DAF can stretch to anything

Fitting an extendable body and a high-capacity crane onto their new DAF eight-wheeler has enabled R D Anderson Haulage Limited of Edinburgh to use it on a wide variety of work.

The FAD CF85 is being operated throughout the UK on machinery and plant removals and in the construction industry to deliver portable buildings and equipment. It has a 28 foot flatbed body by Kingswells Bodybuilders of Aberdeen. This can be extended by a further five feet when longer loads are being carried and the entire rear lighting system moves with the extension.

Behind the cab is a 60 tonne/metre Palfinger PK 60000 with a maximum outreach of 13.7 metres and a maximum load capacity of 12 tonnes. The crane is fitted with front and rear hydraulic stabilisers and power is from a gearbox mounted PTO. An infra-red remote control allows the driver/operator, Graham Bruce, to safely position his load.

Anderson Haulage has opted for a sleeper cab on the DAF to provide Graham with a comfortable working and living environment. Headroom is good and there’s ample storage space for his personal gear, wet weather clothing and any PPE that he needs to carry for when on site.

The DAF is powered by the 12.9 litre MX engine rated at 360 bhp (265 Kw) to give a comfortable 11.25 bhp/tonne of power to weight at 32 tonnes gvw. At 1775 Nm of torque between 1000 and 1410 rpm the engine delivers plenty of torque to cope with slippery site conditions aided by cross and inter-axle diff locks.

Four radiator-mounted spotlamps provide additional illumination that is particularly useful on poorly lit construction sites. A full-width sun visor and a hazard beacon bar complete the very business-like appearance of the DAF.

The company has taken out a three-year Repair and Maintenance contract through the supplying dealer, Lothian DAF of Edinburgh and expect the truck to cover around 100,000 kms a year. When this expires they will maintain it in their own well-equipped workshop. The DAF joins a mixed fleet of some 50 vehicles including tippers, brimecs, other crane-equipped flatbeds and access platforms.