DAF brand IF 45 - a durable and reliable truck

Personal computer for office equipment

M. Shelepenkov, photo by the author

The DAF LF series (Light Forte) won the prestigious title of “Truck of the Year” in 2002. Then he was recognized as the best of the best. Is this truck capable of confirming its high performance properties today, four years later? We found out this with the help of a snow-white DAF LF 45.150 van produced in 2002 with a mileage of 198,000 km.

Acquaintance

Formally, DAF LF cars are considered Dutch in origin, but in fact they have an international design. The cars themselves are assembled at an English plant, previously owned by Leyland, but Paccar diesel engines for the LF series have American roots, and cabs for medium-duty DAFs are manufactured in France at the Renault plant. The main specialty of these cute trucks is delivery work in big cities and towns, so it’s not surprising that we got a DAF LF 45.150 delivery van for testing. Moreover, the van is very light, with a gross weight “according to the passport” of only 7500 kg. Although, when you first meet him, you don’t immediately realize his “lightness”. The fact is that the car has a very large body – almost 36 m3. This is what confuses you - when you see such an empty volume, you mentally wonder how much you can load here! But, having weighed the empty car on the scales and obtained the actual curb weight of the van 4850 kg, we calculate the payload of the car using simple arithmetic. Total - 2650 kg... It will not be enough for a body of this volume. But now it is clear that only very light loads can be transported on “our” DAF. For example, office equipment!

Modification 45: operating features and characteristics

Photo: DAF 45.180 with tipper platform

DAF LF45 series trucks are small in size and lightweight, which is convenient for people running small businesses.

At the same time, they are capable of transporting heavy cargo, and this increases the efficiency of using the existing vehicle.

In addition, they are able to travel intercity at low cost. And if you consider that add-ons for various purposes can be installed on the chassis of this series, the value of such a machine increases significantly.

The areas of application of DAF LF45 are very diverse:

• chassis and container carrier with trailing axle;
• flatbed with an open body, as well as with an awning or with sliding curtains;
• vans for various purposes - from manufactured goods to refrigerators;
• tanker truck, garbage truck and fire truck;
• crane, dump truck and concrete truck.

Traditionally, DAF trucks of this design are used both as transport for the delivery of goods and as special vehicles for municipal services or in the construction business.

Characteristics of DAF LF45 (flatbed with awning):

On the Russian market, used LF45 series cars are sold at prices starting from 600,000 rubles. The price depends on the year of manufacture, the type of body and cabin, as well as the technical condition of the car.

Characteristics of the 55th model

Trucks and special vehicles of the LF55 series have a total weight from 12 to 21 tons; as part of a road train, it can increase to 32 tons. The carrying capacity of machines in this series is higher than that of the LF45, so they are mostly used in the construction industry and for intercity transportation.

The 55 series lineup actually coincides with the LF45 series. However, heavier cars also have more powerful Paccar engines:

Wheel configuration on all types of vehicles of the 55 series FA 4x2, with the exception of vehicles with a gross weight of 21 tons. They have an FA 6x2 wheel configuration with a steered rear axle.

Characteristics of DAF LF55 (manufactured goods van):

In Russia, you can buy a used DAF LF55 at a price of 500,000 rubles. But it is important to remember that the truck may require minor repairs and replacement of some parts.

Reviews from Russian car owners can be described as follows: “If you want to give an impetus to business development, buy a light-duty DAF.” In addition to helping to maintain his own business, he will help in its development by using him as a cargo carrier on long-distance routes.

Technique

Further inspection of the car only confirmed this version. One of the features of the DAF LF is long, maintenance-free single-leaf(!) springs in the front and rear suspension. This solution allows you to get a good smooth ride, both when the vehicle is loaded and when it is empty. Moreover, the difference in ride smoothness in these diametrically opposed modes still needs to be felt - and all this without the use of complex and expensive air suspension. Naturally, the smooth running of the car greatly contributes to the careful transportation of goods, including in urban environments.

And its other features indicate the urban purpose of this car. For example, the minimum ground clearance under the rear axle housing. Measurements showed only 170 mm. This DAF is better off staying on smooth roads. It is undesirable to “grab” it at high speed on the highway. Firstly, on this truck the speed limiter is activated at 110 km/h, and secondly, it does not have an aerodynamic fairing above the cab, and the difference in height between the cab and the body is significant. At high speed, this difference has a negative impact on fuel consumption, but in urban mode this should not be so significant. It's a pity that due to the lack of a fairing on the car, we were not able to check this. In any case, this is a car only for the city! And here's another reason.

