Extension of the GAZelle - benefits, dangers and cost of work

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

GAZ-3302 and its successor of the Business series are, perhaps, the most popular light-duty class trucks on the Russian transportation market. The main advantages of this machine are the simplicity of design and low cost of maintenance. And even if someone scolds the GAZelle for its frequent breakdowns, then from a financial point of view, changing, for example, a clutch disc, will be much cheaper than on the same Sprinter. However, it also has a drawback - sometimes it is simply impossible to do without a 4-meter body in the transportation of large-sized building materials. In this case, lengthening the frame helps.

GAZelle and its long modifications

Recently, 4-meter GAZelles have been more and more often coming off the assembly line of the Gorky Automobile Plant. And this applies not only to model 3302, but also to all others, such as "Farmer", "Business" and many others. But the Gorky plant did not stop there - their closest partner, the Chaika-Service company, is engaged in the production of special long-sized machines. True, this is not done in series and only at the request of the car owner himself.

Howis the GAZelle lengthening?

It is impossible to do this with your own hands - the frame design is changed only by professionals using specialized equipment. And the process itself is as follows:

1. Workers calculate existing frame size when doing custom design.
2. There is a direct lengthening of the GAZelle body. With the help of special tools, 2 cuts are made on the frame, after removing the booth, cardan shaft and other components from the car.
3. In the place of the incision, two long steel channels are inserted and fixed with bolts.
4. A new longer driveshaft is being installed, as well as a loading platform that matches the frame size.

How much does this service cost?

Depending on how much the customer wants to lengthen the GAZelle, this procedure can cost from 20 to 40 thousand rubles. At the same time, for an additional fee, specialists on site can perform its strengthening and installation of a new, longer body. It can be both a tent platform, and a manufactured goods isothermal van or a refrigerator. By the way, for about the same price, you can purchase and install a sleeping bag on a GAZelle at the service, which will allow the driver to transport goods over longer routes and distances.

Loading platform dimensions

Thanks to such modernization as lengthening the GAZelle, in the end you will get a full-fledged truck with a body length of 4, 4.2, 5, 6 and more meters. These dimensions can be transportedalmost any cargo - steel pipes, galvanized profiles or polystyrene. In terms of cubic capacity, elongated GAZelles can accommodate up to 20-35 (or more) m3 of various products.

What are the benefits?

As for the pluses, we have already noted that with a 4-6-meter body, a car can transport more goods, which means that the total profit from transportation increases by almost 2-2.5 times.

This is the main reason why many gazelles lengthen their cars to 4-6 meters.

Flaws

There is another side of the coin. Among the main disadvantages is the low carrying capacity of the machine. So, the lengthening of the GAZelle makes it more vulnerable to overloads. And if its 3-meter version is still somehow able to pull 2 tons on itself, then in the case of a 4-meter version, the risk of cracks on the frame increases by 10-15 times. Plus, this is the installation of methane cylinders or other HBO, which also makes the structure of the car heavier and, accordingly, increases the load on the frame. In the data sheet of some 4-meter GAZelles, the maximum carrying capacity is 1100 kilograms versus 1500 for a 3-meter one. Five- and six-meter modifications lift even less cargo. On average, the lengthening of the GAZelle reduces its useful carrying capacity by 300-800 kilograms. In addition, it should be noted a significant load on the engine and rear axle - if overloaded, both can completely fail. So it turns out that you can only carry light furniture, polystyrene foam and long wood and steelstructures with a total mass of not more than 1.1 tons.

Otherwise, you have to reinforce the frame. But this is not always necessary. Firstly, this significantly makes the car structure heavier, and secondly, the load on the internal combustion engine increases, and subsequently we get increased fuel consumption.

Conclusion

What should we conclude from this? Based on all of the above, the lengthening of the GAZelle is required only when it is really needed. If you do not have an urgent need for frequent transportation of long-sized cargo, you should no longer make a frame - this will only increase the load on the engine components and on the frame itself. The best option is to extend the GAZelle from a 3-meter body to a 4-4.2-meter one. Making a 6-meter "sausage" is simply not practical, because you can carry only one foam in it. So it is more expedient in some cases to think about purchasing a larger car.