The Tatra T813 was a truck produced in Czechoslovakia by Tatra from 1967 to 1982. Its basic representative was the military 8×8 Kolos (Colossus), able to pull trailers up to a total weight of 100 tonnes; Tatra also built civilian 6×6 and 4×4 versions, and 11,751 vehicles were made in all modifications.
Tatra 813 at a glance
| Maker | Tatra, Kopřivnice, Czechoslovakia |
|---|---|
| Production | 1967–1982 |
| Successor | Tatra 815 |
| Layouts | 4×4, 6×6, 8×8 |
| Engine | naturally aspirated V12, type T-930 |
| Engine origin | T-928 V8 plus four cylinders |
| Fuel | multi-fuel in military form |
| KOLOS trailer load | up to 100 tonnes |
| Ground clearance | 380 mm (KOLOS and 6×6 Hauler) |
| Cab | cab-over-engine, 2 or 7 seats |
| Built | 11,751 |
| Exports | USSR, East Germany, Romania, India |
History of the Tatra 813
From 4×4 prototype to 8×8 Kolos
The prototype, made of Tatra 138 parts, was built in 1960 with permanent 4×4 all-wheel drive. After trials the designers decided to expand the concept into an 8×8 all-terrain vehicle, and the basis of the design became the modular chassis of the Tatra 813. In 1983 it was succeeded by the Tatra T815.
Engine and chassis
A tubular backbone construction was chosen for the T813. The central load-carrying tube gave high torsional and bending stiffness, protected the body from payload forces, housed the drivetrain and allowed modular construction with two, three or four axles and various wheelbases. The design used a cab-over-engine layout, wide-profile super-single tyres and a central tyre inflation and deflation system.
The naturally aspirated V12 engine, the T-930, was created by adding four cylinders to the existing T-928 75-degree V8 of the Tatra 138 series. Its crankshaft used six individual journals bolted together, with front and rear pins running on main roller bearings and axial friction thrust washers. The military version was multi-fuel capable and could run on any mixture of diesel fuel, petrol and kerosene aviation fuel.
The full-length backbone tube carried independent swinging half-axles in 4×4, 6×6 or 8×8 form. The 4×4 models had adjustable torsion bars at the front and air suspension at the rear, while 6×6 and 8×8 models used longitudinal semi-elliptic leaf springs. Permanent all-wheel drive, twin steering front axles on 6×6 and 8×8, homo-kinetic driveshafts, lockable differentials and inter-axle differentials with locks and planetary hub reductions were standard. The main gearbox sat behind the cabin, connected to the engine by a short cardan shaft, which allowed a flat-floor cab; a two-speed planetary overdrive was bolted between the front and rear axles and could be selected only when the vehicle was stationary.
Bodywork and service
The all-steel cab-over-engine cabin did not tilt; the engine was reached through removable cowlings inside the cabin. It came as a two-seat two-door version or a seven-seat four-door crew cab, with roof hatches for military use, a self-contained diesel heater and the CTI central tyre inflation system controlled from the cab for each wheel independently. Triple-circuit air S-cam drum brakes acted on all wheels, the third circuit controlling trailer brakes. After fifteen years of production 11,751 vehicles had been built in all modifications, and many were exported to the USSR, East Germany, Romania and India.
Design and features
- 8×8 Kolos: twin steering front axles and trailers up to 100 tonnes.
- V12 T-930: a V8 with four extra cylinders, multi-fuel in military form.
- Modular backbone: 4×4, 6×6 and 8×8 versions with different wheelbases.
- Central tyre inflation: controlled from the cab for each wheel.
Tatra 813 versions
- 8×8 Kolos: the military flagship with twin steering axles.
- 6×6 Hauler: civilian heavy hauler.
- 4×4 NT and NTH: prime movers on a 3,700 mm wheelbase.
- 8×8 chassis and S1: chassis-cab and tipper versions.
The 813 succeeded the Tatra 141 as a heavy tractor and was replaced by the Tatra 815. More trucks are in the Tatra collection.
Video: Tatra 813
Video by Andre19731 on YouTube.
Sources
- Tatra 813, English Wikipedia: history, engine, chassis, bodywork
