JCBL Cerita JC 11 HD

[Ram]

Friends:

Traveled in a JCBL Cerita JC 11 HD coach from Mumbai to Pune this morning. This is based on a Xiamen King-Long chassis imported from China.
The operator was Metro-Link.







Saw the 8,270 cc 6-cylinder Cummins C245 intercooled turbo-diesel engine.
This powerplant produces 260 bhp @ 2,200 rpm and 976 Newton-metre of torque @ 1,300 rpm.



An electronic governor prevents the engine from being revved above 2,200 rpm.

Like the Volvo, the King-Long is also fitted with a Voith hydraulic retarder.

Despite drum-brakes on all four wheels, it comes
with ABS (Anti blockier system).

The tires were Michelin Pilote XZA 295/80R22.5 tubeless radials.

[esteem_lover]

Great. How was the ride & NVH compared to the Volvo. I hope the pricing on this would be reasonable.

[Ram]

The live rear-axle and the six-speed gearbox are by the German driveline leader: ZF Friedrichshafen AG.

A space-frame network of rectangular section steel-tubing (rather than a conventional ladder chassis frame) serves to structurally support the body between the front and rear axles. This area is used to carry luggage.



The JC 11 HD’s headlamps were of the projector beam variety.



The pneumatically operated passenger door in front, opens to a set of steps, with an extra step just 4-inches off the ground. This last step retracts when the door closes.
In a Volvo B7R, the airvalve is physically on the dash. The King-Long is more refined. It has an electronic solenoid operated airvalve for the pneumatic door. The electronic door circuit can be operated by a pianokey switch on the dash, an emergency SPST pushbutton near the door, a rubber cap-protected keyswitch on the exterior of the door or an infrared remote control.

[Ram]

The bus was barely 20,000 km old. Many upholstery items were still wrapped in polythene. Interior appointments were quite understated. Seats and interiors were by a company called Mobility Solutions Ltd.
Like JCBL, the MSL factory is also at Lalru on Ambala-Chandigarh Road, in the Patiala dist. of Punjab.

The leather and maple faux-wood vinyl skin was a far cry from the old bus steering wheels we had seen in the past.



JCBL exports polyurethane bumpers and dashboard pads with and without vinyl skin to Europe and USA. They even manufacture and export 1965 Ford Mustang spares to the USA for restorers! A JC group company, “Jaycee” manufactures brake drums, clutch pressure plates and pump-body castings. Another JC group co., Sterling Tools Ltd manufactures high-tensile cold-forged nuts and bolts (fasteners).

These buses are assembled at JCBL’s factory at Lalru on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway.

Quite unlike what we’d seen on the Volvo B7R, the King-Long’s dash had a speedo with a digital LCD odometer.





At the left extremity of the dashboard was a Pricol Centralized Lubrication system.
Made by Coimbatore based Pricol Tech. (PRemier Instruments & Controls Ltd.), this embedded system automatically delivers lube grease for 2-3 min. every 5 hours. Thus all bearings get lubed even while the bus is running.



It had a digital clock with large and useful red LED display. The In-bus entertainment system was a Panasonic DVD player connected to a Samsung LCD monitor.

[Ram]

In the early hours of 28th Dec. 2005 an Ahmedabad bound Patel Volvo B7R had T-boned a truck on the highway near Bharuch and caught fire charring 22 passengers to death. Those hapless occupants had been unable to exit the bus in the absence of emergency exits in the JAE (Azad Group) built body.

The Cerita JC 11 HD coach has two emergency escape hatches in the roof with well-displayed instructions for use.





Ram

[salilpawar1]

Originally Posted by ram

In the early hours of 28th Dec. 2005 an Ahmedabad bound Patel Volvo B7R had T-boned a truck on the highway near Bharuch and caught fire charring 22 passengers to death. Those hapless occupants had been unable to exit the bus in the absence of emergency exits in the JAE (Azad Group) built body.

