MAN TGA 26-480: Review

Third generation livestock carriers, Markus and Nicholas Hingston, are no strangers to the European marques. After all, European trucks have played an important role in their Tasmanian trucking operation ever since their father Kerry purchased a second-hand Scania LB80 back in the '70s.

So impressed were they with the performance and reliability of that second-hand truck along with the service they received from the local dealer, that European trucks became the backbone of their business.

The expansion of their business to provide a wider range of services to the agricultural industry is attributed to the prompt and reliable service they provide their clients. There are nine trucks in the fleet including the MAN TGA 26-480 plus a diverse range of trailers, with the company's work carrying them from their base near Launceston as far south as Hobart.

This is the first MAN in Hingston's fleet and after the first 12 months of trouble-free running, the Hingston brothers concede that not has it impressed with its performance, but also for its exceptional reliability and fuel economy.

"Because these later-spec'd engines have greater torque we've opted around the 500hp mark mostly to save on fuel, and even though it is early days the 480hp is returning very pleasing results in both performance and economy," said Markus.

"This MAN engine is really well suited to our environment here in Tasmania," he continued.

"In order to achieve good economy, you need to be able to get the truck to cruising speed as quickly as possible and this MAN engine is very good at achieving this. Because the terrain in Tasmania is very undulating we require large torque across a broad range of revs, which makes maintaining cruising speed a lot easier on the truck with minimal gear changes.

"Torque in the TGA 26-480 peaks at around 1000 revs and remains usefully high all the way to 1300 revs."

With its 68,000kg GCM, the MAN TGA 26-480 is a real all-rounder, and while some sceptics may argue that there might not be enough grunt in the 13-litre engine to haul B-doubles, there are operators like Markus Hingston who are quick to ask, 'How much power do you need and how fast do you need to go?'

The 13-litre D2876 MAN engine is also available in a 530hp rating, and the unit adopts common-rail injection and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to meet Euro 3 emissions standards.

Another feature that Markus praises highly is the MAN Turbo EVBec engine brake with ZF gearbox intarder and downhill speed controller.

"With MAN's retarding system it can be used manually by the driver to control the speed of the truck or it can also be set to operate automatically, according to the requirements at the time," said Markus.

"For example, in the fully automatic mode, you simply make a quick dab on the brake pedal to engage the downhill speed control function. This means the exhaust brake is operated automatically whenever needed, in conjunction with the retarder system, to control the vehicle's speed.

"Alternatively, you can use the retarder manually simply by moving the retarder wand into the position you require. There are five positions from mild through to maximum. The operator's guide tells you that use of the retarder in the fully automatic mode will reduce wear on tyres and will help keep the service brakes in a cool, fresh condition for when they are really needed.

"To give you an example of how we typically use the retarder, take a traditional country road with bends and a few undulations. In this instance, I would use the retarder manually just to reduce the truck over-running on the small descents and occasionally to shed a few revs heading into the sharper bends.

"On the other hand, like when I'm coming down the Highland Lakes Road heading into Deloraine from the Great Lakes, which is approximately a seven-kilometre descent, I use the retarder in automatic mode, which means the downhill speed is controlled entirely by the truck.

"This means I am descending the hill at a safe speed, yet still maintaining an efficient trip time, with minimal wear on the truck's service braking system.

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"It's probably worth mentioning that the MAN retarder system is extremely quiet, which means we can still have full retardation coming into urban environments. That is extremely important here in Tasmania.

"Another great advantage of MAN's retarder system is the fact that it does its braking through the transmission, which means you can down-change a gear with it still engaged and the road speed of the vehicle does not increase during the gear change. It is so effective that I can virtually bring the truck to a complete stop by using the retarder and down-changing, without even touching the service brakes."

At just 21 years of age, Adam McCulloch has the enviable task of piloting the MAN TGA 26-480 and reckons when he first started driving it he felt a bit guilty about getting paid to drive it, because of how easy and comfortable it is to operate.

Adam's a boiler maker by trade and when Marcus asked him if wanted to drive their new MAN, Adam gave his boss at the welding shop a week's notice the next day. Incidentally, Adam's father also works for the Hingston brothers and operates one of their milk runs.

Adam cites the smooth, comfortable ride in the cabin along with the TGA's handling as some of its best attributes from a driver's point of view. He also adds that the extended service intervals means he gets to spend more time on the road than the drivers performing similar haulage tasks in some other brands of truck.

"The vision out of this MAN is really terrific," Adam explained.

"The eight-bag air-suspension is really smooth too, and the way the cabin is sprung means I don't get any nasty jolts – it's a truly remarkable ride."

Adam also highlighted the spacious interior and its ample storage. Under the bunk is 600 litres of storage capacity accessed through the passenger's side door locker. The side door on the driver's side provides access to a sealed compartment for oils and tools.

"The more time I'm behind the wheel the more money I earn and when you're trying to save for a house, that's really important," said Adam.

"It [the TGA 26-480] is extremely good on fuel, too – you really notice it when you're pulled up next to other trucks at the fuel bowser and you've all been doing the same job.

"Our service can only be as good as the tools we use," said Markus.

"With this MAN we have an excellent product that is not only reliable but efficient to run, and the back-up support we have from MAN is first class. When you're on a good thing you might as well stick with it."

MAN TGS 26-480 specifications:
Make: MAN
Model: TGA 26-480
Engine: MAN D2876
Power: 473hp (353kW) at 1900rpm
Torque: 1696lb/ft (2300Nm) at 1100rpm
Transmission: AS2301 Tipmatic 12-speed
Front axle: MAN 9.5t
Front suspension: Taper leaf
Rear axles: MAN Hypoid
Rear axle ratio: 4.63
Rear suspension: MAN Airbag
Main driveline: MAN
Inter-axle driveline: MAN
Brakes: Disc
Fuel: Alloy 2 x 473lt
Wheels: 10-stud steel
Bumper: Painted FUPS