The best tractor of the First Automobile Truck tractor with a wheel arrangement (6x4) of the J6 family

The FAW J6 CA3310 is a reliable and unpretentious dump truck from a Chinese manufacturer, having a four-axle chassis with an 8x4 wheel arrangement. This model, like the entire J6 family, has a cabin of its own production.

The FAW J6 CA3310 was introduced to the Chinese market in 2007. The Russian market was supplied mainly with used trucks, whose main drawbacks were poor quality assembly and poor technical condition. However, in 2013, an official representative office of FAW-Eastern Europe opened in Russia, which began supplying new equipment. Moreover, starting this year, warranty service was organized for dump trucks and the build quality was significantly improved.

The main differences between this truck and many other Chinese models are the increased comfort of the interior and a very bright and modern appearance.

Modifications

In addition to the basic version, the manufacturer offers consumers two modifications that differ in overall dimensions (in particular the length of the wheelbase) and the volume of the installed cargo platform.

If a standard dump truck has a body volume of 23 cubic meters, then for its extended modification a design designed for 25.7 cubic meters of cargo is offered. Well, for the short-wheelbase model, a body with a volume of 20.6 cubic meters is used.

It should be noted that in addition to dump trucks based on the FAW J6 CA3310, truck tractors are also produced. The cabin remains the same.

Appearance

Compared to the J5 models, the new J6 family has a brighter and bolder appearance. Like other Asian-made trucks, the FAW J6 CA3310 dump truck has slanted headlights, aerodynamic trims and an elegant radiator grille shape.

The cabin is equipped with massive rear-view mirrors, thanks to which not only visibility from the driver's seat has been improved, but also the number of blind spots has been significantly reduced.

Behind the cabin there is a cargo platform with a rather massive metal structure. The body has a length of 7000 millimeters. The height and width are 1400 and 2300 millimeters, respectively. With such dimensions, the truck is capable of carrying a cargo volume of up to 23 cubic meters.

The front side, located at the rear wall of the cabin, is much higher than the other edges of the cargo platform. The body has side reinforcements represented by vertical ribs. In addition to increasing structural rigidity, these ribs also affect the appearance, making the body appear taller than it actually is.

Power unit

The FAW J6 truck tractor is powerfully equipped even by European standards; its new engine develops 420 hp. Previously, Chinese trucks were content with weak, low-volume engines, which forced them to use highly reduction gearboxes of the main pair. At the same time, the newcomer from under the cab looks suspiciously like the famous Volvo D12 engine.

When studying the design, my assumptions were largely confirmed, especially since the Swedes recently discontinued this model. The FAW CA6DM2 diesel engine, according to official representatives, is one of a new generation of in-line 6-cylinder diesel engines created on the basis of the FAW CA6DL2 engine series. The new 11-litre FAW CA6DM2 comes, as is now common practice, with several power settings.

A 390 liter version is installed on dump trucks. With. and a torque of 1750 N∙m, and on FAW truck tractors the CA6DM2-42E4 engine is tuned to 420 hp. With. and 1900 N∙m. Like the Volvo D12, the FAW CA6DM2 has a camshaft located in a single common cylinder head with 4 valves per cylinder. However, the power system here is Common Rail with an operating pressure of 200 bar, and not with pump injectors, but this is most likely a tribute to the fourth environmental class - now it is easier to do this than to reconfigure the old system, which is already a decade and a half old. By the way, in China there are enough factories that produce injection system components under official licenses.

It is likely that Chinese designers also developed their own engine, albeit with some regard for the legendary D12 prototype. The cast iron block has wet liners, the timing drive is rear-mounted, a power take-off of 1200 N∙m is possible. But here’s an unpleasant feature of a seemingly quite modern engine - just a miniature service interval. The instructions require changing the engine oil every... 10,000 km! Moreover, it should be API CH-4 oil, with SAE viscosity from 0W-40 to 20W-50, which on cars of other brands lasts three times longer and five times longer...

Cabin

This dump truck uses a cabin of its own production. Compared to its predecessors, the manufacturer has noticeably updated the interior of the new model. Moreover, all changes were aimed primarily at ensuring the most comfortable working conditions for the driver.

