Tatra T815
Encyclopedia
Tatra T815 is a truck
family, produced by Czech
company Tatra
. It uses the traditional tatra concept of rigid backbone tube and swinging half-axles
giving independent suspension. The vehicles are available in 4x4, 6x6, 8x8, 10x8, 10x10, 12x8 and 12x12 variants. There are both air-cooled and liquid-cooled engines available with power ranging from 230 kW. As a successor to Tatra T813
it was originally designed for extreme off-road condition, while nowadays there are also variants designated for mixed (both off- and on-road) use.
The T815 and its descendant models brought the Czech truck racer Karel Loprais
to victory six times in the Paris Dakar Rally.
the prototype T157 was introduced in 1970 and several more prototypes were designed between 1970 and 1974 period but no production resulted. Due to protests from another Czech manufacturer LIAZ
which was assigned by the government central planning committee to manufacture trucks of similar class Tatra dropped the T157 and instead started to concentrate on a heavier class as the replacement for T813
and T148 which was introduced in 1983 as T815 series. In 1989 Tatra modernized T815 series and introduced new T815-2 which received further upgrade in 1994 and just 3 years later in 1997 the new cabin TerrN°1 is introduced. Another facelift followed in 2000 where changes included among others new instrument panel and cab attachment and for the first time there is a option for fitment of liquid-cooled engines. The latest facelift of cabin came in July 2010. Due to emission requirements changes in 2003 Tatra developed all new V8 engine T3C to comply with Euro III where it followed the tradition once again with its air cooling design. The further developed T3D engine was introduced in 2006 with its SCR and Euro IV compliance.
with independently suspended swinging half-axles bolted as one whole. This gives Tatra vehicles outstanding driving qualities in the most difficult terrains. The concept allows higher off-road speed compared to classical rigid axle design
.
All suspension types are equipped with telescopic shock absorbers; some versions also have stabilizer torsion bars.
diesel engine with direct fuel injection. It is turbo-supercharged, and equipped with an intake air cooler placed directly over the engine. The engine is equipped with a mechanically controlled in-line injection pump. Its roller crankshaft bolted together from individual segments belongs among unique technical solutions. The engine is available in emission specifications Euro 2 - Euro 5 with power output ranging from 230 kW and 1400 newton metre torque. V10 and V12 air-cooled Tatra engines also used to be part of T815 line.
Tatra T815 can be fitted also with water-cooled engines made by other manufacturers - notably Cummins and Deutz
with power ranging from 260 kW with 1550 newton metre torque.
The most powerful MTU
engine that can be fitted in T815 has 610 kW displacing 21,930 cc.
There is also special low cab version used mostly for cranes and other special applications. The cab is situated in front of the front axle.
and Eastern Europe
as well as in Germany
and France
. In Central Europe the trucks are used mostly by construction companies, logging companies and mining companies. They are notably popular as fire-fighting engines. In far Russian east the Tatra Trucks are used by oil and gas companies in the most difficult terrains, where also the air-cooled engine proves its superiority over water-cooled during harsh winter time.
T815 is available also in some African and Asian countries
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
family, produced by Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
company Tatra
Tatra (car)
Tatra is a vehicle manufacturer in Kopřivnice, Czech Republic. The company was founded in 1850 as Schustala & Company later renamed Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau-Fabriksgesellschaft, a wagon and carriage manufacturer, and in 1897 produced the first motor car in central Europe, the Präsident. In 1918, it...
. It uses the traditional tatra concept of rigid backbone tube and swinging half-axles
Swing axle
A swing axle is a simple type of independent suspension first used in early aircraft , such as the Sopwith and Fokker, usually with rubber bungee and no damping....
giving independent suspension. The vehicles are available in 4x4, 6x6, 8x8, 10x8, 10x10, 12x8 and 12x12 variants. There are both air-cooled and liquid-cooled engines available with power ranging from 230 kW. As a successor to Tatra T813
Tatra T813
Tatra T813 was a truck produced in Czechoslovakia by the Tatra company.-History:The first prototype already built in 1960 utilized existing Tatra T138 assemblies in 4x4 full time all wheel drive, which was also another first for Tatra. After the initial trials however the designers decided to...
it was originally designed for extreme off-road condition, while nowadays there are also variants designated for mixed (both off- and on-road) use.
