having changed from four wheeler to six wheeler crane wagon about seven weeks ago i’ve just had my first full months fuel bill on the bigger wagon and was supprissed at just how much it’s gone up,i expected a rise but the difference is quite staggering,for a very simular millage it’s gone up by nearly six hundred quid! after a few quick sums the six wheeler is doing 3.18k per ltr of fuel roughly translated thats less than 9mpg! the whole thinking behind buying this particular wagon was to keep the fuel bill down,it’s a daf 75 240 engine but having spoke to the fella that owns the garage where i park i may have gone the wrong way,he reckons i should have gone big engine m11 ■■■■■■■ like in the ec11 erf’s as these euro 2 engines have a much more advanced fuel management system and will return 12-13 mpg on a six wheeler even though the engines rated at 360.anyone got any experience of these engines or thoughts on the fuel consumption?
Big engines don’t work so hard, so therefore use less fuel to do the same job. However, there is a limit to this, i.e, a 610bp WILL use more than a 400bhp. As you know Paul, I have a small fleet of Artics, 450 CAT in an EC12 that returns an average of 7.8mpg, the 430 merc V6 returns about 8.5mpg and the ■■■■■■■ in the EC 11,s return on average 7.8mpg. All of the above run a 44tons, except for the CAT which is a 4x2 and runs at 40 tons.
9mpg? I’d be quite happy with that!
I’m in a new six wheeler Volvo FM9 340 with a Palfinger crane. Tare is 17800. Since September its averaging 34L / 100km or 8.3mpg on long runs and 47L / 100km or 6.01mpg locally.
My old ERF EC10 325 K reg six legger (same’ish tare) was a bit thirstier but not much. I sometimes have a 21’ drag behind it as well but only a couple of times a week. The most it carries is about 5 ton with the same on the trailer. I don’t know if this helps but I must admit it was a bit of a shock when I first worked out the mpg figure.
take it you’ve got a very big crane for the tare weight to be so high? mine tares at 11200 with a 11.5tm crane giving a payload of 14.8 t. looking at your fuel rates the bigger engine idea dosn’t pan out are you sure those figures are right? of coarse with a crane wagon alot depends on how much you use the crane as your burning fuel while stood still. so are the claims of 13mpg just wishfull thinking?
It’s a PK44002 Palfinger crane and the 24’ deck has an extending tail support with twist locks, which adds about 8’. There are a few other bits, which we’ve added, but not much. Even if I skip a breakfast or two it still tips the scales at 17800 with a full tank. The fuel figures are from the trucks onboard computer so may not be bang on but from what I’m putting in the tank against the mileage they seem pretty close.
I think 13mpg is stretching it a bit with the crane and ancillaries. We run a FM12 artic (no crane) with a 360 motor. It normally carries about the same as me (max 10 tonnes) and he only sees around the 11-12mpg mark.
you’ve got six ton of crane so with the other bits n bobs your in effect always carrying a load which probably explains the fuel figures.thats one big crane for a six wheeler makes mine look like a nose picker! what yer reckon is the minimum size for container work?
only bug bare with the setup i’ve got is that theres nowhere to put the crane if you take a high load out like tempory security fencing where they put a full pack on and then another twenty panels laid on top which means taking the grab off to fold the crane up and trying to put it back on at seven o’clock at night in a pitch black yard ready for the next morning is no fun at all.
Are your vehicles fitted with lift axles if they are you could run with the axle up when empty this will increase your mpg dramatically.
I have an artic with a skelly on containers.
We have a regular run at full weight (44t) from Felixstowe to Garforth (400 miles round trip)
I was using a standard rental trailer then bought my own trailer with a lifting first axle & steering third axle and I saved 9 gallons on each trip
NSH
Are your vehicles fitted with lift axles
Yes they are and I do run with them up when empty. I’ll have to check how much of a difference it makes as I just automatically flick the button when I’m tipped.
paulb
what yer reckon is the minimum size for container work?
It’s hard to say what you can get away with. We could do a lot of our work with a 11.5tm only just mind… The thing is, when the customer wants it put anywhere away from the truck or if it has to be double stacked unfortunately you are stuck…