For such a car, the power of the installed diesel engine (150 hp at 2500 rpm) is quite enough to feel confident in city traffic. But on the highway with a fully loaded car, and even on a long climb, there is a strong desire to have something more powerful under the cabin. But if you do not put engine power at the forefront, you will notice that the main advantage of the Paccar diesel is its efficiency, especially at moderate speeds. At a constant speed of 50 km/h, even a fully loaded car consumes less than 10 liters of diesel fuel, and in the urban driving cycle - no more than 20 liters. I repeat, a fully loaded car!

It only remains to add that this economical Paccar ISBE 150.30 engine is nothing more than a modernized B series diesel engine from the American company Cummins. It has an in-line cylinder arrangement and four valves per cylinder, is equipped with a turbocharger with intercooling and a common rail injection system and meets European emission requirements Euro 3. Together with the engine there was a 5-speed manual ZF gearbox with a very simple and intuitive gear shift algorithm. The brake system of the small DAF is pneumatic and ABS. There are disc brakes on all wheels.

DAF LF 45 car engines

The DAF LF 45 trucks use in-line four-cylinder and six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines; with camshaft drive from the flywheel side and with the same cylinder dimensions - ​107x124 mm.

Thus, the displacement of the four-cylinder engine is 4.5 liters, and that of the six-cylinder GR is ​6.7 liters. Both have four valves per cylinder. Common Rail electronic fuel injection control equipment from Bosch was installed. According to the DAF nomenclature, the engines for LF trucks are called Paccar FR (four-cylinder) and Paccar GR (six-cylinder). In newer versions, the four-cylinder diesel is designated as Paccar PX-5; and the six-cylinder one is like the Paccar PX-7.

But in general, this Paccar engine is nothing more than a B series turbocharged diesel engine from the American engine company Cummins - Cummins ISBe.

In addition to high reliability, the undoubted advantage of the Paccar diesel engine of the DAF LF 45 is its efficiency (especially at moderate speeds). At a constant speed of 50 km/h, even a fully loaded car consumes less than ten liters of diesel fuel, and in the urban driving cycle - no more than 20 liters.

By using new, lower rear axle ratios (up to 3.31:1), the rotation speed of Paccar engines on DAF LF 45 vehicles is reduced by 150-200 rpm when driving at a constant average speed. Combined with engine improvements, this powertrain optimization results in fuel savings of up to 6%, while driver comfort is significantly improved thanks to lower engine noise levels.

The diesel fuel tank capacity of the DAF LF is 45,250 or 350 liters.

Restyling of the LF series

Already during the test of the DAF LF 45.150, a message was received that in May 2006, production of the updated Light Forte (LF) series had begun at DAF factories. Externally, lightweight DAF cars have undergone a slight facelift - changes mainly affected the upper and lower radiator trims; the cars are equipped with new rear-view mirrors and headlights with a slightly different arrangement of optical elements.

But the main thing is that cars are now equipped with new, more economical four and six-cylinder PACCAR engines with power up to 180 hp. These engines use SCR technology, which involves injecting AdBlue (urea) into the exhaust gases so that nitrogen oxide is converted into safe substances: nitrogen and water in the DeNOx catalytic converter. Thanks to SCR, the new engines meet Euro 4 and Euro 5 emission requirements.

The hydraulic cab lift is very compact and is located in a convenient place for work - behind the front wheel mudguard

Transmission DAF LF 45

With a four-cylinder engine, a clutch with a diameter of 362 mm is used, and with a six-cylinder engine, a clutch with a diameter of 395 or 430 mm is used, depending on the tonnage and purpose of the truck.

The gearbox uses five- and six-speed ZF production: with manual shifting, or robotic AS Tronic (in this case the clutch pedal is not required to be depressed, and the operating modes of the gearbox are set by a round switch located on the front panel, as well as by a steering column lever) . An Allison hydromechanical automatic transmission can also be installed (usually on chassis designed for the construction of utility vehicles).

The drive axle on the DAF LF 45 medium-tonnage trucks is of a traditional design, with a single-stage hypoid gearbox and a banjo-type beam. The rear axle also has a mechanical differential lock.

The brake system of the DAF LF 45 is equipped with a pneumatic drive and ABS. All wheels are equipped with disc brakes.

Body

The DAF LF 45.150 is equipped with a universal box body from Ackermann-Fahrzeugbau with an MBB rear electro-hydraulic tail lift. The van body, after four years of intensive use, is well preserved and has a quite decent appearance - this indicates its good quality and careful use by the previous owners. But if the presence of a van body usually does not raise doubts about its necessity and usefulness, then with a tail lift, not everything is so simple.

