The history of the Skoda brand. Skoda LIAZ: trucks from Czechoslovakia Skoda liaz truck tractor

In 1951 in the north
Czech Republic was organized by the national automotive company
LIAZ. This abbreviation stands for "Liberec Automobile
factories" - production area were located in different communities
points near the city of Liberec. Production of heavy trucks was established here
and buses of the Skoda 706 family.

Since 1974, the company began to produce cars in parallel
new series - LIAZ 100. The machines were intended primarily for long-distance
and international road transport. Ten years later they got
tilting cab with improved design and became known as LIAZ 110.

These trucks were delivered in large quantities to the Soviet Union.
In 1983, at the international exhibition "Autoservice Kiev-83" was presented
anniversary, 30,000th refrigerated train as part of a truck tractor
LIAZ 100.42 and Orlican N13H semi-trailer.

In 1990 - 1992, model 110.573 appeared with an enlarged cab of the type
"maxi" and ABS system. And in the mid-90s, the 100 series was replaced by the family
300.

Cabin

The cabin is quite comfortable and spacious, although by today's standards
and low. On the LIAZ 100 model, it is made non-folding, 3-seater, in the rear
part is a sleeping shelf. To access the engine passenger
The 2-seater seat is raised. However, for major repairs, for example,
to remove the motor, the cab can be tilted, but this is a very laborious operation.
On LIAZ 110 models, the cab tilts 60 degrees forward, it is a 2-seater
and is equipped with two sleeping shelves. Cab lifts easily
using a short detachable handle.

On the "weaving" the driver's seat has air suspension with hydraulic telescopic
shock absorber. On LIAZ 110, the co-driver's seat is equipped with the same suspension.
The height of the steering column is adjusted using a convenient rotary knob:
together with the steering wheel, the steering column switches also move, always remaining
at the optimum distance from the driver.

The heating system has its own characteristics. The interior heater is located
so that dust and dirt from the street passes through the "stove" and, of course,
gets on the motor, so it is better to close the air intakes for the summer
even cellophane.

Engine

LIAZ 100/110 trucks are equipped with in-line diesel “sixes” with
direct injection fuel. They can be both atmospheric (201
l. s.), and turbocharged (257 or 288 hp). The most powerful unit
with intercooler, develops 305 hp. With. Later, the engine power was increased.

It is characteristic that the engine is located under the cab with an inclination to the right,
which made it possible to significantly reduce the height of the engine tunnel. Diesels enough
reliable and durable, tolerate domestic diesel fuel well. heating
there is no fuel, but if you work on its winter grades, there are no special problems
arises. Some craftsmen use exhaust gases to heat the tank.
The tank at the same time, naturally, becomes "smoked".

The weak point is the rubber engine mounts: there is
bolt breakage. There are two starters on the LIAZ 110 machine, the second one is provided
for "insurance", just in case (each of them is included in a separate
button). The fact is that the starters in this car are quite
capricious.

On some trucks operating in Ukraine, the native diesel is replaced
Yaroslavl. To combine it with the Czech gearbox, they make a round
transition plate. These machines are easy to recognize appearance: engine
YaMZ with vertical cylinders is taller, and the cab has to be raised.

Transmission and chassis

The clutch on LIAZ trucks can be either single or double disc.
On late production machines, a diaphragm clutch is installed.
spring. Gearbox - mechanical 5- or 6-speed, with "halves".
The transmission is reliable. Chassis with timely maintenance of special
does not create problems. The only pity is that there is no centralized lubrication system.

On our roads, sometimes the root leaf of the front springs does not withstand.
True, some craftsmen put "KAMAZ" springs, while, of course,
their fastening changes. Tires can be used both chambered and tubeless,
including the Russian "Kama" and Belaya Tserkov's Rosava.

On machines of the first years of production, the saddle is installed on a special subframe-amplifier,
which is attached to the main frame. But to work with modern semi-trailers
saddle height - 1300 mm - turns out to be too large, and in car fleets
the subframe is often dismantled and the saddle is attached directly to the frame, reinforcing
her in this place.

In Ukraine, LIAZ 100 cars produced before the 80s cost about
$ 4.5 - 6 thousand. More "young", of course, more expensive. So, LIAZ 110 production
1987 - 1990 will cost $ 8 - 10 thousand.

