Truck & Driver Summer 2019^81
a bit too soon, so we found it
best to override it, leaving the
’box in automatic mode.
In most situations Eco mode
is the right choice. We are well
aware of the importance of
getting the best possible fuel
returns, but some systems can
be quite irritating when trying to
achieve a decent journey time at
44 tonnes in hilly country.
Previous-model Dafs could
fall into this trap; the engine was
de-rated in Eco mode and it could
only be overridden for a very
limited period. There is still the
option to limit driver intervention
with the New Generation models,
where manual changes can only
be made below 30km/h and the
transmission is locked in Eco
mode. This may be acceptable if
running at lighter weights or ongentle routes, but anyone running
at full weight on tough routes
with this high gearing needs to
think carefully before taking up
this option – either go for a lower
diff ratio, specify a bigger engine,
or give the driver a bit of latitude.
If you treat everybody like an
idiot, you generally end up with
more idiots.Genuine surprise
As it stands, the ability to override
Eco mode and make the odd
manual change means that the
CF450 gives a really good
account of itself, even in the most
difficult terrain. We are genuinely
surprised by how well it performs.
When pulling away from rest on
a hill, we occasionally find it
better to make the first couple of
changes manually, otherwise itcan be a bit jerky in auto as the
’box raises the revs a bit higher
than necessary.
On one trip we collect a full
load of bricks from the Peak
District and run due south from
Buxton to Ashbourne, around
Coventry and down the A429
Fosse Way to Cirencester, a
tough route at 44 tonnes for any
truck, yet the little Daf romps
along. We divert along a few back
roads to see how it copes with
really sharp gradients that get
steep really quickly. It performs
superbly on the 14% gradient at
Fossbridge; the CF storms up the
southbound hill, just holding onto
sixth gear, although to be fair we
do take a good run at it.
The TraXon ’box block-
changes up to three gears at a
time and keeps the truck movingfaultlessly. All we do is knock it
out of Eco mode and leave it in
auto; the engine pulls right down
to 1000rpm or less and a
super-fast block change has the
MX11 working at the top of the
green band in an instant. We
wouldn’t have tried this with a
manual gearbox for fear of losing
too much momentum, but the
auto transmission never failed.Holding back
The engine brake performance is
really surprising as well, despite
the high gearing. The gearbox
flicks down a gear or two to
increase engine revs and holds
the laden outfit on most
motorway hills if the cruise
control is clicked back a
few kilometres at the top
of the hill.‘‘The TraXon automated gearbox really
helps get the best from the engine, changes
being quick and generally jerk-free’’
Just two steps into the smaller-engined Space Cab, where all-round vision is goodDriver’s seat is comfortable but single
bunk restricts backrest movementDAF CF450