The making of the 1000 hp racing Prima
Truck racing championship is the second most popular spectator event after Formula 1. Tony Iddon, Director, FIA, said this on the occasion of the fourth Tata Prima T1 Racing Championship in Delhi. Appreciating the ideas, initiatives and innovations involved, he said, he likes the way Tata has taken this sport in an exciting way to the man in the truck in India. Announcing that truck racing series are held in nine countries in Europe apart from Brazil, China and India, Tony averred that truck racing has become a marketing platform for all those who are involved in trucks. “The new, 1000 hp truck is exciting. I believe it will make it to Europe,” he said. The racing trucks participating in the European championships produce over 1000 hp. It is the drivers who develop these trucks with manufacturers providing engines or any other assistance needed. In India, Tata Motors took the initiative of starting the truck racing sport four years ago. It has once again taken the initiative to build a 1000 hp truck.
The 1000 hp race truck, according to Dr. A K Jindal, Head – Engineering Research Centre, Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, is built around the engine. The 12-litre Cummins in-line, six-cylinder ISG engine is placed mid-ways to ensure an equal weight distribution. There are no cross members between the two ‘C’ sections of the chassis when compared to the current racing Primas, which have been taken off the assembly line at Jamshedpur and fitted with the necessary racing gear, and suitably modified. The 1000 hp truck is hand-built almost. With cross members only at the front and rear, for torsional rigidity, sub-frames have been suitably engineered, both on the inside of the ‘C’ long members and on the outside. With the engine positioned mid-ways, there’s not much space between the six-speed gearbox with hydraulically assisted shifter and the Dana differential. Compared to the current racing truck, the wheelbase of the 1000 hp truck is slightly longer than that of the current truck. Pointing at the piping and its connecting joints for cooling coils, Dr, Jindal revealed that components found on F1 cars have been used in this truck. “The electronic nature of this truck, which makes its CAN-bus enabled, has ensured the packaging of many advanced technologies,” he said.
A tablet-like screen instead of a dashboard is indicative of the electronic nature of this truck. With Steve Horne and his son’s company Cherwell Trucks involved, the 1000 hp race truck has its intercooler located at the front, and behind the grille. The radiator is below, and behind the bumper. It is placed at an angle. Both, have water jets aimed at them to make certain that the temperatures do not rise quickly, and affect the performance. The jets execute the task of ensuring good charge density, and production of good amount of power by keeping the engine operating temperatures low. There are two cooling fans inside the closed duct too. The torque curve of this ISG engine, which produces almost twice the power it does in a production truck, is claimed to be wide and flat. For such an amount of power it was necessary to achieve good stability. The 1000 hp truck runs on wider tracks as compared to the current racing Primas. Featuring three-step adjustable Penske dampers with displacement sensors, the 1000 hp racing truck is fitted with
two leaf springs at each corner. Its steering column is uniquely routed for reach. The steering wheel is of the quick detachable variety. The rear wheels sport light-weight aluminium wheel rims whereas the design of the front wheel rims is such that the offset is almost flush to that of the wheel arches. This was done to ensure that no damage is incurred in case of a contact with other truck while racing. The day cabin on the 1000 hp truck is lower as compared to the current racing Primas. It looks very similar to the cabin of the Tata Daewoo Prima cargo trucks in Korea, and has been suitably strengthened apart from the fitting of the roll cage. The cabin mountings are on the side of the long members rather than on the top of them.
The 1000 hp truck features Wabco air disc brakes. This makes the 1000 hp truck the first to feature this tech in India. Apart from reducing the weight of the braking system, the air disc brakes make for more efficient braking, and enable quick changing of the wearable parts like brake pads. To keep the brake temeprature low, the truck comes with brake disc cooling. Air pressurised water is fed to brake discs through sensor based nozzle Jets. Primary cooling is through continuous water flow. The secondary jets operate automatically upon rise in of brake disc temperature. The sensors judge the rise in temperature. Water for brake cooling is stored in three aluminium tanks with a total capacity of 180-litres. Fuel is stored in a 80-litre aluminium tank and fuel cooler. Apart from the power cut off switch on a massive looking centre console inside the cabin, there is another one at the rear. The specifications demand their presence. Coming back to the electronic system of the truck, there are these small switches on the centre console that are used to control, even over ride some of the functions on the move if the driver feels the need. The CANBus enabled electronic system is app.-based and Wi-Fi enabled to allow remote diagnosis. There is provision for fitting of rear view camera, GPS, etc. Tyres are from JK Tyres, and the size of 315/70 R22.5. These were specially developed by JK Tyres for racing, and carry a special racing compound. “We need better sidewalls to sustain high pressure cornering and braking forces. The racing tyres with special compound have tapered tread. It has special wire wrap and HE wire that reduces skidding and slipping during challenging conditions” Sanjay Sharma, HeadMotorsport, JK Tyre.