burnley-si:
one of my old transit was slow, but that was a 90ps with a curtain body, since then ive never had a van small there than 140ps (apart from my small vans) and these fly, got a 160 ps sprinter with the curtainsde body and sleeper pod, now the sensor is done this also flies
Had any problems with that Turkish built engine, if you don’t mind me asking? Friend in the unit next to mine on the EST. Got one from new. It blew the plastic inlet manifold… Dealers changed that. It was blowing smoke, lacked power and filled the cab with fumes… not even 12 months old £1000 for new turbo and £? for ?pdf valve. Turned out, it was a cheap fix, blanking plate or something…
Because theyre gutless. When I used to drive 7.5s on agency, Id find that on the level, and going downhill, Id whip past the artics, but come the hills, Id lose all the ground Id gained. That was when they could do 70 on the motorway. Now theyve got limiters, theyre even worse off.
I’d like to hear from anyone who drives a 7.5 ton lorry or transit van type vehicle. Can anyone tell me if loading them makes them really slow on hills as I can’t understand how they can go so fast on the level and then I go past them in my coach on the next incline…
Its the power to weight ratio, torque. This does not stop them having a higher top speed (assuming there is no limiter fitted) it just takes longer to get there.
I don’t have the numbers to hand but I remember reading that a recommended ratio of 10hp per tonne was a minimum for HGVs, i think it was in a Truck and Driver feature this year, and many use more than this for economy (both fuel and wear and tear). I doubt too many light goods vehicles have that.
Not sure about a 7.5 tonner, but I can vouch for a Van. I have driven both merc sprinters, and Iveco Turbo Daily’s. The merc is very fast empty, but a bit sluggish when carrying a ton, but still respectable, as it will hold it’s own up most hills. The Iveco was another matter. Even with about 200Kgs on it it was struggling to hold 50 up hills along the M5, M42, M6, and A14. I would never ever ever ever drive one of these again out of choice.
I think that the key is as Wiretwister mentioned. Power to weight ratio’s. For example, the Sprinters that I drove all had about 130 BHP, which is about the same as your average 1.8 litre petrol car. If you think how much slower they go when carrying a full complement of passengers, imagine another 7 or 8 passengers on top of that. Then you can start to see why they struggle up hills.
Their powe rto weight ration is something over 20bhp per tonne, but since their enginces are so small, they lack torque in a big way. Which really tells on a long climb with a weight on.
I’ve had a 7.5 DAF before now, and come off the M5 and up the big climb after Exeter. Now this truck was a 150bhp, that’s 20bhp/tonne, but I got down to 10/15 mph by the top.
Also, they have less gears, and will find it harder to keep the power pouring on in a climb.
in top gear you aproach a hill and it pulls the engine down (how much depends on the weight) horsepower is irrelivant here. its the torque of the engine that holds on and when you go below maximum you change down. In the lower gear you will either have the power to hold that speed or fall down onto the torque again. As you leave the hill it will depend on the torque of the engine being able to pull the weight faster in the higher gear as to wether you go faster by changing gear or hold onto the lower gear.
A good bit of advice it to ignore the power of an engine - you hardly use it and its innefficient go for high torque - less gear changes
I drive an Iveco 75E15 and it is fast along the flat and downhill and is pretty good uphill but with a load on I often find that the Artic I am passing starts to come back at me uphill. Mine has 6 gears and provided I can keep it swinging will outrun a legal artic in 5th gear as it will do about 58mph in 5th, this is very handy.
I often have to drive another with a 5 speed box and in that you are constantly fighting a losing battle against artics up a hill but easily pull away along the level or downhill.
How do 7.5 ton drivers (or in fact any vehicle over 3.5 tons) feel about the new speed limiter regulations coming into force from 2005 restricting speeds to 90 km/h 56 mph? Once this happens it seems that smaller and lighter lorries will be left behind by big and heavy HGVs on motorways and dual carriageways, although they will of course still be faster on single lane A roads with their 50 mph limit.
I drive my 7.5ton flat bed about that speed when fuly loaded.
I dont drive up anyones behind at all,I am just very awair it takes a lot longer to stop when heavy
When empty,I do 70 np
Yes, 7.5 tonners WILL suffer when restricted to 56. Some of the newer ones, the latest DAF 45 are limited to 70 already. Why restrict them to 56 is beyond me. They’re just not geared for it, they’ll spend their time lugging along, and be completely left behind on hills. Pointless.
allikat:
Yes, 7.5 tonners WILL suffer when restricted to 56. Some of the newer ones, the latest DAF 45 are limited to 70 already. Why restrict them to 56 is beyond me. They’re just not geared for it, they’ll spend their time lugging along, and be completely left behind on hills. Pointless.
Is it their gearing or simply lack of torque that would let them down? I’m assuming in their fourth or fifth gear (not top) they should be able to do 55-ish but they are still slower up hills.
Both. The gears are set up for the speeds they can do now, and they also don’t have the torque to pull hard at lower revs. It’s painfully obvious that if they have to spend all day on a motorway one gear off top, then they’ll be less efficiant.
£1000 for new turbo and £? for ?pdf valve. Turned out, it was a cheap fix, blanking plate or something…