KrAZ — the legendary "cannibal" of Soviet roads
KrAZ — "cannibal"
The drivers gave this nickname not to a specific model, but to the entire line of KrAZ heavy trucks. They were hated almost unanimously — and there were good reasons for that.
If KamAZ trucks were relatively technologically advanced, comfortable and driver-friendly, then KrAZ was their complete opposite. One driver could drive KamAZ trucks calmly for 10 years; they were favorites for city and suburban routes: they carried sand, concrete and other goods on good roads.
KrAZ could change ten drivers in five years. Not because the truck broke down — on the contrary, the drivers broke down.
These trucks were created to transport huge, mainly military, cargo on terrible roads. They were heavy, with giant wheels and without any "civilian" systems like power steering. It was so difficult to turn the steering wheel that drivers could not do anything at all after a shift.
The cabin is like an iron prison. Everything is made of metal, the seat is a thin layer of foam rubber stretched over a rigid base. There was no talk of comfort at all.
The 6x6 drive and powerful engine allowed the KrAZ to get out of any swamp even with a full load. And the load it could take was no joke - up to 12 tons, like the weight of the car itself. For comparison, the KamAZ weighed about 8 tons and took on much easier tasks.
The drivers hated the KrAZs, but there was no replacement. If you needed to pull something big, heavy and off-road - there was only one choice.