Price: £72,645 (ex-VAT). Includes vertical exhaust (£365) and Wilcolite 15.6m 3
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aggregate body with air operated locking bar and Edbro tipping gear (29,500).
Engine: 11.6-litre, 242kW (329hp). GVW: 30.48 tonnes. Body/payload: 22.06 tonnes. Speed: 67.4km/h (41.89mph). Fuel consumption: 33.971it/100km (8.36mpg).
Afly tipper operator thinking of buying an eight-legger during the coming months is likely to ask if it will be able to operate at the higher 32-tonne maximum weight limit which comes in on 1 January 1993.
In theory most existing models should be able to handle the higher weight limit — as long as their design weight fits the bill and they have the necessary outer axle spread and twin-tyred drive axles with a minimum 1.3m spread.
The problem is, where can you put the extra 1,5 tonnes of payload? Under the new regs an 8x4's drive axles can now go up to 9.5 tonnes apiece, but that only gives an extra 200kg on the bogie as a whole, leaving 1.3 tonnes to go on to the front steer axles,
Of course you can always pile the load high up at the front — that will help get more weight over the steering axles, but with a conventional tipping ram in the way you can't physically push the load any fur
ther forward. What you really need is a forward extension of the body. Sounds like a job for under-floor tipping gear — tipping restraints make moving the body forward an unrealistic option.
The cost of conversion will be high and will have to be added to the massive jump in VED. Those operators who want to run a 32-tonne 8x4 will be stung an extra ,000 for the privilege.
• PRODUCT PROFILE
For those tippermen still pondering our opening question, the answer, as far as the Leyland Daf 80.330 eight-legger is concerned, is "yes". Our test wagon has the right outer axle spread and enough axle and bogie capacity so with the right tyres it will easily handle the extra weight at 32 tonnes.
Since 1990 Leyland-cabbed models have sported Daf model designations. But while the eight-legger is now officially referred to as the 80 Series tippermen will always know it as the Constructor, despite the best efforts of Leyland Daf's marketing team.
Although pursuing an "own engine" policy, Leyland Daf still fits Cummins L10 250 and Perkins Eagle 265 units in the FAD 80,250 and 80.270, while various versions of Daf's long-serving 11.6-litre engine are specified in the narrow-cabbed FAD 80.260 and the 80.300 and 80.330. With such an extensive eight-legger line-up it's small wonder that the company claims market leadership, with 34.6% of the market.
The FAD 80.330 8x4 tipper we test this week became available after the RHA's Tipcon exhibition last year although it was initially announced at the last NEC Motor Show the previous year.
With 242kW (329hp) on tap the FAD 80.330 is the most powerful eight-legger in the range. For tipper work what could be a better match for the 11.6-litre ATi chargecooled engine than a fast acting Eaton Twin Splitter box? Coupled to the durable Albionsourced rear bogie with the fastest of two final drive ratios, the driveline gives a geared speed of 104km/h.
• PRODUCTIVITY
Our test vehicle is equipped with conventional Edbro front-ram tipping gear. With a Wilcolite alloy body this provides for a payload of 20.1 tonnes which is on par with its main opposition. On the road it proved to be quick if a bit thirstier than either the ERF E12.32 or Scania's P113 320, with an overall figure of 331it/100km (8.36mpg). But it performed relatively better over the motorway section than on the A-roads. The gearing would have suggested the reverse of this, because at 96km/h the engine is revving at about 1,800rpm — on the edge of the green band — while in the 60-80km/h band it is supposedly working more efficiently at about 1,250-1,500rpm.
However, the 4.63:1 final drive ratio in our Constructor is the faster of the two on offer and although the slower 4.89:1 final drive would still allow a top speed of 98km/h for occasional motorway operation, it is more suited to vehicles which run on Aroads for most of the time.
Power seems to be an asset at this weight in terms of fuel consumption, for the 80.330 is significantly more frugal and quicker than the Leyland Daf 30.26 (CM 3-9 May 1990) which uses a turbocharged version of the 11.6-litre engine and only managed to achieve 35.91it/100km (7.86mpg). Acceleration often gives an indication to overall journey times and this was no exception. While the ERF is slightly quicker from rest to 80km/h, the intermediate acceleration times, from 32 to 801cm/h, tell the real story of why the 80.330 is so quick over the A-roads.
