Smiths Bletchington have put faith in the FMX. They’ve got at least one 8w and one 6 on the road now with more coming apparently. They’ve finally dropped their “big body” policy because of the higher and higher tare weights and the new motors look much nicer. The 6w MAN they bought in 2012 doesn’t even carry 15t and looks bloody awful.
andrew.s:
Dave the Renegade:
These are about the most suitable and reliable.i had a brand new fmx-didnt like it at first with the i shift,soon got to like that,however the brakes were borderline dangerous!! great thing about a volvo is the excellent engine brake,but the service brakes in the fmx i had left a lot to be desired in an emergency…and dont bother venturing too far off road in one…
This firm has run Volvo FM’s for 14 years,they got rid of their I Shifts and run 15 Volvo 8 legger tippers. They have run Scania’s , Fodens and other marques, but these seem to do the job as good as anything, other than Foden which aren’t available anymore.
Dave the Renegade:
andrew.s:
Dave the Renegade:
These are about the most suitable and reliable.i had a brand new fmx-didnt like it at first with the i shift,soon got to like that,however the brakes were borderline dangerous!! great thing about a volvo is the excellent engine brake,but the service brakes in the fmx i had left a lot to be desired in an emergency…and dont bother venturing too far off road in one…
This firm has run Volvo FM’s for 14 years,they got rid of their I Shifts and run 15 Volvo 8 legger tippers. They have run Scania’s , Fodens and other marques, but these seem to do the job as good as anything, other than Foden which aren’t available anymore.
doesnt look like they venture very far off road though dave…
lightning:
Just wondering what the best modern - thats either available still at this time, or out shortly?
Asking for yourself or on behalf of Mr Robinson? Lol
Joking aside, hope all is well?
andrew.s:
Dave the Renegade:
andrew.s:
Dave the Renegade:
These are about the most suitable and reliable.i had a brand new fmx-didnt like it at first with the i shift,soon got to like that,however the brakes were borderline dangerous!! great thing about a volvo is the excellent engine brake,but the service brakes in the fmx i had left a lot to be desired in an emergency…and dont bother venturing too far off road in one…
This firm has run Volvo FM’s for 14 years,they got rid of their I Shifts and run 15 Volvo 8 legger tippers. They have run Scania’s , Fodens and other marques, but these seem to do the job as good as anything, other than Foden which aren’t available anymore.
doesnt look like they venture very far off road though dave…
They go off the off-road regularly, as they haul tarmac, road-stone, drainage stone and lime to farms etc. They are one of the best maintained fleet of tippers around. That is the boss washing that one.
Dave the Renegade:
andrew.s:
Dave the Renegade:
andrew.s:
Dave the Renegade:
These are about the most suitable and reliable.i had a brand new fmx-didnt like it at first with the i shift,soon got to like that,however the brakes were borderline dangerous!! great thing about a volvo is the excellent engine brake,but the service brakes in the fmx i had left a lot to be desired in an emergency…and dont bother venturing too far off road in one…
This firm has run Volvo FM’s for 14 years,they got rid of their I Shifts and run 15 Volvo 8 legger tippers. They have run Scania’s , Fodens and other marques, but these seem to do the job as good as anything, other than Foden which aren’t available anymore.
doesnt look like they venture very far off road though dave…
They go off the off-road regularly, as they haul tarmac, road-stone, drainage stone and lime to farms etc. They are one of the best maintained fleet of tippers around. That is the boss washing that one.
wish my boss would wash my lorry lol
Well I’ve gotta say it but the Hino has been a good cost effective motor and believe it or not the driver prefers it to my Volvo! he reckons the Hino is a drivers motor (apart from the poor steering lock 2 shunts more than a DAF or Volvo to get into the same job) but each to his own! 
DonutUK:
lightning:
Just wondering what the best modern - thats either available still at this time, or out shortly?Asking for yourself or on behalf of Mr Robinson? Lol
Joking aside, hope all is well?
Well that would be telling…so far as to say I wouldn’t be able to sway his decision… even if I wanted too.
And as for the latter point, going ok, and you?
lightning:
DonutUK:
lightning:
Just wondering what the best modern - thats either available still at this time, or out shortly?Asking for yourself or on behalf of Mr Robinson? Lol
Joking aside, hope all is well?
Well that would be telling…so far as to say I wouldn’t be able to sway his decision… even if I wanted too.
And as for the latter point, going ok, and you?
Going very well…
Although I do miss driving occasionally…
Yes I know the feeling. Im supposed to be detatched from representing the views of my fellow colleagues… yet I still drive more than my fair share. You still at OSS?
Yes mate, still at OSS…might be looking for some drivers soon.
I drive a hino tipper myself. Actually a pretty decent motor. 410hp and good off road if a bit basic. Biggest complaint would be the extremely sharp brakes when empty.
tobytyke:
Few pics of ours on a recent job last week.
I did a couple of days muckshifting for Braithwaites’ at Raf Brize Norton. I was subbing to Smiths but found Braithwaites a good bunch of blokes.
I’m well impressed with my 09 reg CF 360. Goes well and is great on fuel and adblue. I can get 19t on even with heavy duty Thompson body. A local subbie bought a MAN TGS 400 two weeks ago, and listening to his drivers talking on the cb, said motor has been back to the dealer twice. The driver who had said this drives a TGS that’s almost three years old and is losing oil badly enough that a new engine is being considered.
This and my experiences with an 11 plate TGS 400 auto means I will not suggest MAN as good tipper.
Scania seem to be the flavour this way at the moment, followed by Volvo FMX. Daf’s are totally out of the frame this way.
Is it the Daf dealer around your way that has a bad reputation, Dave? According to a couple of their drivers, Earthline are waiting on some new Dafs, Smiths have some on order apparently (they’ve got two contract hire ones at the moment) but I’ve noticed there aren’t as many new ones as other makes.
Mercedes Arocs are cropping up around here, haven’t seen as many Merc tippers in this area since the SK.
An interesting comment from a Smiths driver I was talking to the other day, on the subject of MAN v Volvo FMX;
“The drivers of the new Volvos like them, the drivers of the new MANs don’t.”