The T815 and its descendant models brought the Czech truck racer Karel Loprais
Karel Loprais
Karel Loprais, born in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, on March 4, 1949, is a Czech rally raid driver and multiple winner of the Rally Paris-Dakar in the truck category....
to victory six times in the Paris Dakar Rally.
History
Designed to eventually replace T148Tatra T148
The Tatra T148 was a truck produced in Czechoslovakia by the Tatra company.-History:In 1969 Tatra decided to modernize the existing T 138 model with a number of improvements and design changes. The new model series was designated T148...
the prototype T157 was introduced in 1970 and several more prototypes were designed between 1970 and 1974 period but no production resulted. Due to protests from another Czech manufacturer LIAZ
LIAZ (Czech Republic)
LIAZ is a defunct Czech and Czechoslovak manufacturer of trucks. The company was formed in 1951 by the government as a division of Škoda. In 1953 LIAZ became independent of Škoda, but still continued to use its name until 1984...
which was assigned by the government central planning committee to manufacture trucks of similar class Tatra dropped the T157 and instead started to concentrate on a heavier class as the replacement for T813
Tatra T813
Tatra T813 was a truck produced in Czechoslovakia by the Tatra company.-History:The first prototype already built in 1960 utilized existing Tatra T138 assemblies in 4x4 full time all wheel drive, which was also another first for Tatra. After the initial trials however the designers decided to...
and T148 which was introduced in 1983 as T815 series. In 1989 Tatra modernized T815 series and introduced new T815-2 which received further upgrade in 1994 and just 3 years later in 1997 the new cabin TerrN°1 is introduced. Another facelift followed in 2000 where changes included among others new instrument panel and cab attachment and for the first time there is a option for fitment of liquid-cooled engines. The latest facelift of cabin came in July 2010. Due to emission requirements changes in 2003 Tatra developed all new V8 engine T3C to comply with Euro III where it followed the tradition once again with its air cooling design. The further developed T3D engine was introduced in 2006 with its SCR and Euro IV compliance.
Design
While most other manufacturers derive their trucks from road applications, Tatra T815 was purposely designed for extreme off-road conditions, and its road versions are derived from the off-road original concept. The principle consists in a central load-carrying tubeBackbone chassis
Backbone tube chassis is a type of an automobile construction chassis that is similar to the body-on-frame design. Instead of a two-dimensional ladder type structure, it consists of a strong tubular backbone that connects the front and rear suspension attachment areas...
with independently suspended swinging half-axles bolted as one whole. This gives Tatra vehicles outstanding driving qualities in the most difficult terrains. The concept allows higher off-road speed compared to classical rigid axle design
Body-on-frame
Body-on-frame is an automobile construction method. Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame that supports the drivetrain was the original method of building automobiles, and its use continues to this day. The original frames were made of wood , but steel ladder frames became common in the 1930s...
.
Central load-carrying tube
The primary structural feature of Tatra trucks is the central load carrying tube, also called a backbone frame. All other parts of the truck are mounted to this rigid assembly. The inherently high torsional and flexural rigidity of this layout protects superstructures from the motions and forces on the axles. Torque distribution to the axles is also carried within the backbone.Differential
Tatra differentials are a unique design that uses two opposing spiral bevel gears instead of the usual single set. The differential gears are part of the input drive shaft rather than between the output axles as in a conventional differential. All versions of the Tatra differential have locking pins that can force the differential gears to rotate together, “locking” the differential. This arrangement had two distinct advantages. The first is that the dual output bevel gears allow the axles to swing around the drive axle without the need for universal couplings. The second is that the input drive shaft goes essentially straight thru the differential housing, allowing simple coupling to a second set of swing axles. This modular design enables configurations of 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 6 axles with all axles driven. The whole assembly is part of the backbone frame.Front
- Mechanical suspension of load capacity up to 8 tons per axle by torsion bars – for versions with one steered front axle (4x4 and 6x6) or by leaf springs – for versions with two steered axles (8x8, 10x10 or 12x12).
- Air-bellows, with a load capacity of 9 tons per axle and a possibility of a ground clearance regulation.
