11 minute read
MARKET REVIEW
LOAD LUGGERS
Forestry Machinery’s Dan Gilkes rounds up the forestry haulage truck market with help from manufacturers, owners and drivers, and highlights some of the latest technical developments
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IMAGES MANUFACTURERS
Rear lift axle on this DAF CF530 allows a more efficient transfer of power to the ground.
Left: 16-litre Scania S650 with 3,300Nm torque.
Bottom left: MAN TGS range covers forestry.
Bottom right: Instruments on a digital display.
While it is fairly easy to specify a construction tipper or a supermarket delivery vehicle, finding the ideal truck for timber haulage can be a far more complex task. Whether removing roundwood from the harvesting site, or delivering to wood processors, there are plenty of site and job-specific variables to take into account.
Recently released figures from the Forestry Commission show that 9.8m green tonnes of softwood were harvested in the UK in 2019, along with 0.9m green tonnes of hardwood. In total, 11.1m green tonnes of roundwood were delivered to sawmills, wood-based panel producers, integrated pulp and paper mills and to other users, such as fencing, fuel and exports. Almost all of that timber will have been transported at some point by road-going trucks.
Truck manufacturers are keen to maximise their presence in this busy market sector, offering a wide range of chassis capable of dealing with the often harsh working environment. Swedish manufacturers such as Volvo and Scania in particular, have a broad range of truck options on offer. In their domestic Nordic markets, where timber production is a national industry, haulage trucks can run at up to 60 and even 80 tonnes combination weight, covering many miles on forestry tracks and smaller country roads. The Swedish firms are not alone however, with DAF, Renault, MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Iveco all keen to meet the needs of UK timber hauliers.
SPOILT FOR CHOICE
So there is no shortage of choice when it comes to suppliers. The same is true when looking at individual truck specifications. Volvo for example offers its FM, FMX, FH and FH16 models in both
tractor and rigid configurations for timber work. Tractors can be had in 6x2 configuration, with tag or pusher axles, as a 6x4 with or without a tandem lift axle function. Rigids are available in 8x2, 8x4, 8x6 and even 10x4 driveline layouts.
Axle configuration is not the only area with a range of options, from engines and transmissions to suspension types, wheels and tyres, all can be tailored to the end user’s requirements. Customers can also opt for factory preparation of power
MAN Truck & Bus is introducing a completely overhauled line-up this year, under the MAN New Truck Generation banner. From the smallest TGL, through to the heaviest TGX models, the whole range benefits from an external and in-cab redesign, aimed at putting the driver first.
All models now have EU6d engines, introduced in 2019, that promise up to an 8% fuel savings versus their EU6c predecessors. The D26 engine in particular, is around 70kg lighter overall, yet continues to boast outputs of 430, 470 and 510hp, with maximum torque outputs of 2,200, 2,400 and 2,600Nm respectively. With integrated charge-air cooling, MAN has been able to remove the lowtemperature cooling system completely, contributing to the weight saving. At the top of the range, the D38 engine now comes with 540 and 640hp outputs.
MAN has also developed a more efficient drive axle for long-haul operation and the MAN EfficientCruise system brings GPS-based assistance to the adaptive cruise control. This includes dynamic gliding, which switches the truck automatically between accelerating and rolling on flat terrain.
TECH NEWS DAF
DAF Trucks has made a number of upgrades across its range this year. This includes the addition of AEBS-3, the latest Advanced Emergency Braking System. This provides fully autonomous braking, to assist with collision avoidance, through the use of high precision dual radar with 16 antennas. AEBS-3 will be standard on all LF, CF and XF models.
Perhaps of more interest to timber hauliers, DAF is to offer a hydraulic front-wheel drive system, initially for its CF and XF 4x2 tractors. Activated via switch on the dash, the PXP (Paul Xtra Power) occasional use front -wheel drive system can be set to automatically activate when the rear wheels slip. The system is available in the first four forward gears and the first and second reverse ratios. It switches back to rear-drive only at speeds above 20km/h or when fifth gear is selected.
Each front wheel hub is equipped with a hydraulic motor, powered by the engine PTO. The same PTO can be used to power cranes and other hydraulic systems, saving weight and complexity.
Right: Volvo FMX Globetrotter 8x6 with heavy duty suspension and independent rear axles.
Renault’s Range T520 High drawbar combo with skeleton trailer body and a straight boomed 10t KESLA 2110 crane.
take-offs (PTO) to run cranes and loading equipment, while crane mounting plates and space on chassis for additional components can be factored into the build, along with front frame extensions for crane stabiliser legs. Rigid trucks can of course be specified drawbar-ready for use with skeletal trailers.
Whether a haulier opts for a rigid truck, for use with or without a drawbar trailer, or a tractor and trailer combination, will depend on their individual operation, in particular the length of timber to be carried and the forestry areas that need to be reached during harvesting. The maximum overall length for a rigid truck without a trailer on UK roads is 12m, a tractor with twin or tri-axle trailer can run with an overall length of up to 16.5m, while a rigid truck with a drawbar trailer offers an overall length of up to 18m, providing the ideal combination for many timber companies.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
John Mason, owner of Gretna Green forestry specialist JTM Haulage, recently opted for a Renault Trucks’ Range T520 High 6x2 rigid with a skeletal drawbar trailer. The truck is equipped with a 10t/m Kesla 2110 crane. “Carrying bulky timber, we wanted a drawbar for the extra payload and loadspace that it provides,” said Mason. “Access is king with the type of jobs and places that we go to, including estates and farms and the drawbar gives us the manoeuvrability that we need. Working on timber haulage, moving bolster in and out of woods, is challenging. The terrain is difficult, exceptionally hilly and we are frequently negotiating forest roads that can be up to 10 miles long. We needed a truck that’s robust, reliable and gives plenty of grip, power and manoeuvrability.”