The beginning of the history of the Skoda Liaz car manufacturing company is considered to be the very beginning of the 50s of the last century. It was then that the leadership of Czechoslovakia decided to transfer the production of Skoda trucks from the AVIA plant in the city of Letnany to the city of Liberec, which was located in the north of what was then Czechoslovakia.

Birth of the enterprise

This was preceded by a series of measures for the reconstruction of small enterprises in settlements Rynovice, Mnichovo Hradiste, Sviyany Loukov and Liberce itself. All of them entered the Liberec Automobile Plants association, which, in turn, was part of AZNP, the main Skoda enterprise located in the city of Mlada Boleslav. A year later, LIAZ (Liberec Automobile Plants) gained independence, but the trucks produced had a double brand - Skoda LIAZ - until 1984.

Models 706 D and 706 R: Features and Specifications

The basis for the first truck, which the enterprise began to produce, was the Skoda 706 D. With a payload capacity of 7 tons and a power of 110 liters. s., trucks during the war were produced for the needs of the Wehrmacht. Before the resumption of production in 1946, modernization was carried out. The car was equipped with a new cab and increased power by 25 liters. With. The updated version received the index 706 R and was presented in 1949 in Moscow at the Czechoslovak Automobile Exhibition. Vans, buses, dump trucks and cars were subsequently produced at its base. special purpose. The use of a common base greatly simplified the ordering of spare parts, regardless of the intended use of the car.

The development and production of Liaz trucks was established even before the war.

A diesel 6-cylinder engine was installed on the truck, the design features of which made it possible to remove pistons and connecting rods from the block without dismantling the entire engine. Glow plugs were located in each cylinder. Fuel pump was equipped with a centrifugal distributor that supplies fuel to the nozzles. The water cooling system was equipped with a thermostat.

The maximum declared speed of the car was about 53 km / h, in fact, it rarely exceeded 40 km / h with an average fuel consumption of about 30 liters per 100 km. The diesel engine was paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The car was equipped with an engine brake, which was not available in most diesel trucks of the time.

The cabin of the 706 R is spacious, it freely accommodated the driver and three passengers, and it was made of wood sheathed with steel sheets.

New model - 706 RT and its modifications

In 1957, the 706 R was replaced by new model- cabover RT. It was she who soon became a truly mass phenomenon on the roads of the Soviet Union. Based on this model with a 160 hp engine. With. and direct fuel injection dump trucks RTS1 (with unloading on one side), RTS3 (with unloading on three sides), RTO bus chassis, Skoda RTTN truck tractor and other modifications were produced.

In the 60s, mass deliveries of the Skoda 706 RT family to the USSR began. The main type of semi-trailers with which Czech tractors worked in the Soviet Union were refrigerators, the purchases of which began in 1964. Cars for various purposes based on RT have earned popularity due to their reliability and endurance in operation. The gearbox, engine and main components worked perfectly, and if necessary, it was easy to find spare parts for repairs.

The comfort of the driver's seat was incomparable with what domestic manufacturers offered our drivers.

Series 706 MT

In 1966, the production of the Skoda 706 MT series was launched with a 180 hp engine. s., and since 1969 - the MT4 and MT5 series with a 210-horsepower engine and a 5-speed gearbox. The MT family also received an updated cab, and in 1973 the production of two-seat cabs for machines operating over short distances began.

The end of the production of the series was the development and production of the new Liaz 100 model, the production of which began in 1974 with truck tractors, and later flatbed trucks. Nevertheless, Skoda 706 series dump trucks were produced until 1987.

LIAZ family

Presented at an exhibition in Brno in 1973, the LIAZ 100 family at that time consisted of only two cars - a flatbed truck and a truck tractor with indices 100.45 and 100.05, respectively. Start mass production new models fell on 1974, and the family update was introduced in 1984. It included the Skoda Liaz 110 series with a forward-leaning cab, as well as the 122 three-axle vehicles, represented by a 26-ton flatbed truck 122.03 and a tractor 122.48 for 42-ton road trains.

