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TATA LOADBETA TDi 4x4 TIPPER

15th April 1999, Page 30
15th April 1999
Page 30
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Page 30, 15th April 1999 — TATA LOADBETA TDi 4x4 TIPPER
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[PRICE AS TESTED: £11,915 (ex-VAT). ENGINE: 2.0 litres, 89hp (66kW). GM 2,780kg. PAYLOAD: 900kg. FUEL CONSUMPTION (laden): 27.0mpg (9.51it/100km).

No it's not your imagination, this really is another Tata road test. Tata fans will recall that we tested the Loadbeta Pickup recently (CM Toth Dec 1998) but a leaking turbocharger pipe meant that it literally ran out of breath. As a result, some of the performance figures were unrepresentative. So when the opportunity arose to try out the tipper version

of the Loadbeta, we decided it would only be fair to see what a healthy example could do...

he phrase "the biggest company you've never heard of" could have been invented for the Tata Group. Founded towards the end of the nineteenth century, it now operates in almost every commercial sector you could imagine, from agro-chemicals to computer software, and has a turnover of USS9bn. The Tab Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO) was initially formed at end of the Second World War to build steam trains, but began building commercial road vehicles in 1954, with some help from Daimler-Benz. In 1997 it sold 215,000 vehicles—that's 75% of India's total output of medium and heavy CVs.

PRODUCT PROFILE

As far as the UK is concerned, Tata currently means two models. Top of the range is the Ghurka, a four-seater utility car in the Daihatsu Fourtrak mould, available in 4x2 and 04 versions. The Loadbeta range comprises single and double-cab pickups and a chassis-cab version, with a choice of 67hp (5okW) naturally aspirated or 89hp (66kW) turbo-diesel engines.

The blown models are also available with four-wheel drive. Cab styling on the Tata range owes much to Mercedes—the design is based on the M-B 190 saloon car.

The Tata's tipper body follows the low-tech approach of the rest of the vehicle. A relatively simple aluminium box with removable dropsides and corner posts sits on a galvanised steel underframe, with lifting power provided by an electro-hydraulic power pack. The whole package is then mounted quite high above the chassis via a steel subframe, which includes the mounting bracket for the three-stage ram. An aluminium ladder gantry is fitted to the headboard and three rope hooks are fitted under the raves on each side. Recessed antiluces are used to hold the dropsides instead of the more user-friendly toggle catches.

The tipping controls consist of a pull-out master switch with warning light mounted on the right of the dashboard, next to a small toggle switch with up/down/hold positions. There is no "body tipped" warning, but as the lowered box is barely six inches from the driver's head he'd have to be fairly divorced from reality not to notice. Even with a full load on board the body fairly hurtles into the air—so quickly that fine control is hard to achieve. The tipper can be locked up by a simple but effective steel prop.

A problem created by not having a factorybuilt pickup body is the loss of fuel tank security, usually provided by a locking flap in the bodywork. The filler cap is a sturdy item, and the simple tank neck allows quick and easy filling.

PRODUCTIVITY

As usual with this type of conversion on a relatively light vehicle, the payload takes a hit. In this case the penalty is exactly ro%, with net payload dropping from L000kg to 9 ookg. One point to watch is that the body's long overhang meant our evenly distributed test load created a 4 okg rear axle overload, easily cured by relocating a little weight forward of the axle. The good news is that, with a healthy turbo installation, the laden fuel consumption improved by nearly 3mpg to 27.ompg, while the unladen figure, which we were unable to test previously, was 32.ompg.

The Tata's chassis is obviously built to last, but some of the welding isn't too pretty. The solid-looking steel front bumper certainly earns respect in traffic—even black cabs tend to keep their distance.

ON THE ROAD

The decision to retest a Tata was vindicated by the transformed performance figures. While the new figures are in the region of 30% slower than its contemporary Japanese competitors, the fact that the Tata's engine gives away half a litre of swept volume accounts for most of that. Its performance might not be electrifying, but it is certainly capable of holding its own in traffic and will happily cruise at the motorway limit on all but the steepest climbs.

A contributory factor to the Loadbeta's performance characteristics is its gearing; in particular the optimistic final-drive ratio and, more seriously, the long first gear. When fully laden, moving off is tricky even on level ground, which can't bode well for the dutch's likely service life. Our attempted hill start on the 25% (I-in-4) test ramp was a definite nohoper in high range due to lack of power, and starting off in low range is not always a practical option as the Tata electrically controlled transfer box does not permit on-the-move range changes. Although Tab has recently announced increased braked trailer weights, this inability to use all of the gears is a major obstacle to serious towing.