All the necessary controls are conveniently located on the front panel, as well as large instruments and lighting with optimal brightness. The driver's seat has an air suspension, thanks to which all road vibrations are significantly smoothed out, making work more comfortable. In addition, the seat is equipped with several adjustment options. The driving position is quite comfortable. Thanks to the large glass area, excellent visibility was achieved. This quality is complemented by massive rear-view mirrors, which minimize the number of blind spots.

The main feature of the truck cabin is the presence of a full-fledged sleeping place. The lounger is located immediately behind the seats.

The center console has a lot of compartments in which the driver can store any small items and various documents. As for the interior trim, plastic that is pleasant to the touch is used, as well as soft fabric on the seats.

The standard equipment of the dump truck includes a radio, climate control and an ABS system. Optionally, the model can be equipped with an efficient heater and electric windows.

The cabin is perfect!

The first thing that catches your eye is the giant pyramidal cabin. The internal height from floor to ceiling is almost two meters, the internal width is 236 cm, and along the cabin extends a good two meters and two centimeters. A high ceiling, an abundance of niches for things, two wide sleeping places (lower bunk 220x70 cm), climate control and an autonomous heater - yes, this is Europe! The positive thing is only slightly overshadowed by the long motor tunnel with a height of 36 cm. It has long been known that drivers of such road trains often stand idle for a long time loading/unloading, and generally work according to a rotation schedule. Therefore, such a gift in the form of a comfortable home will certainly be duly appreciated.

By today's standards, the front optics are simple and unsophisticated, and the coupling station will not interfere with raising the cab; you don’t have to worry about hoses and cables

In a word, you can live, but now I’ll try to evaluate the cabin and workplace from a technical point of view. I open the hood and admit that the radiator of the cooling system, intercooler and air conditioning heat exchangers are successfully arranged here. They are installed sequentially, one after another, right behind the trim panel, but the mosquito net is not provided even as an option, and to check the oil dipstick, you have to lift the cabin (although the cabin lift mechanism is electrically driven!).

Adding fluid to the windshield washer will also require demonstrating dexterity and flexibility. But the expansion tank and power steering supply tank are installed behind the cabin, which is quite convenient. There is also a plastic box with a sealed lid, the filling of which stores power fuses and relays. The electrical wiring harnesses are neatly laid out in black plastic corrugations; there are no frankly rough twists or creases to be seen anywhere, and that’s not a bad thing! But I would also like to place a couple of fittings for emergency air supply in a convenient area. By the way, the cab suspension is four-point - on spring struts at the front, and air springs at the rear.

Loading platform

The FAW J6 CA3310 model has a rock loading platform made of metal. The body has a tailgate and a special lifting mechanism located between the cabin and the body itself. It consists of a HYVA brand hydraulic cylinder.

The body itself has a thickness of all walls of 6 millimeters. The thickness of the metal on the bottom of the body is 8 millimeters.

Depending on the modification, one of three platform options is installed on the chassis. The standard version has a volume of 23 cubic meters, while the other two have a volume of 20.6 (short-wheelbase modification) and 25.7 cubic meters (long-wheelbase modification).

Specifications

Engine

For the FAW J6 CA3310 model, the manufacturer used a six-cylinder diesel power plant of the CA6DM2–39E4 brand, which has an in-line cylinder arrangement and an electronic fuel system. This engine has a displacement of 11 liters. Its maximum output power reaches 390 horsepower. The maximum torque is achieved in the range from 1300 to 1700 rpm and is 1750 Newton meters.

It is also worth noting that this power unit complies with Euro-4 environmental standards.

checkpoint

Depending on the configuration, the dump truck can be equipped with a non-synchronized manual transmission of the CA12TAX190M brand or a synchronized, also mechanical, type 12 JSD180TA gearbox. Both transmission options have 12 forward gears and two reverse gears.

These gearboxes operate with the engine through a dry single-plate clutch, which has an amplifier and a hydraulic release drive.

Brake system

The truck is braked by a pneumatic dual-circuit braking system, one circuit of which operates the brakes on the rear bogie and the other on the front axle.

Each wheel is equipped with drum brakes, which are classic for this type of equipment.

Chassis

Like other trucks, the Chinese model FAW J6 CA3310 used dependent suspension, both front and rear.

