After a trio of rolling jumbos it’s back to basics with three modern Renault 4×2 straight trucks. Quite possibly, the green truck on the left gives you some kind of Déjà Vu experience: the cab, built by Renault in France, is also used by DAF (LF-series), Volvo (FL-series), Kenworth (K270 & K370) and Peterbilt (220 series). Just another form of cab sharing.
This 2015 Renault Trucks D box truck is a prime example of a (city) delivery truck. It has a low and only 210 cm (82.7”) wide day cab, with excellent visibility all around. Note the lower window in the right door, so that the driver can keep an eye on cyclists and pedestrians when turning right.
The light Renault truck (GVM 11,990 kg – 26,433 lbs) is powered by a Volvo based, 5.1 liter inline-four engine, good for 215 DIN-hp. At the rear a Dhollandia -made in Belgium- tailgate platform. The Renault’s payload capacity is 5,610 kg (12,368 lbs).
The dashboard of a Renault Trucks D.
For comparison reasons, here’s the DAF LF. The same cab, as mentioned in the first paragraph, yet not quite the same on the inside.
Things are getting bigger and heavier with a 2017 Renault Trucks D-Wide. The cab’s width is 230 cm (90.6”), hence, D-Wide. This one has a sleeper cab.
The power unit is a Volvo 7.7 liter inline-six with a maximum power output of 286 DIN-hp. The truck’s registered GVM is 19,500 kg (42,990 lbs) with a payload capacity of 9,960 kg (21,958 lbs).
In UK-English, we’re talking about a skip loader or skip truck lorry here.
In this case, without a skip. That’s an open-topped container, to be filled with debris or other waste. The loader body, mounted on the Renault’s frame, is a Hiab Multilift Futura.
Here’s how it works, the hydraulic telehoists can put the skip/container on and off the truck and can place it wherever you want. Like in your own driveway, while doing a house renovation.
The skip loader can also be used as a dump truck. Which speaks for itself, at some point the container has to be emptied…
The fully automatic VBK load covering system.
The last one, a 2015 Renault Trucks D-Wide with a sleeper cab and a raised roof. GVM 19,000 kg (41,888 lbs), payload capacity 10,895 kg (24,019 lbs). Just like the orange skip loader, it’s powered by the 7.7 liter engine, yet with 326 DIN-hp.
The truck is carrying a flatbed swap body with curtain sides, which can stand on its own legs (there are four of them, one at each corner of the bed).
And just like the green box truck, it has a Dhollandia tailgate platform. There’s a trailer coupling too, right above the platform. The legal maximum towing capacity is 21,300 kg (46,958 lbs).
The interior of a Renault Trucks D-Wide.
The 4×2 straight truck, the oldest and most common form of trucking, all over the globe. The ordinary workhorses without bragging rights, yet so indispensable.
In American English the orange truck would not be called a skip loader. A skip loader is a type or wheeled loader with a 3 point instead of a hoe in the back. https://www.equipmentworld.com/who-wants-a-skip-loader-why-caterpillar-brought-it-back-with-the-415f2-il/
The trucks we have in the US for picking up containers are usually called roll-on roll-off trucks where the container rolls on a (usually) tilting track.
Yes, I found out that a US-English skip loader is something completely different…
The UK-English type of skip loaders has been around for a very long time. The roll-on-roll-off type too, often towing a drawbar trailer, thus hauling two containers.
Yeah terms differ from place to place the posted trucks are gantry trucks here, the roll on off variety are hook trucks, named for the loading method I had a stint in the waste industry but a long time ago.
Apart from the “gantry trucks” and the “hook trucks” there’s also the open-topped container (un)loading system that combines chains/cables with a tipping frame. The conventional Scania above is an example of the latter.
Another great article and photography Johannes.
Impressive and well designed Renaults. The large glass in the lower right door is a thoughtful touch for pedestrian and bicyclist safety. As is the cabover design affording a panoramic view, far more common in Europe, than here in North America. As a regular cyclist, I would like to see us adopt the side guards that are mandatory in Europe. A couple years ago in my city, a cyclist was killed by a right turning truck as they both proceeded forward after a red light. The height and long hood of the truck, plus the driver’s height of 5’4″, combined to place the cyclist in the driver’s blind spot ahead of the right front fender well.
More popular use of cabover designs, a larger right door lower window, and side guards may have helped prevent this needless death.
Anywhere close to a truck including directly in front puts you in the truck drivers blind spot, that includes cabover trucks, I’m pretty sure cyclists dont realise this from some of the stupidity I see while driving thru town traffic, and yes entire cars can hide right in front of a conventional.
Fact is most of the modern conventionals have excellent vision in front of the truck. This weekend I’ve got a 2018 Freightshaker rental like this. https://reservations.ryder.com/en/rental-vehicles/truck-rentals/straight-truck It has a Meritor-Wabco Collision Mitigation System which tells you how far you are from the vehicle in front of you. I was able to see the ground behind a vehicle in front of me when the system said I was 5ft away. Honestly the visibility in front of the truck is better than in my F250 4×4 (stock) and my E150.
Where have the RVI designers gone to?
Where’s the guy who made the AE (Magnum) design?
Or the earlier Berliet (later RVI) TR series?
Renault Vehicles Industriels RVI, now part of Volvo trucks, I guess they’re trying to get rid of Renault and only let Volvo survive by making ugly trucks which today are mainly a Volvo underneath.
