Dodge K1050
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16-ton-gvw fourft-wheeler
by Trevor Longcroft AM1RTE pictures by Harry Roberts EARLIER this year Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd announced that the Perkins turbocharged 6.354.3 engine would be available on some models as an option to the naturally aspirated version which is fitted to the Dodge K850, K950, and K1050 two-axle rigids.
This T6 engine has an intercooler which is effectively an auxiliary front-mounted radiator to cool the induction air from the turbocharger compressor before it is drawn into the cylinders. This increases the air's density, hence a greater weight of air per cylinder volume is introduced into the engine to improve efficiency. Output from the T6 is 147.5bhp net at 2600 rpm and 368Ib ft net installed torque at 1600 rpm; a substantial increase from the corresponding 117bhp and 2641b ft of the naturally aspirated engine. During a recent test of the K1050 16-ton-gvw model over CM's Midland operational trial route, the higher-output T6 paid off in performance terms without any obvious fuel consumption penalty. The 17ft tin-wheelbase truck was fitted with the higher 5.57 to 1 ratio rear axle and the optional six-speed overdrive gearbox.
Cab and controls The de luxe cab fitted to the test vehicle remains unchanged from previous models and access is made easy by the step midway between the ground and the cab floor. Inside, the instrument panel is located immediately in front of the driver, so that the speedometer is• easily seen through the wheel. The other gauges: fuel, battery charge and brake air pressure can each be seen at a glance. The direction indicators are controlled by a stalk on the nearside of the steering column just beneath the wheel, while the sidelamp and headlamp controls are mounted to the offside of the column.
The suspension-type driving seat, upholstered in perforated breathable pvc material, can be adjusted both vertically and fore and aft.
Clutch, brake and accelerator pedals are well spaced, but the grommet covering the steering column universal joint on the floor interfered with clutch operation when one's foot was not squarely on the pedal. The cranked gear lever projects forward between the driver and the dual-passenger seat and is nicely positioned. Gear-lever loads are pleasantly light.
The top rail of the windscreen relatively low, and with sunvisors lowerec the road ahead is completely obscured for an average-height driver. Further, the pillar separating the quarter-light and side window on the offside door prevents full rear visior in the mirror, unless one's head is moved tc the right. The steering column, seat and indeed du cab itself were completely vibration-free The cab interior was quiet enough to alloy conversational speech to be heard across it though at certain engine part-loai conditions "diesel crackle" from the engin, made conversation difficult.
Steering is power assisted by Hydrostec ram and just over six turns are require from lock to lock. It was easy to keep tl] vehicle on a straight course, but whe manoeuvring I found the steerin unexpectedly heavy. On motorways tF suspension coped easily with tl] occasionally rippled road surface, and ti ride was comfortable. Even on secondary-road surfaces, the long-wheelbase Dodge (which had dampers fitted to the front axle only) was free from bounce, and there was no detectable pitch or roll. The ease of gear selection, combined with the light clutch pedal pressure, provided for a particularly fatigue-free gearchange operation. The Chrysler gearbox — full synchromesh — behaved predict ably well. The lower ratios are equally spaced, but between third, fourth and fifth the gaps are rather larger, so changing .up between these ratios meant a slight acceleration delay before the engine pulled satisfactorily in the higher ratio.
Performance The increased power available from the T6 makes the Dodge very much a driver's vehicle. On the motorway it cruised easily at 60 mph and indeed I had to keep a close watch on the speedometer to ensure that the legal limit was not exceeded. The T6's greater torque enabled the M1 gradients on our route to be taken without a downward gearchange.
On the much steeper climbs encountered n the Cotswolds, the vehicle behaved equally well. On Fish Hill, at Broadway, the l6-ton Dodge completed the 1.3-mile climb, with 1 in 8 average gradient, in just over 6min. Had a gear change at the start of the gradient been made a little quicker, the vehicle would almost certainly have climbed the hill in third gear instead of at maximum revs in second.
The good ratio spread of the gearbox means that as well as fast motorway cruising the Dodge will restart comfortably on a 1 in 5 gradient, forwards or in reverse.
Braking from 30 mph required 61ft, the maximum Tapley meter efficiency reading being 75 per cent; this figure, although good enough, is by no means among the best we have achieved among 16-tonners tested.
The Dodge is fitted with a secondary /parking brake actuated from a pedestal-mounted lever in the cab. Secondary braking from 20 mph returned a Tapley meter maximum efficiency reading of 64 per cent, The parking brake lock actuators, fitted to the rear axle only, proved difficult to release after each full-pressure braking test at MIRA. On more than one occasion we had to wait up to two minutes before sufficient air pressure could be built up to release them.
We have not tested this vehicle fitted with the lower-powered naturally aspirated engine so a direct fuel consumption comparison is not possible. However, the consumption over the Midlands test route 10.9 mpg compares very favourably with other trucks of similar payload capacity.
Summary The Dodge K1050, fitted with a Barham alloy-framed platform body with a wooden floor, carried a very useful payload of just under 10.75 tons.
It proved easy to drive and, with the high axle ratio fitted, is geared to please both driver and operator, especially on fairly long hauls. On the 64-mile stretch of motorway a fuel consumption of 11.4 mpg was obtained at an average speed of 51.3 mph.
As tested, with the optional T6 engine, power steering, six-speed gearbox, 50 gal fuel tank, de luxe cab, and driver's suspension seat the Dodge chassis-cab costs £3865.55; the body is an extra £438.