Scania R124

Scania R124 Truck Review

OVERALL VIEW

It was at the back end of 1995 that Scania announced its 4-Series long-haul tractive units to the world. With a new cab and a new 12-litre engine it promised to perform more efficiently than its predecessors. The cab offered more living space and comfort; new seats came with more comfortable and more effective, integrated seat-belts. Equipment in the tall cab included a front-mounted top bunk over the windscreen and a spacious70x200cms lower bunk over stowage lockers. A wardrobe was installed behind the driver's seat.

Scania's moves to reduce drag started with the 3-Series Streamline range; the 4-Series carried this process a stage or two further. Although the windscreen was positioned in a more vertical plane than previous models, adding to the perception of greater interior space, this cab was more rounded at the sides and its width increased by a200mm from front to rear. Scania insisted that use of its exterior sun visor smoothed the passage of air over the cab's roof and improved air flow overall, but the flush-mounted side windows and encapsulated minors probably had more effect.

Launch vehicles were equipped with a bottom step that folded flat with the bodywork when the door dosed. It was a nice idea but in service proved to be a complication that most operators could do without, it was soon relegated to the options list in the UK. Since then the linkage has been modified and is said to be more robust and reliable.

Introducing the 12-litre engine with 400bhp o n tap was a far-sighted decision. At the time o nly international hauliers used that much power, but operators are demanding more and more power to cope with restricted driving hours, lower speed limits, heavier weights and increased fuel costs. The 10hp- plus-per-tonne benchmark still holds good for 41 tonnes o n domestic work

The 360hp mechanical-injection and 400bp EDC six-cylinder charge-cooled engines incorporated four valves per cylinder in separate cylinder heads with injectors positioned vertically in the centre of each cylinder. Designed with a hot and cold side, the engine layout separated the fuel system from the exhaust.

Timing gears were installed at the rear of the engine with the flywheel, while an in-line flange-mounted pump was driven directly from the timing mechanism, just like the servo pump for I the power steering. EDC (Electronic Diesel Control) ensured that fuel was injected in precise quantities to burn efficiently in redesigned combustion chambers.

Scania has used a centrifuge to filter engine oil since the end of the fifties. o n the 12-litre engine this was supplemented by a full-flow oil filter to extend oil-change intervals-service intervals of 60,000km were possible for virtually all road-going applications. A flat-toothed poly-V drive belt and automatic tensioner were introduced to give a positive drive for the coolant pump, alternator and air conditioning compressor: the cooling fan with thermostat-controlled hub fitted directly into the crankshaft.

Scania's 12-speed GR900 transmission was introduced in 1991; this was consistent.: with the company's policy of providing synchromesh gearboxes with a direct top gear to minimise power losses. An efficient integral hydraulic retarder was added to the spec sheet in 1993; Opticruise, Scania's automated transmission providing integrated control of engine, gearbox and retarder, has been an option since the mid-nineties. Single-reduction drive axles were steadily upgraded throughout the decade to handle increasing levels of torque.

In a move towards Euro-3, a revised power line-up was launched in April 1998, with the 12 litre engine topping 420hp. But the major change was that the new 11 litre Euro 2 units at 340hp and 380hp and the 12 litre at 420hp all came with unit injectors, replacing the in-line injection pump. The injectors were controlled by an ECU (electronic control unit) o n the cool left hand side of the engine.

As with EDC, this control system could be integrated with other sytems such as electronnic brakes, stability control and adaptive cruise control. Versions meeting Euro-3 came along the following year. Most electronic systems o n 4-Series had integral fault diagnostics which could be accessed in the workshop: use of a laptop computer with a Vehicle Communications Interface link ensured a fast, systematic approach to trouble shooting.

Scania says that development of its UK network is a high priority; last year it opened its 80th service point. Many of them are open 24 hours a day.

OPERATOR FEEDBACK -BENTON BROS

Benton Bros is a family firm based in Lincolnshire with depots at Sibsey and Boston. Managing director Martin Benton supports a warehousing and general haulage operation with 56 tractive units and 152 trailers which are equally divided between curtainsiders, flats with twist locks and coil carriers. Leyland Daf 95 and 85 Series make up the core of the fleet but Benton also runs seven Iveco EuroTech 420s o ne MAN and 28 Scanias, of which 21 are 4-Series. Most of these are 400 or 420hp models but o ne cabover and o ne bonneted 460 are powered by Scania's 14-litre V8. "We took our first 400hp 4-Series o n R-reg and took the 420 green engines as soon as they became available," says Benton. "We knew they were better o n tax and we were told that they would be better o n fuel as well, which has proved to be the case. The 400s return 8.6mpg while the 420s are just a couple of points better at 8.8mpg, but every little helps the bottom line.