The new generation of Czechoslovak trucks Skoda Liaz 110 was distinguished by an unusually stylish and thoughtful design. This was preceded by the creation of several prototypes, which ultimately made it possible to create a truly optimal model with perfectly crafted details and unified spare parts. The new MS638 and MS637 engines designed for Liaz, equipped with 6 turbocharged cylinders, produced 270 and 304 hp at 2000 rpm. With. Mounting of both engines was designed in such a way that each of them can be installed on any modification. The 45-degree tilt of the cylinders allowed more space for the middle seat and lowered the cab floor. Also behind the seats in the cab there was a luggage rack and a berth, which the previous model could not boast of.

Interestingly, around the same time, Renault granted the AVIA factories a license to produce light trucks, and LIAZ immediately made an attempt to install a French cab on their tractors. However, this idea was unsuccessful, and the Czechs returned to their own design.

Soon, Skoda modifications with a shortened cab, three- and four-axle models, an all-wheel drive chassis with a passenger body (Africabus model) were developed. Opportunities for collaboration were not missed either. For example, for Tatra trucks, a cab was developed with a special radiator lining and a high seating position.

It all started in the century before last, in 1894, when in the city of Mlada Boleslav, the local bookseller Vaclav Klement, who was then the chairman of the local cyclists' club, decided to buy a piece of land and build a small bicycle repair shop on it. Things quickly went uphill, and Clement began producing bicycles of his own design called Slavia. A visit to the World Exhibition in Paris abruptly changed his mind towards mechanical means of transport - first of all, motorcycles, of which there were many exhibited in Paris. Returning home, he and his close friend Vaclav Laurin now decided to build and sell motorcycles. And where there are motorcycles, there are engines. internal combustion, and then, of course, light personal cars, buses and ... trucks.

The first of these appeared in 1901. In the twenties, about 35 thousand people worked at Laurin & Klement. Factories produced everything - up to military and agricultural equipment. And the names of the owners of these plants were constantly compared by their contemporaries with the names of Rolls and Royce. Inventors and the most talented designers motorized the entire Austro-Hungarian mail and carried out many useful deeds. In 1913, Laurin & Klement became the owner of the Reichenberger Automobil Fabrik (RAF), which produced cars weighing from 1.5 to 6 tons with four-cylinder engines and a chain drive. Note that this production was located in the city of Liberec! The company started its activity in 1906. Model 1909 had a working engine with a volume of 3,053 cm 3 and a power of 26 hp. Vehicle length 4200 mm, width 1550 mm and height 2350 mm. Permissible weight was 1,470 kg, and maximum speed– 60 km/h! By the way, this year we can celebrate the 100th anniversary of this once powerful and well-known company.

In 1925, Laurin & Klement and the Skoda factories in Pilsen merged into one huge European enterprise. Skoda began its activities during the First World War. It produced military vehicles and various military equipment. And since 1919, it began to produce civilian cars. Now in the city of Mlada Boleslav the name Skoda has thundered (instead of Laurin and Klement). Together they decided to take this particular brand. In 1923, the world-famous company emblem was registered - a winged arrow in a circle. The deteriorating political situation in Europe led in the mid-thirties to an increase in the production of weapons. Europe was seething. How it ended is known to all. In 1945, just before the end of World War II, factories in the city of Pilsen, where trucks and buses were produced, were almost completely destroyed. And in 1947, the firms Avia and Praga continued their production, since the national economy needed precisely trucks, buses and special, but now peaceful equipment. And in 1951, the production of trucks was transferred to Liberetsky car factory with its factories in Rynovice, Jablonec and Mnichovo.

The main production of passenger cars remained in the city of Mlada Boleslav. Exactly this year is the year of birth of LIAZ and the SKODA-LIAZ alliance. Although the machine-building and foundry divisions remained on the sidelines. Skoda 706 trucks and Skoda 706 RO wagon buses on their modernized chassis began to be produced since 1947. Modernization consisted in moving the steering column forward and changing the position of the steering mechanism. Actually, this is how the story of our protagonist began imperceptibly. On January 1, 1953, the city of Yablonets officially became the owner of the independent LIAZ plant, which produces trucks only under the SKODA brand. Trucks LIAZ will appear for the first time only in 1973. Until 1953, 931 Skoda car 706 (and modifications R, RO, RS, RSch).

