MAZ-537 "Hurricane" - Exploitation
MAZ-537 trucks were primarily designed for towing on semi-trailers on hard-surfaced roads or on dirt roads that had sufficient load-bearing capacity (with a speed of not more than 20-25 km / h), heavy caterpillar armored vehicles with a view to preservation of its service life, as well as large, indivisible, long cargoes. Especially for this purpose, semi-trailers-heavy-duty trucks of type 2-PPT-50 (MAZ-5247B, MAZ-5247G) were developed at the Minsk Automobile Plant. Their carrying capacity was 50 tons. Since 1963, Chelyabinsk Machine Building Plant of automobile trailers - ChMZAP (now - Uralavtopritsep) has mastered their production. Somewhat later, in 1976, ChMZAP was independently developed a new construction of the heavy-duty semi-trailer ChMZAP-9990 (with the same weight of the semitrailer, the load capacity was increased to 52 tons). In 1991, at KZTK, in addition to the existing trailed structure, a new heavy-duty semi-trailer KZKT-9101 with the carrying capacity of 53.5 tons was put into production, which could work in conjunction with MAZ-537. Later, KZTK began to offer even more advanced semi-trailers-heavy-duty trucks, as well as a frameless semi-trailer-tanker for transportation of light oil products PPC-50 with a capacity of 50 m³.
Modifications of the tractor MAZ-537 in the Strategic Missile Force were used to tow missiles of the R-12 type (on a special transport trailer 8T115), UTPK-1 and UTPK-2 installers intended for transportation and installation of MR-UR-100, UR-100N, UR-10ON UTTK, refueling tankers ZAC-1 and ZAC-2 (based on the MAZ-9988 semitrailer) used in missile forces for transportation and refueling of complexes. For their unique appearance, in the Strategic Missile Forces they were affectionately nicknamed "grasshoppers": ZATZ-2 transported heptyl, and the tanker ZAC-1 transported the oxidizer of rocket fuel - amyl.
On the basis of truck tractors, universal transport and reloading units have been designed and manufactured for the transportation and the non-stop overload of MBR type UR-100N and transport-reloading units for the TPK of the launch vehicle of the Start type. The first was a road train in the MAZ-537 and a special three-axle semi-trailer with all swivel wheels. The length of the road-train was 41 m, and the total weight of the order of 44 t. The second road train had a five-axle semi-trailer with all steerable wheels, its own mass increased to 69 tons, and the weight with the load was as much as 125 tons! as a carrier of ballistic missiles of the whole family UR-100, as well as R-36M. The tractor MAZ-537E was intended for towing semi-trailers with an active drive to the wheels. It was used as a base, on which the transport-reloading units of the UR-100 family missiles were assembled, as well as RT-2, RT-23UTTX. RT-2P "Topol". At the MAZ-537, the UR-100, R-36M, RT-23UTTX rocket launchers were developed. In 1977, the mobile nuclear (!) Power plant Pamir-630D was created on the basis of MAZ-537G truck tractor and MAZ-9994 semitrailer on the initiative of academician B. Nesterenko ".
Even more impressive parameters were possessed by the transport-reloading unit of the TPK MBR RT-23 UTTKH "Molodets". The purpose of the machine remained the same, but in view of the considerable mass of the transported product - 126 tons, the rocket launchers had to develop a unique unit, representing a four-link road train consisting of two tractors (front - towing on the basis of MAZ-537E and rear auxiliary, on the same chassis , but equipped with a special cargo platform for the transport of spare parts), intermediate trolley, body and rear trolley. Intermediate and back trolleys are four-axle with independent-balanced suspension with hydropneumatic springs.
A large thermally insulated body has a rail track and a step-type overload mechanism. The highlight of the unit is the electric drive of the wheels of the intermediate trolley, that is, not only the wheels of the tractor truck, but also the semitrailer towed by them became leading. It is also interesting that in addition to the two main tractors that are part of the road train, two additional MAZ-537E reserve trucks were included in the delivery of such a unique unit to replace the main ones in case of their failure or upon reaching the maximum permissible total mileage in the composition of this road train.
The dimensions of this product are impressive: length - 49.9 m, width - 4.5 m, height - 5.8 m. In addition, the unit design provides installation and control of the machine position relative to the railway car, storage rack or installer, as well as control docking and coupling mechanisms. But on one transport-loading machine on the chassis MAZ-537E it is necessary to stop especially.
For transporting the stages of RT-2 and RT-2P missiles and their installation in silo launchers of the Moscow Design Bureau "Motor" under the leadership of Chief Designer V.A. Rozhdova created the original active road train (product 15U40) in the truck-tractor MAZ-537E with a generator set and a three-axle semi-trailer with all driving wheels. Inside each wheel was installed an electric motor of the Slivinsky design (electric motor-wheel system). Thus, as well as the TPK of the RT-23UTTX rocket, this unit possessed an active drive of the semi-trailer wheels. Inside each wheel was installed an electric motor of the Slivinsky design (electric motor-wheel system). Thus, as well as the TPK of the RT-23UTTX rocket, this unit possessed an active drive of the semi-trailer wheels. Inside each wheel was installed an electric motor of the Slivinsky design (electric motor-wheel system). Thus, as well as the TPK of the RT-23UTTX rocket, this unit possessed an active drive of the semi-trailer wheels.
