The DAF CF can be regarded as a bit of an unsung hero of the Australian road transport industry, blending almost seamlessly into the mix of trucks running between Australia’s major centres in typical B-double curtainsider and refrigerated configurations.
As a prime mover the CF has proved to be ideal for that type of work, but it’s also readily suited for other applications such as car carriers, tankers, and tippers.
Following an extraordinarily comprehensive revision of every critical component and after securing multiple ‘truck of the year’ awards in Europe, the DAF CF Euro VI range was introduced to Australia in 2020.
The new package bought with it significant improvements to the CF’s fuel consumption, safety and driver comfort and all-around operational efficiency.
More recently, a lot of industry attention has been directed towards the CF’s big brother, the DAF XG with its 660hp Cummins engine.
The 11- and 13-litre PACCAR engines available in the CF models may not be considered as ‘big bangers’, yet as a prime mover the CF lends itself to a long and diverse list of applications.
In addition to general freight work, rigid models can also find homes in many applications such as dog-towing tippers, concrete pumps, hooklifts, front and rear waste loaders as well as heavy duty tilt trays and crane trucks.
In order to reacquaint with the CF, after the media activities surrounding the launch of the Cummins-powered XG in late 2024, arrangements were made to experience a B-double tipper configuration as an alternative to being connected to a typical plain white curtainsider trailer set.
Three cab sizes are available in the CF range: day, sleeper and space cabs, and the CF is available in multiple driveline options across 4×2, 6×4, and 8×4 axle configurations with numerous wheelbases also available to suit most general and niche requirements.
The area around the Gilbert and Roach PACCAR dealership in the Newcastle suburb of Hexham has seemingly become one big construction zone with major highway works including a massive bridge over the Hunter River, plus new industrial and residential estates emerging, so a couple of trailers filled with sand doesn’t seem out of place.
The trailer set used for this exercise are on the Mass Management program and are loaded with 44 tonnes of sand which takes the combination’s gross to 68 tonnes, just short of the CF’s GVM spec of 70 tonnes and certainly enough weight to obtain a realistic experience of the CF’s performance on the road.
The 13-litre MX-13 engine is rated at 530hp (390kW) and has an impressive 2,600Nm of maximum torque available between 900-1,125rpm.
This level of torque at such low revs allows for a tall 3.40:1 rear axle ratio that downspeeds the engine and enables the truck to remain in higher gears for longer which helps with fuel efficiency and also point-to-point times.
The engine’s Variable Geometry Turbocharger provides high boost pressure at impressively low revs which is an important factor in achieving the high levels of torque.
Also, making a contribution to improving fuel efficiency, the parasitic power losses from some engine systems are minimised by utilising variable speed pumps for cooling, power steering and oil.
This particular truck is equipped with the ZF TraXon 16-speed Automated Manual Transmission, with options available for the TraXon 12-speed, as well as a six-speed Allison fully automatic box.
The 13-litre engine is also available in a 480hp/2,500Nm specification.
For applications not requiring the grunt of a 13-litre, the 11-litre MX-11 engine can be optioned in 340, 410 and 450 horsepower ratings.
The main control for the transmission is a rotary dial on the dash, which is used to select forward or reverse direction, as well as the crawler ratios for ultra-slow manoeuvring when connecting to trailers or reversing into a dock. A wand mounted on the steering column enables driver input to gear shifting.
A good example of the effect of the available torque is displayed while negotiating McDougall’s Hill just out of the Hunter Valley town of Singleton.
The flat stretch of road leading to the base of the hill has a 60 km/hr speed limit so there is little momentum accrued when tackling the steep, but short incline.
With the cruise control set and the CF’s transmission left to make the decisions the CF down shifts as far as 8th gear on the climb by changing full gears rather than splitting the ratios.
As the road levels out towards the peak, the upshifts are initiated by half ratios for each change via the TraXon’s use of its splitter.
Both up and down gear changes are very quick which makes best use of any available momentum.
Descending hills is easily managed by use of the three stage engine brake wand on the driver’s side of the steering column as the precursor of applying the service brakes.
The all-wheel ventilated disc brakes of the prime mover are managed, along with the trailers’ brakes, by the electronic brake (EBS) system. The maximum engine braking power of the MX-13 is 360kW between 1,200 and 1,500rpm.
The TraXon transmission can be optioned with a ZF Intarder to provide even more driveline braking power. The test truck features a stylish Whitlock polished alloy bullbar and has covered just 32,000 kilometres and normally sees work as a member of the PacLease fleet.
Fuel tank capacities are 600-litre and 400-litre with a 65-litre AdBlue tank. Access to the cab uses cast alloy non-slip steps and very solid grab handles.
The driver gets an air-suspended seat and the steering column has an extensive range of adjustment. The fully automated HVAC system provides a comfortable environment regardless of the outside conditions.
Sleeper cab models such as our test truck have a slide out fridge under the bunk which is easily accessed from the driver’s and passenger’s seats.
The interior of the cab is best described as ‘premium’ which assists in minimising driver fatigue, as does the generous mattress in the sleeper.
The ergonomic design of the cab interior helps maximise the driver’s attention to the road through the large windscreen and windows.
The customisable dash layout with interchangeable switches allows the driver to configure it to their individual preferences. The dash has a 6.5-inch touchscreen display with navigation and straightforward phone connectivity.
The DAF Driver Performance Assistance (DPA) feature provides feedback on such factors as anticipation, braking, gear shifting and fuel consumption and is controlled by a rotary switch with the ‘enter’ function via the press button in the centre, which makes scrolling through the menus easy without any driver distraction.
PACCAR Connect is a user-friendly and intelligent telematics platform which monitors driver, truck and fleet performance and supports operator control of the logistics processes, with driver and vehicle information available via live tracking on desktop computer or mobile devices through easy-to-read and fully customisable dashboards.
PACCAR Connect provides detailed reports containing convenient and timely insights and can also share vehicle data with third-party fleet management systems.
The inbuilt safety features of the CF include a driver’s airbag and seat belt pre-tensioners for driver and passenger.
Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Vehicle Stability Control are all standard equipment.
In the extreme situation where the combined driver assistance systems are unable to prevent a major impact the cab is designed to absorb a significant part of collision energy by a controlled rearwards movement of the cab along the chassis, thus protecting the occupants.
The local manufacture/assembly of DAF trucks at PACCAR’s Bayswater plant brings numerous advantages including the opportunity to customise trucks to best suit their local applications.
