KrAZ-257: characteristics and features

Kremenchuk Automobile Plant (Ukraine) was founded in 1945 and became not only one of the leaders of heavy automotive industry, but also a powerful lever for the revival of the country's economy after the Great Patriotic War.

The legendary representative

One of the most successful models was a truck KrAZ-257. It was manufactured from 1965 to 1977 (modification 257B1 - to 1995), but it is still used. Such popularity was provided to him not only by improved characteristics, in comparison with the previous version, but also by a unique combination of reliability, patency, and carrying capacity. It is about this model that they speak of the legendary. KrAZ-257 and its modifications were widely used both in the army and in civil circulation, both in urban and rural conditions.

Equipment KrAZ-257

The technical characteristics made this model legendary, they largely determined the modern image of a heavy truck:

1. The engine. The truck was equipped with an advanced V-shaped, four-stroke, upper-valve diesel YaMZ 238 M2. It differed in power, efficiency, reliability: 240 hp. At a flow rate of 36 liters per 100 km. The truck's engine was equipped with a dust extractor, a new silencer model and a motor brake. All this has made it more reliable, allowed to extend the service life.

2. Transmission, clutch, steering. The truck was equipped with a mechanical five-speed gearbox, the 5th speed was boosting. The clutch was double-disc and dry, and the steering mechanism was 2-speed, supplemented with a hydraulic booster. These characteristics have provided not only good speed and patency, but also high controllability in comparison with predecessors.

3. Equipment. KrAZ-257 was equipped with advanced electronics for that time: a single-wire system (24 V), two batteries, smaller in size and weight than in previous models.

Detailed specifications of KrAZ-257

1. Carrying capacity and patency. Thanks to a special engine, KrAZ-257 became a real titan among contemporaries: its carrying capacity was 12 tons (an increase of 10%). Moreover, the new truck was able to transport trailers with a total maximum mass of 16.5 tons. The engine provided the 257th model with unprecedented uphillness: up to 18%. A similar characteristic is not available for a number of modern heavy trucks. In addition, wide-profile tires with a centralized air pressure adjustment and an improved rear suspension turned the truck into an all-terrain vehicle. He easily worked on unpaved roads and had a lower sensitivity to irregularities.

2. Speed. In addition to power, KrAZ-257 was characterized by a relatively high speed: up to 62 km / h in the main modification and up to 76 - in the case of a truck crane. Such indicators were provided by both a powerful engine and an increased number of crankshaft rotations.

3. Reliability. Constructive innovations applied in KrAZ-257 were aimed at ensuring its maximum productivity, reliability and durability in operation in various conditions: in the city and in the village, in the subtropics and in the far north. According to the idea of the designers, the truck did not need a garage parking lot.

Climb

On the basis of the model and its modifications, truck cranes were produced, which also still work and are successfully used in various industries. The crane KS-4561A was installed on the chassis of the 257th model. This modification was successfully used in construction, agriculture, and also in the army, primarily in missile forces (for raising combat shells). Most of the technical characteristics of the truck crane were the same as for the base version (truck). The main difference was the speed - up to 76 km / h against 62 km / h from the truck. Crane KrAZ-257 was equipped with an arrow length of 10 m. In its modifications, the length was 14, 18 or 22 meters. The length of the jib is 5 m. At the same time, the maximum weight of the lifted cargo could reach up to 16 tons. Also, an electric drive and an ЕСС5-82-4У2 generator were installed on the crane.