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SCANIA R114 6x1
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VW 0 ith the advent of 41 and more recently 44 tonnes, one small phrase—VED rates—has made sense of running an artic on six axles. Since the advent of the higher weight limit three-axle tractors have become the clear beneficiary of cheaper VED rates and its now only those operators looking to benefit from an uncluttered wheelbase and larger-than-normal fuel tanks who have carried on running 4x2s.
Scania's R-cab sleeper tractor has become one of its most successful products. Travel up and down the motorway and the sheer number you see—UK plated or otherwise—reflect this model's immense popularity.
It sits taller than the more 'fleet-favourite', shopping trolley, generic P-cab version and does not look as over the top as the top-ofthe-range Topline tractor favoured by ownerdrivers and long-distance operators looking to retain drivers.
It's true that Scania enjoys a healthy reputation for the larger 12-litre and bigger engines. with the io.6-litre version seen as the more modest alternative. But with its more conventional cab layout both bunks are against the rear wall and even the most critical driver will struggle to find much to find fault with.
Product profile
Scania's first subject in our Used Truck Test programme is an 12114LA 6x2 NA38o twinsteer tractor with, as mentioned, the 380 version of the io.6-litre engine. It's a Euro-2 inline six, turbocharged direct-injection diesel producing 38ohp with i,75oNm of torque on tap between 1,050-1.500rpm. It also comes with Scania's GRS900 14-speed rangechange, which is standard on the 380. and is fitted with the mid-steer/lifting axle. T988 FFR was registered on 3 June 1999; during the first three years of its life it ran in Hatswell International colours out of Deeside, Clwyd, clocking up 390,000km.
The company has been running for 25 years and currently has 19 tractors in its fleet with 25 curtainsider trailers. The name of the game is general haulage, and drivers regularly cross the Channel to the Continent. T988 FFR usually ran fully cubed-out rather than at GVW with around six tonnes on board, so this example has not had to work at its full potential very often. Hatswell International leases its vehicles on a repair and maintenance contract during the past three years this truck has had four drivers.
Residuals have remained solid in the past when Scania was on top of the UK truck market. Despite bigger volumes appearing. most famously in Tesco livery, and albeit in P-style, the knock-on effect appears to have been that Scania's used vehicle sales manager has more to sell.
T988 FFR's service history appears to be pretty clean, bar a couple of diff plugs and a power steering pipe. Cynics could argue that after 39o,000kin the major components are primed to go, but that is like seeing the glass half empty.
CAP's opinion of the Ri 14 is favourable, and the list price in the Red Book for Used Commercial Values, July edition, is £29,750 (ex-VAT). Were it a Topline then three grand would have been added. Scania's used vehicle sales manager. Paul Willis, has stuck to a £29,000 (ex-VAT) price tag. Bottom line The lower powered 6x. are normally used f, diminishing loads, so the drive axle does n become overloaded, or for trunking up ar down the motorway from hub to hub. El' operators who believe you need 400hp-pli to haul 44 tonnes should consider our fu and performance figures.
On the tough A-road section through mi Wales from Welshpool via Llandrindod Wel to Ross-on-Wye T988 FFR knocked up remarkable 7.92mpg. It has to be said that v had things in our favour—cool weather, a tot absence of cars towing caravans, and not or tractor out cutting hedges.
The pace through the A-road section pretty steady at 37mph—what traffic the was seemed to be heading in the opposi direction towards the Royal Welsh Show. Builth Wells.
If the motorway figure had been moi impressive then a resounding figure won] ave been notched up, but its run-olthe-mill .93mpg (at an average speed of 47.6mph) roduced an overall return of 8.12mpg.
Scania decided from the outset to run the )ute at 44 tonnes with an 8.4-tonne tractor nd seven-tonne trailer; the overall payload 'as recorded at 28,600kg. Running on six 'des allows the operator to haul an extra iree tonnes' payload despite the weight of ie extra axle.
