Tracked Amphibious All-Terrain Vehicle "Ukhtysh" (ZVM-2410)

Specialists from the Nizhny Novgorod Technical University and the Research Institute of Transport and Technological Engineering — companies with names and traditions — took part in the creation of this machine. And we shouldn't forget the Ulyanovsk plant either — His Majesty the "Goat" (UAZ) forms the basis of the visual image of the Nizhny Novgorod snow-and-swamp vehicle. In general, the "tracked UAZ" is that rare case when the symbiosis of "base" and "superstructure" doesn't hurt the eye and doesn't cause contradictions: the Ukhtysh turned out to be amusing!

Design and Tracks

The body of the Ulyanovsk off-road vehicle, cut lengthwise along the break line of the door openings, is mounted on a sealed steel hull, which houses the transmission units and running gear elements. Each side of the vehicle carries two sprockets (front idler and rear drive wheel), six road wheels with torsion bar suspension, and three support rollers.

The tracks of the Ukhtysh are assembled rubber-metal belts, the links of which are connected to each other by special hinges. The joint pin connecting the track shoes does not prevent the belt from working in the track loop and freely "winding" onto the sprockets, but prevents the reverse bending of the track — thus, the point impact from the supporting surface is perceived not by a specific link, but by a section of the track belt. As a result, the so-called "board effect" arises, reducing specific ground pressure and allowing the vehicle to move more confidently on weak-bearing surfaces: sand, snow, and swamps.

Special widening pads — rectangular rubber "fingers" protruding from each track shoe — also help to evenly distribute the weight of the ATV over the entire contact patch. When moving through muddy places, the additional "splayed fingers" allow for more confident grip on the ground, and when afloat, the rubber "fingers" turn into oars.

Buoyancy and Seaworthiness

Yes, yes, the Ukhtysh floats! True, it swims "doggy paddle" for now, but the machine has every chance of becoming a real amphibian: the developers are seriously concerned with installing an additional water-jet propulsion system, especially since there are no contraindications — the tracked UAZ was initially designed to live in two elements.

By the way, it is precisely the provision of proper "seaworthiness" that dictates some seemingly paradoxical design solutions. The lower section of the rear side of the Ukhtysh, for example, is welded shut (on the UAZ it opens), which creates some problems with loading luggage. But when entering the water and exiting onto the shore, the sealed side will not allow the stern to scoop up water. The highly raised fuel tank necks and the truncated "embrasures" of the door openings are also inconvenient, but these are again the costs of a floating design. The only unforgivable "blunder" is the location of the exhaust pipe: when you climb into the front passenger seat, you instinctively want to grab it with your hand. But you can't...

Interior and Ergonomics

What's inside? Just an ordinary UAZ, dear to the heart! You only have to get used to the "horned" control yoke installed instead of the usual steering wheel, and the absence of a brake pedal, the functions of which are assigned to the steering levers. The steering column itself is made in the form of a T-shaped console, and the short "horns" for controlling the side friction clutches must be pulled towards you when turning. The scheme is convenient, but from an ergonomic point of view, the console should have been made shorter — this would reduce the load on the forearm muscles.

Otherwise, the driver's workplace, and indeed the interior as a whole, fully meet the ideology of the machine. Soft seats, large window openings with sliding vents, decent visibility... It is also important that, having moved to the tracked all-terrain vehicle, the interior of the Ulyanovsk "goat" has not lost its ability to transform — inside, you can quickly organize two comfortable sleeping places.

And how warm it is here! Thanks to the powerful UAZ "stove", the cabin warms up instantly, and the displacement cavity of the hull, through which hot air from the engine compartment is blown, serves as such a powerful source of "underground" heat that in winter you can safely sit in the vehicle in a T-shirt and slippers.

Not enough space in the trunk? If we reason from the position of geologists, oil workers, and participants of extreme expeditions, then this is indeed the case. However, the Ukhtysh is not a technological transporter or a carrier of industrial cargo. It is quite capable of taking on board the equipment and provisions necessary for a week-long "autonomous" trip of four to five hunters, and if the luggage is not burdensome, even seven people can fit in the cabin. In a word, the Ukhtysh is a purely "civilian" all-terrain vehicle of an especially light class with a corresponding power-to-weight ratio.

Engine and Transmission

Under the hood is a carbureted UMZ-4218-10 engine (such engines are installed on classic "goats" and "loaves" — UAZ vehicles), working with a 4-speed gearbox and a Ulyanovsk-made transfer case. Let's make a reservation that the word "transfer case" in this case should not be taken literally, since in the Ukhtysh transmission this unit does not distribute anything, but acts as a demultiplier — an additional 2-speed gearbox.

