The PAZ-4234 is a PAZ-3205 stretched by one window section and given a diesel engine. Shown in 2002 at the factory’s 70th anniversary and built in series since 2003, it became the middle-class workhorse of the range, with versions for city, suburban, intercity and school work.
PAZ-4234 at a glance
| Maker | Pavlovo Bus Factory (PAZ) |
|---|---|
| Production | 2003–present |
| Based on | PAZ-32053 and PAZ-32054, longer by one window section |
| Engine | MMZ D-245.9 turbodiesel, 136 hp |
| Later engines | YaMZ-5342 (150 hp), Cummins ISF 3.8 |
| Gearbox | five-speed SAAZ-3206 |
| Brakes | drum, two-circuit pneumatic drive, ABS |
| Body life | 10 years after the 2007 upgrade |
| Restyling | new design 2010, restyled 2014, 2020, 2022 |
| Versions | suburban, intercity, school, medical, mobile shop |
| Markets | Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and others |
Based on the Russian Wikipedia article on the PAZ-4234; the English article on the PAZ-3205 gives the family background.
History of the PAZ-4234
One window longer
The PAZ-4234 was first shown in 2002 at the 70th anniversary of the Pavlovo Bus Factory. It was created by lengthening the PAZ-32053 and PAZ-32054 by one window section, and after design work and a complete set of technical documentation, mass production began in 2003. The bus has been used since 2002 in cities across Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Armenia, Moldova, Transnistria and Mongolia.
Modernisation
The 2007 modernisation of production brought certification for busy routes, raised body life from five to ten years, and added a better heater, more comfortable seats and a better driving position. The 136 hp MMZ-245.9 diesel was joined by drum brakes with a two-circuit pneumatic drive and Knorr-Bremse ABS, and in 2011 came engines meeting Euro-4. A new design appeared in 2010, and restyled versions of the PAZ-32053, 32054 and 4234 went into mass production in 2014. At the end of 2020 the bus received an electric step at the first door, a new layout of windows and seats, a new dashboard, a full-height driver partition and a handrail by the driver’s seat.
Engines and the 2022 version
Today the PAZ-4234 is offered with YaMZ-5342 or Cummins engines. In 2022, when sanctions made European components expensive, PAZ presented a version with two large round FG-140 headlights instead of Hella optics and a 4.4-litre YaMZ-534 turbodiesel of Euro-3 instead of Euro-5; the factory nevertheless continued to build buses with the earlier lights.
Design and features
- Longer body: one extra window section over the PAZ-3205, with room for more passengers.
- Diesel power: the 136 hp MMZ D-245.9 turbodiesel.
- Five-speed gearbox: the SAAZ-3206 unit.
- Better brakes: drum brakes with a two-circuit pneumatic drive and ABS.
- Longer body life: ten years between overhauls after the 2007 upgrade.
- Gas conversions: many private operators switch the bus to gas to save money.
PAZ-4234 versions
- PAZ-4234: base model with the MMZ D-245.9E3 and a five-speed gearbox.
- PAZ-423403: intercity version with soft seats and a rear emergency door.
- PAZ-423470 and 423470-04: school versions, the latter with 31 seats.
- AMK-4234: mobile medical complex, built since 2015.
- ALS-4234: mobile shop.
- PAZ-4234-04 and 4234-05: city and suburban versions with the YaMZ-5342 or Cummins ISF 3.8.
The PAZ-4234 is the long version of the PAZ-3205, and it shares the middle-class market with the PAZ-4230 Aurora. More buses are in the PAZ collection.
Sources
- ПАЗ-4234, Russian Wikipedia: history, modernisation, versions
- PAZ-3205, English Wikipedia: family background
