Buying a 22-tonne rigid for West or Central African work is a different calculation from buying one for Europe. Fuel quality varies, dealer networks are thin, and the roads decide more than the brochure does. This Foton Auman 22T 4x2 fence cargo truck was developed as a specific project for Cameroon — a Yuchai-powered, Euro II, 4800 mm wheelbase chassis with an extended cab. That project brief shows in the specification, and this review goes through what it means for a fleet running construction material, agricultural produce, heavy cargo and market logistics.

Payload: do the arithmetic, then confirm it

Two mass figures are published: a gross vehicle weight of 22,000 kg and a kerb weight of 5,440 kg. The difference is roughly 16.5 tonnes, which is what you have to work with before the body, the driver and the fuel are accounted for — and the rated payload field on the sheet is blank. Treat that as a question rather than an answer.

Why it matters here: the cargo box is an option, not standard equipment on this configuration. A box or a stake body carries real weight, and every kilogram you bolt on comes straight off what you can legally carry. Weigh your intended body, add the driver and a full tank, and only then decide whether the payload still works for your freight. Ask the dealer to state the rated payload for the finished vehicle in writing.

"The body is optional and unweighed. On a 22-tonne truck, the body you choose is the payload you lose."

Chassis, flatbed, box or stake — pick by freight

This platform is offered as chassis, flatbed, box or stake body, and the choice should follow what you carry rather than habit. Stake bodies — the fence configuration this listing describes — suit sacks, crates and produce that need side access and ventilation, which is exactly the agricultural and market work in the brief. Box bodies protect general goods from weather and theft. Flatbed handles steel, timber and machinery loaded by crane.

Two useful details. The wheelbase was shortened from 5750 mm to 4800 mm specifically to match a 6200 mm cargo box, so this configuration is balanced around that body length rather than being a generic chassis — worth knowing if you planned to fit something else. And the cargo floor height is 1035 mm, which matters for hand loading and for dock heights at your regular customers.

Yuchai power and the Fast eight-speed

The engine is a Guangxi Yuchai YC6A240-33, rated at 240 hp, driving through a Fast 8JS105TA manual to a 10-tonne rear axle at a 4.875 final drive. Yuchai is one of the largest Chinese diesel manufacturers and its engines are widely distributed across African markets, which is the practical argument here — parts and familiarity matter more than a marginal power advantage.

The clutch is a single dry diaphragm spring unit, hydraulically controlled with an air booster, and the transmission can be optioned with a flange power take-off — worth specifying now if you ever intend to drive a tipper body, a crane or a pump, because the PTO coordinate is fixed at the rear end of the engine cylinder block and retrofitting is far more expensive than ordering it.

Braking is drum air brake front and rear with a spring parking brake, and an exhaust brake as the auxiliary retarder. That last item is genuinely valuable on loaded descents: an exhaust brake takes work off the service brakes and stops drum fade on a long gradient. Max speed is listed at 105 km/h, which tells you the gearing favours pulling over cruising.

Specify ABS — it is optional here

This is the single most important line on the option list. The standard configuration on this truck is listed as without ABS; ABS appears only as an option. On a 22-tonne vehicle with drum brakes, on mixed surfaces, with variable load, ABS is not a comfort feature. Tick it, and tick the automatic slack adjuster option alongside it.

On tyres, there is a useful piece of engineering history here: the 10R22.5 option was removed from this 22-tonne platform because it could not meet the load requirement. That means 11R22.5 18PR tubeless is the standard fitment and is rated for the full 22,000 kg GVW, with 295/80R22.5 available as an option. Keep pressures at rated values — an under-inflated tyre at this load is a safety and a cost problem at the same time.

Set expectations on the rest of the standard list too: no airbag, no ADAS, no air deflector, no tachograph, manual windows and mirrors, manual air conditioning and an MP3 player. If you want central locking, electric and heated mirrors, electric air conditioning, an overseas tachograph, a reversing camera or daytime running lights, all are options — and all are cheaper specified at order time than added later.

Euro II: the honest position

The vehicle is homologated to Euro II, which is still accepted for commercial-vehicle registration in Cameroon and most West and Central African markets. The practical advantage is mechanical injection: it copes with variable fuel quality and, with no aftertreatment, can be repaired by local workshops rather than by a dealer. For a fleet operating far from an authorised service point, that is worth more than a cleaner emission rating.

Two caveats. First, rules move, so send your registration authority to the seller and get the current position confirmed — and ask whether a higher emission level is available if Euro II has been closed in your market. Second, note a discrepancy on the sheet: the vehicle emission standard is Euro II while the engine is separately listed as National III. Ask which certification the export documentation will carry, because that is what your authority will read.

"Euro II is a registration question and a repairability advantage at the same time. Confirm the first, and do not give up the second without knowing what replaces it."

Money and what to confirm first

The published figures are a listed price of 24,000 USD and an FOB reference of 19,100 USD, with freight, insurance and destination charges on top. Get the landed cost to your named port in writing. Against a European 22-tonner the acquisition saving is large, and for a fleet buying several units it is often the entire business case — balanced, as always, by a more conservative residual value assumption.

The project documentation also notes anti-corrosion protection applied to newly introduced special parts, which is a sensible detail for humid and dusty conditions. Before any deposit, put four questions on the Auman 22T product page enquiry: the rated payload with your chosen body, the emission certification that will appear on the documents, confirmation that ABS is included on the build, and the standard fuel tank capacity, since 260 L and 450 L appear on the option list but the standard figure is not in the parameter table.

Questions buyers ask before signing

Is Euro II still registrable in Cameroon?

Euro II is still accepted for commercial-vehicle registration in Cameroon and most West and Central African markets, and mechanical injection copes with variable fuel quality while remaining repairable by local workshops rather than a dealer. Rules do move, so send your registration authority and get the current position confirmed, and check whether a higher emission level is available.

Flatbed, stake or box body — which suits best?

It follows your freight. Stake bodies suit sacks, crates and produce needing side access and ventilation; box bodies protect general goods from weather and theft; flatbed handles steel, timber and machinery loaded by crane. Against 22,000 kg GVW and a 5,440 kg kerb weight, weigh your body before assuming payload — the cargo box is an option, not standard.

Can 11R22.5 tyres carry a full 22 tonnes?

Yes. The 10R22.5 option was removed from this 22-tonne platform because it could not meet the load requirement, so 11R22.5 18PR tubeless is the standard fitment and is rated for the full 22,000 kg GVW, with 295/80R22.5 available. With 10/10+8 leaf springs, the 4.875 final drive and the exhaust brake, the truck is set up for loaded rural and site work. Keep pressures at rated values.

What must I tick on the option list?

ABS is the priority, because it is optional and this is a 22-tonne drum-braked truck. Then the automatic slack adjuster, the flange PTO if you will ever drive body equipment, electric air conditioning for hot climates, and an overseas tachograph if you cross borders. Central locking, electric and heated mirrors and a reversing camera are cheap at order time and expensive afterwards.