The suspension consists of longitudinally located semi-elliptical leaf springs. At the front, in addition to this configuration, bidirectional hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers are installed.

dimensions

1. Full length (base) – 10290 mm;
2. Full width (base) – 2495 mm;
3. Full height (base) – 3450 mm;
4. Wheelbase length (base) – 3600 mm;
5. Front bogie wheelbase length (basic) – 2100 mm;
6. Rear bogie wheelbase length (basic) – 1350 mm;
7. Full length (short wheelbase) – 9540 mm;
8. Full width (short wheelbase) – 2495 mm;
9. Full height (short wheelbase) – 3450 mm;
10. Wheelbase length (short wheelbase) – 3200 mm;
11. Front bogie wheelbase length (short wheelbase) – 2100 mm;
12. Rear bogie wheelbase length (short wheelbase) – 1350 mm;
13. Full length (long wheelbase) – 11090 mm;
14. Full width (long wheelbase) – 2495 mm;
15. Full height (long wheelbase) – 3450 mm;
16. Wheelbase length (long wheelbase) – 4300 mm;
17. Wheelbase length of the front bogie (long wheelbase) – 2100 mm;
18. Rear bogie wheelbase length (long wheelbase) – 1350 mm;
19. Ground clearance – 320 mm;
20. Load platform length (basic) – 7000 mm;
21. Load platform width (basic) – 2300 mm;
22. Side height (basic) – 1400 mm.

FAW J6: our review

Henry Ford said: “The best car is a new car.” You remember this when the question of purchasing a tractor or dump truck on a limited budget comes up on the agenda. The choice of Chinese-made equipment is becoming relevant, and here the FAW brand stands apart.

Soviet roots of the Chinese company

It’s hard to believe, but the First Automobile Works company, better known as FAW, was founded in the middle of the last century with the participation of the USSR. The decision to help the fraternal Chinese people was made under Joseph Stalin. Construction of the main production site of the state-owned enterprise began in the city of Changchun (Jilin Province) in 1953 under the leadership of Soviet specialists. Later, they started producing licensed ZIS-150 flatbed trucks, which were called Jiefang (Liberation). The emblem was a chrome unit with outstretched wings. Initially, the factory produced trucks exclusively for the domestic market, but since 1957 it began developing the Asian region, and then set its sights on a wider geographical area.

Mixer based on a three-axle FAW J6 chassis

Currently, under the FAW brand there are 27 enterprises engaged in the production of cars, units, spare parts and components. The state employs about 133 thousand people. The company's products are supplied to almost half the world - more than 80 countries on different continents. Before the 2008 crisis, sales volume exceeded 7 million units. equipment (in 2011 - 2.6 million units), and capital amounted to 14.5 billion US dollars. The number “1” in the emblem also reflects FAW’s real position in the ranking of the largest industrial enterprises in China: it retains its leadership. For several years in a row, FAW trucks arrived in the Russian Federation under gray schemes, and only in 2007 the official representative office of FAW Eastern Europe LLC was opened. At one time, we even considered a project for organizing an assembly production facility in our country, but for some reason it didn’t work out in the end... Today in Russia, the FAW brand is represented by a wide network of dealers involved in the sale of cars and spare parts. This circumstance makes us look at FAW trucks as worthy of attention when forming, updating and replenishing the vehicle fleet of a transport company and means of production for individual entrepreneurs.

Closest competitors

Reasonable and sufficient alternative

FAW equipment has a lot of competitors on the Russian market. On the one hand, these are expensive, but very reliable European classmates: DAF, IVECO, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Scania, Volvo. They take longer to pay for themselves, but they have longer service intervals and a higher residual value. On the other hand, competitors are Belarusian MAZs and some KAMAZ models that are adequate in price and cost, spare parts for which can be purchased on every federal highway and in almost every vehicle fleet. On the third hand, the alternative consists of durable, but more expensive analogues of Korean (Hyundai) and Japanese (Hino) production.

The Turkish Ford Trucks with its Cargo model stands apart. However, the most serious rivals are “countrymen”, i.e. commercial vehicles made in China. There are not just a lot of them, but a real darkness, and every year there are more and more vehicles of Chinese origin: CAMC, Dayun Truck, Dongfeng, Foton, Howo, Sinotruk, Shacman, Shaanxi. In this palette, whatever one may say, FAW products occupy a very worthy place.

