A car is much more than a vehicle, especially for the driver and owner. Actually, the car has long been the subject of the image, which is boasted and in which, one might say, live. And sometimes in the most literal sense of the word, if we are talking about truckers, days can add up to weeks, and all this time passes in the truck cab.
MAZ-500
This machine began its history after 1957, that is, back in the days of the USSR.
Until that time, the
Minsk plant produced a model labeled 200, but everything once became obsolete. This sad fate does not pass by cars.
In general, these onboard trucks were produced for twelve years, which is quite a lot. And even now, on Russian roads you can meet such cars. Like many other things, trucks in the Soviet Union were made honestly, but not always for people. But more on that later.
Design features
First of all, it should be noted that this truck was the first cabover model released in the USSR. Progress at that time was quite slow, although in Europe and the United States such a layout was already commonplace, and not new.
Of the advantages of this design, when the cabin is located exactly above the engine, a significant increase in the cargo platform can be distinguished. For such cars, this characteristic was almost key. And here there was a change literally by an order of magnitude - two tons at once. This was a significant breakthrough of the Minsk Automobile Plant.
It must also be said that this design allowed to significantly reduce the total weight and size of the machine. In addition, driving such a car has become easier. This was also affected by an increase in driver comfort - more modern shock absorbers and springs, seats of a new design. All this played only for the benefit of the new model.
Tuning - what is it?
In any form, tuning means changing the vehicle. It happens several types. First of all, motorists are usually engaged in internal improvement, delving into the insides of the car. By this they try to achieve other indicators on the road (usually higher). This usually applies either to old or initially not very strong cars in this regard.
There is an external component. All kinds of moldings, spoilers, bumpers and others like them.
In general, this affects the technical characteristics of the machine, but only indirectly. In fact, this is done solely to improve the appearance, according to the tastes of the owner. For the same use paints, vinyl stickers, etc.
Can trucks be improved?
In fact, this is a completely separate topic. Mainly because the power and the general layout of the internal parts (meaning the engine mechanism and other filling) are verified directly at the factory. Here to change - only to spoil. But sometimes there are enthusiasts who manage to put the motor and everything else from a more modern car into the old model. All this is done in the manner of a personal experiment and has practically no practical application.
Tuning MAZ, in turn, like any other truck, will focus on several other things. For example, to increase driver comfort while driving. Or just bringing the machine itself into a divine state. Given the years when the issue was discontinued, this option cannot be discounted either.
MAZ truck tuning
Here, everything is somewhat more complicated than even for other trucks. The fact is that the details of the machine are simply no longer available. Therefore, you will have to pick up something exclusively “by eye” and independently. Naturally, this is fraught with some inconvenience.
First of all, this is a mismatch between the various running gears. Forty years passed, and MAZ tuning began to be more like cosmetic repairs than anything else. But discard other options is not worth it.
Purchase problems
You should know that acquiring a truck made before your birth is quite risky. The fact is that tuning MAZ is your smallest problem, if you still decide to buy.
The main thing is to bring the machine into working condition. Of course, then everything was done in good faith, but even metal eventually turns into dust. Therefore, observe safety measures before giving away hard-earned money. Carefully inspect the selected vehicle, sit inside and evaluate the general condition of the cab. On MAZ trucks, cab tuning, by the way, is the most common part of changes.
Also, it does not hurt to ride on such a truck at least once.
To agree with the owner on this matter is quite realistic. If the refusal is not motivated by anything, then this is not the best sign for you.
What will need to be changed?
It is clear that the improvement of the car, especially such an over-age one, is a rather long matter. But where do you need to start tuning your MAZ cabin with your own hands is to check the depreciation springs of the cabin and seats installed inside.
Such a choice is justified, especially when you consider that shock absorbers have a huge load when the truck is running. Therefore, they may be in worse condition than the machine itself as a whole. Actually, not only replacement, but also additional springs will not hurt you.
The design allows you to do such a MAZ tuning.
In the case of a chair, everything is quite simple. There can be many problems at once. Firstly, the leaves in the springs may be broken - they will need to be changed. You will also need to install new rollers for the movement of the chair. They just break especially often, and even in the first years of work. In addition, do not be too lazy to check the shock absorbers, because if they are broken, the ride will be very uncomfortable.
MAZ-5440: tuning
For this modification of the car, in the same way as for the previous model, there are some problems with the temperature in the cabin. The point here is the design of the stove. These are just two radiators that are connected to one motor, and even are supplied in series.
Given the size of the cabin, it is clear that the stove will not cope with the task.
But to remove it is quite simple, and at least engineers can be thanked for this. For replacement, stoves from other similar trucks are perfect. For example, a heater taken from a KamAZ cab will do its job perfectly.
In addition, to enhance the effect, you should either change the rear and side windows to make them more airtight, or simply cover them with some kind of dense material. The latter is the advice of one of today's owners of such a machine, and there is no reason not to believe him.
All these manipulations as a whole will give you the opportunity to ride without a fur coat even in harsh northern conditions. Of course, it will not be very warm in the cabin, because it is worth remembering that this is a MAZ-500. Tuning the cab of this configuration at least will allow you to work normally, not paying attention to the temperature outside the window.
Some useful little things
First of all, I would like to note such absurdity in design as the rear-view mirrors. More precisely, the point is in their mounts - at a fairly high speed or rough road, there is a feeling that there are no screws at all.
Everything is solved quite simply - by replacing the mirrors themselves, since even other mounts do not guarantee reliability.
If you plan to use your truck as a tractor, then you should know that more powerful engines (for example, YaMZ 238) take up more space. Therefore, you will have to slightly change the design as a whole, so that everything fits.
Also consider the fact that the shelf in the cockpit is not very convenient.
In order to fully use the cabin with all possible comfort, and for long-distance flights this is especially important, it is best to lower it below. You will need a grinder and a welding machine for this, plus experience in handling these devices.
Conclusion
It should be noted that tuning MAZ with your own hands is a rather problematic matter.
Remember that all your actions should ultimately increase the usability. If everything is done for the sake of greater power or appearance, it almost never pays off.
With any changes in the design, do not rush. If you are not sure that everything is in order, it is better to consult a specialist in a car service. Otherwise, this may not lead to the most pleasant consequences. Also look at examples of other options for improvements (the photo is in our article).
So, we found out in what ways we can modify the cab of a truck like MAZ with our own hands.