Further production expanded, and the following year 2,446 cars were produced, and in 1954 - 4,120 trucks and buses. 1957 brought a gift to the automotive world in the form of a wagon truck SKODA 706 RT. This one is very lucky car every year it was overgrown with new modifications, but the main two remained: a two-axle truck tractor (RTTN) and a two-axle flatbed truck (RT). truck tractor had an in-line 6-cylinder M634 diesel engine with a volume of 11,940 cm 3 with direct fuel injection. He developed a power of 210 hp. He worked with a 10-speed mechanical box gears. A lot of domestic and foreign drivers remember this very successful truck. On the same chassis, buses were also produced by Karosa from Vysokie Myto and the Polish Jelzc. A little later, truck tractors Praga S5T (1958) appeared with a slightly modified appearance of the driver's cab, but with exactly the same layout. After the decision of the special commission of the CMEA (1949–1990), the assembly of these vehicles was also transferred to Bulgaria, to the automobile enterprises of MADARA SHUMEN, where the whole range of modifications began to be produced - from a truck tractor to a dump truck with a short cab without a berth. In the early seventies, a new generation of trucks was being prepared in full swing. Constructors and designers worked tirelessly. Many prototypes were made. In our "report" there are several of them.

The year 1973 has come. At the World Fair in Brno, motorists were in for a pleasant surprise in the form of a family of trucks with the name LIAZ. True, the family so far consisted of only two cars - a truck tractor with an index of 100.05 and a flatbed truck with an index of 100.45. From that moment on, the triumphal procession of the LIAZ trademark began throughout our planet, especially in the countries of socialism. But, mind you, on all subsequent truck models, the front panel of the cab carried the inscription LIAZ and the SKODA emblem at the same time. At the same review latest technology, but in 1975 the truck tractor (100.45) received the Gold Medal.

The new generation cars really looked very modern, with unexpectedly competent design and styling. The cabin did not carry anything extra. One got the impression that she was born in one breath, very quickly, and she was created by very talented designers, linkers and designers. She was at the right time in the right place. As for the “ease” of its creation, the number of prototypes that preceded serial samples speaks best of all about it. Engines MS637 and MS638, developed and manufactured by LIAZ, are in-line six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines. They developed 270 or 304 hp. at 2000 rpm. The engine mount was exactly the same, so that any of them could be installed on the desired modification. The cylinders are tilted to the right by 45 degrees, which made it possible to lower the floor and freely equip the cab with a middle seat. In addition, behind the seats there is a bed and a luggage rack. The previous model, of course, did not have this. In general, the cabin of this generation looked beautiful and convincing for its time. By the way, cars of these series can be found on the track today, however, very rarely. At the same time, AVIA factories received a license from Renault for the production of light trucks. LIAZ immediately installed a French Berliet cab on its chassis. But this design was unsuccessful, and the experiment had no continuation.

The 100 family grew, trucks with a short cab (without a berth) for construction and special equipment appeared, three-axle modifications, four-axle ones, with a different radiator lining and other engines. Even an airfield tractor with ballast was made on the basis of a flatbed truck. Do not forget here and about exports. A passenger body was specially designed on an all-wheel drive chassis, and the car itself was called Africabus. There were a lot of buyers... It was with this family that Skoda-LIAZ began participating in the most popular and most difficult Paris-Dakar rally. But these rallies require special vehicles, sometimes so different from their "donors" that it's time to assign them independent indices. Yes, and teams need to be prepared! And so every year ... The same cabin served as a prototype for the new Tatra. Naturally, all the requirements and wishes of engineers from another company were taken into account. The car turned out to be extremely successful and proportional. A short cab with a radiator lining specially adapted for the round Tatra emblem, a high seating position (the car had a 4x4 wheel formula) was given out in it high permeability and clearly militaristic sight and character.

Just before the collapse of the block of socialist countries, the Czechs tried to bring the old cabin, albeit slightly “turned”, into a divine form. The most interesting thing is that it was at this time that an initiative project of a car with a cab over the engine with a lot of interesting design and technical solutions. The leader of this project was the author of these lines. How surprised he was when, with a fully finished cabin (made of metal, of course), this project was put on hold. And in the Czech Republic, a whole family of prototypes similar, like two drops of water, to the “Zilovsky” cabin soon appeared. Then several high-ranking ZiL officials worked in this country ... Believe me, it is simply impossible to make a mistake! And in order for the cabins to still differ from each other, the Czechs decided to be original and made one of its variants with a large radiator grille in the form of L-I-A-Z. In addition to cars with a wagon layout, specialists also worked with hooded ones. Moreover, the cabins of both options were maximally unified. In addition, the bonnet version should have suited the TATRA firms. With the hard work of their trucks car layout does not fit.

