The MAZ-500 was a Soviet heavy lorry of the second generation and the first cab-over design from the Minsk Automobile Plant. It went into series production in 1965 and, with its derivatives the MAZ-503 tipper, MAZ-504 tractor unit and MAZ-509 logging lorry, replaced the whole MAZ-200 family.
MAZ-500 at a glance
| Maker | Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ), Belarus |
|---|---|
| Production | 1963–1977; the MAZ-500A until 1979 |
| Layout | cab over the engine, 4×2 |
| Engine | YaMZ-236 V6 diesel, 180 PS |
| Heavier version | YaMZ-238 V8 diesel, 240 PS |
| Gearbox | five-speed with synchronisers on the four top gears |
| Payload | 7,500 kg; 8,000 kg in the MAZ-500A |
| Wheelbase | 3,850 mm; 3,950 mm in the MAZ-500A |
| Top speed | 75 km/h; 85 km/h in the MAZ-500A |
| Trailer weight | 12,000 kg |
| Family | MAZ-503 tipper, MAZ-504 tractor unit, MAZ-509 logging lorry, MAZ-500Sh chassis |
| Successor | MAZ-5335 from 1977 |
History of the MAZ-500
From prototype to the line
The first prototype MAZ-500 ran as early as 1955 and the lorry was shown to the public in 1958. Trial assemblies were made in 1963, and by the autumn of 1964 the MAZ-500 was ready for series production, but production began only in March 1965. On 31 December 1965 the last lorry of the MAZ-200 family left the main line, and from 1966 the plant built only the MAZ-500 family. Unlike its predecessor, the MAZ-500 had its cab over the engine, which saved weight and lengthened the cargo platform, raising the payload by 500 kg.
What was new about it
The engine was a modern direct-injection 11,150 cc diesel V6 from the Yaroslavl Motor Plant, rated at 180 PS at 2,100 rpm; lorries meant for heavier loads used the eight-cylinder YaMZ-238 of 240 PS. The design was innovative for its time: the cab tilted forward, which was still rare in the West, and a number of features were added so that the lorry could work in the harsh conditions of Siberia. The base lorry had a wooden platform, a wheelbase of 3,850 mm and a five-speed gearbox with synchronisers on the four upper gears, with hydraulic power steering, and it could tow a trailer of 12,000 kg. Its radiator grille of fourteen vertical ribs and the fairing behind the cab earned it the nickname Zubrik, the little bison.
Life without electrics
The MAZ-500 could run with its electrical equipment missing or broken, for example when started by pushing, because no electrical part was needed for the engine to work and the steering assistance was hydraulic. That gave the lorry a reputation for toughness in the army, even without all-wheel drive, and ruled out radio interference that might give it away. Good assembly and a simple design made the MAZ-500 and its derivatives famously undemanding, and they worked on long-distance haulage until the late 1990s, most of all the MAZ-504V tractor unit with the YaMZ-238 engine.
The MAZ-500A and the end
In 1970 the MAZ-500A replaced the original lorry with a wheelbase lengthened by 100 mm to 3,950 mm and a payload raised to 8 tonnes. Its dimensions were brought into line with European rules and the final drive was changed, raising the top speed from 75 to 85 km/h. The second-series lorries can be recognised by a new checkered radiator grille, the loss of the fairing behind the cab and a side repeater at the height of the door handle. The MAZ-500A and its versions stayed in production until 1979, when they were replaced by the MAZ-5335.
Design and features
- Cab over the engine: a shorter lorry with a longer platform and 500 kg more payload than the MAZ-200.
- Tilting cab: still rare in the West when the MAZ-500 appeared.
- Modern diesel: a direct-injection YaMZ-236 V6 of 180 PS, with the YaMZ-238 V8 of 240 PS for heavier work.
- Siberian specification: features for the harsh conditions of Siberia were built in from the start.
- Runs without electrics: no electrical part was needed for the engine, which made the lorry popular in the army.
MAZ-500 versions
- MAZ-500 (1963–1970): the first-series lorry with a wooden platform.
- MAZ-500A (1970–1979): longer wheelbase, 8 tonnes payload, 85 km/h and a new grille.
- MAZ-500Sh: chassis for special equipment.
- MAZ-500G: long-wheelbase lorry with a 5,000 mm wheelbase.
- MAZ-514B: three-axle 6×4 lorry with the YaMZ-238E of 265 PS, built from 1974 to 1977.
- MAZ-500S and MAZ-500Yu: northern and tropical versions that did not reach series production.
The MAZ-503 tipper and the MAZ-509 logging lorry were built on the same family, and the lorry was developed from the MAZ-200. More are in the MAZ collection.
Sources
- MAZ-500, English Wikipedia: prototypes, engine, cab-over design, production years
- MAZ-500, Russian Wikipedia: payload, wheelbase, MAZ-500A changes, use without electrics
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