From it, the torque goes to the final drive with friction clutches and band brakes (Nizhny Novgorod residents use a modernized unit from the GAZ-71 tracked transporter), and then is distributed by drive shafts to the final drives and drive sprockets.

Mechanical losses in the transmission of a tracked vehicle are very high, so the archaic Ulyanovsk engine has a hard time. However, it confidently moves two and a half tons of "iron" over rough terrain, and at the moment of shifting gears it even evokes praise. The fact is that due to the high resistance to movement and significant braking torque from the transmission, a tracked vehicle moving off-road stops even with a short-term power interruption (at the moment of pressing the clutch, this is inevitable). You have to shift "up" very quickly, slightly "burning" the clutch and relying on the traction characteristics of the engine. The Ulyanovsk engine can handle such loads. The only thing it stubbornly refuses to do is develop high RPMs.

Handling and Pneumatics

The Ukhtysh turns like a classic tracked transporter — by braking the sides. By disengaging the friction clutch with the help of the control yoke lever and tightening the band brake, the driver forces one of the tracks to run ahead and turn the vehicle. The highlight of the design is that pneumatics are used in the steering mechanism drive.

A mechanical compressor from a PAZ bus is installed on the right side of the engine, pumping air into the receiver and ensuring the operation of the actuators. When you act on one of the "horns" of the control yoke, a distribution valve opens, which "throws" pressure into the corresponding line: the friction clutch disengages, the brake tightens — and the turning mechanism follows the command. You feel the advantages of pneumatics at the very first maneuver: the forces on the handles are so small that you can literally drive the vehicle with two fingers — for a tracked transporter this is a huge plus.

The disadvantages of the pneumatic steering "come out" later, when, after rolling a couple of kilometers through sparse forest, you realize that you are not driving the vehicle, but adapting to its behavior. The reason for this is the lack of tracking action in the pneumatic actuator and the complete absence of feedback. The algorithm by which the Ukhtysh pneumatics "bites" the tracks resembles a computer program working on strict logical conditions "yes/no": just touch the handle — and the brake with a beastly grip digs into the drum, tightly clamping the side.

The ATV immediately spins around the vertical axis, and it is impossible to calculate the angle of rotation — you have to guess it. Under-turned — pull the lever a second time, overdid it — clamp the opposite side and again hope for luck. You can minimize the work with the stubborn control yoke and save yourself from tedious steering corrections only if you learn to look half a maneuver ahead and break the turning arcs into broken lines.

The L-shaped bracket acts as an ice pick, chipping ice from the idler wheel.

I was surprised that in the snow the Ukhtysh leaves a rather deep rut behind it and runs out of its 400 mm ground clearance early. If the specific ground pressure declared by the manufacturer (0.125 kgf/cm²) corresponds to reality, then the vehicle should move more confidently through virgin snow. However, these are only first impressions: for correct conclusions, comparative tests with other ATVs equipped with rubber-metal tracks with one-way stiffness are needed. And snow is different from snow — the success of moving through virgin snow depends on a number of factors.

One cannot discount the fact that the current tracks of the Ukhtysh are in some way a compromise. On the one hand, they are "environmentally friendly" and asphalt-friendly (the flat belt does not tear off the top layer of soil and does not destroy public roads), on the other hand, they are "toothless". The absence of grousers does not allow the vehicle to confidently grip the supporting surface on inclines, when exiting water onto the shore, and when storming steep ledges.

Running Gear and Comfort

But the running gear of the Nizhny Novgorod vehicle is an example of competent engineering calculation and thoughtful design. It would seem that torsion bar suspension, short wheelbase, high body, tracks — now it will start shaking the soul out of you... Nothing of the sort! On road and off-road bumps, the Ukhtysh demonstrates very decent ride smoothness, without forcing the riders to grab onto the saving handles and handrails. A very comfortable chassis! Thanks to the energy-intensive suspension and the absence of the "roly-poly" effect, the vehicle does not scare with strong rolls and, most importantly, allows you to feel the terrain — when driving on heavy off-road, this quality is sometimes decisive.

The price of 800 thousand rubles for the Ukhtysh in the basic configuration, imagine, does not scare away — tracked vehicles are expensive. But the domestic aggregate base and the minimum of exotic components in this case are rather a plus: this means that in addition to the ATV you won't have to "buy" a qualified mechanic and wait months for the delivery of a scarce "piece of iron" — for residents of remote areas this is important. As for the "childhood diseases", the Nizhny Novgorod residents have all the intellectual resources to cure them. Financial ones, let's hope, will also be found.

Technical Specifications (manufacturer's data)

Source: www.autoreview.ru