MAN on the front line: Review

Name: MAN on the front line: Review
Brand: MAN

The peak bushfire season for South East QLD might still be three months away, but preparations are already in full swing at the Samford Rural Fire brigade with their new MAN TGM 15-290 fire truck

Here on the outer north-west fringe of Brisbane where the State Forest meets civilisation, reliability is vitally important in emergency services work particularly when there is a large geographic area to be covered and a wide range of services to provide. That’s why Samford Rural Fire brigade specified a mew MAN TGM 15-290 4x4 for their front-line vehicle.

Before its official establishment in 1952, the Samford Rural Fire Brigade was unofficially known as the 'bucket brigade'; a group of community members who volunteered and met to form a makeshift fire service, which protected buildings, homes and property.

The village of Samford is nestled in an elbow of beautiful Samford Creek, and is an idyllic picture of relaxed country living. Around a 50 minute drive from the hustle and bustle of Brisbane, Samford is located in the charming Samford Valley at the foot of Mount Nebo.

It is a picturesque drive to Samford that meanders through forest, farmland and valleys, framed by the spectacular mountains of the D'Aguilar range in the distance. The town is tourist central, lined with quaint craft shops, art galleries and historical points of interest are sprinkled throughout the village. While the historic pub, built in 1906 is a great place for lunch.

Today the Samford Rural Fire Brigade (SRFB) responds to all types of emergencies including bush fires, house fires, vehicle accidents and rescues and is able to turn out from its centrally located station within 10 minutes of receiving a call. The brigade is staffed entirely by volunteers who do not receive any compensation for loss of earnings or expenses for attending emergencies or other Brigade activities.

The Brigade is funded primarily by a community fire levy system (currently $25 per annum per property), and through generous donations of the local residents. The provision of risk reduction burns for property owners also brings in further donations.

Tankers and rescue trucks carry a variety of gear on board depending on the main purpose of the vehicle. Equipment can range from rubber and canvas hoses to knapsack sprays and hand tools, fire-fighting foam, breathing apparatus, chainsaws and hydraulic rescue tools, global positioning systems, GRN and VHF radios, rescue stretchers, generators, lighting equipment, and of course pumps and water tanks.

Time to MAN up

MAN Automotive Imports Australia has worked with the SRFB for a considerable time. This long and successful partnership has been based on MAN’s reputation for reliability and strong performance a Brisbane Truck Centre, spokesperson said.

"This latest truck is like driving a luxury Commodore,” explained SRFB First Officer Alan Wells. “The seats for the driver is excellent ... things are easy to reach and read”.

'Unique' is an apt word to describe the SRFB approach to preparing its trucks for deployment in the field.

"On average our truck might only do about 3000 kilometres per year, but when we need it, we want it there, so reliability is a must, there are no second chances for a fire truck," Alan said. “One of the challenges that we face is that only 25 per cent of houses in the Samford district have reticulated water,” Alan explained. “We needed a truck that has the capability of being able to carry at least 4000 litres of water, plus our equipment without being over-weight and the MAN TGM fitted the criteria nicely.

"In regional and remote areas, volunteer fire fighters are the backbone of our organisation, as they are often called to assist professional fire fighters in rescue, motor vehicle accidents, natural disasters and fires. The responsibility of keeping our area of responsibility safe is huge and there is no margin for error and or an errant truck,” Alan said.

Powering SRFB’s MAN TGM 15-290 4x4 is MAN’s D0836 Euro-5 engine. It is an electronically controlled Common Rail fuel injection, in-line six-cylinder engine, with a displacement of 6.87 litres with twin turbochargers and intercooling. It has a one-piece, 24-valve cylinder head and incorporates Exhaust Gas Recirculation with catalyst exhaust and no additive or DPD regeneration required to meet emission standards. It develops 213kW (290hp) at 2300rpm and produces a healthy 1150Nm (849ftlbs) from 1200 to 1750rpm.

The gearbox is an automated ZF 12-AS1210OD transmission with 12 forward speeds and two reverse ratios. It features automated constant-mesh with manual over-ride using fingertip gear-change control. There is an ‘M’ setting for precise low speed manoeuvring in forward and reverse along with an ‘X’ setting for off-road gear change logic as well as the option for Live Drive PTO.

The transfer case, which supplies the power to both the front and rear axles is MAN’s G102, which is two-speed box with a low ratio of 1.6:1 and high ratio of 0.98:1. The weight of the transfer case in this new model range has been significantly reduced in the G102 in particular, which has an aluminium casing.

This truck has the ‘driver-engaged output to front axle’ option, where the rear axle is permanently driven and the output to the front axle can be engaged pneumatically when required.

The MAN TipMatic transmission gear change eases the pressure on the driver, reduces the load on the drive train, and naturally saves fuel. Intelligent assistants and safety systems add to the advantages: more transport safety, lower fuel consumption, less wear and tear.

Both transmission and five-step Intarder share a common oil supply. When the Intarder is deactivated, its heat exchanger behaves as an additional transmission cooler. When the Intarder is switched on, the driver can regulate the braking effect via five-step switch.

Another safety feature that attracted SRFB was the intelligent MAN BrakeMatic, with its Electronic Braking System (EBS), and ABS with powerful disc brakes on all wheels which provides better safety on all road surfaces and conditions. In addition the MAN EVB (Exhaust Valve Brake) fitted as standard that enables powerful, wear-free braking and controlled downhill driving at high speeds with up to 290kW of braking power. The engine brake increases braking performance by briefly opening the exhaust valve.

Local body builder Gibson Tru-Body who custom engineered the purpose built body to suit the brigade’s special requirements on the MAN TGM 15-290 4x4 crew fire tender appliance were able to fit a 4000-litre aluminum water tank, along with pneumatic GAAM pump unit, access steps and electric rewind hose reels. It was then finished off with quality aluminium roller doors and two-pack paint.

"MAN has a good grasp of our requirements and has worked well with the Brigade," Alan concluded. "They're aware of emerging trends, they're receptive to our needs and have always worked to accommodate our requirements."

Specifications: MAN 15.290 4x4

Engine: MAN D0836 6.9 litres

Horsepower: 290hp (213kW) at 2300rpm

Torque: 848lb/ft (1150Nm) at 1200-1750rpm

Gearbox: ZF AS-Tronic 12 AS1210 OD

Transfer Case: MAN G102 2-speed (low 1.6:1 and high 0.98:1)

Electrics: 28V 80A 2240W alternator

Front Axle: MAN VP-06 6300kg

Front Suspension: Parabolic 7000kg with stabiliser

Rear Axles: MAN HP-0928 hub reduction with diff locks

Rear Axle Ratio: 5.07

Rear Suspension: Electronically controlled air 9500kg