Twenty’s Plenty!
These days you have to make every last drop of diesel count. DAF’s LF45.160 Euro 5 EEV made easy going of our Scottish test route whilst staying above the magical 20mpg figure on every sector. John Henderson feathers the throttle on this frugal and functional 7.5 ton distribution truck. AUTOMATED gearboxes have been around for some time now, mostly in the larger sector of the commercial vehicle markets, but thankfully these labour saving devices are appearing on some of the lighter more compact trucks which perhaps should have had them first! Take for example the distribution spec 7.5 tonner, such as this DAF LF45.160 which I recently evaluated on our Scottish test route. On city centre multi-drop, weekday work, the AS-Tronic gearbox must save literally hundreds of manual gear changes, whilst also minimising left foot strain and driver distractions, thereby leaving the occupant of the cab free to concentrate exclusively on the busy traffic around him or her. Only DAF and MAN offer these logical gear change options at present and Iveco’s recently launched Eurocargo will be delivered shortly in the UK with their ZF Eurotronic as standard. Delivery drivers across the land will appreciate that the tide is now finally turning and the days of gearsticks and clutch pedals may well be numbered. A bright morning and an even brighter truck to test were my initial thoughts during the detailed exterior inspection at Abington services. Elected ‘International Truck of the Year,’ in 2002, the LF has since enjoyed some subtle exterior and interior improvements and my steed for the day looked quite cutting edge, with the pleasing cab lines, complemented by the colour coded air deflector and side collars, all dimensionally matched to a Bevan Group box body with side skirts and aerodynamic features. Just one easy step brings you aboard the LF and the first thing that struck me was the quality ‘big cab’ feel, which is due partly to DAF’s logical sharing of in cab equipment and furnishings. Having driven a fair number of XF and CF models in the past few months, driver acclimatisation was completed fairly swiftly and once the fuel metre was zeroed and all start measurements taken, I was off heading north on the M74, supervised closely as usual by the Dutch manufacturer’s demonstration supremo, Richard Kingston. The northbound carriageway was relatively clear of traffic and I quickly settled down to the LF’s speed limited progress. With the cruise control engaged at 56mph the DAF settled down nicely with minimal noise inside the cab. First impressions after 15 or so minutes were of a solidly constructed commercial vehicle, which handled well and generally oozed quality inside and out. The quiet roads continued on our side anyway and as our run took place on the day before the UEFA cup final in Manchester, the busy traffic across on the southbound side was a continual sea of blue flags and scarves, all waved on their way by droves of fellow Rangers supporters on every over bridge! Thankfully the LF’s windscreen and door windows have a deep reach and with outward visibility being excellent I was occasionally able to quickly glance over at this unusual spectacle when it was safe to do so. DAF offer a choice of four or six cylinder engines for the LF, with power outputs ranging from 140 to 285hp. Our truck came with the Paccar FR118 unit which delivers 160 eager horses between 1,900 and 2,500rpm. With a Euro 5, Enhanced Environmental Vehicle (EEV) specification 600Nm of torque is available from 1,200 to 1,800rpm. Loaded with concrete ballast to the maximum permissible weight, this engine was still punchy and never out of its depth. I was initially convinced that it was a six pot plant, such was the smooth delivery of torque and power. The DAF EEV engine is a recent introduction with units having even lower emission levels than those required by the stringent 2009 Euro 5 standards. By combining SCR with a passive soot filter, particle outputs are reduced to levels even lower than gas engines and almost achieve a zero noxious emissions amount, so this yellow lorry is pretty green under the skin! Providing the varying ratios to the 3.73:1 single reduction rear axle, was DAF’s AS-Tronic six speed gearbox. In past tests of the Dutch trucks I’ve occasionally felt some fine tuning was required with the AS-Tronic set up, but this time with the LF, my previous concerns were blown away by the superb operation of the system, whether in traffic or out on the open road. Although manual operation can be facilitated by selecting M on the main dial and using the rocker switches, I elected to run the whole day in automatic and never once did I question a ‘change’. The well sorted software allows the LF to lug right down in the torque’s green band and both timed hill climbs were easily ascended in top gear. Unnecessary shifts harm the fuel consumption, but there was no fear of that with this particular DAF as all the sectors produced results above the 20mpg mark. The three good diesel returns matched the terrain predictably, with the first and third sectors delivering slightly more challenges in the way of the