KrAZ-6510

The KrAZ-6510 at a glance: purpose and place in the range

The 6510 was designed for hauling sand, gravel, soil and other bulk building materials on paved and unpaved roads. Development started in the 1980s as a replacement for the KrAZ-250, itself the heir of the long-running KrAZ-256 tippers, and production began in 1992. In 1994 half of the vehicles KrAZ built were 6510 dump trucks. According to the old 1cars text, only the axles were carried over from the KrAZ-250, while the main units and mechanisms were redesigned. The history of the plant is told in the story of KrAZ, and all its trucks are in the KrAZ catalogue.

Engine: the YaMZ-238M2 V8 diesel

The engine is a YaMZ-238M2, a naturally aspirated V8 diesel with a bore of 130 mm and a stroke of 140 mm, giving 14.86 litres. KrAZ rated it at 176 kW (240 PS) at 2,100 rpm and 883 Nm at 1,250–1,450 rpm; to DIN 70020 the net figures are 170 kW (232 PS) and 855 Nm. A pre-heater for cold starts and a fuel-system heater were available. In 1995 KrAZ built one test truck with an imported Cummins engine, but the YaMZ V8 remained the standard. Full data for the engine family is on our page for the YaMZ-238M2 engine.

Gearbox, axles and chassis

Power goes through a dry twin-plate clutch to a five-speed manual gearbox. A two-speed transfer case sends drive to the two rear axles, which have two-stage final drives; the front axle is not driven.

The front axle hangs on two semi-elliptic leaf springs with hydraulic dampers. At the rear, a balanced bogie on two semi-elliptic springs shares the load between the driven axles. Steering is mechanical with a hydraulic booster, and the turning radius is 12 metres. The truck runs on 12.00R20 tyres and a 24-volt electrical system.

Brakes and safety

The service brakes are drums with internal shoes, worked by a dual-circuit air system. A drum parking brake acts on the transfer-case output shaft, and an exhaust brake with pneumatic control serves as the auxiliary brake on long descents. ABS was offered as an option. The cab is all-metal, but crash tests such as those of Euro NCAP do not apply to heavy trucks of this type.

Dimensions, weights and performance

These are factory figures as quoted in the old 1cars text. By our calculation, a loaded 6510 has about 141 kg of gross weight per kW of engine power, so it is built for steady hauling rather than speed. To estimate the fuel bill for a typical shift, enter the consumption in the fuel cost calculator.

Cab and working conditions

The cab is a full-metal design, a step forward from the timber-framed cabs of earlier KrAZ trucks. It has room for the driver and passengers, a hydraulic power steering system and two heaters. Drivers quoted in the old 1cars text found it hot in summer and cold in winter, with high noise and vibration, and the long bonnet hides obstacles directly in front of the truck. In return, the controls are simple and robust.

Variants and special bodies

The 65101 chassis also carried truck cranes, such as a 25-tonne KTA-25, and cementing pump units for oil and gas wells.

Reliability and what to check on a used truck

The 6510 is simple to repair, and parts for the YaMZ V8, the gearbox and the axles are still widely available in the countries where it worked. It copes well with overloading and with temperature extremes. Its weak points are the outdated cab, high fuel use and the lack of a turbocharger. On a used truck, check the frame and the body for cracks and look at the condition of the tipping hydraulics. Look for oil leaks from the V8 and smoke on start-up, and inspect the transfer case and the rear bogie springs.

Rivals and successors

Compared with the smaller KAMAZ-5511, the 6510 carries more and has a bigger engine, but it is slower and heavier. Its successors at KrAZ are the 65055 dump truck, built from 1997, and newer 6×4 tippers with turbocharged engines.