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The Green Croc.... My monster KrAZ-255B1

WarHorse_Alex

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So, let's go!!!

I'm ready for represent my mil truck - this is Soviet multipurpose heavy platform - KrAZ-255B1
Today i'll send just only some pics... Details and stories will add later.
Maybe smbdy saw that thing at FB groups. Sure, that looks not as from warehouse or military storage.... But... It's in action and main systems are run fine.
And it's looks as M-series or Diamond-T style!!!!!
 

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dmetalmiki

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OH..So nice..And 'suitably ugly' stance.
I need a spare wheel and carrier, for mine, And also the Davit, (The pole crane to lift up the spare wheel, which on this one of mine carries the spare wheel ataop the cab).
I believe mine in service was a 'Crane or Bridging truck', As it still has all the hydraulics underneath. The oil pumps coolers, and extra radiator cooler on the front.
And more gear levers than you can shake a stick at! in the cab.
 

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WarHorse_Alex

Active member
66
237
33
Location
Russia
OH..So nice..And 'suitably ugly' stance.
I need a spare wheel and carrier, for mine, And also the Davit, (The pole crane to lift up the spare wheel, which on this one of mine carries the spare wheel ataop the cab).
I believe mine in service was a 'Crane or Bridging truck', As it still has all the hydraulics underneath. The oil pumps coolers, and extra radiator cooler on the front.
And more gear levers than you can shake a stick at! in the cab.
Very interesting!!! Additional hydraulics and gear levers - can you describe it more detailed with pics? Or maybe you have that post about somewhere here?
And then I can say about you truck more precisely... But now I saw, that your Kraz have roll cage around cab and splitted headlights domes - that was only at bridging trucks... Updated: It's TMM bridge truck maybe... TMM has additional hydro!!!
Cranes or shovels don't have roll cages and spare tires at top!!!
 
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WarHorse_Alex

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How I came to this truck: unit was found at factory backyard in terrible condition - abandoned and prepared for junk. Many systems and parts was broken, rust and weak rubber everywhere. Usually, military trucks in great shape are expensive. Chief of that factory division was not glad to deal with that truck - it's mean for him less - was need to spend money for disassembling and cutting, was need to find additional workers, need to find transport for metal... So, we easily reach an agreement xDDDD. I dream for mil truck. Yes, Zil, Gaz, Ural - more often, smaller, usable... But Kraz - heh - it's giant xDDDD Standard army Zil truck looks as keychain near that beast xDDD So, I bought it for lowest price in any cases... One more trouble - Kraz is outlaw now. It's very wide for road using... Width 2.75 meters against 2.6 max in rules. From USSR era road standards was changed and it not can use on city roads and highways without special permission. Permission are applicable for something commercial - expensive, one-time, and so bureaucratic, but no any ways for non-commercial, individual peoples.... Driver license ban is possible for 1 year, if no wide-load permission.... But I dream about it!!!! xDDDDD So, was some dark risky mission for escaping from city xDDDDD At night, between 1 and 4 AM the Thing was leave city and took heading to farm in 100 miles away xDDDDD To be continued.... xDDDD
 

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dmetalmiki

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Wow..I thought Russia.."Drive what you like"..TANK! ok, maybe just a small tank then.....T......72 !.
How lucky in U.K. Kraz ok drive what you like where you like..if historic.
You see in the video my last Kraz has road plates.
I will have some pictures by the week end for you.
I bought the troop body and changes it for the Bridge.
I have another Kraz for parts coming in about 2 months.

I do not see the video I attached. So edit. Here it is

 
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BKubu

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Nice looking truck, Alex. Cool recovery story. The inside of the cab looks very clean from the one picture. My wife is Russian and I keep telling her that I want an Ural 4320. So far, she's not going for it. But, she once agreed that I should get an M1015A1 when I was pricing out a T-72 from a collector in the UK, so there is hope!
 

WarHorse_Alex

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Russia
My First kraz at the Heavy military Trial Slab Common.
And..Military thing..(I so love!). HUGE!.
I saw this video early!!!! I found that Scammell wrecker trucks and searched something about...
That Kraz was good! If it not a big secret - why are you sold it? It has nice van atop!!! As we call - 'low van' - roof of van is equal with cab roof in height. Most of mil vans for trucks (not only for Kraz - for all trucks) have high height - more then top cab...
 

WarHorse_Alex

Active member
66
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Location
Russia
Wow..I thought Russia.."Drive what you like"..TANK! ok, maybe just a small tank then.....T......72 !.
How lucky in U.K. Kraz ok drive what you like where you like..if historic.
Oh, no!!! Unfortunately in present days we have tighten the nuts more and more. Another stage in this question happened 1 March - peoples in panic - in accordance with new technical rules half of all cars will not pass annual technical test... Because laws was compose by idiots - many things was described superficially and every point can be turned, as profitable for committee...
 

WarHorse_Alex

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Russia
There are many jokes from that night redeployment xDDD. Left front wheel was placed in abnormal angle from vertical, it was seen without rulers. Also terrible sounds comes from bearings and in move rotor overheated (and we run about 100 miles on it!!!! - krazy:LOL::LOL::LOL:). When we drove it on highway that night - nobody knows, what happened next time - maybe wheel goes off or jam.
Also steering booster first 20 miles was absent xDDDD - can say, that turn wheels without it on place is impossible, because too heavy muzzel and wide tires. If you need turn around in narrow - you will do it in million times, 'pushing' truck by clutch. But after some moving booster suddenly decide to be alive and start work xDDDD...

Couple times we saw road police officers ha-ha-ha, it was dangerous (as remember - was no permissions for oversize), but it was really funny - every time I saw, that officer, as he saw our truck, turn around, put his hands in pockets and look into the sky xDDDD)))))) What happened? Why they not stop us???
As explained me later - they saw a very big truck, clearly defective - low grinding sound as from WWII bomber and black smokes around - and officer thought : "It's looks empty, without load, non-commercial, If I stop him, that can't start moving again and I will have troubles for resolving of removing it from road. And as is non-commercial - I will not have any $$$$ profit from driver" Ha-ha-ha... xDDDDD

But all was ok and we came to village...

Next after purchasing Kraz I started repair main crashes - first, too much time was taken by almost destroyed front axle.
I found all internal parts of front axle - 4 shafts, CV, wheel bearings and seals and replaced all of them. Wheel weight is about 250 kg and rotor/spindle weight is about 160 kg - that was hard...
Also I replaces all injectors, because all of them was different and totally clogged. After rep and tuning valves black smoke gone and engine work nice and pretty...
All fluids was changed, filters was flushed or changed... Looks as oil was not changed from factory...
Another very long part of work on Kraz - replacing tires. It's also hard process - old rusty rims with lock rings not so easy in disassembling... Most worn tires are changed now (3 of 6), but that process is going now yet...
One of big negative surprises Kraz was presented for me last spring - high pressure fuel pump completely die... New pump from shop shelf is expensive, but I found one at garage enthusiast sale - also new, in conservation oil, for suitable price...
Kraz is fully operate now, all main mechanical system are work well and I use truck in help for my buddies... They farmers and big truck is really good for some works - hay transportation, logging and pulling stumps (they are started to clean new fields for farm action xD), recovery some machinery, tractors from mud.. Just as source of compressed air xDDDD
 
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