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DAF introduces switchable all-wheel drive option

This new ‘PXP’ drive has been developed together with German commercial vehicle converter Paul Nutzfahrzeuge. It will be available on the DAF CF and XF 4x2 tractors powered by the PACCAR MX-11 or MX-13 engine. Other chassis types will follow later in the year.

Permanent all-wheel drive for a truck that only occasionally drives off-road usually means a considerable cost in terms of acquisition, maintenance and fuel consumption. For off-road situations where the vehicle needs extra traction to tackle ditches, sandy roads, unpaved tip sites and steep inclines, DAF is introducing a hydraulic front-wheel drive option for CF and XF 4x2 tractors that can be activated via a switch on the dashboard. If the vehicle registers slip from the powered wheels, PXP – ‘Paul Xtra Power’ – is automatically activated. The greater the amount of slip from the rear, the more traction the front wheels provide.

DAF’s switchable front-wheel drive is available in the first four forward gears and the first and second reverse gears. At speeds above 20 kph (and/or in fifth gear and upwards) PXP switches back to stand-by mode. The system activates itself again at lower speeds and whenever use is required.

To make the switchable front-wheel drive possible, each front axle wheel hub is equipped with a hydraulic motor, producing 6,435Nm torque at a maximum system pressure of 360 bar. The motors are driven by a hydraulic pump that is fitted directly onto the Engine-PTO, which saves both weight and space. In addition, the hydro pump can also drive auxiliary components such as cranes, hook arms, stabilizers and skip loader systems. This means that only one hydraulic tank is required, which also results in less weight and more space.

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