Hello,

I have recently joined the group and I would like to introduce myself. I am English and I don’t speak German, so I will try to use Google Translate. We have an Iveco Daily 4x4 55S17W Euro 5 EEV which has a Bocklet Dakar 630 camper on the back. We have been travelling for 2.5 years in this truck so far, including 3 continents and 31 countries.

Ich habe seit kurzem die Gruppe, und ich möchte mich vorstellen. Ich bin Englisch und ich spreche kein Deutsch, also werde ich versuchen, die Verwendung von Google Translate . Wir haben einen Iveco Daily 4x4 55S17W Euro 5 EEV, die auf der Rückseite eine Bocklet Dakar 630 Camper hat. Wir haben bisher in diesem Lkw für 2,5 Jahre reisen, darunter 3 Kontinenten und 31 Ländern.

www.tuckstruck.net

I have a diagnostic computer. With this I have monitored the truck’s performance on high sulphur fuel in Africa and South America. I am pleased to report that the engine and DPF perform well.

Ich habe einen Diagnose-Computer. Damit habe ich der LKW-Leistung auf hohem Schwefelgehalt Kraftstoff in Afrika und Südamerika überwacht. Ich freue mich zu berichten, dass der Motor und der DPF gut ab.

http://www.tuckstruck.net/truck-and-kit/the-truck-technical-stuff/fuel-issues/

I also tested the truck at altitudes up to 4808 m.

Getestet habe ich auch den LKW in Höhen bis zu 4808 m.

http://www.tuckstruck.net/truck-and...uff/operating-cuthbert-at-high-altitude/

I have also installed a Telma electro-retarder in the truck.

Ich habe auch installiert ein Telma Elektro Retarder in den LKW.

http://www.tuckstruck.net/truck-and...s/braking-electro-retarder-installation/

I am looking forward to exchanging information on this forum. If I do not respond quick, it is because I am traveling and have only occasional access to internet.

Ich freue mich darauf, Informationen zu diesem Forum auszutauschen. Wenn ich nicht schnell reagieren, ist es weil ich unterwegs bin und nur gelegentlich Zugang zum Internet.

Kind regards,
Marcus

Hey Marcus,
great to have you here. have fun in this Forum and on your trip through southamerica.
Peter + Heike

Hi Marcus,

welcome, nice to see you here! I assume many of us already knew your homepage, which is also linked somewhere here.

I think for many users it will be fine if you post English only, so don't hesitate to do so. Most here are travelling a lot anyway and therefore very proficient in English.

Regards
Raphael

Hey Marcus,

Welcome and Fine that you join the forum.
I think most of the 55 S17 owner still find some very helpfull tipps on your Homepage to solve some Iveco homemade mistakes on their cars.

Best luck for your current travel.

Best regards
Dirk
...still happy on Mongolian travell roads

Marcus,

welcome from me, too, although myself I´m rather a newbie in this community
(still owing all of you an introduction - forthcoming soon, promise)


Along these lines, I´ve already printed your excellent paper on the Telma EMR
system as I´m, too, quite concerned about our cars´ somewhat underpowered
braking system.

So I touched base with Telma/UK for prices, who then referred me to a german
distributor, who in turn didn´t consider himself a distributor, however, and
referred me onwards to a company in Strasbourg (Welte Cardan Service). So,
I´m on for a phone call with them, tomorrow. And, NO, I don´t think I shall
bother any of the Iveco subsidiaries ´round here with this endeavour ...

In the meantime, Marcus, can you give me an idea of the cost involved in fitting
the electro-retarder to a 55S18W ? As you did all the work yourself, you´d
probably only know about parts pricing - wages would be different across UK
and Germany anyways - any idea on the number of work hours required ?

Thank you in anticipation & best regards


Hans-Joachim

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

Kookaburra,

Here are the prices for the main components excluding tax:
I bought the Iveco parts through www.vexi.co.uk who sell at trade prices to customers and will ship to Germany. They are very good and much cheaper than going directly to Iveco as they buy in bulk and so can get good deals. The power take-off is a crazy price for what it is, the price below is the vexi price, Iveco wanted over £2500!!!

