DAF XDC 450 FAD 8x4 Chassis Cab Boughton · Hook Loader

The DAF XDC day cab is finished in Luxury interior trim with the Vision dashboard, which descends towards the windscreen for a direct view of the road. The driver’s seat is air suspended (Comfort Air, high backed) with armrest, alongside a foldable cinema seat for the co-driver, and the steering wheel is leather finished.

The driving area is well specced. A 5-inch colour display sits in the instrument panel, with the DAF Luxury infotainment system adding a 10.1-inch touch display in the dashboard wing, providing DAF Truck Navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, FM/DAB radio and a five-speaker system. Automatic climate control with an activated-carbon pollen filter keeps the cab comfortable year round, and LED ceiling units provide dimmable interior lighting with a red night-driving mode.

Externally, the XDC carries a three-piece steel protruding bumper with integrated fog lights, a radiator protection plate and steel front underrun protection — construction-spec protection at the front end. Entry is via three steps with an anti-slip rigid first step, and central locking comes with two remote units.

The XDC 450 carries DAF’s MX-11, a 10.8-litre, six-cylinder Euro 6 multi-torque engine producing 450 bhp at 1,600 rpm, and 2,350 Nm of torque from just 900 rpm. The low-rev torque means power is effectively delivered when pulling a full load from standing start, without revving the engine hard, then settling into efficient cruising on the road.

Drive is delivered through the ZF TraXon 12-speed automated gearbox with urge-to-move manoeuvring (the vehicle creeps on brake-pedal control alone) and dedicated off-road software with a Rock-free function, selected from dashboard switches.

An Eco performance shift strategy balances fuel efficiency with driveability, with an Eco off button when full performance is needed. The SR1132T single-reduction tandem runs a 3.73 rear axle ratio with cross-axle and inter-axle differential locks for traction on poor ground.

The 8×4 layout runs twin 7,100 kg front axles on parabolic leaf suspension with shock absorbers and a stabiliser, configured for extra-high driving conditions, and a rear tandem rated to 19,000 kg group load on trapezium leaf suspension.

Braking is ventilated discs all round on a dual-circuit air system with electronic brake control and anti-slip regulation. The electro-pneumatic park brake has Auto Apply, it engages when the driver’s door opens or at ignition off, so the vehicle can’t be left unparked. The MX Engine Brake works simultaneously with the exhaust brake, giving high combined braking power at low engine rpm on laden descents

Wheels are steel discs with silver-grey protection rings, on Goodyear on/off-road steer and traction tyres.

A 340-litre aluminium fuel tank is mounted on the left-hand side, fed through an on-engine heated fuel pre-filter with water separator. The 45-litre AdBlue tank sits on the left-hand side below the battery box.

Emission control is DAF’s Euro 6 DPF/SCR system, with a low horizontal exhaust diffuser discharging to the right-hand side. The air intake sits at the front below the cab, with shields beneath the radiator to prevent dust disturbance from the cooling fan in yard and site work.

The chassis is fitted with a gearbox power take-off (type NH/4c) mounted below the gearbox countershaft, with a 27/30 gear ratio and direct pump drive, powering the crane and tipping hydraulics from a single, simple installation.

Lighting is LED: headlights with impact-resistant Lexan lenses and levelling, integrated daytime running lights, bumper-mounted fog lights, LED rear light units and side marker lights.

Electrical power comes from twin 175 Ah batteries and a 110 A alternator on a 24 V supply. Two 12 V accessory outlets and a USB connection sit in the centre console, with an extractable dashboard table at the top of the console for paperwork.

The chassis cab is supplied with DAF’s warranty plus package: 2 years vehicle and 3 years driveline. Additional service packages are available for additional cost.

The chassis is fitted with a Boughton RORO hook loader, type 8/32-70C Universal — a design that’s been in continuous production since 1973 and remains the most common hook loader on UK roads. The main frame is deep-section, fully welded pressed steel, built for strength rather than weight-saving, and the hydraulic system is kept deliberately simple to reduce points of failure. Pivot joints run on phosphor bronze bushes with greasing points, keeping routine maintenance straightforward.

The whole system is worked from a control box mounted in the cab, between the driver and passenger seats — electric switches trigger the pneumatic-over-hydraulic system, so loading and unloading a container never needs the driver to leave the cab. This build is finished in primer paint.

Containers are held down by a three-point locking system: two rear “Combilock” clamp-and-lock fittings plus a rear-facing secondary lock, so the load can’t shift or work loose in transit. The lifting hook is high-strength steel with an auto safety pin fitted as standard — the pin locks the hook shut automatically once a container is loaded, rather than relying on the driver to fit one by hand.

Twin rear axle stabiliser jacks drop down to steady the rear of the vehicle while a container is being loaded or unloaded, keeping the truck settled as the weight shifts on and off. This build handles CHEM standard and Dinosaur (modified cable) containers — the two most common container types in UK waste and construction work.

Sheeting is handled by Boughton’s own Kwikcova CM system, a patented design considered the industry benchmark. A telescopic mast and arms lay the sheet down over the load rather than dragging it across, which stops the sheet wearing through and extends its working life. A full container can be sheeted in around one minute.

The sheet is held in place by an elasticated side restraint system, and the arms are designed to keep the vehicle within the UK’s legal maximum width while travelling. The same side-arm design copes with containers that bulge out at the sides, sheeting them safely without extra adjustment.