The KrAZ-260 is a three-axle large-tonnage cross-country truck designed for transportation of cargoes, personnel and towing trailers on off-road roads and highways of all categories.
The development of the KrAZ-260 off-road truck began in the KB of the Kremenchug automobile plant in the 1960s under the leadership of Chief Designer V. V. Tabolin on the basis of the French military truck “Berlier” GBC 8KT. The KrAZ-260 was a joint development of the Kremenchug automobile plant, NAMI and Bauman Moscow State Technical University. The first pilot batch of KrAZ-260 was produced in 1979. The truck passed comprehensive tests at the Research Institute-21 in Bronnitsy. The introduction into production was delayed due to the lack of capacity for production of all-metal cabins at the plant.
Technical characteristics of the KrAZ-260:
Turning radius, m 13
Permissible weight of towed trailer, kg:
on highway 30000
on the ground 10000
Wheel arrangement 6 × 6
Tire size 1300×530-533
Range, km 1000
Depth of traversable ford, m 1,2
Maximum climbable hill, % 58
Braking distance from a speed of 40 km/h, m 17.2
Control fuel consumption at a speed of 50 km/h, l/100 km 34
Serial production began in 1981 and was carried out in parallel with the KrAZ-255B1.
In the same 1981, the Kherson Cardan Shafts Plant mastered the production of shafts for KrAZ-260. On December 2, 1983, the Kremenchug Automobile Plant officially announced about the plant’s transition to the production of KrAZ-260.
The KrAZ-260 production continued until 1994, 15279 pcs were produced, after which it was replaced by the more advanced KrAZ-6322.
The frame of the vehicle is ladder-type spar, using hot-rolled channel No. 30B-1 made of 15XSND steel as spars. The cargo platform is metal with a rear opening side, equipped with folding benches, arches and awning. To increase cross-country ability, the truck has a permanent four-wheel drive, short front and rear overhangs, single tires, tire pressure control system. There is no muffler in the exhaust system – part of the exhaust gas energy is absorbed by the turbine of the supercharger. Fuel is stored in 2 main and 1 additional fuel tanks. The clutch is double-disc dry.
The YAMZ-238B gearbox is 4-speed with synchronizers on all gears except reverse. It is made in a block with a two-stage demultiplier with a pneumatic gearshift drive. Transfer case is two-stage with electropneumatic gear shifting device. It has an axle differential. The middle axle is of through type. The steering mechanism (from MAZ-5336) is equipped with a hydraulic booster. The suspension is leaf spring with hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers. Working brake of drum type on all wheels with separate pneumatic drive. Parking brake with spring energy accumulators acts on the bogie. There is an auxiliary motor brake with pneumatic actuator. Under the load platform there is a winch for self-extraction (pulling force 12000 kgf, cable length 55 m). Tires are wide-profile, 1300×530 – 533.
Variants and modifications KrAZ-260:
KrAZ-260 – basic. It was produced since 1981, service life before the first overhaul – 175 thousand km.
KrAZ-260A – with YaMZ-238N diesel engine. It differed by the absence of centrifugal gasoline pumps BCN-1 and an additional fuel tank.
KrAZ-260B – tractor unit.
KrAZ-260G – extended chassis.
KrAZ-260D – an experimental truck tractor for active road train (in 1976 – 1977 two experimental road trains KrAZ-260D-9382 with a two-axle trailer KrAZ-9382 with a payload of 16.8 tons were built; in 1979 – 1980 two more KrAZ-260D-9382 trucks were built. – Two more KrAZ-260DM-9382 trucks with reinforced semi-trailers with payload of 17.6 tons, a total of 22 trucks were produced until 1985).
KrAZ-260L – an experimental forestry truck based on the KrAZ-255L1 design.
KrAZ-6437 – a 30-ton forestry truck, serial production of which began in 1987.
