Experienced all-terrain vehicle ZIS-E134 "Layout No. 3"

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In the mid-fifties, the Special Design Bureau of the Moscow Automobile Plant. Stalin took up the subject of ultra-high cross-country vehicles. As part of the first such project called ZIS-E134, new models of special equipment were developed that had certain specific features. In addition, experimental samples were created to test some technical solutions. One of these machines appeared in the documents as the ZIS-E134 "Layout No. 3".

In accordance with the terms of reference of the Ministry of Defense, a promising all-terrain vehicle, developed as part of the ZIS-E134 project, was supposed to have a four-axle wheeled undercarriage. Model samples No. 1 and No. 2 had just such a layout of the wheeled chassis. At the same time, it was found that the desired results can be obtained using a different chassis. The variant of a three-axle car with a rigid suspension and a transmission that provides all-wheel drive looked promising.



Experienced all-terrain vehicle ZIS-E134 "Layout No. 3"
Model trolley ZIS-E134 "Model No. 3". Photo Denisovets.ru


The rejection of the fourth axle made it possible to somewhat simplify the chassis and transmission, as well as reduce the load on certain units. In addition, it became possible to improve the overall cross-country ability. Spacing the axles along the base at an equal distance gave the advantage of evenly distributing the load on the ground and power on the wheels. However, to obtain high maneuverability, the car still needed two steered axles at once. Other problems that could hinder production and operation could also appear.

At the beginning of 1956, the SKB ZIS under the leadership of V.A. Gracheva began to develop a new experimental machine, with the help of which it was planned to study the potential of several new ideas in practice. This prototype was created as part of the larger ZIS-E134 project and - to distinguish it from other experimental equipment - received its own number No. 3. According to reports, in the documents of the military department, this machine appeared under the designation ZIS-134E3. In the middle of the year Plant them. Stalin was renamed the Plant them. Likhachev, as a result of which the "army" designation ZIL-134E3 appeared.

It is curious that all the experimental all-terrain vehicles of the ZIS-E134 family were called mock-ups, but another term was also used for machine No. 3. A small-sized, lightweight, single-seat all-terrain vehicle was also called a mock-up trolley. At the same time, it should be remembered that "Layout No. 3" was a full-fledged ultra-high cross-country vehicle capable of independently moving along various routes. However, unlike other prototypes, it could not carry any payload.

As part of the ZIS-134E3 project, it was planned to test the viability of several new ideas that affected the design of the transmission and chassis. For this reason, it was possible to get by with a relatively small and light machine, having only the necessary composition of onboard equipment. Moreover, unlike other mock-ups, she had to have a cabin with only one workplace. In the case of obtaining acceptable results with a mock-up trolley, it was possible to develop and build a full-size all-terrain vehicle based on proven solutions.

The ZIS-E134 "Layout No. 3" trolley received a lightweight compact supporting body of the simplest possible design, which contained only the most necessary devices. Its front part accommodated some units, behind which there was a volume to accommodate the driver. The rear half of the hull was the engine compartment, which contained the engine and part of the transmission devices. The units responsible for transmitting torque to the six drive wheels were located near the bottom of the sides, including under the driver.


"Model No. 3" at the training ground. In the cockpit, presumably, the chief designer of SKB ZIS V.A. Grachev. Photo Denisovets.ru


The case had the simplest design based on a metal frame. On the latter, with the help of rivets and sides, a small rectangular vertical frontal sheet with a pair of openings for headlights was fixed. Above it was an inclined sheet. Large vertical sides of complex shape were used. The front trapezoidal part of the side was connected to the inclined frontal sheet, behind which there was a section of a lower height. A cutout at the top of the side facilitated access to the cockpit. The stern of the sides, a small rectangular roof with an inclined section and a vertical stern sheet formed the engine compartment. There was a metal partition between the cabin and the power compartment. On top of the roof was placed the bucket of the air intake of the cooling system.