The famous Belarusian ensemble “Pesnyary” for many years performed a song in which there are the following words: “Nyama, what used to be.” Now they are used jokingly to characterize Chinese technology, but exactly the opposite. The first Chinese trucks that arrived in Russia were far from perfect. The cabin was covered in rust in the first months of operation, the interior plastic creaked, the wiring rotted within a year, and a number of components required overhaul and replacement. Cars had difficulty starting in cold weather, and the chassis quickly failed when off-road. Various components made in China often broke down, and spare parts for them took forever, and did not cost a penny. Today the situation has changed radically, although some stories still circulate on the Internet.

Quite comfortable cabin, with two berths

Carrier reviews: speculation or reality?

A collection of misconceptions is often based not on one’s own, but on the experience of others. On various forums, every now and then there are diametrically opposed reviews about the work of the “Chinese” in Russia, from extremely negative to overly positive. Pessimists even use the term “Chinese” with a hint of low consumer properties. What do such carriers write? They say that all of “China” is a copy of “Europe”, only of poor quality. They say, a year and a half of active use - and to the wall, for donor organs. Optimists object: the “Chinese” ones quickly pay for themselves and are repairable. In addition, in terms of their technical characteristics, the same FAWs will give a head start to MAZs and KAMAZs. Their cabin is larger and more comfortable, and their load capacity is excellent. However, it’s time to consider not virtual, but real cars.

Truck tractors: 4x2 and 6x4

The first Chinese FAW brand vehicles imported into modern Russia were J5P series tractors. Based on them, an idea was formed about the pros and cons of graduates of the Chinese automobile industry. However, the volumes of deliveries were small, and carriers paid the main attention to FAW J6 truck tractors, which entered the production line in 2008. They began to be supplied to Russia with engines of 8.6 liters (350 hp, Euro-3) and 11 liters (420 hp, Euro-4). Older versions had a 12-speed manual gearbox without synchronizers, and later a 16-speed ZF gearbox and a reinforced clutch appeared.

A unit with spread wings is a FAW trademark

Despite the fact that the cabin with a berth on a 4-point suspension turned out to be quite comfortable for regional and interregional delivery of goods, no one considered this type of rolling stock as a means for international transportation. The basic equipment of the FAW J6 included air conditioning and an audio system, but electric windows and an automatic cab lift were options. The carriers complained about a number of nuances and, in particular, that it was problematic to do engine diagnostics on this car. At the same time, the motor allows you to drive road trains at speeds of up to 100 km/h. But the 600-liter fuel tank turned out to be too small for the Russian expanses. Prices for brand new FAW J6 two-axle tractors with a new cabin are at the level of 2.55 million rubles, for three-axle tractors - approximately 2.75 million rubles. The cost may be less if we are talking about seasonal discounts, warehouse liquidation, or sales from the previous year's car lot. It may be higher if it was purchased for dollars, the exchange rate of which grew by leaps and bounds in November of this year.

The most popular four-axle vehicle among builders has an impressive body volume of 27.5 m3

Dump trucks in 6x4 and 8x4 versions

The purchase of a new FAW J6 dump truck in the 6x4 version (model CA 3252 R2K2T1A) costs 2.3 million rubles, the 8x4 modification (model CA 3310 R66K24T4E4) costs 3.1 million rubles. This is significantly more expensive than three years ago, but nothing can be done - these are market realities. The most popular 4-axle dump trucks are equipped with a 350-horsepower 8.6-liter engine with a Bosch injection pump, a 380-liter fuel tank, a Hyva front hydraulic lift and a body measuring 7500x2300x1500 mm with a useful volume of 25.7 m3. The engine power is enough to carry 25 tons of cargo uphill. The main thing is not to pour diesel fuel on the left and not to “press the slipper” when accelerating like on a Ferrari.

With proper attitude and care, you won’t have to invest in the engine during the payback period of the dump truck. Fuel consumption on loaded 6x4 dump trucks is about 42 l/100 km, on 8x4 – from 45 l/100 km. In the absence of a large overload and careful off-road driving, the bridges do not crumble and are also nursed until they are sold or transferred to the donor category. As with tractors, metal parts of the frame and chassis quickly become rusty. The appearance is unsightly, but does not affect the performance properties in the first years of service. In the end, everyone understands that the “Chinese” are not long-livers.

