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FF-ROADER
'Retired' by Paccar, will Fodenis devotees switch
to its Dutch stablemate? CM has driven the new Euro-4/5 Daf CF85 eight-legger with AS-Ironic. NIothing lasts forever.The tried and trusted Euro-3 Daf XE 12.6-litre straight-six turbo-diesel that did so fell in Dafs XF95 and CF85 is now history; in :s place, for Euro-4/5, is the new 13-litre MX Imp which conies with more cube, more ,ower and more torque.Aml the [ownside? Depending on your iew, you might not approve of :s SCR approach.
Last year the Dutch truck Raker not only led the UK narket as a whole —it led every ector in which it competed, ncluding eight-leggers. But vill UK tippermen be as aken with the MX-powered :F85 8x4? Commercial Motor ecently spent a day driving 1 Rouse-bodied example tround Buckingham before inishing up at the Hanson )uarry just outside Oxford, ind we're impressed.
While our CF85.410 had straight)earri front axles (which means it [voids front under-run or FUPS egislation), it was still easy to climb nto, thanks to its wide door aperture indwell-placed grab handles.
3eige is brighter CF interior has been given a makeover, !,aining lighter colours (as opposed to the old )Itie trim) and the predominantly beige finish s undeniably brighter. Whether it will resist he dirt remains to be seen and we are not .ompletely convinced by the crinkly finish of he facia plastic which might trap cement dust. lowever, our Daf 'minder reported that our rnmaculate truck had only just been returned :rum six month's service with an owner-driver mho had sent it back it clean and with no need o resort to any extensive valeting.
The dash layout is typical Daf: big, easy-to7ead dials with all controls within easy reach. file tough vinyl floor covering looks like it will ;c, the distance and the fitted floor mats can be :aken out and washed.
Behind the seats are two decent-sized rilastic storage bins (the right-hand one holds he towing pin so half its capacity is lost). Unfortunately they are fixed, so if you put wet boots in them or hang a dripping coat over them [hey will collect water. Daf should look at the removable bins on the Renault Kerax or Volvo FL which enable you to tip out any water.
That aside, storage is well above average with
a locking centre-console box,deep headlining shelves and plenty of space for odds and ends in the dash. However, we'd still like to see a big bottle holder somewhere.
Our CF85 had the optional 'comfort' air seats in place of the fixed chairs,and if we had the choice we'd go for them They provide excellent support and comfort, even on rough site roads, and if it becomes too bouncy you can simply lock them up.'lbe foot pedals are big enough to let you drive in rigger boots while the decision to shift the AS-Tronic control and park brake into the dash tidies things up immeasurably.
Having spent a day behind the wheel of the fully laden CF85 .410 we can see why so many tippermen and owner-drivers are speccing this kind of power. Most of all it shows when pulling away from a junction or roundabout, going for that gap in the traffic. With the 410 MX diesel's 2,000Nm of torque on tap you certainly won't get left in that embarrassing 'no-man's land',and while hill climbing it barely broke into a sweat. Combine the gutsy 410 MX lump with an AS-Tronic auto and you get a pretty lazy driveline with ultra-smooth shifts, We've long stopped trying to beat the box';nowadays we relax and let the AS-Tronic get on with it, only holding a gear when hill climbing. Trundling around the Hanson site, the 'tortoise' mode (available in forward or reverse) provided impeccable control when backing up under a bucket loader. And with the new MX comes the improved MX engine brake, which can work like a Jake brake off the throttle, providing real downhill holding power. Too had it's an option, however; this technology really ought to be fitted as standard.
From good to better While the CF's1V1X/AS-Tronic driveline combination is impressive,it is outshone by the CF85's ride and hand ling.A laden eight-legger should ride well but this Daf rides better than most, helped by the load-compensating front axles with their interlinked springs.
And the steering is even better. Daf has finally put some feedback into the system so it's no longer too light — and more importantly, it's extremely precise. On narrow country lanes we felt very comfortable clinging to the verge to let an oncoming heavy pass by. •