For a brand of truck which outsells most others and many repeat orders , this is despite a question mark over reliability particularly the electrics , I would be interested in comments from drivers / and operators as to they rate the make .
'05 CF85.340 8x4 Tipper.
Owned since new, reliability has been top notch but maintenance has been as well. Apart from routine servicing, it’s only needed an oil seal on a rear hub at about 18 months old, cracked a couple of brake discs and just a couple of weeks ago had the radiators removed and cleaned as the temp gauge occasionally goes for a wander along its range, not sure what the issue is there but it’s being monitored. Had the fix for the head bolts stretching as well but never actually had the issues for it.
I think a lot of trucks are the same these days and it comes down to how they are treated. Aggregate tippers isn’t easy work but a good program of care and servicing goes a long way to keeping them on the road, and then again if you get a Friday afternoon one you could be up against it from the word go.
Never had one let me down, I’ve driven pretty much all of them since the 3300 and they’re fine. You ain’t getting Scania or Volvo quality but you’re obviously not paying for it either.
They’re honest, cheerful workhorses and I like them. They’re the industry standard for skip/Ro-Ro/tipper operators, so they’ve got to be tough.
probably not what the o/p was looking for but daf all the same . we have 2 x 7.5t that are driven by anyone and everyone so are probably nursed or abused . they go all over the uk and Europe ,I personally have driven one of them to Palermo .they just keep running with no problems whatsoever .oh I nearly forgot one is 57 reg and the other iirc is 54.as someone has already said the answer (imho) is regular servicing
i operated CF85’s and LF55’s (from L reg up to about 55 plate)when i worked in n’pton , all were double shifted on multi drop , full load and night trunk work.
I’ll never knock a DAF, the tractor units were kept for around 6 to 7 years and were absolutely hammered, they were mostly 380 twin steers so not particularly overpowerful for night trunking with double deckers.But apart from some ‘w’ reg ones which had a bad batch of ZF 'boxes fitted ,and a new one that expired after about 5 hours use, they stood up to the job really well and a lot of them went round the clock.
The rigids were double shifted on day and night multi drop and again a sound truck , although the cab was rather cramped unless , like us , you specced it with the sleeper, even you didn’t use it.
and i always enjoyed driving them, haven’t got the status of a scania or a volvo , and probably not top choice for a driver , but just a good, simple to use,solid motor.
maybe not what your looking for ,though I have been working on them for 18 years in a dealership…Like any truck good maintainance from whoever ,be it dealer or fleet will pay divideds ,again not all dealers are the same you will get good and bad mechanics in them all same for fleet mechanics…DAF have been constantly changing the wiring looms and how they are fitted in the factory…So they are trying to remedy the issue…New euro 5 and the new euro 6 motors have a completely new loom and plugs,which should sort a lot of the rubbing issues,in the euro 6 it does look 100% better ,but we won’t know until they re on the road…They are generally easy to work on across the range there isn’t any really big issues ,clutches are easy to do the zf gearbox 3rd gear synchros can be weak ,though never have them fail on an owner drivers vehicles …a lot of the failure is down to driver abuse
Its great to read sensible posts for once , many thanks to you all keep the information coming , again many thanks lads , all of the info only confirms what I also have found over the years of what I found to be a very good make of truck .
From a drivers point of view i rate them, especially the CF cabs, doesn’t win any glory boy fans but a handy chuckable dependable lorry, the big uns OK for long distance work but not a cab to nip in and out of like CF.
460 with manual box is a very decent useful lorry and once some hard work is involved will knock spots off many others, pulls hard and romps away from junctions like a good un, good progress made with one of these…though if i was buying new i would try to get a higher ratio diff than standard, the engine could easily handle 200 or 300 less rpm at motorway cruising speed.
