ERF-NGC-European:
This page from a Bedford TM brochure states that 6v-71s were fitted with Fuller 6-sp boxes and 8v-71s with Spicer 10-sp boxes.
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Sure that’s a low torque rated RTO 9 speed Ro not 6 speed just as I remembered it.While we know that the 4400 was also an RTO 9.
While as stated I can only remember the Spicer fitted with a 6v92 because I remember the other drivers questioning why the more difficult less forgiving shift of the Spicer when a Fuller would fit just like with the 6v71 and 8v92 and from memory the few 8v71’s that we had at least.
Where did you work that had 8v71 Detroit Bedfords fitted with anything other than a Spicer gearbox?
You said that you’d no experience of them except in 6v92’s-name an operator in the U.K. that had these?
The Roadtrains had them as standard and I don’t think there was much complaining about them at the time either-i can remember being with my father when we borrowed a new T45 unit when our TM had a fuel starvation problem, and the old man just drove it.didn’t complain, it was what it was.not a bad motor at all at the time.
Undoubtedly the Fuller box was preferred in everything at the time, but when the TM first came out, the V8 was 100 percent fitted with a spicer ten speed.
My father operated these vehicles,it would seem that you have swallowed the internet again Carryfast.
In my case ‘the operator’ was numerous different specialist fire truck customers mostly export based and certainly not usually limited to what was offered in the Bedford UK sales brochure.
Just like Scandinavian drawbar prime mover operators which is how the turbo 92 series TMs originated thereby also providing exactly what our specialist sector needed.
You probably won’t find Bedford’s special order approved Tricentrol Chassis Developments skunk works on the internet in that regard.
The resulting products eventually then finding their way onto Bedford’s UK sales catalogue in the early 80’s including the 6v92.
As for the Roadtrain I’m sure that Euro export versions were fitted with Fullers not Spicer’s.
Having said that I also don’t get the anti Spicer thing like the 12 speed ZF it’s just a bit less forgiving of badly matched shifts.
But obviously more reason why the Fuller would be preferred for fire trucks and demanding terrain.
You are correct about the Europeans choosing Fullers in T45 Roadtrains. Specifically, it was the French who specified Rolls Royce with either 9- or 13-speed Fullers, as Fuller was a much-preferred box.
Regarding TMs with the 8V Detroit, I can find no evidence of general haulage trucks having Fullers.
ERF-NGC-European:
Regarding TMs with the 8V Detroit, I can find no evidence of general haulage trucks having Fullers.
What would you say this is Ro.
Looks suspiciously like a range change and splitter and that shift quality and installation points to an original Fuller ?.
13 speed ?.
ERF-NGC-European:
Regarding TMs with the 8V Detroit, I can find no evidence of general haulage trucks having Fullers.
What would you say this is Ro.
Looks suspiciously like a range change and splitter and that shift quality and installation points to an original Fuller ?.
13 speed ?.
ERF-NGC-European:
Regarding TMs with the 8V Detroit, I can find no evidence of general haulage trucks having Fullers.
What would you say this is Ro.
Looks suspiciously like a range change and splitter and that shift quality and installation points to an original Fuller ?.
13 speed ?.
It’s not an early TM.seen plenty of videos of this ,it has the later diesel tanks and air tank arrangement.
Define ‘early TM’ ?.
My experience of them was limited to around between 1977-80.I don’t think they’d come to the notice of our market sector before that.Its difficult to remember the exact gearbox options fitted to them all but at least as of late 70’s I don’t think that the usual Fuller transmission options were off the table according to customer request.From lowest torque rating obviously fitted to the 6v71, to the highest and 9/13 speed and from memory more common than Spicer.
ERF-NGC-European:
Regarding TMs with the 8V Detroit, I can find no evidence of general haulage trucks having Fullers.
What would you say this is Ro.
Looks suspiciously like a range change and splitter and that shift quality and installation points to an original Fuller ?.
13 speed ?.
Well it’s certainly a 13-sp Fuller and a TM; and it certainly sounds like a high-revving engine like the Detroit. Apart from one of the responders to the video mentioning that he likes the sound of a V8, do we know for certain it is one?
I’ve found the evidence to back your claim, CF. If you go to page 1 of this thread you’ll see I posted an October 1980 Commercial Motor road test of a Bedford TM 4400 with a Detroit 8v-92T coupled to a Fuller RTO 12609 box. You’ll also notice that throughout the thread I have always maintained that the option was available. Happy reading!
ERF-NGC-European:
Regarding TMs with the 8V Detroit, I can find no evidence of general haulage trucks having Fullers.
What would you say this is Ro.
Looks suspiciously like a range change and splitter and that shift quality and installation points to an original Fuller ?.
13 speed ?.
Well it’s certainly a 13-sp Fuller and a TM; and it certainly sounds like a high-revving engine like the Detroit. Apart from one of the responders to the video mentioning that he likes the sound of a V8, do we know for certain it is one?
ERF-NGC-European:
Regarding TMs with the 8V Detroit, I can find no evidence of general haulage trucks having Fullers.
What would you say this is Ro.
Looks suspiciously like a range change and splitter and that shift quality and installation points to an original Fuller ?.
13 speed ?.
Well it’s certainly a 13-sp Fuller and a TM; and it certainly sounds like a high-revving engine like the Detroit. Apart from one of the responders to the video mentioning that he likes the sound of a V8, do we know for certain it is one?
I’d bet the farm that it’s a 3800 with the 8v71.
Detroit’s aren’t actually much more higher revving than 14 litre ■■■■■■■■■■■■ obviously just sound like they are revving at twice the rate of a four stroke at the equivalent rpm because the cylinders are firing every revolution of the engine as opposed to every other revolution.
ERF-NGC-European:
I’ve found the evidence to back your claim, CF. If you go to page 1 of this thread you’ll see I posted an October 1980 Commercial Motor road test of a Bedford TM 4400 with a Detroit 8v-92T coupled to a Fuller RTO 12609 box. You’ll also notice that throughout the thread I have always maintained that the option was available. Happy reading!
Ro
In this case we’re trying to tie/confirm the Fuller options available with the 8v71 powered versions.
I guess that maybe that is getting diverted by Bedford’s limited spec sheet regarding the early production examples.
By the late 70’s the possible options list seemed to have been expanded massively for customers who knew where to look and ask for them.I think the reference to the turbo 8v92 being an Italian market driven product is incorrect.As I heard it in the day it was firstly a Scandinavian market driven development.
But really it would have been better if Bedford had dropped the less fuel efficient non turbo 71 series products.
While as stated hopefully the 47(5) Detroit badged beast is the real deal in confirming the rumours I heard in the day about such a legendary TM option after the 435.
