Morning all
I thought I'd post up and say hello, and make a nuisance of myself by asking a few questions...
I've read this entire thread (my brain hurts now!) as I am currently grappling with the idea of buying a T813 8x8. My mate is also looking at a T815 6x6 heavy hauler. Both would be used for race support for our stupid off-roading holidays / general camping & expedition stuff all over the UK, EU and into Russia.
It's either genius or insanity for a number of reasons, not least of which is the modified Land Rover in the back garden which may become jealous if I bring another toy home
I'm hoping you guys can help us out by answering a few questions.
The T813 is a later 19-litre version, does anyone know if they have better or worse fuel consumption than the 17-litre, and if they go any faster?
The 80kph top speed is a small issue, OK the speed limit in Europe is around 80kph for trucks, but when we get to the race it would be nice to go a bit faster on occasion if someone needs help quickly. We know it must be possible to make them go faster because of the Dakar trucks, but the question is how to squeeze a few more kph out of them (100kph would be brilliant, but 90 would do) without risking reliability or spending a fortune.
Fuel "economy", we know they're not quite Prius territory but what sort of mileage are you guys actually getting on the road? I've seen figures of around 42L/100km (6-7mpg), is that about right or is it hugely optimistic? Is there anything that can be changed to improve matters - such as re-tuning the engine so you lose the multi-fuel capability but gain economy?
Can anyone tell us definitely what the T815 6x6 heavy hauler is? It looks like an 8x8 with the back end chopped off. Some spec sheets list them as being low geared and very slow, while others say they are the same speed as an 8x8 or even faster.
The T815 is also listed as being Euro-5 emissions compliant, which seems almost too good to be true for something a few years old - is it a misprint or are they really that clean? The tech specs say they still only manage 42L/100k, which seems odd if it's running that efficiently on emissions.
Engine swaps - a bit drastic, and a shame to lose the aircooled V12, but with it being divorced from the gearbox it does set our tinkering minds going with the prospect of swapping in a slightly more economical unit from something modern.
Power take-off - If I buy the 8x8 it might well gain a Hiab crane, and depending on how things pan out we might want to add things like generators & compressors too. Can anyone tell us about the PTO, if the winch uses the only available output or if there is another, and what the output looks like.
Lastly - pictures!
We're trying to get a sense of scale on these trucks as the tech measurements suggest they're not as big as they look, but most photos either show them next to more big toys, or on their own. The picture of the T813 next to the Range Rover & pickup SUV thing was quite useful, anyone got any more like that? Side views showing the length would be most helpful. Pictures of the inside of the cab, drivetrain, and general construction are handy too - we're going to have to modify & service these ourselves so it'd be good to see what we're letting ourselves in for.
Incidentally, I can offer one piece of tech info in return for the inquisition - someone further back in the thread mentioned the exhaust on the Tatra being high up for wading - this is not the case, as long as the engine is running it doesn't actually matter if the exhaust is submerged - most off-roaders run with raised air intakes & standard height exhausts, it's only trucks that have stacks, presumably to avoid coating pedestrians in black soot when you race off the traffic lights
Oh and when you raise the air intake, you should check ALL the joints and breathers, you'd be amazed where water can get in - and after wading, check all the oils for contamination and grease everything. Most people raise breathers (tank breathers, axle & transmission, engine, etc. to the same height as the intake to avoid sucking in water.