Of course, in most cases, a tail lift greatly facilitates the process of loading and unloading a vehicle. Such vehicles are in demand in the road transportation market. Often the client is willing to pay extra money in order to facilitate or speed up loading and unloading operations using this device. But the owner of such a car must always remember that a tail lift on a car is at least an additional mass that is constantly carried with you, eating up the useful carrying capacity of the van, as well as additional costs for servicing this mechanism. In addition, despite all the apparent simplicity of control, you must use the board carefully, in compliance with the operating rules, otherwise expensive repairs of this device will be guaranteed. Therefore, when choosing a car with a tailgate, you need to look at whether this option will not be a burden for the owner, because it is sometimes simply impossible to use a car with a faulty tailgate - especially when it is also the rear door of the van, as in our case.

General description and some features

DAF LF trucks have many modifications, including three-axle chassis and truck tractors. But in Russia they are practically never found, and in European countries they are quite exotic.

A typical DAF LF is a delivery truck with a 4x2 wheel arrangement, 17.5-inch wheels, providing a comfortable low landing and loading, and with a cabin that is comfortable even in a short “day” version - a width of 2.13 m and an internal height of 1. 61 m.

Universal van bodies are mounted on the DAF LF 45 chassis, sometimes supplemented with a rear electro-hydraulic lifting tail. The van body, after several years of intensive use, is usually well preserved and has a quite decent appearance.

At the beginning of the modification designation is the letter F, which indicates that this is a cabover truck. Then comes the letter A, which encrypts the chassis for the add-ons. Next comes a space and the name of the model: LF, followed by two numbers of the series: light 45, or heavy 55.

Then there is a dot, after it - the engine power in horsepower, and again a space. The marking is completed by the letter G and the gross weight of the truck (in tons). For example, a truck with the designation DAF FA LF45.210 G12 means “a two-axle 12-ton light truck of the 45 series, cabover design, with a 210-horsepower engine.

The VIN number on English DAF LFs always begins with the same letters XLR as the VIN numbers on Dutch heavy-duty XF and CF vehicles. And you can determine the location of assembly by the letter L in the 11th position of the number - it indicates the plant in Leyland, and not in Eindhoven.

The DAF LF light series 45 chassis has a load capacity of 3 to 7 tons, with a gross weight of 6 to 12 tons. Heavy Series 55 vehicles are capable of carrying from 8.8 to 15.5 tons, and their maximum permissible weight ranges from 12 to 21 tons.

For the DAF LF 45 family, there are 8 wheelbase lengths: from 3000 mm to 5400 mm, and in the heavier family there are 9, from 3250 mm to 6300 mm.

Past

The modern DAF LF series in its design is a further development of the lightweight DAF 45/55 series, previously produced in England. And DAF 45 cars are very familiar to Muscovites. A large batch of such cars (more than a hundred pieces) were purchased by Moscow sausage factories in the mid-1990s. The Cherkizovsky Meat Processing Plant became a pioneer by purchasing a batch of mobile auto-shop vans on the DAF 45.130 Turbo chassis. Other Moscow factories followed his example. As a result of this expansion, the DAF 45 medium-duty trucks gained the nickname “sausage DAF”. But there is nothing shameful in this - this is a manifestation of people's love for this car.

By the way, cars from that batch are still working in Moscow in their main specialty - sausage shops. For more than twelve years...

Cabin

Compared to the large body, the short DAF day cab looks small, but this is an illusion. Inside, it does not seem cramped at all, there is enough space above the passengers' heads - there is even room above the windshield for storage compartments with retaining nets. There is enough free space in the cabin and in the horizontal plane, this is partly achieved by the absence of a second passenger seat. Instead, above the engine tunnel there are gearbox and parking brake control levers, as well as a key-locked box for documents and small items. All this is very convenient, but for urban transport it would still be more useful to have a second passenger seat.

By the way, about the seats themselves. The air-suspended driver's seat is equipped with many adjustments with a wide range of settings, and the seat itself has a pronounced anatomical shape with tides of lateral support. The passenger seat is almost an exact copy of the driver's seat, only it has significantly fewer adjustments. Together with the nice, non-marking dark blue upholstery, both seats leave a pleasant feeling, in the truest sense of the word.

The steering column has a wide range of adjustments, and you can always find a comfortable steering position. The only thing is that the small steering column switch on the right side of the steering column, which controls the windshield wipers, is located so close to the steering wheel that when you lift your hand from the steering wheel to change gears, you often hit it. By and large, this is the only noticed miscalculation in the ergonomics of the cabin.

In the interior of the DAF cabin, all the elements are pleasing to the eye: a nice instrument cluster with round dials, a climate control unit with round knobs, and keys, again with round “dimples.” Everything is very stylish! And among the little things in the cabin, I was surprised by the ashtray - a huge double ashtray in the same block with the cigarette lighter - every time you open it, you want to exclaim: “What, comrade, let’s light one of each?” However, there’s no time for smoke breaks, it’s time to get behind the wheel!

