KamAZ-4355 - the first truck left with a "nose"

August 26, 2003 guests of the 6th international auto show in Moscow were presented to KamAZ-4355, which surprised visitors of the exhibition with their appearance, which differed from traditional models. The car had a hood arrangement.

What caused the manufacturer to depart from the already traditional beskapotnyh models, considered the world's most modern and promising?

The reasons for the appearance of the "nose" KamAZ

According to the management of the plant, which was expressed to the press, the release of this type of truck will help expand the existing family of all-wheel drive trucks capable of successfully solving problems in the most inaccessible areas of the North and Siberia. In addition, KamAZ-4355 will be useful for oil and gas workers, rescuers and the army, in forestry and will take a worthy place in these industries among the already proven URALs and MAZs. From the above it becomes clear that, in fact, KamAZ decided to try to learn a new field for activities, find and occupy its own niche, squeezing competitors.

Why the hood?

At first glance, the hood arrangement of the truck seems to be obsolete. So you can say, if you do not take into account, in what conditions it is planned to operate the machine. The fact is that the front engine layout has its own advantages. Since the cab is stationary, not tilted, this opens the possibility of mounting various special superstructures on the existing chassis, such as drilling equipment or repair equipment.

The presence of the hood is especially important for the northern regions, since in frosty weather it is no longer necessary to lift the whole cabin to gain access to the engine. In addition, designers working on the KamAZ-4355, tried to maximally facilitate access to the power unit, making the hood a single piece without sidewalls. It is also worth noting that the hood itself is made of lightweight but durable plastic.

The stationarity of the cabin also makes it possible to considerably simplify the task of additional insulation of the cabin. In addition, the hood KamAZ-4355 is equipped with a self-contained heater with adjustable air supply, which can work even when the engine is off.

KamAZ-4355: technical specifications

To create a hood KamAZ used an aggregate database model 43118.

• The wheel formula of the car is 6x6.
• With a total mass of 2,010 kg, the payload of the "kapotnik" is 10,500 kg.
• The transmission has ten stages of switching, and the transfer from transfer to transmission is carried out by a special joystick, working according to the same algorithm as the traditional floor lever. The transmission is switched on by an electric pulse sent from the joystick to the actuating cylinder.
• The clutch consists of two disks and has a diaphragm type. Equipped with hydraulic drive with pneumatic reinforcement.
• Wheels of disk type with pneumatic tires of 425/85 size and a radius of 21 inches with the possibility of adjusting the pressure.
• KamAZ-4355 is able to develop a speed of 90 km / h.
• The maximum steepness of the angle of climbing is not less than 30%.
• Turning radius (external) - 13.4 meters.
• The fuel capacity is 350 liters (the main tank) and 210 liters is an extra one.

KAMAZ-4355 engine

Under the hood of KamAZ, designers have installed a diesel 8-cylinder power unit KamAZ-740.30-260.

• Type of power unit - diesel, equipped with a turbo.
• The useful power is 245 l / s.
• The rated power of the unit is 260 l / s.
• The number of cylinders is 8, with a V-shaped arrangement.
• The cylinder capacity with a diameter of 120 mm is 10.85 liters.

Known variants of superstructures on the chassis

The KAMAZ hood, exhibited in 2003 in Moscow, was a variant with a metal platform, covered with a tent. By the way, he was recognized as the best cargo SUV, for which he received the first prize, far ahead of the competitors - GAZ and URAL. In addition, he was also awarded a special prize for the model's perspective and originality of the design used.

In addition to the standard onboard body, for KamAZ-4355 there was another application. In particular, the plant, specializing in the production of truck cranes, located in Klintsy, assembled a crane on the basis of a "kapotnik" with the possibility of lifting cargo weighing up to 25 tons.

And in Ryazan, JSC "Centrantstehmash" used a truck chassis to install an isothermal van, which in the future was planned to be used as a shift bus with a capacity of 22 people. Both cars were presented at the 10th international exhibition held in 2005 in Surgut.

Meanwhile, on the basis of the chassis of the "kapotnik", the factory-manufacturer planned to build fire fighting vehicles for extinguishing fires on drilling rigs, installing repair equipment for oil wells, and hydraulic lifts. Despite all the plans of the plant employees and prize places at the exhibitions, the KAMAZ-4355 hood did not become a serial model, and it is not known how many cars were produced.