Bedford's 4x
Page 11
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URTEEN MONTHS after the roduction of the KB26 pick-up the UK. Bedford is launching Kir-wheel drive version called 1(841. It is wholly built by r Japanese company lsuzu, t is bodged on arrival in the . it is sold as the Chevrolet in !USA and the Isuzu in Austraa, reports BRIAN 'ATHERLEY.
The vehicle is available with D engine options: a 1.6 litre i.ficuin) overhead camshaft trol engine rated at 59kW !bhp) giving 116Nm (85Ibft) of que at 3,000 rpm; or a two
(119cuin) indirect injection ,sel engine rated at 40kW 'bhp) with a substantiall qua. of 113Nm (83lbft) at 00rpm. The petrol engine ws on two star (91 octane) fuel J both versions are fitted with 0 litre (11 gallon) fuel tank.
The all-steel cab and integral Ai is mounted on a ladder ie chassis frame braced by 3 heavy duty cross members. rgo body, front wings and grill w bolt-on type. The increased ight from the transfer case d drive axle has meant a 3htly shorter wheelbase of
2,650mm (104.3in) compared with the 2,995mm (118in) on the KB 26 giving a 1,460mm (57.7in) wide by 1,855mm (73.0in) long load deck area. With a gross vehicle weight of 2,350kg (2 tons 6cwt) Bedford claim the KB41 can accommodate a payload well in excess of 1,0 0 Okg (19.7cwt).
Four-wheel drive is achieved via a two-speed transfer box with a low ratio of 1.87:1 (high ratio gives direct drive) which can be switched from high and low four-wheel drive to twowheel drive and back without having to stop. A green "4WD" indicator lamp on the dash confirms all-wheel drive is engaged.
The usual KB2 6 column change is dispensed with and the gear shift to the four-speed' box is mounted on the floor along with the transfer gear 'lever which restricts cross-cab movement. Manually operated free wheeling hubs are fitted for highway driving fuel economy.
Suspension on the front axle is via independent torsion bars incorporating an additional stabiliser bar, while semi-elliptic four-leaf springs are used on the rear. Hydraulic shock absorbers are fitted all round. Braking is achieved by the usual servoassisted front-disc rear-drum configuration, and both models are fitted with load sensing valves. Under the current understanding between the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association, the numbers of the wholly Japanese built KB41s will be restricted to between 300 and 400 units in the first year, and these will be distributed through Bedford's existing 60 light commercial vehicle dealerships. The launch of the KB4 1 coincides with a month-long tour of Bedford on-off road vehicles, under the name Bedford Overlanders and CM had the opportunity to drive both new pick-ups over a rough road section of Forestry Commission land at Dalby Forest in Yorkshire.
Neither vehicle was loaded, making a true assessment difficult. However, on dry, uneven, shale covered tracks and forest tracks the steering on both vehicles was light and responsive though in the case of the ligher petrol version it tended to be unstable, when cornering at speed, with the rear of the vehicle slipping away.
Both versions climbed steep gradients without having to resort to low range which, when engaged, showed positive engine braking. Interior noise levels were good, particularly compared to the Land Rover, and the vinyl-covered bench seat provided adequate support. The dash layout was easy to read, though finished very much to Japanese standards.
The firm roads gave little opportunity to test the K1341's minimum ground clearance of 210mm (8.31n).