Rear
- Mechanical – by leaf springs, with a load capacity of up to 11.5 tons per axle
- Air-bellows with a load capacity of 10 tons per axle and a possibility of a ground clearance regulation
- Tatra King Frame suspension system - combination of an air-bellow with a coil spring placed inside, with a load capacity of up to 11.5 tons per axle or combination of air-bellows with leaf springs, with a load capacity of 13, 15 and 16.5 tons per axle.
All suspension types are equipped with telescopic shock absorbers; some versions also have stabilizer torsion bars.
Engine
The Tatra engine is an air-cooled, 12.7 liter 90° V8V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
diesel engine with direct fuel injection. It is turbo-supercharged, and equipped with an intake air cooler placed directly over the engine. The engine is equipped with a mechanically controlled in-line injection pump. Its roller crankshaft bolted together from individual segments belongs among unique technical solutions. The engine is available in emission specifications Euro 2 - Euro 5 with power output ranging from 230 kW and 1400 newton metre torque. V10 and V12 air-cooled Tatra engines also used to be part of T815 line.
Tatra T815 can be fitted also with water-cooled engines made by other manufacturers - notably Cummins and Deutz
Deutz AG
Deutz AG is an engine manufacturer, based in Cologne, Germany.-History:The company was founded by Nikolaus Otto, inventor of the four-stroke internal combustion engine, in 1864 as N. A...
with power ranging from 260 kW with 1550 newton metre torque.
The most powerful MTU
MTU Friedrichshafen
MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH is a manufacturer of commercial internal combustion engines founded by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach in 1909...
engine that can be fitted in T815 has 610 kW displacing 21,930 cc.
Transmission
- Manually controlled mechanical Tatra transmission which is mounted directly on the auxiliary transmission case, and which, therefore, is an integrated part of the chassis with 10 or 14 gears with two auxiliary gears.
- An electronically controlled gear shifting Tatra - a driver using a joystick just pre-sets a speed gear, and after the clutch is engaged, the speed shifting is carried out. The driver is informed about the shifted speed gear by means of a dashboard display.
- Twin DiscTwin DiscTwin Disc, Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes power transmission equipment for a wide range of applications, including marine, off-road vehicle and industrial. The company was founded in the 1920s to manufacture clutches for farm tractors...
which is a six-gear auto transmission of 1189 or 1177 type - AllisonAllison TransmissionAllison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,...
six or seven-gear automatic transmission with a compact construction in one case, with a torque converter, which are mounted directly on the engine
Cab
Tatra T815 is equipped with own Tatra-produced COE cab. There is basic version, extended version with room behind seats used for a berth and especially for fire-fighting applications a long four-door cab enabling transportation of up to six persons.There is also special low cab version used mostly for cranes and other special applications. The cab is situated in front of the front axle.
Equipment
- Trucks equipped with air-bellows suspension have possibility of a ground clearance regulation.
- Special protective surface finish
- Central tire inflation systemCentral Tire Inflation SystemA Central Tire Inflation System is a system to provide control over the air pressure in each tire of a vehicle as a way to improve performance on different surfaces. For example, lowering the air pressure in a tire creates a larger area of contact between the tire and the ground and makes driving...
enabling deflation/inflation of tires during the drive in boggy terrain (standard for military versions, on demand for civilian) - Multi-fuel engines for military version (on demand)
- Vehicle radio-shielding as per NATO standards for military version
- Possibility of additional cab ballistic protection through a supplied and subsequently installed additional armoring set intended also for windows for military version
Variants
- Civilian
- Tatra T815
- Tatra T815 low cab (for cranes and installation of other special superstructures)
- Tatra T815-2 (outdated, but still manufactured on demand)
- Tatra T815-2 TERRN°1 (most demanded and sold, core of the current T815 range)
-
- Tatra T815-7
- Tatra T816 Force (ultra-heavy fire-fighting offroad truck)
- There is wide variety of superstructures built on Tatra T815 ranging from tipper S1 and S3 trucks, flatbed truck, tanker, drilling platform (used notably in Australia and Russia), autocrane, excavator, concrete mixer, semitrailer tracktor and many other.
