daf fat cf75 - commercialmotor.comhowever, the cf, unlike the xf – 95 and 105 – has rarely stood...

For today’s news visit: www.roadtransport.com32 COMMERCIAL MOTOR 28/01/10

COMMERCIAL MOTOR

Is it business as usual for DAF’s dependable tipper?

DAF FAT CF75.360

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With such a dependable reputation, no transport manager will ever lose their job by buying a DAF CF75, but can a little product evolution and some fine-tuning transform it into a driver’s truck?

Words: Kevin Swallow / Images: Nigel Spreadbury

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34 COMMERCIAL MOTOR 28/01/10

The DAF CF75 is the archetypal all-rounder. Steady and reliable, it forgoes any flashy gimmicks and crafty marketing campaigns more commonly associated with other products on the market. It is, to all intents and purposes, a gaffer’s truck, and the facts don’t lie.

According to the figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, DAF Trucks finished 2009 with 29.8% of the 29,528 trucks registered at 6.0-tonnes and above, placing it first among its peers and producing a market share record for the marque.

In the three-axle rigid tipper market, its presence is even more dominant – one of every two bought was a DAF. That may sound glamorous, but only 225 three-axle rigids were sold with tipper bodies, a number that is further diluted by single and double-drive bogies, and tippers with grab cranes. Moreover, that total is only 6% of the total three-axle rigid market, where 33% of the 3,746 registered last year were refuse vehicles.

The tipper sector has dropped from 431 registrations in 2008, and the whole three-axle market is down from 5,350 units for a similar period. Three-axle tippers aren’t exactly rolling off the production line for any company, and a substantial order from one utility firm or tipper operator could easily change those figures…

Through the early part of this century, before the recession and resultant scaling back employed

by hauliers on their operations and products, driver influence was at its height.

However, the CF, unlike the XF – 95 and 105 – has rarely stood out in a crowd. DAF Trucks has adopted the phrase ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, and little could reinforce that fact more than if we take a look at the previous DAF CF75 test (CM 25 March 2004) and compare it with this one.

Six years ago, it was a Euro-3 version of the vehicle, with a 9.2-litre engine that offered 355hp at 2,200rpm, 4.10:1 final-drive ratio, a standard eight-speed ZF manual transmission and optional ZF Intarder. The chassis had a 4,550mm wheelbase; and it had the original shortened day cab and Wilcox-built 14m3 Wilcolite body.

SPECIFICATIONSManufacturer: DAF Trucks, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3FB

Website: www.daftrucks.co.uk

Engine: Euro-5, six-cylinder in-line turbocharged diesel engine with intercooling using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after treatment

Cylinders: Six, in line

Bore x stroke: 118mm x 140mm

Capacity: 9.2 litres

Compression ratio: 17.4:1

Maximum power: 355hp (265kW) at 2,200rpm

Maximum torque: 1,275Nm (940lbft) at 1,270rpm-1,700rpm

Transmission: AS-Tronic 12-speed automated gearbox

Gear ratios: 15.86, 12.33, 9.57, 7.44, 5.87, 4.57, 3.47, 2.70, 2.10, 1.63, 1.29, 1.00:1; R 14.68

Final drive ratio: 4.10:1

Clutch: Air-assisted, 380mm diameter

Brakes: Dual-circuit full air with ABS. Disc brakes onon front axle, drums on rear bogie

Parking brake: Rear bogie

Secondary brakes: ZF Intarder

Brake dimensions: Front discs, 430mm x 45mm; rear shoes, 420mm x 175mm

Chassis: Steel-ladder frame, with front-under-run protection (FUP), with optional spray-suppression

Dimensions: 310mm (h) x 75mm (d) x 6mm (thickness)

Body specification: Wilcox 13.63 lightweight aggregate body with Dawbarn Wraptor sheeting system

Suspension: Front, parabolic leaf suspension with shock absorbers; rear, trapezium leaf suspension

Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion

Turns lock-to-lock: 4.8

Turning circle: 9.9m

Wheels and tyres: 22.5 x 8.25 in 10-stud wheels with 295/80R22.5 tyres

Fuel tank: 340 litres

AdBlue tank: 45 litres

Electrical system: 24V earth return system

Battery: 2x12V, 115Ah

Alternator: 24V/90A

In brief:

Vehicle: DAF FAT CF75.360Price as tested: £106,090(plus VAT)Engine: 9.2-litre, 355hp (265kW)GVW: 26,000kgPayload: 16,180kg

Test comparison data

Vehicle: DAF CF75.360 TIPPER Tested: 25/03/04

DAF FAT CF75.360

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ROAD TEST

28/01/10 COMMERCIAL MOTOR 35

tyres are 295/80R22.5 and alloy wheels replace the standard steel examples. It has disc brakes on the front axle and drums on the rear.

Options fitted to the standard chassis cab are, and by no means all, an AS-Tronic 12-speed automated transmission, ZF Intarder, polished Alcoa wheels, front camera system, cab side collars, driver’s luxury air seat, hands-free mobile phone kit, 340-litre aluminium diesel tank, hazard beacons, leather steering-wheel finish and central locking.

All of that added to the £88,200 asking price for the chassis cab totals £106,090 (plus VAT).

On top of that is the Wilcox 13.6m3 lightweight aggregate body with front-end lifting gear and Dawbarn Wraptor sheeting system, which costs £14,750 (plus VAT).

Vehicle depreciation on such an outlay, according to price monitor CAP, is £22,500 after three years and £14,875 after five years. Contract maintenance is £5,936.

“In 2010, DAF is using SCR to meet the EU’s Euro-5 emissions targets, but the vehicle’s engine, power and rear-axle ratio remain unchanged”

DASH DETAIL If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. The controls in the 2010 DAF are placed in ideal positions to contribute to a reliable and direct driving experience

Manufacturer: DAF Trucks, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3FB

Website: www.daftrucks.co.uk

Engine: Euro-5, six-cylinder in-line turbocharged diesel engine with intercooling using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after treatment

Cylinders: Six, in line

Bore x stroke: 118mm x 140mm

Capacity: 9.2 litres

Compression ratio: 17.4:1

Maximum power: 355hp (265kW) at 2,200rpm

Maximum torque: 1,275Nm (940lbft) at 1,270rpm-1,700rpm

Transmission: AS-Tronic 12-speed automated gearbox

Gear ratios: 15.86, 12.33, 9.57, 7.44, 5.87, 4.57, 3.47, 2.70, 2.10, 1.63, 1.29, 1.00:1; R 14.68

Final drive ratio: 4.10:1

Clutch: Air-assisted, 380mm diameter

Brakes: Dual-circuit full air with ABS. Disc brakes onon front axle, drums on rear bogie

Parking brake: Rear bogie

Secondary brakes: ZF Intarder

Brake dimensions: Front discs, 430mm x 45mm; rear shoes, 420mm x 175mm

Chassis: Steel-ladder frame, with front-under-run protection (FUP), with optional spray-suppression

Dimensions: 310mm (h) x 75mm (d) x 6mm (thickness)

Body specification: Wilcox 13.63 lightweight aggregate body with Dawbarn Wraptor sheeting system

Suspension: Front, parabolic leaf suspension with shock absorbers; rear, trapezium leaf suspension

Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion

Turns lock-to-lock: 4.8

Turning circle: 9.9m

Wheels and tyres: 22.5 x 8.25 in 10-stud wheels with 295/80R22.5 tyres

Fuel tank: 340 litres

AdBlue tank: 45 litres

Electrical system: 24V earth return system

Battery: 2x12V, 115Ah

Alternator: 24V/90A

Its price tag for the chassis cab was £60,900, and CAP valued it at £25,575 after three years, which would have been 2007, and £16,700 after five years.