Essentially, the cabs shown here are pre-Volvo Renault V.I. designs.
The D started as the Midlum, the D-Wide as the Premium Distribution.
Four wheeler trucks, done my time in those type too, though not those particular models, what I wouldnt have given for a tail lift when delivering butter from a TK Bedford van body decades ago, 5 1/2 tonnes all hand unloaded every day yeah no wonder I gave up and became a nomadic fruitpicker it was easier. I dont see any of these actual Renault trucks about though an earlier DAF LF crosses my path most days, mind you that path changes today so anything could come into view Smaller European brands are becoming more common here competing with Japanese brands, driver comfort is usually superior in euro trucks getting beaten about on our very rough highway system isnt the way to encourage young ones into the industry.
The seven major Euro-truck brands, covering all weight- and power segments, fully own the European truck market. There is simply no competition -worth mentioning- from “outsiders”.
We have the major Japanese brands Isuzu, Hino Mitsubishi/Fuso and the Chinese brands are starting to show up in the bigger size market mostly knock offs of European trucks and some appear quite capable, plus of course we have the US branded trucks, I’m driving a DAF CF again and though its a bit underpowered for our terrain its comfortable to drive has a decent Road Ranger 18 speed manual and does the job ok.
DAFs have never been known for brutal power. Their biggest (own) engine ever is the current 12.9 liter inline-6. In the mid-nineties, the then top model 95.500 Super Space Cab was offered with a Cummins 14 liter for a few years.
At the present, north of 600 hp are Scania, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and MAN. If you want to go beyond 700 hp, then the choice is either a Scania or a Volvo.
I never noticed it was the same cab as the DAF LF, and I’ve driven them both. As you say, not exactly the same – I always found Renaults to be the most pleasant of the smaller trucks, much nicer than the LF.
Do you know how much is shared between the LF and its American cousins? Is it just the cab, or more than skin deep?
Engine choices in the LF are the Paccar PX-4, PX-5 and PX-7. All Cummins engines, respectively 3.8, 4.5 and 6.7 liter displacement. Same engines as in the US for sure.
Are these the replacements for the old “Club of Four” cab from the 70s? This would be a Volvo F6/7 or in the US a Mack Midliner.
The 1979-2000 Renault Midliner (aka Mack Midliner) had an updated “Club of Four” cab. In 1985, Volvo introduced their new FL-series, an in-house Volvo-only design (so Volvo’s “Club of Four”-successor).
In 2000, the Midliner was replaced by the Midlum. The article’s Renault Trucks D is clearly an updated version of that Midlum. The DAF LF, with the same cab, was introduced in 2001. Prior to that, light DAF trucks were based on the good ol’ Leyland Roadrunner.
Is 5.1 liters the biggest 4-cylinder engine ever? I can’t think of one bigger.
Fiat S76, 1910 land-speed record cars were a bit larger, at 28.4 litres.
Interesting stuff Johannes.
Skip lorry sounds right to me.
OOI, are all these shared/narrower/wider cabs built together or do each of manufacturers build their own?
Looking at the photos, the Renault seems to have its steering wheel at a much flatter angle than the DAF, or is that a matter of adjustment?
Reach and tilt are usually adjustable drivers come in all manner of sizes.
The cabs (the hardware/exterior) are all built by Renault, in France, as far as I know.
The cab of the Renault Trucks D-Wide is also used by Mother Volvo for their FE-series.
I must admit to disappointment with these Renault cab exteriors. Where’s the flair of a nutty Avantime, or the original Twingo, or the originality of an Espace?
Btw, Mr Dutch, you really have brought alive an interest in trucks I haven’t felt since a child, when I would go to the local truck and bus show. A fine effort, for which I thank you, and which I hope you keep up.
Also by the by, who are the seven Euro makers you mention, who owns them, and why do “outside” brands have no look-in? Is it habit/familiarity or import restrictions? For a perspective from upside-down here in little old Aus, Volvo is biggest in the big rigs, but everything below that is only Japanese; Renault is just a tiny niche player in the van market.
The Circle of Seven: Mercedes-Benz (Daimler Trucks), MAN (VAG-Group), Scania (VAG Group), Volvo, DAF (Paccar), Iveco (CNH Industrial) and Renault Trucks (owned by Volvo).
The biggest/heaviest Japanese truck available here is the 8.55 metric tons Fuso Canter (Fuso is owned by Mercedes-Benz/Daimler, btw).
The thing is this: especially from circa 1970 to the mid-eighties, heavy Euro-trucks evolved and improved so rapidly as if there was no tomorrow. More power, combined with better fuel efficiency, much bigger cabs, highly improved comfort and ergonomics and more payload. In short, pretty much every single aspect of a truck or tractor improved drastically and just continued to improve steadily from that period onwards.
Just compare a Volvo F89 from the early seventies to a 1980 Volvo F12 Globetrotter to see what I mean. And compare said Globetrotter to a contemporary heavy Japanese cabover truck/tractor to see even better what I mean.
After that 10 to 15 years time frame, they found themselves ahead of everybody else, no matter where it was built. Till this day, they never gave away that lead. Nowadays, Daimler and Volvo are the world’s largest manufacturers of heavy trucks.
Thanks for that.
Also available as 4 door!
I got this one new in 2008 I think, and it is still in use there.
Nice! The MB Sprinters are ready for export?