In the rear of the hull, a six-cylinder in-line gasoline engine GAZ-51 with a power of 78 hp was installed, connected to a manual gearbox. The engine radiator received air through the upper hull intake. The transmission of the all-terrain vehicle was based on ready-made components taken from various existing types of equipment. So, the transfer case was taken from a GAZ-63 truck. The main gear and part of the bridge units were borrowed from the ZIS-485 amphibious all-terrain vehicle. Instead of three bridges with their own mechanisms, only one was used. The drive of the wheels of the other two axles was carried out using a set of cardan shafts extending from the bridge, and several final drives.

Model sample No. 3 received a chassis of a special design. She partially repeated the systems of previous machines, but at the same time she was distinguished by some innovations. For example, a rigid wheel suspension was again used without the use of any depreciation. Instead of solid bridges, completely borrowed from the existing amphibian, its separate units were used, placed on the sides of the hull and on internal supports. It is noteworthy that pairs of wheels of such a machine, according to tradition, were still called bridges. In order to obtain acceptable maneuverability, the wheels of two of the three axles were made steerable.

The ZIS-E134 "Layout No. 3" project provided for the use of several types of wheels with tires of different sizes. To study different configurations of the undercarriage, the machine could be equipped with tires 14.00-18 or 16.00-20 in size, capable of operating at a pressure reduced to 0,05 kg / sq. cm. Some experiments included the dismantling of wheels with a change in the wheel formula. This made it possible to study new variants of the undercarriage of the all-terrain vehicle without building a new machine.

Prototype No. 3 received an open single cabin. The driver had to get into it by climbing over the side. The cockpit had all the necessary control instruments and controls. The steered wheels were controlled by an automobile-type steering wheel, the transmission was controlled by a set of levers. The driver was protected from the headwind and dirt flying off-road by a low windshield mounted on an inclined sheet of the hull.


All-terrain vehicle on swampy terrain. Photo Strangernn.livejournal.com


The prototype trolley of the ZIS-134E3 project was distinguished by its relatively small dimensions and low weight. The length of such a machine did not exceed 3,5 m with a width of about 2 m and a height of less than 1,8 m. Ground clearance - 290 mm. When using tires 14.00-18, the curb weight of the all-terrain vehicle was 2850 kg. After installing wheels with larger tires, this parameter increased by 300 kg. According to calculations, on the highway the car had to accelerate to 65 km / h. The power reserve did not exceed tens or hundreds of kilometers, but for a purely experimental machine, this characteristic did not matter much.

The construction of the only experimental all-terrain vehicle ZIS-E134 "Layout No. 3" was completed in July 1956. From the assembly shop, the prototype was transferred to the test site for the necessary tests. According to available data, tests of the model sample No. 3 started at the Research and Test Automotive and Tractor Test Site in the city of Bronnitsy (Moscow Region). This object had a number of tracks of various kinds, which made it possible to evaluate the capabilities of technology in various conditions. Checks were carried out both on land routes and on fords and wetlands.

According to reports, tests of prototype No. 3 started with tests of the car in the original configuration of a three-axle all-terrain vehicle. Run-in was carried out both with tires 14.00-18, and with larger 16.00-20. Studied the behavior of the chassis with a change in tire pressure. In the presence of certain problems, the layout showed itself well and in practice confirmed the viability of a three-axle chassis with equal gaps between the wheels. Also, the conclusions about the fundamental possibility of using a rigid suspension of large low-pressure wheels, made earlier based on the results of tests of "Layout No. 2", were confirmed.

It is known that the use of two pairs of steered wheels at once did not lead to the desired results. The maneuverability of the car was lower than expected. Also, for obvious reasons, the transmission of the machine turned out to be somewhat more complicated than the units of previous prototypes, which made it difficult to operate and maintain.

After testing "Layout No. 3" in the original configuration, experiments began. So, for a new test, wheels with 16.00-20 tires were installed on the front and rear "bridges" of the all-terrain vehicle. At the same time, the central axle was left without wheels and without work, as a result of which the wheel formula of the prototype changed from 6x6 to 4x4. The removal of a pair of wheels resulted in a reduction in curb weight to 2730 kg while maintaining overall traction and other characteristics. In a modified configuration, the car again passed all the tracks, showing its new capabilities.