Dry residue: cons

Summarizing the reviews of Russian carriers on FAW trucks, we can state: they are definitely better than their domestic classmates, but worse than the “Europeans”. With one caveat: income/expenses must be calculated, and it is not a fact that FAW will lose to its European counterparts in terms of profitability.

The four-point cab suspension is rigid and less comfortable than on the “European” pneumatic ones. Drum brakes are less effective than disc brakes on EU cars. The Achilles heel of 8x4 dump trucks is the outboard bearing (cage), so it is advisable to have a spare one with you. On 6x4 and 8x4 dump trucks, drivers often disable the inter-wheel locking, because there is no desire to spend money on replacing damaged driveshafts. It’s no secret that tractors and dump trucks made by Chinese manufacturers are not without problems and shortcomings, which forces carriers to be smart. For example, instead of coarse filters, they install separators, since injectors are very sensitive to fuel quality. For preventative purposes in the autumn-winter period, flimsy electrical wiring is treated with silicone, protected with electrical tape or coated with water-repellent grease.

It is better to immediately change tube tires to tubeless tires size 385/65 R22.5. Pale and ineffective low beam is usually enhanced by additional headlights: this affects both driver fatigue and safety. Some carriers complain about the ill-conceived design. For example, it is difficult to remove the tips from the bipod - you need to unscrew a lot of bolts. Even the air filter is not easy to change - it takes a lot of time. During heavy rainfall, water flows through the air intake to the first air filter and very quickly floods it. The kingpin is characterized by play already in the first months of operation - approximately 30 thousand km. Sometimes minor malfunctions such as failure of the speedometer and other instruments are annoying. However, everyone has their own problems.

Positive aspects: there are still more advantages!

Despite all the shortcomings of Chinese cars, they also have many advantages. And not declared by the manufacturer, but confirmed by operating practice. For example, the motor power is enough to handle heavy loads. 6x4 tractors can handle loads as part of road trains with a gross weight of up to 43 tons, and carriers load up to 42 tons on 8x4 dump trucks. The design of the bridges allows them to cope with this weight, the frame does not twist and the bottom of the dump bodies does not crack. In frosts down to –20–25 ºС, FAW engines start without any problems. The diesel fuel return goes through the “head”, and there are no problems with paraffin and freezing.

According to various estimates, FAW truck tractors are effective in the first two and a half to three years of operation, provided that the annual mileage does not exceed 100 thousand km. Dump trucks have a slightly shorter active period – one and a half to two years. During this time, the cars manage to pay for themselves and even make a profit. It is during such periods of time that this technique is considered the best way to make money. With longer use, the costs of Chinese trucks rise, and their commercial appeal melts away, like a jellyfish in the sun. It is not surprising that many carriers squeeze everything they can out of their charges, and then put them up for dismantling or sell them on the secondary market.

By the way, in the Chinese commercial vehicle reliability rating, out of 12 brands represented, FAW is in second place, and that means something!

Alexander TROKHACHEV (photo by the author and DALNOBOI.ORG)

Peculiarities

The FAW J6 CA3310 model is a very modern, very comfortable and reliable tipper truck that can be used in almost any conditions. Its frame has an impressive margin of safety, thanks to which the equipment can withstand overloads without any problems, but such operation is still not recommended. Despite having a lot of its own advantages, this model differs from its Chinese and European analogues in its adequate cost. There are not many disadvantages of this dump truck and they are mainly related to operation. For example, the design does not provide for work with semi-trailers, but if a coupling device is installed, the warranty automatically expires. Another drawback, related to the quality of the model itself, is the low-quality paintwork. Because of this, the metal elements of the truck begin to rust quite quickly. As the owners note, the first signs of rust appear after three years of operation.