Freely admit i detest the auto box, and it completely spoils this otherwise very underrated motor by making slow and jerky progress, and don’t get me started on manoeuvering or heavy traffic with that poxy box.
reliability issues are IMO down to poor servicing in many cases and half wit steering wheel attendants unable to drive them proper like
The run of the mill jobs after a fair few miles have been clocked up on them seem to be: exhaust system parts which don’t last long, air valves and spring bushes - which can be a pain. Once the rust and salt has got hold of them renewing discs will make you swear. Air reservoirs and air bag saddles seem to corrode to the point where they need renewing. The gear linkage over the top of the engine hasn’t improved since the M reg and still falls to bits. For a grease filled rear hub they certainly seem to seep oil quite well on occasion.
Having said this they have usually done over 500K before I get to see them so they have had a hard life already. They are a good simple vehicle to work on and to keep legal and running. I like them a lot. Unlike some makes bits don’t tend to fall off and you shouldn’t have trouble with making brake test readings. Change the air drier cartridge at least annually and keep a close eye on the calipers.
I have driven a lot of daf truck of all kind atics, rigids and they allways seem to have some sort of faults with them but the worst news is my boss is getting a new LF 18 tonner this year to replace my lovely Iveco that’s never broken down
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I’m a massive DAF fan, always found them unbreakable. We’re hearing rumors we are getting 6 new ones, not sure which yet, I’m hoping for 75 or 85’s knowing out stingy lot they’ll be 55’s and no better than the FL6’s and P340’s they are supposed to replace. That said we have an LF130 flat bed, it’s a dog! Gearbox is terrible, it’s on it’s thrd now I think. It’s blows light fittings for fun, they’re LED and has poor rear grip empty in the wet, it drifts lovely wether you want it t or not.
Got a brand new cf back in 2005 and in its first 3 months in service, its alternator packed in, the EBS module packed in and the fuse box went on fire. Left me with a bad memory of DAFs.
I used to hate the CF- I could never get comfy in my old Foden Alpha but have had no worries with the CFs I drive now. I’ve just done 2 nights out in an 06 reg CF310 space cab. 723000km and has just been overhauled with a new cooling system. Fantastic motor to drive and sleep in (Daf know how to make a good bunk). I’m not sold on the Daf 8speed manual (sadly my employer is) I much prefer the old Eaton 12 or Daf 16 speeds. Our 61 reg has had 2 new centre bearings in less than a year, and the 13 plate had silly faults when brand new.
we’ve got a CF 7.5t that doesn’t like too much water ,i think the alternator is low down and gets wet very easily ,also for no apparent reason it goes into limp mode,apart from that it pulls well and just keeps going
we have just sold 4 03 reg cf 380 units that have been round the clock twice,they have out lived some 55 reg axors that had been bought to replace them.they were still on the original engines and boxes and still could put a good days work in,they only went really because they carn’t now go into london,the axors that we run now carn’t touch them for reliability,and certainly wont do the milage the dafs did.
I had a Daf.380 cf…early 90’s out all week never missed a beat in 4 yrs…until one friday some woman night trunker took it to felix and it came back with the clutch knackered, id had it with no major issues on the same clutch…i love the xf plenty of room and mine was reliable…wheel bearings were its down point but never had any other apart from wear and tear…still are my favourite with the Volvo fh globetrotter next…uesd to like the early Scannys…wouldnt thank you for one now…Iveco are not a good fleet motor but not bad , but i suppose you have to drive what your given…the old CFwould do me i wouldnt complain.
shytalk:
I had a Daf.380 cf…early 90’s
I thought the CF came out around 2001-2 for the 51/02 regs?
Don’t you mean the Leyland Daf 75/85 series? Or the Constructor-based version?
Worked at a couple of places that have had dafs. Not known any major problems with them but the electrics and sensors seem a bit fragile and like to light the dash up at random. But this seems the maun fault with most modern trucks.
DAF cf85 310 6 wheeler 2008
Mainly signal wire faults, coolant low, oil low, engine warning, fasten seatbelt warning even when wearing it, when the sun was really hot last week it flagged up ‘alternator warning’, had ad blue pack up, water pump, drivers door insides fall to bits…
buy it new and keep it 3 years then get rid, my boss made the mistake of buying 2 4 year old 85 cf 460’s, not a month goes past that there isnt a problem with the 2 of them, electrics are the worst offender for letting them down, it’s a pity because i cant fault the cab for space and comfort