demanding geographical topography. Although the Transport News Scottish route is widely acknowledged as one of the most difficult in the UK, these fuel figures would have been even better if it was not for a stiff easterly breeze which increased throughout the day and was more noticeable in higher altitudes. Back to the test though and the unusually quiet roads brought us into the lunchtime stop at Kinross services with a quick journey time of only 1 hour and 54 minutes. This long, first sector was effortless for the LF and being overtaken at Blackford by a minibus full of Masi warriors in battle dress and the aforementioned ‘gers fans were the only two remarkable events in what was a most pleasant morning’s driving. This 4.3 metre wheelbase truck may feel big from the inside, but on the narrower sections of the Fife loop, it was easy to position at all the pre-noted danger spots. Good sized exterior mirrors came with the optional electric adjusters and these lenses offered panoramic views of following and overtaking traffic, whilst creating a bare minimum in the way of blind spots. Progress at 50mph on the twisty two way stretches, was good thanks to the front steel/rear air suspension set up which is complemented by shock absorbers and stabiliser bars on both axles. Even taking the low load height and centre of gravity into consideration, the DAF showed no perceptible excessive roll or pitching. The soft grip, leather finish steering wheel is a nice option and its power assisted system’s components worked well, offering real pin point accuracy with cornering or minute straight line adjustments and corrections. To provide a slightly more realistic comparison to the larger vehicles that have covered our test route, I ran the dual carriageway sections at 50mph. This should hopefully prove its worth when testing 18 tonners in the future as this benchmark should allow me to look in more detail at operating costs versus payload. The villages of the ‘kingdom’ and the subsequent cross over to Edinburgh’s bypass, offer plenty of opportunity to monitor retardation levels and the LF shone in this department too, with its brace of stopping systems. The extremely effective exhaust brake is activated and cut by the innermost on/off switch located on the left hand spoke of the steering column. On longer downhill approaches to roundabouts and junctions I found this unit really bit well, taking away a big percentage of the service unit’s requirement. Depressing the foot brake brings in dual circuit, full air units which immediately slow the ventilated discs front and rear. Performance of these anchors was spot on at all times, with a predictable and graduated pedal travel offering reassuring deceleration, whatever the situation. Steel wheels with shiny alloy embellishers adorned this test truck and the Continental Regional Traffic 215/75R17.5 tyres had no wet roads to contend with, but still delivered accomplished road holding. The home straight via the challenging A702 trunk road was tackled with gusto and the wee LF made short work of all the long uphill drags, again with the minimum of gear changes required. Despite being baulked by a car-towing recovery van for five minutes, the DAF still returned a quick journey time and an average of 20.85mpg. When it comes to cab comfort it’s a great barometer when, on returning to Abington after nearly 200 miles, that no aches or pains are noted and few trucks run have made this grade so far. I’m happy to say that the DAF LF45 joins this small group of notables as with the support of the optional Luxury Air drivers seat, I felt as fresh as when I started the run over six hours previously. This cab is available in day or sleeper variants and it’s a great place to do a day’s work. Drivers who are lucky enough to get a bed in the back will appreciate the 70cm wide mattress’ length of two metres. Add the 12cm thick dimension and you get one seriously inviting bunk! There’s plenty of stowage space above the windscreen, in the doors and even a wide net on the back wall of our day version. All the main controls are well within reach and the high backed seats in whatever specification is chosen, are supportive and well cushioned. The angular dashboard is well shaded from reflected light and offers superb clarity for ‘at a glance’ monitoring. The steering column unlocks manually for any height and reach adjustments required. Despite going over the interior several times with a fine toothcomb, I could not find a single issue of concern, so top marks to DAF’s designers, car builders at Lille and factory assemblers at Lancashire. The DAF LF45 makes easy work of anything that is asked from it. Whether it’s used on high street distribution work in stop start conditions or long distance transport of light goods, this truck will always deliver the goods in any criteria. Managers will approve of the fuel consumption returns and reliability figures, whilst drivers will take great comfort from the high interior standards of the ‘office’. With everyone a winner, it’s no surprise that the LF is one of the most popular rigid trucks on our roads today, carrying out a huge variety of tasks.