Man CLA 40.280

August 11, 2016: MAN CLA 40.280 is a tractor-trailer from the company with a comparatively lesser weight than MAN’s other offerings and has a wheelbase of 3,600 mm for all three body types (bulker, cab and tip-trailer) at a starting price of INR 25.3 lakh ex-showroom. It’s fit for flat bed applications, construction and mining material, general goods, liquid material, gases and more with GVW of 40,200 kg and payload of 34,000 kg. It’s engine specifications are 6.9 Litre 6-Cylinder DI TCIC diesel motor, churning out 280 bhp power and 1100 Nm torque. Power steering and high gradeability of 31% make driving easy on steep slopes and hard terrains. The double sleeper cabin comes with optional AC, titlable steering, heat and sound dampeners, large space and more. Exhaust valve brakes, LSV and ABS provide extra safety while on road.

MAN CLA 40.280 Truck – Expert Review

Overview

MAN Trucks India is one of the renowned commercial vehicle manufacturers and has trucks under every range like cargo movers, tippers and others. The CLA 40.280 truck from the company is a Cargo Mover with ample of applications and power to support them fully. It has high durability, aerodynamic chassis, smart engine management system, low maintenance and decent load carrying capacity to ensure full value for money. The interiors of the truck are also very comfortable with all the required amenities and controls.

Powered by MAN D0836 6-Cylinder 6.9 Litre diesel engine, it is good to produce 280 bhp of maximum power and 1100 Nm torque. The gearbox comes with 9-speed synchromesh transmission for smoother drive and comes with long shelf life. Performance wise, it could hit the top speed of 88 km/h in top gear with more than enough gradeability of 31% and is equipped with Engine Management System for a balanced drive. The suspension system of this truck has leaf springs in front and at the back with double-acting shock absorbers to offer bump-free drive.

There also are reliable axles as well to support both heavy load carrying and smoother drive. Coming to the loads, it could lift up to 40,000 KG weight, including the kerb weight of 6,200 kg with a 3-axle trailer attached to it and 16,200 KG without the trailer attached. For the safety purposes with this much load, the cabin and chassis have been manufactured with high-strength steel and a lot of other safety features like Antilock Braking System (ABS), Exhaust Valve Brakes (EVB) Power Steering, Seat Belts, S-Cam dual Circuit Air Actuated Drum Brakes with Automatic Stack Adjuster, Asbestos-free brake linings and others as well.

Inside, the cabin is full of features with 2 Sleeper Bunks, AC and other controls like Adjustable Seats, Tiltable Steering with the best part being it is tiltable using the hydraulic mechanism up to 60 degrees. The exteriors are also decent with steps to climb up and down from the cabin, enough lights and ground clearance of 292 mm. About applications, the truck could be used as flat-bed cargo, containers, tippers and tankers as well.

Overall, CLA 40.280 truck is one of the best options available in India, if you're looking for a multi-purpose truck with decent power & torque, comfortable interiors, effective braking system and better suspension with low maintenance. Also, the fuel tank capacity of 335 Litres, makes this truck suitable for long journeys too.

Engine and Performance

MAN CLA 40.280 is powered by the company's MAN D-0836 LFL 08 Turbocharged Intercooled 6.9 Litre 6-Cylinder in-line diesel engine. It is good enough to produce 280 bhp power @ 2400 rpm and decent torque of 1100 Nm @ 1300-1700 rpm.

Mated with ZF 9S 1110 OD 9-speed Synchromesh gearbox with crawler gear, it could hit a top speed of 88 km/h. The truck has maximum gradeability of 31% and maximum startability is 26%. Equipped with an Engine Management System with Microprocessor based ECU, it optimizes the engine performance in terms of fuel efficiency, power & torque distribution – making it run on low maintenance as well.

Load Carrying Capacity and Acceleration

Being publicized as a Cargo Mover, it has high load carrying capacity and the numbers justify that too. With the unladen front and rear axle weight of 3,700 kg and 2,500, respectively, the total kerb

weight of the truck is around 6,200 kg. While loaded up, the front axle and rear axle weights are nearly 6,000 kg and 10,200 kg, respectively, making the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 16,200 kg. Also, it could carry weight around 40,200 kg, while it is attached to a 3 Axle trailer.

Mentioning the applications, it could be used as a flat-bed cargo mover, container, low-bed for moving equipment, tipper for products like coal, as a tanker for weights like water, fuel, chemicals, gas, cement bulkers and others as well.

Braking, Suspension and Handing

The braking system of CLA 40.280 is S-Cam, Dual Circuit, Air Actuated Drum Brakes with drum diameter of 410 m, Asbestos-Free Brake Linings and Automatic Stack Adjuster as well. It has this Exhaust Valve Brake system as well for better braking and extra safety for the occupants.

Coming to the suspension, it has a Semi-Elliptical Leaf Spring in front with Double-Acting Shock Absorbers and Heavy Duty 2 stage Semi Elliptical Leaf Spring at the rear to offer bump-free drive on not-so-good Indian roads. To provide the extra support to this suspension system, there is a heavy-duty forged I beam type front axle with maintenance free hub bearing and rear axle with planetary with hub reduction gears.

To make sure that drivers feel no issues while moving this truck forward or in reverse direction, there is this power steering available, which is telescopic and adjustable according to the height and position too.

Exteriors and Interiors

The exteriors of the truck are designed aerodynamically with good height of the cabin. The driver gets all the comfort with steps to climb the cabin and enough lights to make the journey easier on highways and steeps too. Dimensionally, it is 5,880 mm long and 3,087 mm high with a wheelbase of 3,600 mm.

Inside, the cabin is very spacious with 2 sleeper bunks, adjustable seats, tiltable steering and every other control on the dashboard to make the drive comfortable. The cabin can also be tilted to 60 degrees with hydraulic mechanism used in it.

Comfort and Safety

There are not many extra add-ons available for comfort, but just the regular ones like AC cabin, standard seats, tiltable steering, 3 way adjustable driver seat, NVH insulated sleeper cabins and aerodynamic shaped cabin for low air resistance as well.

There are many safety features that has been made available in the truck like ABS, Parking Brakes, seat belts, EVS, trusted suspension and very good braking systems.