The medium mass segment of the truck market gains a new player in the six tonne arena with the locally assembled FAW 8.14FL-AT.
The 8.140FL-AT has a body and payload allowance of six tonnes, making it the ideal partner for businesses and fleet owners who require a vehicle of smaller dimensions, but with the same durability and ruggedness of its larger brethren.
It provides seating for a driver and two passengers with air-conditioning and a radio with MP3 and USB functionality standard.
In its latest iteration it is fitted with a Euro 3 Cummins ISF 3,8-litre engine, an Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission and a full air dual circuit WABCO anti-lock braking system.
When the 8.140FL was first launched in the local market, initially with only a six-speed manual transmission, FAW Trucks had taken a strategic decision to redesign and re-engineer the truck to be better suited to the demands of the local medium-truck market. Special attention was paid to combining cost-efficiency with the best possible payload and the best turnaround time, without sacrificing any of the quality for which the brand is known.
The SKD kits from FAW China Corporation include the cab, the chassis, axles and other sub-assembly components. Additional parts are sourced internationally and locally. This includes the full-air brakes and the anti-lock braking system, the power steering unit, the air-cut parking brake and the engine.
The latter is a high-pressure, common rail four-cylinder in-line powerplant from the reputable Cummins range and is ideally suited to the medium-weight truck category. Fitted with a turbo-charger, it is water-cooled and intercooled.
Torque is 450 Nm between 1 200 r/min and 2 200 r/min, while an output of 105 kW is on tap at
2 600 r/min.
The Allison 1000 transmission has a hydraulic torque converter along with dual overdrives, with the second overdrive ratio being rather high. This allows for low engine speeds at cruising rpm and, ultimately, enables significantly reduced fuel consumption.
Baking power comes from a four-circuit protection valve, full-air brake system easier to maintain than vacuum-hydraulic or air-hydraulic braking systems.
The parallel chassis frame and smooth top flange chassis construction have a distinct low-weight advantage, especially when mounting a steel sub-frame cargo body. The locally built chassis passes through a special paint station to enhance its dust and dirt endurance and longevity – a unique South African addition.
The suspension is of the straight ladder-type with semi-elliptical leaf springs, together with front double acting shock absorbers and rear auxiliary springs.
The 8.140FL-AT will be available from FAW Trucks dealers in a number of body derivatives including a drop-side, a taut-liner option, a van body, a tipper, a roll-back and a dry-freight insulated body. Customers can also choose to purchase the chassis cab and fit their own truck bodies to suit their specific needs.
It is sold with a 2-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and benefits from the full extent of sales and/or service from representative outlets across South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.
Richard Leiter, Executive Director of FAW South Africa says: “FAW SA is committed to offering vehicles engineered, developed and rigorously tested to meet the harsh operating conditions in Africa. To this end, the FAW 8.140FL-AT represents the strength, reliability, value for money and ease of operations that products from FAW Trucks are renown for. Most importantly, though, is that it too is a truck built for Africa, in South Africa.”
