The ZIL-157 was a general-purpose 2.5-tonne 6×6 truck produced at the Likhachev plant from 1958. It replaced the ZIS-151, brought single rear tyres and a central tyre-pressure control system, and stayed in production in one form or another until 1994.
ZIL-157 at a glance
| Maker | ZiL, Moscow; later UamZ |
|---|---|
| Production | 1958–1977 in Moscow, to 1994 at UamZ |
| Class | 2.5 t 6×6 general-purpose truck |
| Engine | 5,555 cc inline-6, 104–109 hp |
| Gearbox | five-speed with two-speed transfer case |
| Tyres | 12.00×18 single, central pressure control |
| Length | 6,684 mm |
| Weight | 5,540 kg |
| Top speed | 65 km/h |
| Ground clearance | 310 mm |
| Built | 797,934 of all versions |
History of the ZIL-157
An improved ZIS-151
Work on a revised ZIS-151 began soon after that truck entered production, and by 1956 two prototypes of the ZIS-157 existed. They brought specially developed wear-resistant tyres, a spare wheel moved under the frame so the chassis could be shortened, and a central tyre-pressure control system that greatly improved off-road performance. Series production started in Moscow on 18 September 1958; after de-Stalinisation the truck was renamed ZIL-157. In the same year it won a grand prize at the Brussels world exhibition. The cab came from the ZIS-151 with small changes: it gained a heater with an electric fan working from the engine cooling system, and the suspension dampers were improved.
Tyres and transmission
The ZIL-157 used 12.00×18 single tyres and was the first Soviet truck with a system that let the driver adjust tyre pressure from his seat, in all wheels or selected ones. On snow or marshland the pressure could be lowered briefly to 0.7 kg/cm² at no more than 10 km/h, though tyre life in such conditions was only about 150 km against a guaranteed 10,000 km at the normal 2.8 kg/cm². The compressor also allowed the truck to keep moving with small punctures. The driveline was complex, with five propeller shafts. The 5,555 cc six developed 104 hp in the first series and 109 hp from 1961, giving 65 km/h. The truck weighed 5,540 kg and had 310 mm of ground clearance. There was no power steering, a serious drawback for so heavy a vehicle.
The K and KD versions
In 1961 the ZIL-157K appeared with the more powerful engine and much of the powertrain of the future ZIL-131, a different axle-load distribution, a new gearbox, a single-plate clutch and telescopic dampers. It was built until production in Moscow ended in 1978. The Ural Motor Plant then took over with the ZIL-157KD, whose payload rose by 500 kg to five tonnes, of which three tonnes could still be carried off road. Production continued officially until 1991–1992, with vehicles assembled from remaining parts until 1994.
In service
The ZIL-157 was intended mainly for the Soviet Army but was also supplied to civilian users and for export, where it was popular with forestry companies; the ZIL-157V tractor-trailer version was used as a log truck. In the Soviet Union it was nicknamed the ‘Crocodile’ for its long bonnet and distinctive grille. It was built in China as the Jiefang CA-30 and served in the armies of many countries. In total 797,934 ZIL-157s of all versions were built over 36 years, and the type served alongside its successor, the ZIL-131, for a quarter of a century.
Design and features
- Central tyre inflation: the first such system on a Soviet truck, adjustable from the driver’s seat.
- Single rear tyres: 12.00×18 wheels instead of the dual tyres of the ZIS-151, for better off-road traction.
- Simple and tough: a 109 hp six and a five-speed gearbox, popular with the army and in forestry.
- Long production: almost 798,000 built over 36 years in Moscow and at the Ural Motor Plant.
ZIL-157 versions
- ZIL-157 (1958–1961): the original cargo truck.
- ZIL-157K (1961–1978): modernised version with ZIL-131-type engine and transmission.
- ZIL-157KD (1978): five-tonne version built at the Ural Motor Plant.
- ZIL-157V and 157KV: tractor units for trailers and logging.
- ZIL-157E: special chassis with two 150-litre tanks.
- KMM: military bridgelayer on the ZIL-157 chassis.
The ZIL-157 replaced the ZIL-151 and was later supplemented by the ZIL-131. More trucks are in the ZiL collection.
Sources
- ZIL-157, English Wikipedia: development, versions, production total
- ЗИЛ-157, Russian Wikipedia: tyre system, cab, technical data, modifications