Previous models, namely the J5 family of trucks, had the most simple appearance. In the new models, which received the J6 index, the appearance was taken more seriously and as a result the trucks received a modern and very original design. There are aerodynamic body panels, slanted headlights typical of many Asian trucks, as well as side glazing with original contours. If you look at the cab from the side, you will immediately notice the stampings that cover the front area of ​​the door, the rear part of the side wall, and the door handles. Moreover, in the latter, the stamping is made in the form of a wide line ending at the rear wall of the cabin. There is a hanging spare wheel installed behind the cab, which is also visible to the naked eye.

Not only has the exterior of the new truck's cabin been redesigned, but the interior has also received many different changes. The manufacturer tried to make the cabin more comfortable and convenient compared to its predecessors, and it worked out quite well. The interior is equipped with an ergonomic front panel with clear indicators and a comfortable seat equipped with air suspension and several adjustment options. Immediately behind the seats there is a full-fledged sleeping place, and quite comfortable.

The ease of use was also influenced by visibility, which here is truly at a very high level. Firstly, this is due to the large glass area, and secondly, the rather high driving position. As for blind spots, the manufacturer has significantly minimized them by installing large rear-view mirrors covering a fairly large area.

The standard equipment of this dump truck is equipped with a hydraulic lift of the cargo platform located immediately behind the cab, a heated platform, an ABS system, two batteries, a steering column with height and reach adjustments, a radio with USB ports and a radio, headlights with electrical adjustment, fabric upholstery, climate control, cabin air filter, mechanical window lifters and a cabin-mounted deflector. Installation of electric windows is offered as additional options.

It is also worth mentioning the loading platform separately. The truck body is a rather massive metal structure with additional stiffening ribs on the walls. Metal 6 millimeters thick was used in the walls. For the bottom of the platform, the thickness was increased to 8 millimeters. All this, together with the stiffening ribs, provides a truly impressive margin of safety, which also allows the dump truck to work with loads exceeding its maximum carrying capacity. As described earlier, the body is heated. This system uses exhaust gases launched into the free space between the frame and the platform itself. Thanks to heating, when operating in conditions of low negative temperatures, bulk cargo does not stick to the body, which is very convenient. Unloading of cargo is carried out by a hydraulic lifting mechanism of the HYVA brand.

Transmission and chassis

The clutch and gearbox installed on the FAW CA4250, manufactured by ZF, are so traditional that they do not raise any questions in terms of maintenance and maintainability, including outside official FAW workshops.

Torque from the engine is transmitted by a Sachs MFZ single-plate diaphragm clutch with a driven disc diameter of 430 mm, then the baton is taken over by the well-known 16-speed manual gearbox ZF Ecosplit 16S221OD, but made in China. Its drive works quite clearly, but the effort is too great.

The main gear, like on a dump truck, is spaced apart, with hub planetary gearboxes, the middle axle is through. The most interesting thing is that the FAW J6 4x2 main tractor uses a single hypoid drive axle.

But on the three-axle version of the tractor, I see a kinship with the dump truck chassis. These FAW axles have five possible gear ratios: 5.13; 5.73; 5.77, 5.93 and 4.327 – the same as our test tractor. Recent axle upgrades have added an additional oil pump to improve differential lubrication on the through axle. Another help in the work will be standard center and cross-wheel differential locks.

Like transmission solutions, much of the construction tractor has been carried over from the dump truck chassis. The full-length double frame is of the “spar-in-spar” type, the profile height is 320 mm, the flanges are 90 mm, the thickness of each side member is 8 mm, there are also additional reinforcements. The suspension is quite standard: there is a package of nine sheets in front, and 11 sheets on the rear balancer.

In the reaction bars of the rear balancer suspension, almost all the hinges are made on silent blocks. The brakes on all axles are drum. Pneumatic equipment is licensed from Wabco, including a Chinese-made anti-lock braking system.

Technical characteristics of FAW CA4250 P66K24T1A1E4 6x4

Price

Now the standard equipment of a new truck, which does not contain any additional equipment, has a cost ranging from 3.9 million to 4.5 million rubles, depending on the number of installed options, year of manufacture and modification. The maximum configuration of this dump truck costs 5 million rubles.

But in addition to official dealers, you can also purchase a FAW J6 CA3310 truck on the secondary market. Here, the cost is reflected in factors such as equipment, year of production, mileage, and technical condition. As for the cost itself, the price tag for this option varies from 1.2 million to 3.5 million rubles.