DAF LF 290 FAN

The change brought a change of engines. The 45 and 55 ranges used Cummins units of 5.88 litres producing up to 235 hp. The successor LF received Paccar engines of the PX family, more compactly built and quieter in operation thanks to the integration of several components into block and cylinder head.

The LF range was expressly developed for distribution work and is graded accordingly: a wide choice of wheelbases, load ratings and engine versions. That is exactly what makes used comparison demanding — two vehicles of the same designation can differ markedly in wheelbase and body.

Anyone examining an older vehicle should therefore first establish whether it is still a 45/55 or already an LF. The transition around 2001 separates not just two names but two engine families — and with them two different worlds of spare parts.

With gross vehicle weights from 3,500 to 29,500 kg, the LF range spans from the boundary of EU class N1 well into class N3 (over 12 t); depending on version, this requires a category C1, C or CE driving licence, together with a tachograph, driving and rest times and, in most countries, a distance-based toll. From Euro 5 onward the emissions stage required SCR catalysis with AdBlue, whereas the earlier Cummins engines of the preceding 45/55 range handled this solely through exhaust-gas recirculation.