1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184 
Oaf's best AS-Ironic auto box is worth celebration
Page 20
Page 21
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• by Bob Tuck It was rather apt tnat Daf chose to launch the AS-Ironic automated gear-change on the CF range of fleet tractors at the same time that it celebrated 75 years in business.
Ever since Hub van Doorne set up in engineering (initially to make bike racks for the Phillips electrical concern, and repair passing barges) back in April 1928, the track record of what was to become van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek (Oaf) has been very impressive.
Although it went through a traumatic collapse in 1993 before being reborn under Paccar, it can lay claim to such
breakthroughs as engine turbocharging (in 1959), and introducing Advanced Turbo Intercooling (All) back in 1985.
In more recent times, Daf's attitude towards changing technology has always been about getting the introduction timed just right.
So when you hear that it's fitting the ZF AS-Ironic automated gearbox to the CF range of fleet trucks, you'll know that it has been deliberating on it for some time.
And if our brief test drive around the narrowest of Dutch lanes in the worst of May weather is anything to go by, then it's onto a winner. The peace of mind this system gives the driver, allowing him to concentrate on where he's going, and forget about what gear he's in, a extremely impressive.
Unlike some transmission systems that need to be studied carefully—even before you turn the key—the AS-Tronic is as simple as you can get.
Daf gives you a gear lever, if you really want to drive in manual mode, but our instructions were to simply turn the adjacent small knob—mounted close to hand on the engine hump—from N to D and then drive it as an automatic (there's no clutch pedal). As an added option, we did have a fairly effective engine brake—operated by a foot button—while you can also specify a retarder into the 'box.
To go backwards, you turn that small knob to R. And if you're manoeuvring, this small knob can be moved into either a 'tortoise'-signed D or R position for slow speed control.
Although driven as an automatic, the AS-Tronic doesn't have the inherent penalty of heavier fuel use because it's simply an automated gearchange system utilising a conventional dry clutch.
Daf feels sure in its claim that it will (generally) give you better fuel returns, and it does save weight (about 90kgs) compared with a ZF 16-speed manual gearbox.
As an option to a standard manual gearbox in the CF85, the AS-Tronic comes with a price tag of £1,920.
But we reckon this system is so good, it's destined to be fitted into even the smallest of distribution trucks.