- Military
- Tatra T815 Armax
- Tatra T816 Force (the category of the heaviest military trucks with outstanding mobility in the most difficult terrain conditions)
- Tatra T815-7 (T817)
- The military versions vary from 4x4 troop or cargo carrier to 12x12 BrahMosBrahMosBrahMos is a stealth supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between Republic of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation and Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed BrahMos Aerospace...
supersonic cruise missile carrier (used by India).
- The military versions vary from 4x4 troop or cargo carrier to 12x12 BrahMos
- Racing
-
- Rally raidRally raidRally raid, also known as cross country rallying is a form of long distance off-road racing that takes place over several days. Each day may require traveling up to . The length of the event can be 3–15 days...
- Tatra trucks are very successful in rally raids, notably in Dakar where Karel LopraisKarel LopraisKarel Loprais, born in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, on March 4, 1949, is a Czech rally raid driver and multiple winner of the Rally Paris-Dakar in the truck category....
achieved 6 times victory with T815. There were both 4x4 and 6x6 used in rally raids, and T815 8x8 "Totálka" is the heaviest car ever used in rally. - Truck trial where T813Tatra T813Tatra T813 was a truck produced in Czechoslovakia by the Tatra company.-History:The first prototype already built in 1960 utilized existing Tatra T138 assemblies in 4x4 full time all wheel drive, which was also another first for Tatra. After the initial trials however the designers decided to...
gained reputation of invincible off-road truck, of which T815 is a worthy successor
- Rally raid
Europe
All versions for all applications are sold in countries of CentralCentral Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
as well as in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In Central Europe the trucks are used mostly by construction companies, logging companies and mining companies. They are notably popular as fire-fighting engines. In far Russian east the Tatra Trucks are used by oil and gas companies in the most difficult terrains, where also the air-cooled engine proves its superiority over water-cooled during harsh winter time.
America
T815 is exported to the USA and Brazil. It used to be marketed under mark "American Truck Company" in the USA, where T815 and T816 Force is used as heavy fire-fighting engine.Australia
In Australia T815 is used notably by mining companies (i.e. as heavy drill 10x10 carrier)India
There is assembly line of Tatra vehicles in India.T815 is available also in some African and Asian countries
Military
Tatra T815 vehicles are widely used by military of Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Saudi Arabia, India, Israel and many other countries.Derivatives
- TatrapanTatrapanThe TATRAPAN Vehicle is an 6x6 special military vehicle produced by the Slovak defence industry company VYVOJ Martin a.s. Developed for various utilization by Slovak armed forces as well as export purposes.- Design :...
- Wildcat - Israel APCArmoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
- AstrosAstros II MLRSASTROS II is a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher produced in Brazil by the Avibrás company. It features modular design and employs rockets with calibers ranging from 127 mm to 300 mm...
- chassis for multiple rocket launcher produced in Brazil - mobile surgical unit by German company Drehtainer
- ATLAV APCArmoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
- Many other
Tatra vehicle coding
The full name of a given vehicle explains most essential information about it. Take as example T 815 - 231S25 28 325 6 x 6 . 2 R / 34 1:- T815 = truck family
- 231S25
- 2 = truck family - T 815-2 Cab over engine TerrNo1 or Armax
- 3 = engine type - T3D-928.30 air-cooled
- 1 = vehicle variant - Euro 5 left hand drive with ABS
- S = vehicle type - tipper (Sklápěč)
- 2 = cab type and axle configuration - short cab, 6x6 or 4x4
- 5 = Rear axles and suspension - Combined suspension, load capacity 11 tons, no reductions, axle ratio 3,385
- 28 = gross vehicle weight (tones)
- 325 = engine power (kW)
- 6x6 = wheel drive
- 2 = tire fitting - dual
- R = hub reduction
- 34 = wheelbase (mm) - number x 100
- 1 = variant - serial vehicle
External links
- Official site
- Tatra T815-2 TERRN°1 Civilian Brochure
- Tatra Military Trucks Brochure
- Tatra T815-2 Armax Military Truck Brochure
- Tatra T816 Force Military Truck Brochure
- Tatra T817 Military Truck Brochure
- Comparison of standard ladder chassis and backbone chassis with half axles on offroad testing track with emphasis on the twist of superstructure (video):
- Ladder chassis (Renault fire engine)
- Backbone chassis (Tatra T815 fire engine)