GAZ-3307

GAZ-3307 at a glance: maker, years and purpose

The GAZ-3307 is the fourth-generation GAZ medium truck, known by drivers as the "Gazon" ("lawn"), a nickname inherited from the GAZ-53 family. It is a 4x2 bonneted truck designed for paved and dirt roads, carrying general cargo, agricultural produce and bulk materials, and serving as a chassis for tippers, vans, tankers, buses and special bodies.

The design kept as many parts as possible from the GAZ-53 to simplify servicing and keep costs low, while the new cab gave the driver more room, better heating and ventilation and, later, seat belts. The wider GAZ story is told in the history of GAZ, and the earlier light truck of the family is the GAZ-52.

From the GAZ-53 to the GAZon NEXT

GAZ introduced the 3307 in October 1989, with series production starting by the end of that year. It used the GAZ-53's frame and running gear under a new, more angular cab, a new bonnet and black grille. In 1990 GAZ added the bi-fuel GAZ-33075 (LPG) and GAZ-33076 (natural gas), and in 1994 the GAZ-3309 brought a longer wheelbase and an inline four-cylinder diesel.

From around 2016 the petrol 3307 was no longer listed in the main range, but it could still be ordered. Production ended in January 2020 after 31 years; assembly also took place at BelAvtoGAZ in Kolyadichi, Belarus, from 2012. The GAZon NEXT, presented in 2014, became the successor.

How the GAZ-3307 is built: chassis, cab and body

The GAZ-3307 uses a ladder frame with a rigid front axle and a driven rear axle with twin wheels. Both axles hang on semi-elliptic leaf springs: the front with shock absorbers, the rear with additional helper springs, and all main leaf ends sit in rubber cushions. Steering is a worm-and-roller unit without power assistance, and the 12 V electrical system powers halogen lights and a cab heater.

The brakes are hydraulic drums with two separate circuits and vacuum boosters; warning lamps show low vacuum, and the parking brake acts on the transmission.

The two-seat cab has a two-spoke steering wheel, a full set of gauges (speed, oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel and charge), a sprung driver's seat adjustable for reach and backrest angle, door pockets and better insulation than the GAZ-53. A cold-climate GAZ-330701 version had extra cab insulation, a pre-start heater and an optional auxiliary heater.

The standard steel dropside body has three opening sides. Tipper versions built with SAZ bodies tip to the rear at about 50 degrees or to the sides, controlled from the cab.

Engines and drivetrain by period

• ZMZ-511 V8 petrol, 4.25 L (259 cu in): the launch engine from 1989, carburettor and liquid cooling; runs on low-octane petrol.
• ZMZ-5231 V8 petrol, 4.67 L (285 cu in): 83–91 kW (113–124 PS) depending on source and version, about 294 Nm (217 lb-ft), compression 7.6:1.
• ZMZ-513 V8 petrol: used in the LPG and natural gas versions.
• MMZ D-245.7 turbo-diesel, 4.75 L: 88 kW (119 PS) and 413 Nm (305 lb-ft) in the GAZ-3309, built to Euro 2–4 from 2010.
• YaMZ-534 family turbo-diesel, 4.43 L: about 99 kW (134.5 PS), Euro 4, from 2013 (GAZ-33098).
• Cummins ISF 3.8 L (GAZ-33096) and Hino W04CT 3.8 L (GAZ-33078) turbo-diesels in smaller numbers.

All versions drive the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox with a single-plate dry clutch. Drivers often criticised the whine of the gearbox in petrol trucks.

GAZ-3307 specifications

The table shows the petrol GAZ-3307 flatbed with the V8 engine, from Wikipedia data.

The diesel GAZ-3309 is 6,436 mm long, weighs 3,530 kg empty and 8,180 kg gross, reaches 95 km/h and uses 14.5 L/100 km at 60 km/h.

GAZ-3307 variants and derivatives

The chassis also carried whole families of special vehicles. The GAZ-3310 Valdai of 1999 was developed on the 3307 chassis as a faster truck for paved roads, and the KAvZ-3976 bus mounted a passenger body on the extended GAZ-33074 chassis, serving rural routes for many years. Fire engines, fuel tankers, milk tankers, mobile workshops and municipal tippers were all built on the same basic truck.

The all-wheel-drive GAZ-3308 Sadko and the KAvZ-3976 bus show how widely the chassis was used.

GAZ-3307 strengths and weaknesses

The GAZ-3307's strengths are simplicity and parts supply: the V8, axles and brakes were shared with the GAZ-53 family and many other trucks, so repairs can be done by any truck workshop, and the high ground clearance helps on country roads. Its bonneted layout and compact size make it easy to manoeuvre in towns.

The weaknesses are fuel use and dated engineering. The carburettor V8 is thirsty, the steering has no power assistance, the payload is modest for the size, and the petrol gearbox is noisy. The diesel 3309 versions are far more economical.

Buying and preserving a GAZ-3307 today

Many 3307s are still at work on farms and in municipal fleets. When inspecting one, check:

• Frame and cab corrosion, especially around the cab mounts and wheel arches.
• The vacuum brake boosters and both brake circuits.
• V8 condition (oil pressure, blue smoke) and carburettor setting.
• Tipper hydraulics and body hinges on SAZ versions.
• Leaf springs and rubber cushions.

Other trucks of the era are listed under Soviet classic cars and in the GAZ catalogue.