Ram

Volvo buses did have emergency exit at that time. The only thing was that the buses didn't have proper instructions displayed during that time......

[theMAG]

Good pics Ram. The rake of the steering is almost car-like. The intrument dash resembles the shape of the Qualis'.

How was the ride and speed?

[Technocrat]

Nice review Ram almost felt like reading a product brochure with vender details

[directinjection]

Very good review and great pics, Ram!

I'm a little confused by your description of the body construction.
Is the monocoque construction limited only to the structure between the two axles? So ahead of the axles you have regular ladder type chassis? A hybrid of sorts?

Did you take a look at the suspension? Probably must be an air suspension.

Was the Cummins "C" engine Indian made or imported? In India, it's made by Cummins India whereas the smaller "B" series is made by Tata Cummins. The "C" series also finds application in the Indian versions of Tata Novus.
It's bigger and more powerful than the 7 litre unit found on Volvo buses. Did you feel any difference in power?

Even if the product is great, one wonders whether small-time manufacturers (or rather assemblers) like JCBL have the ability to provide proper after-sale service and spares.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Great. How was the ride & NVH compared to the Volvo. I hope the pricing on this would be reasonable.

The ride quality, vibration and harshness was just the same as that in the Volvo. Noise was decidedly lower. JCBL's fit and finish is superior to AZAD by JAE.

My understanding is that, unlike JAE Bangalore who build bodies on the Volvo B7R platform,
JCBL Chandigarh who are aligned with King-Long, produce many components themselves, such as, castings, clutch pressure plates, fasteners and polyurethane trim items. So quality control would be in their own hands.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by theMAG

Good pics Ram. The rake of the steering is almost car-like. The intrument dash resembles the shape of the Qualis'.

How was the ride and speed?

The ride was super smooth and the driver did 110 km/h.

The rake of the steering wheel is somewhat car-like, especially considering that cars like the Tata Indica (observable in the early models) have a bus-like rake.

[gt_bhp]

The instructions to use the Emergency exit is in English & Chinese. This should have been replaced by one in English & Hindi. After all how many chinese literate people are going to be using this bus !?!

[Ram]

Originally Posted by directinjection

Is the monocoque construction limited only to the structure between the two axles? So ahead of the axles you have regular ladder type chassis? A hybrid of sorts?

It is not a monocoque construction at all.
It is a body on frame, with a space-frame chassis between the axles, with room for the luggage.

Originally Posted by directinjection

Did you take a look at the suspension? Probably must be an air suspension.

Yes, I did take a look at the suspension and it is indeed air-suspension.
The Holland-Neway "air-ride" air-suspension, comes with the chassis built in the Beijing, China factory of the US company: Holland-Neway International.

Originally Posted by directinjection

Even if the product is great, one wonders whether small-time manufacturers (or rather assemblers) like JCBL have the ability to provide proper after-sale service and spares.

Some research revealed that:
JCBL is the largest bus body builder in India. They hold a market share of 40% in the organised sector. They have ISO 9001 & TS 16949 certification. Started in 1991 with a turnover of Rs 1.7 crore, JCBL now produces 4,500 buses a year. Plant capacity is around 500 buses per month.
JCBL posted a turnover of Rs. 250 crore in fiscal year 2005-06.
They have their own seat-manufacturing subsidiary:Mobility Solutions Ltd.
Mobility Solutions supplies components to Indian Railways and turned over Rs. 30 crore in seats alone in FY06.

[moralfibre]

Brilliant review Ram! I have always been interested in buses but couldn't get such detailed info anywhere.
Can you put in a few more details as a comparo between the Cerita and the KL-6113?

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...kl-6113-a.html (King Long KL-6113)

I had seen the Pricol instrument in a BEST bus in Bombay and thought it was a turbo timer since I saw it only on buses with a turbo.

[NIP]

where are the pics of the seats bruh !? thats really what i'd wanna see !!