Rama Gazelle: dimensions, photos

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

GAZelle is a very popular car in Russia and CIS countries. It belongs to commercial vehicles and has been mass-produced since 1994. Now they produce both "Businesses" and "Nexts". A lot has changed in the car - engines, cabs, bodies. But what remains unchanged is the frame of the GAZelle. See our today's article for sizes, photos and descriptions.

Destination

On many European light trucks, the load-bearing element is the body itself. It combines a number of power elements - spars, on which the entire load is placed. But if we consider the Russian GAZelle, everything is different here. Even minibuses are fitted with a frame. What can we say - "Sobol", which, in fact, is not a truck, and even then it is built on a frame. This is a classic car building scheme. Initially, she practiced on cars. But gradually they began to refuse such a design. Now only some SUVs and commercial vehicles with a carrying capacity of one and a half tons or more are equipped with frames.

Thus, the GAZelle frame (you can see its photo above) is its supporting element. It is on the frame that all the most important elements in the car are attached:

• Cabin.
• Body.
• Pendant.
• Engine.

Among other things, towing hooks and buffers are attached to the frame, which the beam hits in case of a large suspension travel. Therefore, this element must meet high requirements and be resistant to stress.

Design device

The GAZelle frame is made of thick steel. Combines two wide channels. It is on them that attachments are then fixed. But in order to ensure structural rigidity (including torsion), cross members were provided in the form of a flexible tube. You can see them in the photo of the GAZelle frame. The dimensions of these crossbars are the same front and rear. Also, in addition to the pipes between the channels, there is a subframe. There are two of them. The first serves to fix the motor, the second - to support the transmission. The latter also has rubber buffers. They serve to dampen vibrations that can be transmitted to the frame and body during vehicle operation. There is also a suspension for the cardan shaft.

It is located a little further than the gearbox. Also in the channels there are technological holes. They are used to fix the cab on rubber buffers, brake pipes and, among other things, suspension elements. The springs are attached to special earrings. Shock absorbers are provided to dampen vibrations. The upper part is connected directly toframe (both front and rear). There are also holes for fastening the fuel tank. But the body itself is connected with the help of stepladders. They press the base of the body to the frame, but are not attached to the channel. There is a wooden beam as a buffer between the channel and the bottom of the body. It in every possible way dampens the shocks that occur when driving on rough roads, and also prevents the body from crawling along the surface of the frame. Otherwise, it would have been erased in a couple of years.

Gazelle frame: dimensions

Let's consider the design of the standard frame, which was installed on the GAZelle from the 94th year. So, the total length of the supporting element is 4.84 meters, the width is 1.12 meters, the height together with the crossbars is 0.29 meters. How much does the GAZelle frame itself weigh? Its mass is only 128 kilograms. The element is designed to install a three-seater cabin and a 3-meter body.

The maximum length of the booth can be 3.2 meters. But some neglect this parameter and put 3.5-meter bodies on the frame without lengthening. It is not right. First, a large overhang is formed. The load on the rear axle increases. The car becomes less stable on the road. Secondly, the maneuverability of the car is reduced. By making any movements, you can easily hook the body on a neighboring car or other object. The 5.85 meter frame is already designed to accommodate a 4 meter body.

How does it lengthen?

The principle of extending a standard frame is quite simple. All attachments are removed from the machine - tanks, body, transmission, cardan shaft. Only the cab, bridge and engine remain. Further, the channel is cut in three places.

Two go between the rear axle and the cabin, and the last one is on the "tail". Then a longer channel is installed on the frame. It overlaps and is fixed with rivets, bolts, or welding. Then the whole structure is assembled back. Put box, fuel tanks. It remains only the body and the shaft. Instead, they put a longer one, or increase the size according to the same principle.

On strengthening the GAZelle frame

Over time, owners of commercial vehicles are thinking about increasing the carrying capacity of their vehicles. Indeed, for heavier loads, the rate is much higher. But changing the car to a more load-bearing one is expensive. And there are not always such orders.

The optimal way out is to strengthen the GAZelle factory frame. Its width and length remains the same. But the thickness of the channels is more. The essence of reinforcement is to install thicker beams on the factory element. Channels are connected by bolts or welding.

Frame and load capacity

An ordinary 3-meter GAZelle has a carrying capacity of one and a half tons. The purpose of frame reinforcement is to increase this parameter. The owners expect that GAZelle can transport 2.5 or more tons without any problems. Yes, the reinforced frame is now unlikely to burst. But do not forget about other elements. In particular, this is the rear axle, suspension and clutch. The latter wears out especially when overloaded. The standard Volgovskaya box is not designed for suchtonnage. The clutch disc can be easily burned. The transmission itself also suffers. The bridge is also subject to stress. Rubber bursts when it hits a hole. Based on all this, we can conclude that even with a reinforced frame, the GAZelle is not capable of transporting more than indicated in the TCP. By the way, on 4-meter modifications, the passport load capacity is 100-150 kilograms less than that of a 3-meter one (the body lengthens - the curb weight also increases). Thus, increasing this parameter by welding on new channels is a dubious decision. If you take loads, then light and voluminous. For volume, the customer makes a significant surcharge. It is not uncommon for an elongated 5-meter GAZelle to take cargo (like foam plastic) at a 5-ton rate.

This is the only truck-friendly way to increase profits. But it is also worth noting the windage. With a body height of more than 2.3 meters, the consumption does not fall below 20 liters per hundred on the 405th engine.

Conclusion

So, we found out what the GAZelle frame is. It is unlikely that the Gorky Automobile Plant will integrate it into the body of the Next. Therefore, this design will live for a very long time. After all, the frame, with proper use, is highly durable and reliable. And for those who want to ride at higher rates, you should consider increasing the volume of the booth, rather than strengthening the frame itself.