Russian Truck

[oldpaul]

Russia Just Won The Cold War (Of Truck Design) - Digg
Not vintage but interesting. I wasn't overly impressed until they broke through the ice on the lake.

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[Sentryduty]

They are a neat novelty but breaking down the basic design they would identify their shortcomings very quickly in anything other than specialist or exhibition use.

Essentially they are an over sized "skid steer" tractor on flotation tires like a Bobcat, they drive, turn and behave in the same way. If they rely on hydrostatic drive, failure of the hydraulic system would result in a total loss of steering and and driving capability. If they relied on a simpler chain drive and sprocket system the wear and maintenance will be very bad. Anyone who has run "Agro" type vehicles know that these units, while capable, can approach 10 to 1 hours for maintenance vs operation.

Lastly, suspension, there is none, aside from the marshmallow tires, which with that short of a wheel base will kick the living daylights out of the operator in rough terrain, see again the Argo experience.

It think it is a neat engineering exercise, like the Ripsaw, but it is not the be all, end all of rough country transport like Jalopnik has been raving.