In move

If you forget for a moment that the vehicle being tested must start moving like a “loader” from the second gear, and not from the first, and that the brakes are pneumatically driven (also, by the way, a sure sign of a truck), then the rest of the sensations from The controls of the DAF LF are practically indistinguishable from those of a passenger car! Here, DAF once again confirmed that modern medium-duty trucks are getting closer to passenger car standards in terms of driving comfort. This applies to the general ergonomics of the driver’s workplace and the effort applied to the vehicle controls. Thus, the gearbox shift lever has shift strokes comparable to those of a passenger car, and the pedals have comparable forces.

We coped very successfully with noise on the DAF LF. At idle, the car engine is practically inaudible from the outside and especially inside. A very good indicator for a diesel engine. There are also no vibrations from the running engine on the cabin elements. In motion, of course, you can hear it, and the turbine begins to add its own note to its operation, but overall the noise is moderate, even at maximum speed (in the cabin, you can talk to a passenger without raising your voice).

Technical characteristics of the DAF LF 45.150

As already mentioned, the car has special springs that significantly improve the smoothness of its ride. But due to their softness, they significantly affect the behavior of the car on the road. Especially in corners, where even at low speed the car rolls. Sometimes it even seems that the car may trip over its own front wheel while moving. Of course, it is not only the soft suspension that is to blame for this behavior of the DAF, but also the voluminous body, which with its mass causes such rolls, and the suspension only supports such rolls.

But maneuvering the DAF LF 45.150 in a confined space is a real pleasure - every time in a difficult situation you ask the car the question: “Will you be able to turn or turn around here?”
And, as a rule, you actually get a positive answer. A very exciting game, possible only with truly extraordinary maneuverability of the car. Vehicle fuel efficiency test results

*MEC – main driving cycle.
**IGD – imitation of the urban cycle. Weather conditions during testing

The tests were carried out on the dynamometer track of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise NITSIAMT in accordance with the methodology set out in GOST 20306–90.

The DAF's dynamic performance is also impressive, especially when starting from a standstill and when accelerating in lower gears. Thus, an empty car accelerates to a speed of 60 km/h in just 13 seconds, and a loaded car in 19.4 seconds; Turbocharging, of course, plays a role here. The car reaches its maximum speed easily, although acceleration in higher gears is not so fast. But there is no desire to constantly drive a car at high speed, especially if you remember how unpleasant it behaves in corners. The most comfortable travel speed on this DAF is 80…90 km/h.

There is no doubt that even now, four years after its triumph, the DAF LF remains one of the best city delivery vehicles in its class. DAF managed to create a functional and economical car with a modern design, which today, thanks to second hand, has become more affordable for domestic carriers.

The editors thank you for the provided car.

Peculiarities

Compared to earlier models, the new versions of the truck have become more attractive, comfortable and ergonomic. The manufacturer has also touched upon the equipment, now the DAF LF 45 has more power, reliability, efficiency and productivity.

The power plants used have fairly low fuel consumption for such trucks, which allows the vehicle to make long-distance trips.

The design of the machine also has a number of advantages, one of which is the presence of maintenance-free single-leaf springs in the suspension. In addition to the fact that they do not need to be maintained, they give the model a fairly excellent ride, both with and without a load. This was also positively affected by the air suspension of the rear axle.

During the development process, the manufacturer applied various innovative developments, including:

1. Connect system makes parking much easier. Is our own development;
2. Passenger door with additional glass at the bottom, providing improved visibility;
3. Modern finishing materials for interior cabin elements;
4. Improved design and aerodynamic performance;
5. Unified parts of equipment produced by global brands;
6. New power plants with reduced fuel consumption;
7. High-quality noise insulation and vibration insulation materials that provide the most comfortable working conditions for the driver.

By the way, about efficiency. Due to the fact that the proposed engines used the CommonRail electronic injection system, a fuel distribution device and an exhaust gas processing system, it was possible to achieve complete combustion of fuel, which in turn increased the performance of the engines.

Other advantages of the engines in the DAF LF 45 are good power performance. Maximum torque and power itself can be developed at low engine speeds. The rear axle gearbox has a gear ratio of 3.31:1. This allows the truck to maintain an average speed range at fairly low revs, which also has a positive effect on efficiency.

Just like other trucks in this segment, the cabin of this one is equipped with a convenient step, which greatly simplifies access to the cabin. It is present on both the driver's and passenger's sides.

The number of blind spots has been reduced as much as possible through the use of large rear-view mirrors. These elements have electronic position adjustment and heating, which is very convenient in winter conditions.

One of the key disadvantages, especially for the Russian market, is that the air filter gets clogged quickly. This is mainly due to the location of the air intake and the filter itself, which are installed at a fairly low level.