Hi all,
first day on agencies today, rocked up nice and early at the builders merchant who i was to drive for. All very nice people, showed me the wagon, ‘n’
reg leyland daf flatbed rigid with grab (start low aim high).
Got in , sorted myself out, looked down at gear stick ’ what the !# is that? It was a manual box but i’m not sure weather it’s what you call a splitter.
I’d call it a [zb]. Can anyone enlighten me on this and let me know how to use it correctly because i must have missed more shifts than your local dole dosser. cheers.
Language edit. If it needs stars to get it past the auto censor, that is the clue it is not allowed
My first experience with a DAF was for Exel/boots, it had a range change, i’d never used one before, and i did exactly the same, missed gears, it was funny, i left the yard, went through 1-4 then decided that i needed to play with the switch in the middle, clicked it… it did nothing… so clicked it again… did nothing… clicked it once more, then pressed the clutch… did nothing…
so I knocked it out of gear and back into forth… went into eight, the engine struggled, so i knocked back into low, and back into forth, and the truck nearly wheelied… then things started to fall into place… >_>
It probably is a range change. The differences are basically
Range change
Work the stick thru gears 1 - 4 as normal, then flick the switch (up) and push the stick into “1st” position to get 5, “2nd” to get 6 etc
giving you 8 x gears
Splitter
starting from the bottom, switch down in position 1 = 1/2 gear, switch up = 1st gear, position 2 switch down = 1 1/2 gear etc
giving you 8 x 1/2 gears, 4 x gears “split” in half
although in practise you probably will not need to split the lower gears
It is possible to have both range change and splitter giving you 16 “gears” (8 x gears “split” in half)
I hope this helps and doesn’t confuse you to much!
One of the training companies in Aberdeen (don’t know which one - looked as though it had been bought from a haulier who went bust a few months back -and still in their livery!) has acquired a 4 wheel DAF 65 that had a hitch for a drag. Sadly, I didn’t see the bhp rating. Was probably acquired because of the new 8 forward gear requirement.
If this lorry was designed to tow, then it looks as though I may just have caught a massive break, assuming it’s the company who I think it may be. There would almost certainly be enough power under the bonnet to ensure that there would be no need to make use of the lower ratios when empty - making this a 4 gear machine and making a mockery of the new regulations (if it is set up as per the above posts).
RESULT OR WHAT! - please PLEASE don’t let me down!
SuperLez:
Would dearly love to know the answer to this one!
One of the training companies in Aberdeen (don’t know which one - looked as though it had been bought from a haulier who went bust a few months back -and still in their livery!) has acquired a 4 wheel DAF 65 that had a hitch for a drag. Sadly, I didn’t see the bhp rating. Was probably acquired because of the new 8 forward gear requirement.
If this lorry was designed to tow, then it looks as though I may just have caught a massive break, assuming it’s the company who I think it may be. There would almost certainly be enough power under the bonnet to ensure that there would be no need to make use of the lower ratios when empty - making this a 4 gear machine and making a mockery of the new regulations (if it is set out as per the above posts).
RESULT OR WHAT! - please PLEASE don’t let me down!
nice in theory but even empty you will need at least some of the lower range
eg start in second block shift to fourth flick switch up change to sixth then seventh then eighth
you try to start in fifth the gear box and or clutch will jump up and crack you round the back of the head
SuperLez:
Would dearly love to know the answer to this one!
One of the training companies in Aberdeen (don’t know which one - looked as though it had been bought from a haulier who went bust a few months back -and still in their livery!) has acquired a 4 wheel DAF 65 that had a hitch for a drag. Sadly, I didn’t see the bhp rating. Was probably acquired because of the new 8 forward gear requirement.
If this lorry was designed to tow, then it looks as though I may just have caught a massive break, assuming it’s the company who I think it may be. There would almost certainly be enough power under the bonnet to ensure that there would be no need to make use of the lower ratios when empty - making this a 4 gear machine and making a mockery of the new regulations (if it is set out as per the above posts).