I n the road hat excellent A-road fuel result provides Dine evidence against the common assumpon that you need at least 400hp to run fully -eighted on six axles. The only thing this fig. re does not reveal is the effect of day-to-day perations at 44 tonnes with 38ohp. Some perators are bound to wonder how quickly it rould wear out a 38ohp engine. It's also worth considering that the operational history of T988 FFR shows that it has consistently pulled very light payloadsindeed this Used Truck Test could well have been the first time it has run at its full GVW.
CM doesn't pretend to have the answer to the durability question; what we can tell you is that the driveline fitted to T988 FFR showed no signs of weakness while trekking over the A-roads of our test route. It maintained a respectable pace on the flat, taking slight rises in its stride. We allowed the extra weight to push us down the descents, mostly in top.
The Dolfor Hill climb was a little slower than previous tests, but this is the heaviest truck to tackle it so far. We got into ioth gear as we reached the finishing post after starting in low range. The climb up Dinmore Hill was also a little slower than usual, partly due to our tester dropping a half gear too much to 4, when 4H would have been the ideal choice. But once there a change back to the right cog would have proved too much. A case of practising what we preach...
The motorway section was pretty uneventful. The driveline struggled a little on the hill climb from the M5/M42 intersection after D Junction t, but unless you get a good run up most fully freighted artics seem to struggle up this climb. Perhaps one reason for a poorer motorway figure was that 56mph was achieved at around 1,500rpm, right at the top of the torque band.
This truck lacked an independent engine/ exhaust brake, relying instead on an exhaust brake air-actuated by the brake pedal. Perhaps manufacturers have spoilt us by equipping new test models with engine brakes as standard, but we certainly missed it. To be fair. descents were pretty well controlled by dropping a cog and using the service brakes.
The 12-speed gearbox, not including crawlers, is an excellent match for the 38ohp engine. It does not offer the 'fine-tuning' of a 16-speed box but it never feels limited like the eight-speeder. We probably made the same number of changes that we would with a i6speed box, although the lack of a gear position in the top left of the H-pattern might sometimes catch unwary drivers transferring from non-Swedish trucks.
Fourth gear felt a little sticky in both high and low ranges when starting from cold, but it improved as the oil warmed up. And while we're in nit-picking mode, the power steering tended to whine when doing its stuff at low speeds.
Cab comfort
T988 FFR's R sleeper cab stands 3,305mm tall—and stands out in the Scania line-up because it is more traditional than the Toplirie
or Solo cabs. Both bunks are fitted to the rear wall, and although there is no flat floor the cab does feel spacious.
This example was also commendably clean and tidy. The footwell is not overly worn and the lettering on the panels and gearstick has not been worn off, suggesting that this lucky truck has rarely spent four hours at a time cooling its heels outside an RDC.
This example of the breed pre-dates driverfriendly drink holders: there is a two-drink holder but it's positioned in the centre of the dash, well away from the driver. However there's a useful tray which is just right for paperwork and a small mantelpiece with rubber matting for pens, mobiles and more pens. The steering wheel adjusts enough to suit most shapes and sizes, and the seat slides back far enough to accommodate even the lankiest member of the CM test team.
The driver's mirror is positioned lower on the arm than many of its contemporaries and this gives an excellent view when tackling junctions and roundabouts; other manufacturers please note.
Summary
Regular readers must be getting bored with this conclusion, but once again the CM Used Truck Test has thrown up a gem.
Its fuel figures are good, especially on the A-road section. but this is a motor that has run consistently well below the six-axle GVV/ limit. Operators who like at least 400hp to run at 44 tonnes are bound to wonder how well the 38ohp driveline will last.
However, the price tag is certainly competitive and the service history is clean, so if it's a GX.2 tractor you're after you'd better get your wallets out and form an orderly queue. We reckon that T988 F FR has a lot to offer.
MI by Kevin Swallow