Old heavy tow track

[stm]

Hi. I promised to make short story about heavy tow track - it,s here...

I have long been interested in military history and technical history.

Once I find information about selling old military track, for ridiculous money.

We have to go, watch and buy...

So, it was KrAZ-255B - old soviet military track, with a cargo platform and tent. Many ask about strange names of soviet cars. KrAZ - it's cut (acronym) from Kremenchugskiy Avtomobilniy Zavod (in Rus language), that means in turn, Automobile Factory of Kremenchug. Kremenchug is name of city in East Ukraine (all Ukraine was as part of USSR). All models of cars was as acronyms from names of factory. This truck made in 1986 year.

Some technical spec about this truck:

Engine - atmospheric diesel, 240 Hp, 14.5 Litres, very reliable and maintainable. It have't turbo, eco and other unnecessary things, minimum electric supplement.

Transmission - 6x6 scheme, with pluggable the front axle (part time, if it can be applicable) and low line in transfer case. It have 900 N/m torque.

weight - 12 tonns, lenght - about 9 meters.

Fuel consumption - 50 L per 100 km in paved road and to infinity in off-road action.

Features:

- mechanical winch from distribution gearbox with 8.5 tonns pulling force.

- metall wire rope 23 mm in round can be issued to front and rear bumpers.

- it have pneumatic changer of pressure in tires (it can be make in motion).

- it can transport 10 tonns in any offroad condition, and can pull aprox 30 tonns on paved roads.

- it have wide tires - 500 mm - tires for moving in bog condition.

It amazing in close distance - standard trucks are seems like as passenger cars.

In new Russian rules of the road it is oversize transport and can't be used on the public road. Width is 2.75 meters (2.5 is maximal on public roads).

Refill information:

Engine - 37 L (engine oil).

Front Axel - 15 L (transmission oil).

Middle and rear axels - 11 L in each (transmission oil).

Coolant - 50 L (water or antifreeze).

Front steering knuckles - 6 Kg in each (consistent grease).

Fuel tanks - 2х160 L (diesel).

Appearance of his cab like as old US tracks style (see photo).

It was in very bad condition, when I buy him.

Hydraulic booster in steering wheel was damaged, tires was as formula 1 slicks (very worn), bearings in front axel was destroyed in long operation. It very rusty (but it most externally defects). I will never forget how we are changing front bearings at open air in winter and snowfall, without technical assist. Only hydraulic jack and wrenches was present. Two mans-maniacs and monster. Each wheel is 250 Kg in weight. We must try not to drop wheel to the flat. Work was ended in 8 hours.

But in spite of all this is now my truck and it will be restored anyway.

Now I planned change all tires, make some welding and painting works. Maybe I install wagon instead of cargo platform (it will be expedition modification))), I planned some engine overhaul works in future - it's some smoky.

Ufff, it's hard to translate for me)). I can answer for all question about it (if you intresting) and I can translate tech spec in US units (also if you intresting in it)).

Let's see a photo and movie))

Elements of monster - his engine.



His steering wheel (whith army symbolic)



Front axel



Hm-m-m, spareparts)) For wheel and road sign in platform (from where - I don't know)



Some overview



In snow



Pulling/towing tractor



Amazing view - compare with old track (1964 year of made - maybe I write and about it)



And homemade video:

 

[Seabronc]

Looks like you were having a lot of fun driving around in the snow :lol: . I really love the video / . If you can not drive on the public roads, how do you get to places where you can play in the mud?

You translation is not too bad. I could understand the entire post.

 

[stm]

If you can not drive on the public roads, how do you get to places where you can play in the mud?

Formally if I need drive oversize truck or oversize load to another place at public road, I must write an application a week before the proposed date of travel to road police, pay the additional tax, recive special permit, specify the intended route of travel and intall yellow flashlight at truck (like as trucks of road maintanance service). In this case I can drive officially, but this metod is very long, expensive and full of bureaucratic procedures. It can be used, if I will drive far, officially (for example some mud/truck show with many othes trucks/bigfoots and other amazing technics). But usually my monster stay at far suburb of Moscow and it enough a lonely place and enough far from higways. Mud, forests, some villages )) and other trials is near and enough of local field and forest roads. Sometimes it can take a risk and go on luck to local roads (very few police on it). If they get caught - will be fine... And there is yet a third - dimensions of the truck are on the verge permitted. Sometimes the police do not know that it exceeds the width))) It does not look obviously wider. Only special technical unit of road police can fix this. They are only at large control points (for example is near city). I know how to turn dimensions of this "outlaw" truck to normal. Only cargo platform is wide. If I install wagon instead of cargo platform, dimensions will be normally (it more narrow).