RESULT OR WHAT! - please PLEASE don’t let me down!
nice in theory but even empty you will need at least some of the lower range
eg start in second block shift to fourth flick switch up change to sixth then seventh then eighth
you try to start in fifth the gear box and or clutch will jump up and crack you round the back of the head
Aww!
Was thinking along the following lines: Have driven vans for years - from 85 bhp 3.5T Transits (if anyone has driven these before with a load, then you’ll know how big a grind these are! - your left hand’s never off the gearstick!) to a 5-speed Mercedes Sprinter 316 (165 bhp - amazing for a 3.5T pick-up! ).
In the latter case, have been able to use only 2 gears - 2nd and 5th when empty - engine far too powerful for this type of vehicle! Thought that if a wagon had “a lot of motor” underneath it, then you’d be able to get away with missing out gears like nobody’s business!
In a way, I’m probably an instructor’s worst nightmare - have been driving for years, but haven’t yet been let loose on a lorry. Will probably take many assumptions like this into my training!
just passed my class 2 in a DAF which had this box i was told it is a 4 over 4 , basically i was taught we start with the switch down, and pull away in 2nd, then straight into 4th, then we go up into 5th but flick the switch up in neutral before 5th {same pace 1st} and away you go, also it is ok to brake in 8th slow the lorry enoughan jus go into 5th, but remember if you stop you will have to flick that switch down an start in 2nd an into 4th again then back up into the high range!, hope this helps!
donpablo: just passed my class 2 in a DAF which had this box i was told it is a 4 over 4 , basically i was taught we start with the switch down, and pull away in 2nd, then straight into 4th, then we go up into 5th but flick the switch up in neutral before 5th {same pace 1st} and away you go, also it is ok to brake in 8th slow the lorry enoughan jus go into 5th, but remember if you stop you will have to flick that switch down an start in 2nd an into 4th again then back up into the high range!, hope this helps!
We have a volvo rigid 2, 4 then 5 and a scania rigid 3 then 5 - so not every truck is the same!
Very interesting - but why do manufacturers go to all the hassle of making fancy boxes like these?
A while back, I was second man in a Mercedes Axor artic helping the driver load and tip cages for a parcel company on overnight trunk. This unit also had 8 speeds - a simple 4 by 4. Surely this would make life a lot easier for a learner - and work wonders for an instructors pass rate!
A while back, I was second man in a Mercedes Axor artic helping the driver load and tip cages for a parcel company on overnight trunk. This unit also had 8 speeds - a simple 4 by 4. Surely this would make life a lot easier for a learner - and work wonders for an instructors pass rate!
Cheers guys and girls,
yes, its a 4 over 4 and i dont like them. Plus this one was very reluctant to go from 2nd to 3rd to 4th, absolute nightmare. Thanks for the headsup everyone
A while back, I was second man in a Mercedes Axor artic helping the driver load and tip cages for a parcel company on overnight trunk. This unit also had 8 speeds - a simple 4 by 4. Surely this would make life a lot easier for a learner - and work wonders for an instructors pass rate!
do you mean a “slap” box?
Please tell me more!
Never heard of that one before!!!
It just looked like a normal manual box with 8 gates.
A while back, I was second man in a Mercedes Axor artic helping the driver load and tip cages for a parcel company on overnight trunk. This unit also had 8 speeds - a simple 4 by 4. Surely this would make life a lot easier for a learner - and work wonders for an instructors pass rate!
do you mean a “slap” box?
Please tell me more!
Never heard of that one before!!!
It just looked like a normal manual box with 8 gates.
It’s still a 4 over 4 range change, but instead of the switch like the DAF has you knock the lever when it’s in neutral, to the left to get 1-4 and to the right to get 5-8.
I only drove one for a short time, got on ok with it considering.
- amazing for a 3.5T pick-up! 
).
just passed my class 2 in a DAF which had this box i was told it is a 4 over 4 , basically i was taught we start with the switch down, and pull away in 2nd, then straight into 4th, then we go up into 5th but flick the switch up in neutral before 5th {same pace 1st} and away you go, also it is ok to brake in 8th slow the lorry enoughan jus go into 5th, but remember if you stop you will have to flick that switch down an start in 2nd an into 4th again then back up into the high range!, hope this helps! 