"We're running o n six axles at 41 tonnes and with a curtainsider we can load up to 25.8 tonnes," Benton adds. "We replace between six and 10 trucks a year. The Scanias cost a little bit more but we expect to get a good deal. We keep them for five years: past experience has shown that is when servicing costs and downtime are likely to start to increase. We haven't sold any yet so it's a bit early to talk about residuals but they are still quite good. Scania is selling more into big fleets now and the number in the used truck market is beginning to increase. In time this will bring the resale values down.

"The backup service we get from Scania is as good as we get from Leyland Daf dealers," says Benton. "Although we have our own workshops the Scanias were bought with five-year mainteance contracts because of the electronic management systems-the dealers won't sell us the diagnostic equipment to use ourselves. Even if they did we would have to send our mechanics away for training, and o nce equipped with the knowledge they would take it to new pastures.

"The R Series are specified with the high cab but not the Topline model," he says. "Our drivers find they are big enough. Otherwise the spec is fairly standard except that we specify twin fuel tanks to carry 100 gallons.

"On domestic work there is little need to buy fuel outside. We had o ne or two minor teething troubles to begin with but overall the 400 and the 420s have been very reliable. Tyres are lasting slightly longer than o n either the Leyland Dafs or the Ivecos."

OPERATOR FEEDBACK - ROBERT HOPKINS

Robert Hopkins of West Bromwich specialises in environmental services and drum reclamation. Peter Hopkins runs a 7.5-tonner, two 17-tonners and three top-weight 6x2 tractors in an own- account operation. Until about a year ago a single Leyland Daf 17-tonner was the o nly truck in the fleet that didn't carry the three-pointed star of Mercedes-Benz.

"The Mercs were giving us some problems and I was becoming dissatisfied with the service I was getting from the local dealer," he says. "Confidence took a blow, bringing everything to a head, after o ne of the trucks came back from a service with the radiator and hoses loose. I looked around at Volvo and Leyland Daf for an alternative and might have settled for a CF380 if they could have met delivery, but after talking to some friends in the road transport industry we decided to try out a 4-Series Scania 360 6x2 unit o n a two-year lease. That vehicle covered over 100,000km in the first year and apart from having a single injector replaced it hasn't missed a beat.

"On the strength of that, last October I took o n an R-cabbed 420 6x2 with the latest 12-litre engine over three years," Hopkins reports. "We use it to pull a tank and other times it's hitched to a 13.6m trailer which can take 88 drums. It's a bit quicker than the 360, mainly because it can hold 56mph up and down hill over the motorways. It helps in meeting customer deadlines. The extra torque helps pull away from rest, overcoming that bit of surge you get from a nearly full tank trailer.

"We run fully laden for about 70% of the time and we are getting about 10.0mpg, which is considerably better than the 8.0mpg we were getting from the M-B 2544," he adds. "The 380 is generally used for slightly lighter work but fuel consumption of between 9-10mpg is good too. Initially a couple of bits of trim in the cab came loose but that was fixed at the first service. There are occasions where the driver needs to be accompanied and then the double bunk cab comes into its own if they have to stay away overnight. It has plenty of room for two people.

"I am not altogether happy with the colour but that was my choice," Hopkins admits. "It's a bit lighter than the Oxford blue we normally specify. It's not a cheap truck but the lease agreement covers everything except tyres so I have known costs. The local dealer is just a mile down the road and he is there to give backup 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The two other things we want are reliability and a truck that gives my company a good image. The 4-Series 420 gives us both so we plan to turn the whole fleet over to Scania."

OPERATOR FEEDBACK - RAWLINGS TRANSPORT

After 27 years in road transport Terry Rawlings, managing director of Rawlings Transport of Hook, is not afraid to try something new. "We have 40 trucks used for general haulage and specialist applications," he says. "About 90% of the fleet are Mercedes-Benz but we have a few Volvos, a Renault Magnum and now a 124L 420 4x2 Scania. Most are tractive units but we have a few rigids including six tankers working o n fuel delivery. We're still growing and we aim to replace four or five trucks a year.

"We hadn't seen a Scania salesman for years but o ne came through the door last March, just at the right time," Rawlings remarks. "I have always liked the look of the 4-Series Scania and we try to run at least o ne top-of-the-range truck as a flagship. The truck is our best advertisement and we have picked up work because the fleet looks smart. The salesman was from Southway, which has three dealerships within about 20 miles of us.

"Initially I was considering the 400hp model but the 420hp version had come along by then," he says. "The price, including a package for three years' full maintenance, was very good-it had to match what I was paying for a Mega Space Cab Actros. It was delivered in October and covered more than 48,000km by Christmas. We travel all over the UK as well as doing international work. We have some double-manning o n long journeys."