We include contract maintenance prices in our list of comparisons as a guide to the hidden costs of operating a vehicle. The figures we quote are obtained directly from the manufacturer based on a pence per kilometre costing. After double checking there is no question of anyone quoting haulage instead of tipper rates.
It is of interest that the vehicles in our sample with the highest and the lowest list prices have the two lowest contract maintenance prices which we would expect to be influenced by servicing downtime. This is the case for all three of our comparison vehicles, though not for the 80.330. Leyland Daf quotes a contract maintenance price almost 50% more than for the ERF E12, but the servicing time is almost 50% less.
• ON THE ROAD
While engine power has a large say in performance the transmission also has its part to play. Eaton's Twin Splitter constantmesh box provides a very quick change and even over the CM route, which has only one really testing climb, this can make the difference between dropping one ratio or having to take a second bite. The double split in each of the gate positions also reduces driver effort as the majority of gear changes are made without using either the gear lever or the clutch. It takes a little practice but once perfected is as simple as using a fully synchromesh gearbox. The nifty change certainly paid off over Edge Hill, which has a 90° bend half way up to add to the effect of the incline. With a time of 2min 18sec it was slightly quicker than the ERF E12 and seven
seconds faster than the Iveco 300.34.
The disadvantages of the 80.330's small steering wheel and high gearing ratio becomes most apparent during major/rapid changes in direction. For most of the time it gives a light but positive feel, but turning right at a mini roundabout, for example, involves a hand shuffle that would do credit to a card-sharp.
One thing that eight-leggers have going for them is that they generally give the driver a fairly even ride, even over rough roads. The 80.330 maintains this tradition with the conventional semi-elliptic front and two-spring rear bogie it inherited from Scammell. While body roll is moderately low at existing weights, fitting an anti-roll bar might be a good idea when more load is imposed on the front axles.
Over recent years we have seem a small increase in braking performance but, more importantly, vehicles have become more stable not that this was ever a big problem with eight-wheelers. A full-blooded brake application with the 80.330 gave a controlled stop with good retardation and none of the wheels locked up on a dry track. Even in less ideal conditions multi-axled solo rigids do not suffer from the inherent instability under braking as towing vehicles do at least not to the same degree and as yet there is no suggestion that they should also be fitted with anti-lock brakes. The standard Daf butterfly-type exhaust brake sounds more effective than it actually is, but with a downshift or two on the hills it can still reduce the wear on the service brakes.
• CAB COMFORT
The full-width Leyland day cab offers ample room inside and a depth that allows for full seat adjustment, while leaving stowage
space behind which will be welcomed by drivers. The air suspension seat effectively soaks up the worst of the shocks transmitted from the road surface. Instrumentation is almost clinical and controls are well placed. The hard wearing and easily cleaned grey and black trim is well suited to tipper work, but do tipper operators really need such a big cab? The smaller Leyland cab is narrower, lighter and cheaper and it sits above the same block, albeit without the added bulk of charge-cooling.
The air-operated tail-gate lock, operated from within the cab, is located out of harm's way and avoids the problem that can arise in closing the tailgate using a manual locking bar if it gets bent. We noticed that Leyland Daf now chooses to have the aluminium bodies on its demonstrators painted. It's expensive but it's easier to keep clean and does look smart.
• SUMMARY
Leyland Daf's FAD 80.330 is the most powerful model in a range of five eightwheelers. With the advent of higher weights next year it is the best suited to continue operation throughout the 1990s with an extra 1.5 tonnes of payload. While the Dafengined model used less fuel than earlier eight-wheelers tested from the same stable it did not set any records, though it is certainly no slowcoach.
The large Leyland cab will not suit all operators so the factory would be well advised to pay heed to those operators who ask for the smaller cab, which makes a better option than the sleeper cab for local tipping work.
This would add to the payload potential, making at least a small contribution to the higher VED charge.
I.=1 by Bill Brock