Model sample at the storage site. Photo Kochnev E.D. "Secret cars of the Soviet Army"


The main result of long-term testing of the experimental all-terrain vehicle ZIS-E134 / ZIL-134E3 was the conclusion about the fundamental possibility of using a number of new technical solutions in the field of chassis design. Model #3 confirmed previous findings about the viability of the concept of a low-pressure wheel with a rigid suspension, and in addition, showed the prospects for a three-axle undercarriage with similar wheels. There is no exact information about the test results of a machine with a 4x4 formula, but there is reason to believe that in this form it did not show the best performance, which is why the subject of two-axle all-terrain vehicles did not receive further development.

Conclusions were also drawn regarding the possibilities and prospects of a transmission built using a set of final drives instead of traditional units. Such a transmission justified itself and was later developed. It effectively solved the main tasks, distributing power to several driving wheels, and at the same time made it possible to optimize the layout of the internal volumes of the hull.

In the mid-fifties, the Plant them. Stalin implemented the ZIS-E134 project, within the framework of which several prototype models of ultra-high cross-country vehicles were created and tested, both corresponding to the initial requirements of the military department (“Layout No. 1” and “Layout No. 2”), and intended for testing individual ideas and solutions (“Layout No. 0” and “Layout No. 3”). The project as a whole was of a purely experimental nature and, first of all, was intended to study the available opportunities with the subsequent formation of options for the appearance of the required equipment. Testing of new ideas was carried out using original prototypes.

Due to the research nature of the project, none of the four prototypes had any chance to go beyond the ranges and reach mass production with subsequent operation in the troops or civilian organizations. Nevertheless, four “numbered” all-terrain vehicles made it possible to collect a significant amount of data and accumulate a lot of experience in the field of ultra-high cross-country vehicles. This knowledge was now planned to be used in new projects of special equipment suitable for practical operation.

Work on the creation of new all-terrain vehicles using the accumulated experience started in 1957. The first example of this kind was the ZIL-134 multi-purpose transporter-tractor. Later, a number of tested ideas were implemented in the ZIL-135 project. Several new experimental machines were also developed. The most successful project of this series was the ZIL-135. In the future, it became the basis for a whole family of special automotive equipment, built in large series and found application in a number of areas. Developments on the topic ZIS-E134 gave a real result.


Based on:
http://denisovets.ru/
http://russianarms.ru/
http://strangernn.livejournal.com/
Kochnev E.D. Secret cars of the Soviet Army. - M .: Yauza, Eksmo, 2011.
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6 comments
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  1. +5
    22 January 2018 16: 00
    Thanks for continuing! Informative. hi
  2. +2
    22 January 2018 18: 01
    Thanks for the article Grachev was a very talented designer
  3. +2
    22 January 2018 20: 30
    Who has not watched, there is a cool Russian documentary series - "Cars in uniform", it will be interesting.
    Well, thanks to the author of the article Kirill. good
  4. +2
    22 January 2018 21: 55
    Since the 50s, such a machine has been produced in the West under the name "juger". I remember that in ancient times it was described in the magazine "Technology-Youth", and in the "Modeler-Constructor" it was described how our do-it-yourselfers made similar machines. Now such a machine is sold in Russia through the Bombardier representative office. But there was no industrial production of its own - and no. Here is such a purely Russian sadness ...
    1. 0
      27 January 2018 15: 20
      "Jigger" is correct. The name comes from dishes for solving cocktails... winked
      The concept is somewhat similar. Sealed case, no suspension, formula 4x6, or 8x8. Turn by braking the wheels of one side, according to the "tank". The most famous production model is the Argo. Canadians began to produce it, and now everyone who is not a day old is sculpting it. And ours, and the Turks and the Chinese ... Ours even created a combat robot on its basis, which they called very unusual - Argo!
  5. +2
    23 January 2018 00: 18
    "Model No. 3" at the training ground. In the cockpit, presumably, the chief designer of SKB ZIS V.A. Grachev. Photo Denisovets.ru

    In the photo, indeed, Vitaly Andreevich Grachev, a talented designer of all-terrain vehicles, is near one of his brainchildren. He was an excellent driver.

    Author, thanks for the article.

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