The high gearing is not without its benefits, however. The maker's quoted top speed of P 87mph (140km/h) means that at the legal limit (easy to gauge, thanks to an extremely accurate speedo), the engine is spinning at a fairly relaxed 2,900rpm, with definite benefits for the in-cab noise levels. Under the load of accelerating, engine noise is rather intrusive but things quieten down at steady speeds. The body tended to rattle on poor surfaces when empty, but otherwise very few extraneous noises were apparent. Extensive sound deadening under the bonnet helps as well.

The ride is a great improvement on early Tatas, but the handling suffers somewhat from the tipper conversion. As the tipper body is mounted high on a subframe above the already high ground clearance chassis, the roll centre at the rear is also correspondingly high. With a full load on board rapid steering movements, even at moderate speeds, result in an interesting display of roll oversteer. The chassis gives plenty of warning but beware of high-speed swerves at full weight.

Steering is frankly unpleasant at low speeds, feeling dead and with poor self-centring, but it improves dramatically at higher speed. Not unusually for this type of vehicle the steering lock is pretty poor, requiring care at times if a shunt is to be avoided. The gearchange was generally acceptable apart from the occasional baulk going into first.

Despite needing considerable pedal effort, and being ultimately limited by the tyres, the brakes produced impressive readings in testing. The handbrake held on the 33% (r-in-3) test hill this time, and engine braking down the same hill was excellent in low-first.

CAB COMFORT

This is probably the area where Tata has the greatest potential for improvement. The best feature is its seats which, apart from squeaky springs, remained comfortable even after most of the day in the saddle, with the driving position helped by the tilt-adjustable steering column. In the fully rearward position we found necessary, the back of the seat rubs annoyingly against the rear wall of the cab. The backrest tilts, but only to gain access to the toolkit.

The heavy-duty grey cloth seat facings and matching vinyl seat sides and door trims provide the only bright spots in an otherwise sombre interior. Apart from a strange brown plastic headlining (apparently intended to look like tweed), almost everything is shiny black. Many of the fittings look and feel cheap, frequently with flashing still visible on the mouldings. The semi-fitted floor covering was topped with a pair of loose rubber mats, which unfortunately were prone to sliding around, but this may have been down to overenthusiastic use of silicon cockpit cleaner.

A clearly laid-out instrument panel includes a rev counter and transmission status indicator lights but suffers from unwanted reflections, while the green display of the digital clock is invisible in most daylight conditions. A touch of class is provided by the red marker lights warning of open doors, and there is also a door-operated roof light and another lamp handily placed to illuminate the passenger's knees.

An effective three-speed heater has the recirculatory function that not all manufacturers seem able to provide, but the control levers are a bit primitive in their operation. There are large closeable louvred extraction vents at the top of the B-pillars and four large facelevel vents on the dash; unfortunately they are fed through the heater, so hot feet and a cold face are not on the menu.

The steering wheel has a strange rubbery finished boss which includes a horn push that is all too easily pressed unintentionally. The two-speed wipers include flick/wipe and an unusual variable intermittent facility which gives two wipes at a time. Reasonably sized and located door mirrors are fitted, but they tend to gradually fold back under the sustained wind pressure of a motorway journey. The sun visors feature lop-sided

mountings which create a gap at the top when deployed.

A panel below the instruments contains switches for rear fog and panel lights, as well as two working spares, and a hand throttle is located down by the bonnet release lever. Space for odds and ends includes a locking glove box, a plain bin below the Long Millbranded electronic-tune radio/cassette, and a pair of full-length pockets on each door. Although these include can or bottle bulges, they have such narrow openings that anything thicker than a road atlas won't fit and anything small that falls to the bottom is probably gone for ever.

SUMMARY

It's difficult to describe the Tata's current position without sounding patronising, which is not our intention. However, while it's obvious that great efforts have been made to create a product to appeal to Western tastes, it's equally obvious that Tata has still not quite grasped the subtleties of our requirements. In particular, the quality and fit of the plastic mouldings in the cabin has considerable room for improvement, having barely reached the standard of European cars of197o.

It would be easy to deride the Indian company. Easy, but foolhardy. We laughed at the Japanese, first for their motorcycles and then for their four-wheelers, but who's laughing now? Tata's progress with the Loadbeta's dynamic qualities has proved that it is capable of learning fast, and our guess is that the company has a product which is maybe just one or two model generations away from competing on equal terms with the best in the West, and with no apologies.

And in the meantime if you need a rugged load carrier, and are not too bothered by cutting-edge design or outright performance, the Tata Loadbeta offers a realistic budgetpriced alternative to the oriental route.

• by Colin Barnett

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People: Colin Barnett

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