According to CAP, its value today is £13,050. The kerbweight for the chassis cab and body with steel wheels, a full 340-litre diesel tank and 75kg driver was 9,625kg, offering 16,375kg net payload. The chassis cab weighed 8,044kg.

In 2010, DAF is using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to meet the European Union’s Euro-5 emissions targets, but the vehicle’s engine, power and rear-axle ratio remain unchanged. Torque is lower at 1,275Nm, and the vehicle’s transmission has advanced from the eight-speed manual, which remains the standard spec, to the optional ZF AS-Tronic 12-speed auto.

Today’s CF75 also has the extended day-cab – there is a choice of sleeper and Space cab, and, like the 2004-test, the 4,550mm wheelbase remains the shortest of the four available; 6,000mm being the longest.

Further specs on the 2010 model include the front under-run protection (FUP), and the rear double-drive bogie is single reduction with cross-axle and inter-axle diff locks. The

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Payload: as tested, kg 16,180

Body/payload allowance: 18,137kg

Service intervals: months/km n/a/30,000 (12); 60,000 thereafter

Servicing downtime: annual hours 6.6 hours

Contract maintenance: per year £5,936

Basket of spares: £1,870

Residual value (3 years): £22,500

Residual value (5 years): £14,875

Dealers: UK 136 (UK)

Warranty: basic cover, months/km 24/unlimited

List price: basic price £88,200

OWNERSHIP COMPARISONS

Fact file: Plated weights

GVW 26,000GCW 29,500Front axle 7,100Rear axle 19,000

Fact file: Test weights*

Kerb weight 9,820Net payload 16,180Body/payload allowance 18,137*With 75kg driver

Service data

Servicing downtime: recommended standard servicing 80,000km/year UK trunking. Contract maintenance: One of a five-year contract, minimum of eight inspections, 80,000km/year UK trunking. Parts prices: Retail total of brake linings (full set); headlamp unit; door mirror, wiper blades; oil/air filters; clutch. Residual values: Trade value assuming 80,000km/year CAP Average Condition. Figures supplied by CAP Monitor. Contact: 0113 222 2000

ROAD TEST

On the latter hillclimb, we employed driver intervention and switched to manual to stop any unwelcome changes.

The truck engine-management system can only read the road it is on, so when we decided to change back up the gearbox, the fact the truck didn’t stall is testament to our belief that a driver can make an informed decision.

Changes came economically, and when it needed a quick shift under duress, the DAF’s transmission obliged.

ZF’s AS-Tronic is a sound application, although drivers will still attempt to second-guess it. Once confidence is gained, though, your time would be better spent second-guessing other – more unpredictable – road users.

Part of driver training is cutting the amount of service braking applied while out on the open road, and DAF’s decision to add the ZF Intarder means a driver can prolong the life of both disc brakes and brake shoes. It does, though, add 70kg plus and £4,400 (plus VAT) to the kerbweight and price, so it does need to be used once it’s fitted.

With the right training, we found that with 70% of situations on the open road, such as entering roundabouts, running into motorway junctions, judging hill descents and corners, the Intarder replaces the service brake.

The truck also includes a camera that works when moving forward at low speeds, a nice touch for site work,

“With the right training, we found that with 70% of situations on the open road, the Intarder replaces the service brake”

With 10 alloy wheels, a full 340-litre diesel and 45-litre AdBlue tanks, a 75kg driver, and additional ZF Intarder, the kerbweight for the chassis cab is 7,863kg, which gives operators 18,137kg for body and payload.

On the scales, the test vehicle with the Wilcox body weighs in at 9,820kg, which offers 16,180kg net payload.

On the road Behind the wheel, very little has dramatically changed in the DAF cab over the years. Its handling is accomplished, and from a low seating position, a driver will feel planted without having to experience any of the lateral movement created by the cab’s suspension that taller trucks tend to incur travelling around corners and roundabouts.

Key to the handling is the 12-speed automated transmission. The transmission controls sit on the left side of the dashboard. To change gear and alternate between manual and auto, you use the right-hand stalk on the steering column. The dash will show which option you are in.

In auto – and when you are on the level – the transmission does like a block change or two to ninth before settling on single changes to top, especially because it has a 4.10 final- drive ratio; top gear is reached by 64km/h

There is a chance the engine’s computer will make an unnecessary change at the brow of a hill or on steeper hill climbs, which negates the temptation to leave it alone. Since the computer errs on the side of caution, a change will be made at the detriment of progress and fuel economy, so driver intervention, or the manual option, comes into play.

On the M42 hill climb, with a short rear-drive ratio, we dropped to 80km/h and 1,650rpm, and recovered before the brow without recourse to change down. On Birdlip Hill, which includes a roundabout halfway up, the climb is more about recovery than it is time. The truck dropped to eighth gear on the initial ascent before easing off for the roundabout and recovering well on the second section of the hill.

CMO_280110_032-039.indd 37 25/1/10 12:33:34


engine

The Euro-5 compliant, six-cylinder diesel engine did everything it was asked to do on the test with minimal fuss

OPeRATiOnAL ReSULTS

Fuel consumption:

Overall

Motorways

A-roads

City challenge

Average speed:

Overall

Motorways

A-roads

City challenge

Hill performance:

M42

Birdlip Hill

Running costs: (Diesel at £1.10/lit; AdBlue at 43p/lit)

AdBlue rate, 4.85% of diesel

Fuel cost, £/100km

AdBlue cost, £/100km

Total cost, £/100km

9.49mpg (29.77lit/100km)

10.88mpg (25.96lit/100km)

8.77mpg (32.21lit/100km)

8.28mpg (34.12lit/100km)

37.3mp/h (62.0km/h)

49.0mp/h (78.8km/h)

37.7mp/h (60.6km/h)

24.5mp/h (39.5km/h)

2min, 15sec

4min, 36sec

32.75

1.58

34.33

and a positive addition in terms of health and safety.

Productivity CM has a new route for

tippers, and with that comes new fuel figures. So the CF75.360 sets the pace for

others to follow. While we were conducting our test, the

weather was still only hinting at snow-covered mayhem. This meant that apart from a brief hold-up

on the motorway for debris, the conditions were good. The new route previously employed by sister magazine

Motor Transport, comprises of three sections: the motorway, followed by the A-roads, and then the city challenge. For this test, the total distance is 254.8km.

On the motorway section, the CF75 enjoyed 10.88mpg, which was its best figure on the route.

Through the A-road section, the vehicle returned 8.77mpg, before achieving 8.28mpg through the city. Overall, this amounted to 9.49mpg with 4.85% AdBlue consumption of the diesel used.

It’s worth stating that overall fuel figures and road speeds are beholden to strong A-road sections.

Fact file: Security

Engine immobiliser ✔

Alarm ✖ (optional) Central locking ✔ (optional) Deadlocking ✖

Secure bonnet ✖

Locking fuel cap ✔

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Cab comfort Day cabs, loved by the boss, loathed by the driver, remain a bugbear, but if there is a guiding light on how to make the most of a day cab, the DAF is it. At 1.13m, the cab floor height offers a low enough entry point to allow a driver sufficient headroom.

Internal measurements include 1,600mm from footwell to ceiling, 1,770mm from windscreen to the back wall, and 2,110mm door to door. All this combined gives the driver 5.97m3 of internal space to operate in – which is more than Mercedes-Benz’s Axor day cab with its extended back wall. Only the Scania R-Series day cab comes close, but this is with a longer cab and a higher cab floor, and less headroom.

There are two steps to the cab floor and two grab handles to ease into a seating position. If you choose the ‘luxury air seat’, you’ll need to raise it as far up as you can to elevate yourself from the CF75’s low seating position.

