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ON THE ROAD We took the much larger D26 driveline
Page 62
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in a TGA round this test route back in June and the auto box has exactly the same driving characteristics at 18 tonnes as at 44. The only difference is that the 18-tonner has a better power-to-weight ratio, so it handles hills and standing starts more briskly.
As with the heavier TGA, Ts all about lugging down when fully freighted. Maximum torque is or tap from 1.200 to 1,750rom, but with a low (4.11:1) rearaxle ratio and overdrive box, top gear is 0.81:1 so you will never need more than 1,500rpm at the legal limit. This leads us to predict good fuel consumption, but only a full roadtest would conf irm this.
TipMatic, ZF's automated transmission, is simple: it's D for drive; DM for slowspeed manoeuvring; Afar reverse; and AM for reverse manoeuvring. Simply drop into D —the transmission picks third unless you're parked on a hill — and crack on.
Once on the road you have three choices: leave the transmission alone; pick semi-manual override which lasts for up to 10 seconds; or take manual control via the right-hand steering-column stalk.
We spent our hour journey around Charley, Bolton and Leyland in auto, using the accelerator to control any errant gear changes on tough hill climbs. On our first hill climb, auto moved up and down the box twice to f ind its right gear but we soon got the knack of using the accelerator to achieve consistent speed in gear without resorting to the 10-second override.
Any driver used to multi-drop work with a manual box will appreciate the lower workload, and in heavy traffic the auto change will prolong the life of the clutch and gearbox. Driver retention for rigids is a problem, and a truck as easy to drive as this can only help to keep your drivers content.
The L (distribution) sleeper feels spacious enough and the driver gets an air-suspension seat with plenty of options for positioning. The engine tunnel in our example was bare but there are enough compartments around the dash and doors for drinks, phones and paperwork.