5801549827 Sliding prop. Shaft = £476.20
504276738 Power take-off = £1,931.10

Retarder parts through Telma:

AF30-35 Retarder-brake unit, Anti-vibration bracket, Relay Box, Hand Control unit, Light Bar Display = £2,603.00

Electronics through RS Components http://uk.rs-online.com/web/

Open Loop Hall Effect Current Transducer, 0 → 100 A, 8 → 16 V dc Stock no.: 650-560
SPDT PCB Mount Non-Latching Relay, 10 A, 12V dc Stock no.: 492-6798
Texas Instruments LM339N/NOPB Quad Comparator Open Collector 14-Pin Stock no.: 533-8237
Vishay T63YB Series 14 (Electrical), 15 (Mechanical)-Turn Through Hole Cermet Trimmer Resistor with Pin Terminations, Stock no.: 374-7061
RS 50 g Black Epoxy Pack Potting Compound Stock no.: 199-1402
Black ABS Potting Box with Lid, 46 x 32 x 20mm Stock no.: 225-0099
= £36.95

I tried to get information from Iveco but they were useless, just telling me to go to a local garage. When I went to the local garage they didn’t even know what a PTO was and so I was less than confident that they could actually help with any real technical data! I approached SCAM and was very rudely told they would not discuss anything as I had an Iveco.

I did find an Iveco document that states the maximum torque transmissible by the ‘Option 8696 PTO Transfer Box Meccanic’ is 1900 Nm. So I had to assume the transfer box and PTO would not have a problem with the 350 Nm of the retarder. I also looked at the sectional views of the transfer box in the workshop manual and could see how it works internally which I was sure could handle the loads.

Modifications in the UK are much easier than in Germany. You will need to pass the annual inspection, but this is a test of the vehicle as presented. They do not check if you have changed something, just that the vehicle works safely. For example, the brakes will be tested and if they meet or exceed the required standard you pass. However, you do need to inform your insurance company of any modifications – my insurance company decided the modification was not ‘increasing the vehicles performance’ (making it go quicker) and so they did not increase the cost of the insurance.

I have sent the full details of this modification to SCAM so they could use it on their vehicles but got no reply. I have also seen that Iveco headquarters in Turin have looked at the retarder modification page on my website. So Iveco know I have done it but they have not contacted me.

It is not a cheap option but is very effective for hills and I use it all the time while driving normally. I have had a significant reduction in brake wear. If I bought another Daily 4x4 it would be one of the first modifications I would make.

Hope you find this helpful, sorry for the delay in replying. We have just crossed from Brazil back into Bolivia ;-)

thank you ever so much, Marcus.

very exhaustive response - I´ll have to figure out how best to go about getting this improvement on my car, too, under german regulations that is; but first things first, my cabin is only being mounted as I write.

Safe travelling - enjoy your time in Bolivia


Hans-Joachim

There are several "Ivecos by SCAM" running in South Tyrol with retarders (and there are also several retarders blown, it's just a question of driving style)

If someone is thinking about a retarder, he/she may save a lot of money by ordering the P.T.O. with the new vehicle

regards
Peter

I had heard that the PTO option is quite cheap when ordered with a new truck, if only I knew when I ordered mine.

There are a few big advantages to having the retarder fitted to the PTO rather than the rear drive shaft.

Firstly, you do not reduce the ground clearance.

Secondly, the braking force is applied to both the front and rear axles (32%/68% due to the center differential) and with the center diff locked 50%/50%.

Thirdly, due to the gearing the half gears and low range make the retarder more powerful. In high range without the half gears the retarder performs the same as having it on the rear drive shaft. With the half gear engaged it becomes approximately 24% more powerful - this is how I use it for hills. In low range it becomes 310% more powerful and low range with half gears 388% more powerful which will throw you into the windscreen ;-) It is amazing for off road steep descents.

It is worth remembering that the retarder on its own will not lock the wheels, the slower the axles turn the less powerful the retarder becomes. This makes it great off road as you will not lock up a wheel using the retarder. However, light braking can make the rear wheels lock on steep loose surfaces, which triggers the ABS, which in turn turns off the retarder and is quite scary! I have installed a switch to turn off the ABS when off road. I know the ABS gets turned off when the center differential is locked but I find the truck handles well (much smaller turning circle) with the center differential unlocked. As my loading is about 32%/68% the torque split in the diff is perfect and does not need locking until the conditions gets really bad.