MAZ-537

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MAZ
A MAZ-537 with trailer for tank transport (2010)
A MAZ-537 with trailer for tank transport (2010)
MAZ-537
Manufacturer: MAZ and KZKT
Sales designation: МАЗ-537
Production period: around 1960–1990
Previous model: MAZ-535
Successor: KZKT-7428 Russitsch
Technical specifications
Designs: Tractor unit
Engines: Twelve-cylinder -
diesel engine
Power: 386 kW
Payload: 65 t
Perm. Total weight: 86.6 t

The MAZ-537 ( Russian МАЗ-537 ) is a heavy tractor from Soviet production. The vehicle was first built by Minsky Avtomobilny Zavod from 1960 . In combination with heavy semi-trailers, it was used in various Warsaw Pact armies, mainly as a tank and missile transporter, but also, for example, as an aircraft tug. Some versions of the KET-T recovery vehicle are based on the truck chassis.

Vehicle history

Side view of a MAZ-537. The two fuel tanks are located behind the engine house, which is behind the driver's cab
Side view of the front part of a MAZ-537G. In the smaller sheet metal box on the left is the cable winch (2010)
Version with ballast bed, here the special version as an aircraft tractor MAZ-537L (2011)
Rear view of a KET-T recovery vehicle (2014)
MAZ-537G in service with the armed forces of Serbia (2014). An M-84 on the loading area
MAZ-537 for missile transport in a museum in Ukraine (2008)

During the Second World War , the Red Army found that there was a crucial lack of means of transport for tracked vehicles. There were no domestic-made trucks that were capable of transporting a T-34 tank , for example . After the war, the JaAZ-210 was used to develop semi-trailer tractors for this purpose, but this did not bring the desired success.

In the early 1950s, the responsible planners came to the conclusion that a vehicle based on the trucks produced at the time would not meet the requirements set by the army. Accordingly, the MAZ plant in Minsk received the order in 1954 to develop a suitable vehicle. In addition to the size, the four permanently driven axles with large individual tires and a tire pressure control system, the built-in power steering and the hydrodynamic transmission, which does not require manual coupling, were new compared to the previously produced trucks . By 1956, the factory presented prototypes of the MAZ-535 , which were then built in series from 1958 to 1964. The MAZ-537 was developed on the basis of this vehicle; the first prototype was completed on March 29, 1959. Series production began in early 1960.

At the end of 1963, as part of the specialization of the vehicle industry, the production of vehicles was relocated to Uralselmasch (Russian Уралсельмаш) in Kurgan . By decision of the responsible ministry, the plant was renamed Kurganski Sawod Koljosnych Tjagatschei (Russian Курганский завод колесных тягачей, KZKT for short, German "Kurganer Radschlepperwerk") in June 1966 . Production remained there until the model was discontinued in 1990. In the meantime, minor changes and modernizations were made repeatedly. In the 1980s in particular, older vehicles were equipped with new V12 engines of the JaMZ-240 type from the Jaroslawski Motorny Sawod .

KZKT's successor was the KZKT-7428 heavy tractor . MAZ or the associated Minski Sawod Koljosnych Tjagachei , on the other hand, had been building the MAZ-543 since the 1960s .

Model variants

The list does not claim to be complete. Since these are military vehicles, it is not always known how long they were built.

  • MAZ-537 - The basic version developed from the MAZ-535 was produced in series at MAZ from 1960. When production ended is unclear. At the end of 1963, production was relocated to Kurgan in Uralselmasch (from 1966 KZKT).
  • MAZ-537A - A revised version of the vehicle was built in series from 1964. The main difference to other variants is that no fifth wheel but a flatbed with 15 tonnes of ballast was installed. The total weight of the vehicle was 37.5 tons, the permissible trailer load was 75 tons.
  • MAZ-537B - 1961 prototype for the transport of medium-range ballistic missiles . Series production did not take place.
  • MAZ-537W - built from 1963, designed for the transport of the Tupolev Tu-123 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft .
  • MAZ-537G - The most widely used version. It is a tractor unit with an additional cable winch for loading and unloading trailers with defective vehicles. It is housed in an additional sheet metal box behind the engine house.
  • MAZ-537D - Vehicle version built from 1964 with auxiliary generator. This has an electrical output of 75 kilowatts and was intended to supply power to weapon systems on attached semi-trailers.
  • MAZ-537E - model with additional PTO shaft, otherwise identical to the MAZ-537W
  • MAZ-537K - crane vehicle , with the help of which it was possible to load military missiles. The mobile crane has a load capacity of 16 tons. The first prototypes date from 1965, it is not known how many vehicles were built.
  • MAZ-537T - A prototype built in the late 1960s for export to countries with tropical climates.
  • MAZ-537L - Also known as KZKT-537L . An aircraft tractor with a specially reduced gearbox. The vehicle could move aircraft up to 200 tons total weight and also had a ballast bed to increase traction. Manufactured from 1976.
  • MAZ-537P - Modernized version of the MAZ-537A, equipped with a flatbed and tarpaulin.
  • MAZ-537R - These vehicles were used in combination with special trailers for the transport of pipeline pipes in difficult terrain. However, they were rarely built and were not widely used.
  • MAZ-537M - Modernized vehicles from the 1980s with a new V12 diesel engine of the type JaMZ-240 .
  • KET-T - Heavy recovery vehicle, which is based on the chassis of the MAZ-537.

Technical specifications

For the basic model MAZ-537.

  • Engine: twelve-cylinder naturally aspirated diesel engine
  • Engine type: D12A-525
  • Displacement: 38.88 l
  • Power: 525 PS (386 kW)
  • Max. Torque: 220 kpm (2157 Nm)
  • Consumption: 125 l / 100 km
  • Fuel supply: 2 × 420 l
  • Transmission: hydrodynamic fluid transmission
  • Top speed: 55 km / h
  • Drive formula : 8 × 8
  • Maximum trench width that can be traversed: 1.3 m
  • maximum negotiable slope: 15 °
  • Seats in the cabin: 4

Dimensions and weights

  • Length: 9130 mm
  • Width: 2885 mm
  • Height: 2880 mm
  • Wheelbase: 1700 + 2650 + 1700 mm
  • Track width: 2200 mm
  • Ground clearance: 500 mm
  • Turning circle: 33 m
  • Empty weight: 21.6 t
  • Imposed load: 25 t
  • maximum trailer load: 65 t
  • permissible total weight of the train: 86.6 t

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Detailed description of the MAZ-537 and its history
  2. ↑ Website on the history of the MAZ-535 (Russian)
  3. ↑ a b c d e Vehicle history with technical data (Russian)
  4. ↑ MAZ-537 on Military-today (English)

Web links

Commons : MAZ-537  - Collection of images, videos and audio files