream from October onwards, has the latest D2866LF intereooled 12litre in-line six which delivers its maximum power between 1.800 and 2.000rpm.
There's also an impressive 1.275 lbft (1.730Nm) of torque available across a 1,000 to 1,500rpm plateau and mirrore.d by an sic curve well below 200gIkWh that promises good fuel economy.
The proud owner, Chapman of Brighton, chose the heavyduty rnuckaway spec': hub reduction axles on inverted multi-leaf spring packs, front parabolics and an optional Eaton S-Series gearbox.
This is in pref erence to the alternative /I' Ecosplit transmission but 1■(dh are 16-speeders. Although Nait. ted on this example, there are retarder options: 7,F has its Intarder device and Eaton a Voith bolt-up system.
For more general duties MAN offers a slightly lighter on-road specification too with single reduction axles and rear air suspension. Cross-axle and interaxle cliff-locks are standard whatever options are chosen and there's also a choice of plastic or heavier steel bumper.
Chapman's new tipper will haul building materials mid rub hie around the South Coast area as well as carrying crushed concrete, which is why its boss Ted McNorvell went for Thompson's rugged looking Muckmaster steel body with his first choice—Edbro front-end tipgear.
To avoid blowing dust every where on site, he also opted for a Stemco vertical stainless-steel exhaust plus factory-fitted Beka Max auto-lube and a tracking system to foil would-be thieves.
Loaded to its maximum the 35.-103 VFR is very much the gentle giant apart from the growl from its stack. Its 11.9:1 first high will cope with most steep starts leaving a 14.45:1 crawler for the worst, but on the level it pulls third low easily.
A skip to fifth then a cog at a time through the lightly weighted Eaton gearchanges will have you up to the 40mph limit in no time, pulling sweetly at 1,200rpm in 8L or gurgling along at 1,025rpm in top.
Hills like those around High Wycombe are simply erased by this machine providing you anticipate them well but even from our near-standing start at the last roundabout before the A404 climb we stayed comfortably at around 1,200rpin in 6H/6L.
Downchanges
Appropriate downchanges and exhaust brake applications take care of steep downgrades with the occasional dab of the brake pedal to stop it revving past the "blue" exhaust brake curve on the rev-counter.
All three pedals are the same height and you need to focus on the nearness of both the accelerator and brake pedals. Once Chapman's regular driver has familiarised himself with the layout he'll then have to be wary of the soft, springy feel to the brakes, due largely to having discs up front, However.when quick stops are needed, hard pushes remove any .3 doubt and bring the
laden 35.403 up sharply.
There's a wide choice of rear axle ratios but the Chapman machine with its 4.11:1 diff takes it to the 56mph legal limit at 1,58Orpm.
MAN's F2000 cab is unchanged: it's made to the usual comfortable yet practical standards with safe easy access, good ergonomics and clear instrumentation.
Visibility is excellent too, although the nearside mirror cluster does almost as much harm as good by blanking off a large area. This becomes more noticeable approaching busy 1junctions.
Chapman's 35.403 can he seen on MAN's stand at the TipCon exhibition where prices will be announced. It looks impressive, drives well and depending on the price should be quite an attraction. CA/ certainly looks forward to taking one around our tipper test route.