Another company that has invested in rigids with trailers, is Cumbria firm Thompson Plant Hire. The latest fleet additions are two DAF CF530 6x2 rigids, equipped with twin-tyre, rear lift axles. As with JTM’s Renault’s, Thompson has opted for high-powered engines, well in excess of 500hp, to ensure that the trucks are on top of the task. “They have plenty of power for our work, both on and off the road,” said owner Kevin Thompson. Interestingly, unlike the tipper and construction business, many timber hauliers are opting for a single drive axle with a lifting axle, rather than a double drive bogie, even with the off-road demands of the job. “In the forest the rear lift-axles allow us to get that power to the ground with maximum efficiency. The set up offers a reduced weight profile, so we get better payload and ought to get improved fuel,” said Thompson.
As with any sector of the transport business, the cost and consumption of fuel remain high on the agenda for any company. They may require high horsepower to get the job done, but on the highway, efficient running is equally important. “DAF has been making a lot of noise recently about fuel savings of around 7%. I was reading of more and more operators saying that those claims were being met in real life, so I thought we’d try a couple ourselves,” said Thompson. “Right now, I can honestly say we are very happy with the mpg results from these new CFs.”
TECH NEWS VOLVO
Volvo updated its heavy truck lines earlier this year. The FH, FH16, FMX and FM all benefit from a new cab interior with a combination of 12-inch and 9-inch digital displays. EU6d diesel engines contribute to further fuel savings, with the D13TC with I-Save package offering a claimed fuel efficiency benefit of as much as 7%.
The heavyweight construction-based FMX range gets a revised platform and cab too, while a 38-tonne bogie is now offered to take GCW up to 150 tonnes for real heavy haulage. Front air suspension is improved, allowing front axle loads of up to 10 tonnes, or 20 tonnes for double-axle models. Trucks with a steered tag or pushed axle also benefit from revised steering angles, assisting manoeuvrability.
Left: Volvo FMX 8x4 with front mounted crane and long bed for carrying timber.
TECH NEWS MERCEDESBENZ
The biggest news from Mercedes-Benz Trucks was the launch last year of the latest Actros long-haul tractor. The first Mercedes truck to feature MirrorCam rear-facing cameras and in-cab screens, instead of conventional mirrors, Actros is full of new technologies. This includes a Multimedia Cockpit, with massive twin 12-inch configurable monitors in place of a standard dash.
Actros also comes with Active Drive Assist and Predictive Powertrain Control. Together these systems provide a taste of truly autonomous driving. Using GPS and mapping data, the systems will ensure that the truck remains in the correct gear and at the right speed for the road ahead, slowing automatically for corners before returning to a set cruising speed. The benefit, apart from a more relaxed drive, is claimed fuel savings of 3 to 5%.
Though initially available on the range-topping Actros, many of these systems will be introduced further down the line, including the constructionready Arocs models.
Below: Unimog U430 features tipping body. Mercedes-Benz 6x2 Arocs 2553 with tag axle and Hiab Loglift crane with weatherproof cab.
JTM Haulage is another company that has changed suppliers to seek an improvement in fuel consumption. The Renault Range T is a big truck, with a spacious cab for long working hours. With a 13-litre engine delivering 512hp and 2,550Nm of torque, the Renault also boasts more than enough power to run at full weight. “The fuel consumption has been very good,” said Mason. “It’s still early days, but we are already getting 0.5mpg more than our other trucks and the Renault is achieving early 7mpgs.”
A rigid and drawbar combination doesn’t suit every haulier though. Jim Yule, who runs a timber business in Aberdeenshire, has opted to stick with a proven tractor and trailer combination. His most recent purchase is a Mercedes-Benz Arocs 2553, in a 6x2 configuration with a lifting tag axle. The Arocs range is the tougher, more durable cousin of Mercedes’ Actros road-haulage models. “It’s high ground clearance means that deep ruts and bumps are never a problem and lifting the rear axle enables me to gain more traction from the drive axle should I need it, while also improving manoeuvrability for tight turns,” said Yule. “My truck is also significantly lighter than a 6x4 tractor and the resulting increase in payload capacity makes for higher productivity.”
Yule has twinned the Arocs, which is equipped with a comfortable StreamSpace cab, with a Dennison timber skeletal trailer and Hiab loglift crane. The crane is supplied with a full weatherproof cab, making it easy to load and unload logs in all conditions. This is essential as Yule can be called upon to work deep in the Fetteresso Forest, up to half an hour’s drive from the nearest metalled roads.
IN THE CLEAR
Unlike some of its competitors, Mercedes-Benz doesn’t offer specific timber sector trucks. The dealer network instead works with the company’s product managers in the UK and at the factory to meet the specific needs of each customer. Of course, Mercedes has a second string to its bow when it comes to real off-road access to forestry sites. Though perhaps more popular with tree surgery than with timber harvesting, the Unimog is the ultimate on and off-road vehicle. Darlington firm Greenworx added a U430 Unimog to its fleet some time ago and the compact off-roader has helped the firm to grow.
“We were using an agricultural tractor, which was fine up to a point,” said Brett Skelton, who runs the company with brother Ryan. “It was very capable on rough ground, but the problem was getting it there. When working further afield we were having to pay a haulier to transport the tractor for us. With the Unimog this is no longer an issue, it’s just as good on challenging ground, but in a different class on the road. It will happily travel at 56mph and tow a heavily laden trailer too.”
