KamAZ-5511

KamAZ-5511 at a glance

The 5511 was developed for construction sites and bulk transport, where a robust truck had to work for long periods under heavy loads. Most of its main components are shared with other trucks of the KamAZ family, which kept production and maintenance simple. According to the old 1cars text, early trucks stood out with their bright yellow paint and had headlights with an asymmetric beam to reduce glare for oncoming drivers. It is closely related to the KamAZ-5320 flatbed and the KamAZ-5410 tractor unit. The company's story is in the history of KamAZ, and its trucks are in the KamAZ catalogue.

From the 5510 prototype to the 55111

The KamAZ-5511 was planned alongside the 5320 flatbed as part of the original KamAZ range. A prototype, the KamAZ-5510, was built in 1972, and series production started in 1977. From 1980 the agricultural KamAZ-55102 tipper was added. Some trucks were exported to East Germany. In 1988 the improved KamAZ-55111 went into production alongside the 5511, which was phased out in 1990; the 55111 itself remained in production until 2012.

Body, frame and cab

The dump body

The welded all-steel body has a protective canopy over the cab and, according to the old 1cars text, slightly widened sides that make bulk loads easier to unload. Its volume was originally 7.2 m³; later the body was shortened by about half a metre, reducing the volume by about 0.6 m³ to 6.6 m³. Exhaust gas can be routed through the body to heat it, so that wet loads such as sand or gravel do not freeze to the floor in winter.

The hydraulic tipping system uses a power take-off from the gearbox, an oil pump, a control valve, a hydraulic cylinder and an oil tank with pneumatic and electro-pneumatic controls. According to the old 1cars text, raising or lowering the body takes no more than 20 seconds. Locking pins and a safety cable hold the raised body securely during maintenance.

Frame

The old 1cars text describes a reinforced frame for the dump truck, with a subframe made of transverse beams and pressed-steel longitudinal members, joined to the main frame by tie rods and brackets.

Cab

The cab is spring-mounted on the frame, seats two and tilts forward on a torsion-bar mechanism for access to the engine. The old 1cars text describes laminated glass, wind-down windows, swivelling quarter lights, noise and heat insulation on the floor and walls, and heating and ventilation. Later trucks received an adjustable driver's seat and a higher roof. There is no sleeping berth, because the truck was intended for regional work.

KamAZ-740 V8 and gearbox

The 5511 uses the KamAZ-740, a naturally aspirated four-stroke V8 diesel mounted longitudinally under the cab. It has a sealed liquid-cooling system with two thermostats and a fan driven through an automatic hydraulic coupling. The gearbox is a five-speed manual with a two-stage range unit, and the clutch is a dry twin-plate design. Only the two rear axles are driven.

KamAZ-5511 specifications

Fuel use and range

The German reference data give a typical consumption of about 35 litres per 100 km, while the old 1cars text quotes the official figure of about 27 litres per 100 km at a steady 60 km/h. With the 170-litre tank, that means a working range of roughly 490 to 630 km between refuelling stops, depending on load and conditions. Many operators also used the 5511 with a trailer, which the old 1cars text notes the truck's drivetrain can handle, to move larger loads per trip.

Suspension, steering and brakes

According to the old 1cars text, the front axle is suspended on longitudinal leaf springs with sliding rear ends and dampers, and the rear bogie uses a balancing suspension. The rear twin wheels are of the disc-less, three-piece type. The steering has a hydraulic power booster driven from the engine.

The braking system has four independent parts: a dual-circuit pneumatic service brake, an emergency brake acting on the rear wheels, a parking brake and an auxiliary exhaust brake that also cuts the fuel supply to slow the truck smoothly on long descents. There is no ABS.

5511 variants and successors

In service: operation and legacy

Its strengths, according to the old 1cars text, are its simple design, easy repairs, a strong frame and the ability to work with a trailer for even larger loads. Its weaknesses are high fuel consumption and basic comfort. Its layout, with a forward-control tilting cab, a V8 diesel and a rear-tipping steel body, was carried over to the KamAZ-55111 and to later KamAZ dump trucks such as the KamAZ-6520.

Buying and preserving a 5511

Because production ended in 1990, every 5511 is now more than 35 years old, and condition varies widely. When inspecting one, check the frame and body for cracks and corrosion, the tipping hydraulics, the engine and the condition of the rear bogie. Parts for the KamAZ-740 engine and the gearbox remain widely available.

What operators liked and disliked

The old 1cars text lists what operators valued and criticised:

Strengths:

• Good cross-country ability and ground clearance for construction sites.
• Easy maintenance and wide availability of parts.
• Fast tipping and the option of heating the body with exhaust gas.
• Copes with heavy loads and works in a wide range of temperatures.
• Hydraulic power steering and compact dimensions for its payload.

Weaknesses:

• An outdated cab with uncomfortable seats and limited space.
• Basic interior materials and build quality.
• High fuel consumption and modest power by later standards.
• No all-wheel drive.

Rivals: how the 5511 compared

Its main competitors were other heavy dump trucks of the period, such as the MAZ-5516 and the KrAZ-6510. The 5511 offered a powerful V8, a heated body and shared parts with a large family of trucks.