Top Cat gives punch to ERF
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by Bryan Janis • ERF's first 550hp Catengined tractor is aimed squarely at the owner-driver, which doubtless explains why it was launched at this year's CM Truckfest. We liked what we saw at Truckfest; we like it even more following a run into North Wales loaded to 38 tonnes. This is a strong contender for the King of the Mountain shirt.
ERF's latest 550hp (410kW) Caterpillar-engined EC15C joins the 12-litre C12 and 12.7-litre Detroit Diesel 60 Series in a Sandbach-built range otherwise dominated by Cummins power.
The Olympic cabbed EC15 was first developed as a Western Star cab-over for export to markets down under: in its European guise it is targeted at owner-drivers; particularly those handling international deliveries. Cat UK sales director Jim Jeffries says: "Its greatest appeal is among small operators who want a lot of power and know how to make the best use of it."
In America, where Cat's 14.6-litre straight-six is a high. volume seller, there are also 425hp (317kW) and 455hp (339kW) versions on offer; UK operators will only get the mighty 550hp version.
UK driveline
ERF's EC15C 55ST gets its punch from the air-to-air charge-cooled 3406E which delivers between 400hp and 533hp with 2,373Nm (1,7501bft) of torque anywhere from 1,2001,60Orpm.
Fuel efficiency looks promising—between 1,400-1,600rpm its BSFC (brake specific fuel consumption) curve drops well below 190g/kWh. Naturally a lot will depend on how gentle the driver is on the gas pedal.
Traditional drum brakes are supplemented by a standard Jake brake controlled by two, four and full-phase dash switches and a floor-mounted operating button.
Behind the 3406E are twin 394mm ceramic-faced clutch plates, Eaton's S-Series 16-speed synchromesh gearbox and a 3.73:1 Rockwell S180E rear axle.
The big ERF rides on a mix of parabolics up front with Hendrickson non-reactive air suspension at the rear, with 295/80R 22.5 tyres all • round. Our demonstrator rig turned up with Goodyear G391s and G267s on gleaming Alcoa rims. These helped to bring the unit's weight down to 7.51tonnes; they looked pretty good too.
Impressions
It all sounds pretty impressive: to find out if the EC15C can fulfil all that promise we headed west along the A55 towards North Wales hauling a fully freighted curtain-sided trailer (and trying to remember to be gentle on the right pedal!).
The outfit pulled away easily in 3L or 3H followed by full gears. At the 50mph dual-carriageway limit it pulls 1,320rpm in high top, and at 56mph the revs rise to 1,520 smack bang where the BSFC dips to 188g/kWh. On single-lane Aroads you can choose between 81. or 7H: either way it spins along easily with a stonking 2,373Nm of torque underfoot.
There's no need to change down to overdrive. Just ease the pedal down and the big Cat responds quickly, smoothly and with a pleasant growl.
Whether it's a junction, roundabout or a long pull like the A54's Kelsall bank, a full down-change suffices with a split in reserve, just in case.
Slowing down isn't a problem either, thanks to the Jake engine and foundation brakes, but as you ease off the accelerator the wastegate turbocharger devel . ops a faint NYPD wail. Clearly, to get the best out of this machine the driver needs a Fred Astaire-like right foot in his Cat-badged boot—and as much weight over the drive axle as is legally permitted. Beneath the top-spec Olympic cab, the 550hp engine makes the EC15C a formidable roadster that the longhaul owner-driver will relish.
Its earning potential remains to be seen. But from what we've experienced it is set to combine sparkling journey times with a home-from-home feel.
Judging by the crowds of operators peering closely at it last week at Truckfest South West, Top Cat ERFs will soon be appearing on a motorway near you...
Specifications
Model: ERF EC15C 5551 4x2 tractive unit.
Engine: Caterpillar 3406E 14.6-litre charge-cooled inline six.
Power: 550hp (41 OkW) at 1,90Orpm.
Torque: 2,373Nm (1,7501th) at 1,200rpm. Transmission: Eaton S-Series 16-speed synchromesh. Drive axle: Rockwell Si 80E with 3.73:1 Final drive. Suspension: Front, steel parabolics; rear, Hendrickson two-bag air, non-reactive.
Wheels and tyres: Aluminium Alcoa rims with Goodyear G391 and G267 295/80R 22.5s.
Cat facts-3406E
• Dry weight: 1,300kg. • One-piece cast-iron head with integral cam shaft; Four valves per cylinder. • Bore/stroke: 137x165mm.
• Electronic unit injection (injection starts at 5,500psi). • Two-piece articulated pistons. • Wastegated turbocharger. • Fuel-cooled electronic control module.
• ECM links to Cat's SoftCruise cruise control.
• ABS/ASR and self-diagnostic systems.