The MAZ-502 was a heavy four-wheel-drive lorry developed from the seven-tonne MAZ-200. It was the first two-axle all-wheel-drive military lorry to be built in series at Minsk, made from 1957 to 1966, although its heavy rear axle load kept it out of wide army use.
MAZ-502 at a glance
| Maker | Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ), Belarus |
|---|---|
| Production | 1957–1966 |
| Layout | 4×4, bonneted cab |
| Base | MAZ-200 (YaAZ-200) |
| Engine | YaAZ-M204V four-cylinder diesel of increased power |
| Gearbox | five-speed plus a two-speed transfer case |
| Torque split | between the axles in the ratio 1:2 |
| Tyres | 15.00-20, single on all wheels |
| Top speed | 50 km/h |
| Fuel consumption | 40 litres per 100 km |
| Gross weight | about 12 tonnes, 7.5 tonnes on the rear axle |
| Built | about 900 |
The MAZ-502 is covered only by the Russian Wikipedia article; this page is based on one source.
History of the MAZ-502
A Minsk design, not a Yaroslavl one
The MAZ-501 and MAZ-502 belong to the 200 family and to the first generation of MAZ lorries, but they carry numbers with a 5 because of the Soviet numbering system introduced in 1945, which gave the Minsk plant the range from 500 to 550. Unlike the other members of the 200 family, which were designed at Yaroslavl, these two models were developed in the MAZ design office, which is why they received the factory numbers 501 and 502.
Running gear
The MAZ-502 had a four-cylinder YaAZ-M204V diesel of increased power. Its transmission consisted of a five-speed gearbox and a two-speed transfer case that split the torque between the front and rear axles in the ratio 1:2. The drive to the front wheels could not be disengaged, so the lorry had a lockable inter-axle differential. The overall range of transmission ratios was 14.5, all wheels were single with 15.00-20 tyres, and the lorry had pneumatic power steering. Its cargo platform was a universal type, for either troops or goods.
Too heavy for the army
Three versions were made in series: the MAZ-502 lorry without a winch, the MAZ-502A with a winch and the MAZ-502V tractor unit. The tractor worked with the MAZ-5245B semi-trailer for military cargo and the MAZ-5245V for personnel. The MAZ-502 did not spread widely in the army: its gross weight of about 12 tonnes and rear axle load of 7.5 tonnes were far above the permitted load for general-purpose vehicles, which limited its cross-country mobility, and its top speed was only 50 km/h. About 900 were built, and fuel consumption was 40 litres per 100 km.
After the MAZ-502
The MAZ-502 was the first two-axle all-wheel-drive military lorry built in series in Minsk. In the early 1960s an experimental cross-country lorry, the MAZ-505, was built there, and in the mid-2000s the plant put the MAZ-5316 into series production.
Design and features
- Permanent four-wheel drive: the front axle could not be disengaged, so a lockable inter-axle differential was fitted.
- Two-speed transfer case: torque was split between the axles in the ratio 1:2 over a transmission range of 14.5.
- Single tyres: 15.00-20 tyres on all wheels, with pneumatic power steering.
- Universal platform: the body could carry either troops or goods.
- Rare by design: heavy axle loads and a 50 km/h top speed kept it out of wide army service.
MAZ-502 versions
- MAZ-502: the cargo lorry without a winch.
- MAZ-502A: the cargo lorry with a winch.
- MAZ-502V: tractor unit for the MAZ-5245B cargo and MAZ-5245V personnel semi-trailers.
The MAZ-502 was built on the chassis of the MAZ-200, and the four-wheel-drive line continued with the later MAZ-509 logging lorry. More are in the MAZ collection.
Sources
- MAZ-502, Russian Wikipedia: design, transmission, versions, production numbers