MAZ-537 was widely used in many branches of the national economy for the transportation of excavators, crawler cranes, heavy machinery, drilling equipment, etc. In the experimental order on the basis of MAZ-537 specialized fire fighting machines were created to extinguish fires in oil fields, equipment for repair and maintenance of oil and gas wells, but these machines remained in the form of single samples.
Tractors of the MAZ-537 family were exported to dozens of countries around the world. They could be found in the Finnish army, in African countries, in the Middle East and even in the military fortress of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghan leader General Dostum. It is necessary to mention one more army specialty of the wheeled tractor MAZ-537.
By the end of the 1970s, when the armed forces were equipped in necessary quantities with new types of weapons and military equipment mounted on multi-axle automobile chassis of various types, the question arose of methods and methods of evacuation of damaged heavy vehicles. For this purpose, several types of evacuation vehicles were built at the 38th Experimental Plant of the Ministry of Defense on the MAZ-537 tractor chassis. The heavy evacuation tractor KET-T (product TK7), made on the basis of MAZ-537G with a winch and equipped with special equipment and tools, could be used for the evacuation of multi-axle vehicles, special wheel chassis and other military equipment built on their base. In addition, with its help it was possible to carry out lifting operations, carry out radiation, chemical and engineering reconnaissance of the access roads to the damaged machine and to the locations of the repair units. At the rear of the machine there was a POU - lifting and supporting device, a set of rigging equipment, laying with tools and equipment for cutting metal.
Another development of the 38th Pilot Plant of the MO was the technical assistance vehicle MTP-A4.1 (product 3823) also mounted on the MAZ-537G tractor chassis. The crew of the MTP-A4.1 with the help of the equipment available on the machine could assist drivers in eliminating minor malfunctions of trucks and special wheel chassis, refueling with fuel and operating fluids, as well as ensuring the advancement and evacuation of vehicles on the march. With the help of the evacuation equipment of the machine and the rigging kit, it became possible to pull out the stuck equipment, prepare it for transportation and deliver it to the repair site. MTP-A4.1 was also equipped with radiation, chemical and engineering reconnaissance devices for the evacuation route.
On roads with hard surface, the machine could tow a vehicle with a total mass of up to 45 tons, on ground - up to 30 tons. KET-T and MTP-A4.1 were widely used in the troops. You can not ignore the civilian use of trucks of the MAZ-537 family. The need for road trains to transport heavy cargo was enormous. Industrial construction was widely conducted, the energy complex was developing at a rapid pace, and hard-to-reach areas of the Far North and Western Siberia were actively developed. True, most of the new tractors were delivered to the main customer, sent for export and only a very small amount was distributed among civilian ministries and departments.
As a compromise solution, the method of transfer of vehicles that left their motor resources in vehicles was widely practiced for further exploitation at enterprises of the national economy. For transporting the lashings of the pipes of the oil and gas pipelines under construction, the MAZ-537 tractor was designed and in small quantities a PVC-481 pipe cutter was manufactured. It could carry up to 50 tons of cargo, work in difficult road conditions, but did not receive wide distribution. In the experimental order on the basis of MAZ-537 specialized fire fighting machines were created to extinguish fires in oil fields, equipment for repair and maintenance of oil and gas wells. As a rule, these were pieces made according to special orders. In 1991
From that moment the Kurgan plant began offering complete heavy-duty road-trains to customers. By that time, the army was no longer the main consumer of machines and it was possible to retreat from some specific requirements. Of course, over the long years of production tractors began to become obsolete morally and technically, the reserves for their modernization had run out, the shortcomings had become more pronounced. Most of all complaints were caused by the power unit. Operating under conditions of high thermal and dynamic load, the tank diesel did not have a high motor resource and acceptable warranty for the customer (the motor resource of the D-12A-525 engine was only 1500 operating hours, the warranty operating time was 1000 operating hours).
There was also a large consumption of engine oil to 4.5 liters per 100 liters of fuel consumed. Thus, in accordance with linear norms, travel of 100 km on road required 125 liters of diesel fuel, 5.6 liters of engine oil, 1.25 liters of special oils, 0.6 liters of gear oil and 0.4 kg of grease. To restore the technical and economic parameters of the diesel engine, even before the first major overhaul, the operating instructions prescribed to carry out a partial bulkhead of the engine through 650 hours of operation, which included inspections of pistons, replacement of compression and low-seated rings, lapping of valves and other, no less time-consuming operations. That is, with the intensive operation of trucks repairmen did not have to be bored. The high labor costs and the complexity of technical maintenance increased the cost of transportation and required a well-equipped technical base and highly skilled personnel.
These and other shortcomings of the MAZ-537 family trucks led to the creation of a more advanced wheeled tractor KZKT-7428, a new generation truck.
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