KamAZ-4326

KamAZ-4326 at a glance: maker, years and purpose

The KamAZ-4326 is the two-axle member of the KAMAZ all-wheel-drive family. It shares its cab, engine and many driveline parts with the three-axle KamAZ-4310 and KamAZ-43114, but it is shorter, lighter and more agile, which suits it to rough-terrain transport, special bodies and rescue work. KAMAZ built it mainly for military and state users; according to Wikipedia it has not been offered to private buyers since at least 2015.

The six-wheel KamAZ-4310 is the closer relative for heavy loads, while the plant's wider story is covered in the history of KAMAZ.

Why the KamAZ-4326 took ten years to reach production

KAMAZ engineers built two-axle prototypes based on the KamAZ-4310 in the 1980s. At that time the plant was producing more than 110,000 trucks a year, and there was no free capacity for another model, so the 4x4 was shelved. Series production only began in 1995, with the design largely unchanged from the prototypes.

The first production trucks already used a turbocharged version of the KamAZ-740 V8 with about 176 kW (240 PS). From the early 2000s KAMAZ added the KamAZ-43261, a short version with a wheelbase about 50 cm shorter. In 2003 the modernised KamAZ-4350 arrived as the successor, but the 4326 stayed in the range for special and military orders.

How the KamAZ-4326 is built: chassis, cab and body

The KamAZ-4326 uses a ladder frame with rigid axles on leaf springs at both ends. Both axles are driven all the time; a lockable centre differential and a pneumatically controlled two-speed transfer case let the driver choose between road and off-road gearing. The large single 425/85 R21 tyres are connected to a central tyre inflation system, so pressure can be lowered from the cab on sand or snow.

The three-seat forward-control cab tilts hydraulically for engine access. In civilian versions it is basic: the driver's seat is adjustable but has no air suspension, the passenger seats are fixed to the floor, and a sleeping berth sits behind the seats. Steps and grab handles make the high cab easy to climb into. Owners of older trucks criticise the dated dashboard and the floor-mounted engine-brake switch.

The standard cargo body is an all-steel dropside platform measuring 4,800 x 2,320 x 500 mm (189.0 x 91.3 x 19.7 in), with optional hoops, canvas cover and benches for troops or crews.

Engine and drivetrain

The KamAZ-4326 is powered by a KamAZ-740 family V8 turbo-diesel with charge-air cooling: a 90-degree, overhead-valve, liquid-cooled engine with a bore and stroke of 120 x 120 mm. In the Euro 2 version (740.31-240, also listed as 740.11-240) it develops 176 kW (240 PS) at 2,200 rpm and 912 Nm (673 lb-ft) at 1,100–1,500 rpm, with a governed top speed.

Its mechanical fuel injection has no electronic control, which makes it tolerant of fuel quality and easier to start in severe cold. The gearbox is a 10-speed manual (five speeds with a front range splitter) behind a twin-plate dry clutch with hydraulic release. The transfer case has ratios of 1.692:1 and 0.917:1, and the double-reduction axles use a final drive of 6.53:1. Brakes are air-operated drums of 400 mm diameter.

KamAZ-4326 specifications

The table shows the standard dropside KamAZ-4326 with the Euro 2 engine, as given in factory data and Wikipedia.

KamAZ-4326 variants: from fire engines to Dakar

The two-axle chassis became the base for a wide range of special vehicles:

Bodies for winter road maintenance, cranes, refrigerated boxes and motorhomes have also been mounted on the 4326 and 43261.

KamAZ-4326 strengths and weaknesses

The KamAZ-4326 earned its reputation off the road. Permanent all-wheel drive, 385 mm of ground clearance, central tyre inflation and a 1.5 m wading depth let it reach places where conventional trucks stop, and the mechanical V8 is simple to repair in the field. Parts are widely shared with the KamAZ-4310 and 5320 families.

The price for that toughness is fuel and comfort. Consumption of around 25 L/100 km is high for a truck with a payload of about 4 tonnes and the cab design is shared with the KamAZ trucks of the 1970s. The modernised KamAZ-6520 shows how far later KAMAZ cabs moved on.

Buying and preserving a KamAZ-4326 today

Many surviving 4326s come from state fleets, and some have been converted into expedition campers or rescue vehicles. When inspecting one, check:

• Frame and cab corrosion, especially around the cab mounts and steps.
• The central tyre inflation lines and valves, which leak with age.
• Transfer case and centre differential lock operation under load.
• Engine blow-by and smoke, and the history of the turbocharger.
• Paperwork for any body conversion or change of use.

Other KAMAZ models are listed in the KAMAZ catalogue, and similar off-roaders appear among 4x4 vehicles.