Dodge re-launches K series
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by Ron Cater • To give operators a chance to try its re-engineered Dodge K range of trucks, Rootes is mounting a series of 22 displays and demonstrations throughout the country. The first was at London (Heathrow) Airport on Friday, based on the Skyways Hotel.
All the heavier K models now have the Perkins V8-510 diesel as standard, although , the Cummins VALE remains available, but now as an option.
Seven of the eight vehicles displayed are demonstrators, and one a static showroom unit. Among the demonstrators are a K 850 13-ton two-axle tipper with a wheelbase of 10ft 8in, and a Perkins 6.354 engine; a K1050 two-axle 16-tonner with a 147in. wheelbase, again with a tipping body; and a 19f1 lin. wheelbase version of the same model with a flat general-haulage body. These latter two are powered by the V8.510 engine.
The six-wheelers shown are two KT 900 types, one with a tipping body and a 10ft 8in. wheelbase, the other a platform body and a wheelbase of 16ft Sin. The first has the Cummins VALE, the second the Perkins V8. Both employ double-drive rear bogies.
The two remaining vehicles are tractive units from the K P range—the 950 plated for 24 and the 1000 for 28 tons. Their specifications are almost identical, the Perkins in the 950 driving through a 14in. clutch and an Eaton 18802 while in the 1000 it drives through a 15in. clutch and an Eaton 19800 axle.
A big development programme has been undertaken to ensure new model reliability. The maker claims that they have been tested to the equivalent of 100m miles with mechanical attention restricted to pre-set service times, no attention being given to them in between in order to more accurately simulate actual operating conditions. Components were allowed to disintegrate: weak points were then re-designed to avoid repetition of the failure.
While visiting the demonstration I was able to drive two of the latest models with Perkins V8.510 and a six-wheeler with Cummins VALE. Both the Perkins;ined vehicles were maximum-capacity chines while the Cummins was a maxim-capacity type but restricted by its eelbase to 20 tons gross.
[he I6-ton four-wheeler was equipped h the latest Rootes five-speed gearbox I an Eaton 18802 two-speed axle. It had 'elehoist lightweight body and was loaded a full 16 tons with shingle. On the road it ved an excellent machine. The new gear: makes gearchanging easy and the ratios such that when matched with the ratios the Eaton two-speed axle, progressive ts are obtained throughout with no duplion. As expected with 10.7 bhp per ton ver-to-weight ratio, acceleration was adete and completely without fuss, while the :tability in top gear permitted the vehicle
to be driven down to 10 mph without signs of distress from either engine or transmission. This machine returned acceleration figures of 27sec from 10-20 mph, 59sec from 10-30 mph and 97.8sec from 10-40 mph in top gear /high axle. Through-thegears times were 0-20 mph, 15sec; 0 30 mph, 31sec; and 0-40 mph, 61sec.
Changing over to the Cummins-engined six-wheeler—loaded to 20 tons gross —highlighted the different techniques required to drive the alternative engines. Whereas one can adopt the old-style, lowspeed-engine technique with the Perkins and still produce a good rate of progress, to do this with the Cummins results in ragged performance and snatching vibration from the drive line. Driven correctly, however, the Cummins has the greater acceleration. The Cummins engine is noisier although the Dodge insulating of the cab has considerably improved the situation. As the speedometer ratio-change box was not working correctly on this machine I was unable to carry out full acceleration tests. Those completed in high-axle ratio, however, when the speedo reduction worked accurately, showed that this machine achieved 0-20 mph in 11.0sec. 0-30 mph in 26.0sec and 0-40 in 37.5sec. Top-gear /high-axle acceleration from 10 mph proved impossible.
The K1000 tractive unit was coupled to a York tandem-axled trailer and loaded to 28 tons gross. This was the only vehicle of the three I tested which was not fitted with power steering and while on the road it was
certainly not required. Manoeuvring in close quarters, however, showed that even an artic with relatively light front axle loading can become a bit heavy after a few lockto-lock movements of the steering. On the road this machine showed that 28 tons was all that it could satisfactorily handle. Although the main gearbox was accurate, I found the clutch fierce and the two-speed axle indifferent in operation. Acceleration tests returned figures of 0-20 mph 17.5sec; 0-30 mph 45.6sec; and 0-40 mph, 98.2sec. It took just on a half-mile to reach 40 mph from a standing start but the machine happily trundled along at only 12 mph in top gear /high axle.
The places which the cavalcade will visit and the locations at which it will be based arc: