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FAB CAB
Page 94
Page 95
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NO MATTER how good we may think a product is today, ways can and will be found to improve upon it. With both the invention and introduction of new materials and better quality control it is a natural process for .standards to improve with each new model.
The old model
In the late Sixties the F86 was introduced into the UK with a cab far in advance of anything then being produced on the home market. In the years since then, small cosmetic improvements have been made; overall it has remained similar to the original, but beneath the skin extra strength was added to meet with the Swedish safety regulations.
At a forward planning meeting, some eight years ago, first thoughts of a replacement were mooted. Later the Club of Four cab became available for the lighter range and now forms the basis for the new model. Some panels are common to both, some have been enlarged and yet others are completely new. The result is a wider cabin than was used on the F86 range which, remarkably, continued to gain in popularity so that peak sales were reached in its final year of production.
The F86 cab employed across the range, in many different environments, was popular wherever it was used Nevertheless, it was not perfect in all respects and did have points which came in for criticism. For the taller driver the eye-line through the top of the screen would have been improved had it been a couple of inches higher.
Door pillars tended to be on the thick side while the engine cowl protruded into the middle, dividing the cab into two parts making it strictly a two-seater. On the outside little provision was made for access to the load areas, a factor which was perhaps the most important one for tipper operation.
On the credit side all-round visibility in general terms was good. For tipper work or other stop/go types of operation, the low height of entry could be claimed as a distinct advantage in the reduction of driver fatigue.
Being available in day cab form only was perhaps its biggest drawback. Because of the curved profile combined with double skinning, all bodybuilders, until just recently, have steered clear of producing a sleeper conversion. Tilting the cab by hand could be heavy work if tools were stowed behind the seat or even if the vehicle were parked facing up a slight incline.
Looking at the new model I can see that most of these points have been improved upon but is it possible to cater for all six models and meet their individual requirements?
The new shape, much squarer than before, gives a shorter bumper to back of cab measurement, allowing a longer body length within the previous overall dimensions or alternatively a shorter vehicle. Extra protection has been provided in addition to that required by the Swedish safety regulations. This is built in behind the front panel at about knee height across the full width.
A splayed chassis below enables a full-width radiator to be fitted as well as providing a wide base for the axle springs reducing the effect of roll. To reduce shock loads still further, rubber bushes are mounted to the fore and coil springs to the rear, separating the chassis frame from the underside of the cab.
Excessive movements are damped out by telescopic shock absorbers. The frame-mounted hydraulic pump raises the cab to its full 52 degress of tilt The release mechanism, similarly accessible from the nearside of the vehicle, activates a warning light inside the cab if not properly secured.
A full 90 degrees of movement with each of the doors provides clear access, while directly inside a grab handle built into the end of the facia provides a useful hand-hold as there are two steps to climb before reaching the cab floor level.
For vehicles employed on short trips the actual height of the first step is determined by the tyre dimension of the individual model. Handles, placed below the level of the windscreen, enable the top of the screen to be reached.. with safety.
Lower down, but above the aluminium front bumper, a panel hinges up to expose' the motor and linkage powering the three 600mm (24.0in) wipers.
Windscreen washer nozzles, incorporated in the wiper arms, are fed from a 10-litre (2.2gal) container installed below the cab floor.
Driver comfort
A lot of attention has been paid to the inside to provide comfort and generally good environmental conditions. The driver's seat, for example, is spring loaded and adjustable to the driver's weight even though the cab has its own suspension. Adjustment in height over a range of 65mm (2.5in), fore and aft movement of 130mm (5.0in) and a maximum backrest inclination of 64 degrees in the sleeper version (limited by the back of the cab in the day cab) offers an innumerable choice of settings.
Insulated
Influence by design engineers from a colder climate than ours is evident in that the vehicle is insulated against temperatures as well as noise. The underbody is sprayed with a layer of bitumen while inside a bitumen coated carpet is overlaid by rubber mats in the floor areas, and has looped carpet covering the engine cowl. The gear linkage island has a convoluted rubber gaiter designed specifically to restrict noise transmission from the engine to the cab interior. With a higher floor than in the F86, the cowl does not intrude into the cab to the same extent, permitting movement from one side to the other with little impediment.
A deep facia, covered in cellular foam as added protection against
impact, is divided into three sections. The instrument panel positioned in front of the steering wheel, which has a choice of alternative column angle, is equipped with a strip of warning lights similar if not identical, to those fitted to the F1 0 range. Gauges for oil pressure, temperature/fuel are also included beside the rev counter and tachometer.
The centre position houses controls and vents for the heating and ventilation borrowed from the Volvo car and F10 with outlets to the screen, floor and side windows.
On the nearside, a locker incorporates a removable insert allowing access to the fusebox below, A move to circuit breakers has been resisted with Volvo preferring to rely on the positive safety of a fused circuit.
Deep screen
The deep screen to the front is laminated as part of the safety package, but all other glass in less prominent positions is of the tempered variety. A square profile allows a high and unobstructed eye-line through the screen, while a row of three sun visors provide shaded protection to the front and the sides.
Extra space behind the seats of the sleeper version allow the installation of a bunk fitted with a 100mm (4.0in) mattress which lifts up in sections to expose stowage lockers located below.
A deeper panel behind the doors in the sleeper-cab allows the fitment of larger side windows maximising on the visual aspects of design.
But there will be criticisms that only operating a vehicle can bring to light and although Volvo no longer enjoys a clear lead in cab design over other manumanufacturers, this cab is is of a standard intended to last well into the Eighties.