"Our operation is not weight sensitive," his son Paul explains. "Our average payload is between 15 and 18 tonnes and we never need to go above 21 tonnes." Picking up a computerised spreadsheet Rawlings senior shows us the fuel returns for the past quarter; they average out at 10.0mpg. "That's about the same as for the Mega-cabbed Actros," he says. "We expect to keep the Scania between six and eight years. It will be replaced as it starts to cost us downtime. Franchised dealers are not really interested in trade-in deals with vehicles that old and residual values are not very high then so we trade them out. Top-of-the-range vehicles do hold their value a bit better.

"For now service and parts are covered by the dealer," he reports. "We run up to Heathrow and they provide the driver with a courtesy car. After three years we'll look after it in our own workshops. So far it's been virtually trouble-free: we've o nly had to have a light switch relay replaced. The truck was delivered o n the day it was promised and up to now the dealer has delivered everything that it said it would."

Paul concludes: "The driver likes it. The cab feels like quality it's comfortable with plenty of space to put gear away. That encourages the driver to take a pride in looking after it. Mercedes service has gone downhill. o n the basis of the Scania's performance so far we will be buying another-if the price remains competitive."

RECALLS

The Vehicle Inspectorate's Safety Branch had been notified of the following safety related recall items as of the date of publication of the original article. (see top of page for date)

14.05.97. Potential insufficient torque o n drag link clamp

29.05.97. Possible detachment of air deflector

20.08.97. Risk of trailer brake hoses burning

20.07.98. Possible defect in seat belt retractor

29.08.98. Possible deflation of tyres o n Michelin disc brake rims

10.10.98. Unauthorised overiding of top speed limiter

10.10.98. Potential failure of steering shaft connector

11.01.99. Risk of short circuit o n starter motor cable

10.10.98. Possible malfunction of brake system protection valve

20.10.98. Possible leakage from air conditioning system

VERDICT

The residual price difference between Scania's older 3- Series and the later 4-Series has dissuaded some operators from upgrading their equipment, but as more vehicles become available o n the used truck market prices will start to fall to a more acceptable level. Scania's build quality has been maintained in 4-Series tractive units and the specification is far superior to older models. The downside to greater sophistication is that servicing has to be done by the dealer as diagnostic equipment is not available for the haulier. The 420 is still relatively new, having o nly come o nto the market in April 1998. Used examples are rare but should start to appear in slightly larger numbers as the earliest models come back off lease agreements. As with new truck sales, three-axle twin-steer models are the most sought after and attract a higher premium than the cost of the extra axle might suggest. Scania's backup at dealer level was praised by the operators we talked to. Its UK network now runs to 80 service points and since the mid-nineties the number of technicians has trebled to more than 1,100. A new computerised records system allows any dealer in the network to call up the complete service history of any UK-registered Scania. Any operator wanting a truck for the 21st century and to enhance his company image need look no further than the Scania 124L 420 tractive unit.

SPECIFICATION & SERVICE DATA

SPECIFICATION

MODEL

Scania R124L 420 6x2 tractive unit

Design weight: to50.0 tonnes

Manufacturer: Scania (GB), Tongwell, MILTON KEYNES. MK15 8HB

ENGINE.

Scania DSC12.01, Euro 3 charge cooled turbo diesel

Cylinders: six in line

Capacity: l11.7litres.

Maximum net power: 420hp(kW) at 1,900rpm.

Maximum net torque : 1,475lbsft (2000Nm) at 1,100 to 1,300rpm.

TRANSMISSION

Scania GRS900 14 speed synchromesh with range change and splitter and two crawler gears. Single dry plate clutch.

Final Drive; Scania R780 single reduction

BRAKING SYSTEM

Dual-circuit, ABS Cat 1, full air system with automatic slack adjusters and air dryer

Parking. Spring actuators o n both axles

STEERING

Recirculating ball with hydraulic power assistance.

CHASSIS

Ladder construction with riveted cross members

SUSPENSION

Front, semi eliptic parabolic steel springs with threaded shackle pins and roll bar. Rear, two axles o n full air suspension.

WHEELBASE

3.98m.

WHEELS & TYRES

22.5 spigot mounted steel rims with 295/80R22.5s.

FUEL TANK

200 + 300 litres.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

24V 2x175Ah batteries. Alternator: 65A.

SERVICE DATA:

PARTS PRICES

Manufacturer's prices, retail, ex-VAT. Correct at time of publication. See top.

Laminated windscreen: :£203.95

Injector set (six, service exchange): £358.80

piston liner set (six): £ 1,050.00

complete headlamp unit: £92.35

Spring brake chamber (exchange): £280.00

wiper blades (set): £16.43

engine oil filter: £7.48

complete clutch assembly: £399.48

door mirror (complete): £60.50

WORKSHOP TIMES

Manufacturer's standard workshop hours

remove and replace clutch assembly: 6.0

remove and replace o ne injector: 4.1

eplace head gaskets : 9.2

reline brakes: 2.6

remove and replace engine: 16.0

remove and replace gearbox: 7.0

renew engine oil: 0.3

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