Even with the seat at full height, the ceiling doesn’t feel like it is pressing down on you like it does with cabs that have high entry points.

The height of the engine cover is on three levels, and a tray emanates from the central console complete with two decent-sized cup holders and a rubber-matted surface.

Further storage is available on top on the central console, and the dash to the left of the steering offers a couple of cubbyholes for phones, coins and a few bits and pieces. ■

DAF FAT CF75.360

CMO_280110_032-039.indd 38 25/1/10 12:34:07



Kevin Swallow

Over the past six years, DAF Trucks has changed its specification to meet the Euro-5 emissions levels and kept pace with its rivals in the automated

transmission market, thanks to ZF. But, other than that, the Dutch manufacturer has stuck to a tried-and-tested formula that still works.

It clearly identifies decision-makers as key to its position as the leader in market share, so its push to produce a desirable driver’s truck can be viewed as realistic, rather than desperate or ruthless.

Today’s version of the CF75 drives, feels and handles much the same as the 2004 version did.

On the road, the truck is direct, it works well when the climate and terrain are demanding, but it’s still relaxed to drive even under duress.

The driver-friendly components – ZF 12-speed AS-Tronic and ZF Intarder – are optional extras, but they also help with fuel economy and extending the component service life of the clutch and service brakes.

Transport managers prefer trucks they know to be dependable, and it’s here the DAF CF75 scores well. Go for the optional extras, and not only will it be a ‘gaffer’s truck’, it will also be a driver’s truck.

TESTS ON THE WEB...

DIMENSIONS xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx

Acceleration:

(seconds)

Braking distance:

(stopping distance, m)

In-cab noise:

dB(A)

In-cab noise:

dB(A)

0-80km/h

48.56

32km/h

Aborted

48km/h

66.5

85km/h

72.0

32-64km/h

19.52

48km/h

Aborted

64km/h

68.1

Tickover

60.7

48-80km/h

25.50

64km/h

Aborted

80km/h

70.4

BEHIND THE WHEEl

Overall width 2,450mmOverall length 7,470mmOverall height 2,850mmCab length 1,770mmCab external height 2,850mmStep heights 460mm/340mm/330mmCab floor height 1,130mm

Cab internal height (max) 1,600mmBody length 5,460mmBody width 2,485mmWheelbase (OAS) 5,550mmFront overhang 1,380mmRear overhang 1,540mmChassis height 1,120mm

Fuel consumption:

Overall

Motorways

A-roads

City challenge

Average speed:

Overall

Motorways

A-roads

City challenge

Hill performance:

M42

Birdlip Hill

Running costs: (Diesel at £1.10/lit; AdBlue at 43p/lit)

AdBlue rate, 4.85% of diesel

Fuel cost, £/100km

AdBlue cost, £/100km

Total cost, £/100km

9.49mpg (29.77lit/100km)

10.88mpg (25.96lit/100km)

8.77mpg (32.21lit/100km)

8.28mpg (34.12lit/100km)

37.3mp/h (62.0km/h)

49.0mp/h (78.8km/h)

37.7mp/h (60.6km/h)

24.5mp/h (39.5km/h)

2min, 15sec

4min, 36sec

32.75

1.58

34.33

You can now find CM’s road tests on the web. We have uploaded hundreds of CM’s in-depth truck and van road tests to www.roadtransport.com – just click on the link at the left, which says ‘Road tests’. There you can search for tests by vehicle type, make and model, or you can go to the manufacturers’ pages listed there.

The tests are complete – with every fact and figure from the print version – and they’re free to access. You’ll also find a list of the road tests on the web at www.roadtransport.com/alltests

Complete CM road tests – all free to access

DIMENSIONS

ROAD TEST

CMO_280110_032-039.indd 39 25/1/10 12:34:42

daf fat cf75 - commercialmotor.comhowever, the cf, unlike the xf – 95 and 105 – has rarely stood...

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