1989 brought huge changes in the status of the member firms. LIAZ got out of the influence of Truck International AS, subject to the engineering giant Skoda AS, and in 1992 formed a joint-stock company. During the years of the existence of Czechoslovakia, the Skoda-Liaz association produced up to 18 thousand cars and buses and 23 thousand engines per year. In 1995, four families of trucks were produced at the Mnikhovo plant: S, FZ, 300 and M300. Trucks of the S and FZ families belong to the middle class. They installed Austrian diesel engines STEYR WD 612.37 with 180 hp The FZ family included chassis and dump trucks gross weight up to 16 tons. The largest family of 300 consisted of 27 (!) basic models. These are dump trucks, flatbed trucks, chassis for utility and construction equipment and all kinds of tractors with different wheel formulas. Diesel power was in the range of 230-380 hp. The M300 family, which combines two truck tractors, was intended exclusively for international transport. In the same year, Skoda purchased the remaining shares at a fabulous price and founded a new company called Skoda Liaz AS. And in 1996, at the next international exhibition in Hannover, everyone was pleasantly struck by the shown Czech Skoda Liaz AS truck tractor. Its unusual shape attracted visitors to the stand like a magnet.

The model called 400 XENA was really good! Vehicle equipped with American engine Detroit Diesel with a capacity of 530 hp was intended to work as part of a road train with a gross weight of up to 42 tons. The famous Czech designers Jiri Spaniel and Pavel Gushek worked on the car. The design and layout of the cabin, which is made of light alloys according to the frame-panel principle, is unusual. The car is distinguished by an unusual level of design and the highest comfort and interior decoration. To meet this model on the road is a rare case. After all, only about a hundred of them were released in six years. The dimensions of the truck tractor are 6,040 x 2,550 x 3,580 mm. Engine - Detroit Diesel Series 60 (S6067 GK62), displacement 12,700 cm 3. Transmission Eaton RTSO 17 316A. Buyer's choice of rear axle: Rockwell U 180E RSX6 or Raba A 013.41-3300 with hypoid final drive. There were no modifications and upgrades for this tractor, they just didn’t have time to carry them out ... The fateful day came. In 1999, at the turn of the century, Skoda, with the help of Truck International AS, acquired the newly organized Jablonec Skoda Motory, which became a subsidiary. On February 28, 2002, Skoda Motory became JAMOT (Jablonecky Motory) and filed for bankruptcy on June 17.

And on July 1, 2003, JAMOT became part of the TEDOM concern. All these events took place so rapidly that millions and billions flew right and left. The exchange was unable to keep track of all these transformations and mergers. Let's try to figure it out ... The lack of decent consumer demand for trucks of the Czech brand LIAZ forced the leadership of the automobile giant, well-known in the socialist years, to take a difficult step for themselves - to close the assembly plant in the city of Mhikhovo. This LIAZ enterprise was opened in 1951 and over more than half a century of history has managed to assemble about 350 thousand trucks and bus chassis. The most difficult times for the plant were the nineties and the beginning of the 2000s, when the number of orders decreased several times. The bankruptcy procedure for LIAZ was initiated by TEDOM four years ago, and in 2002 the engine plant in Jablonec, the main supplier of power units for conveyors of the former giant SKODA-LIAZ.

And the winner was TEDOM with new FOX models (with a huge number of modifications) and its own foundries, stamping and other industries. And, most importantly, without any "ballast", which any enterprise acquires over time. In addition, this young company, formed only in 1990, also had its own motor production. Here's how you can get almost everything in such a short time. True, no one has yet considered what all this resulted in monetary terms ... And one more thing. Skoda Holding AS and Skoda in the city of Mlada Boleslav, now owned by the VW concern, were left behind the scenes. They are not directly related to LIAZ, so we did not talk about them.

Laurin & Klement Type MS, 1922


RAF FW25, 1909


Skoda 706, 1947


Skoda 100 Proto, 1963


Skoda 706 RTTN, 1967


LIAZ 100, 1973 outside

LIAZ 100, 1973 outside

...and from the inside (photo 2)


LIAZ Proto 2 and ZIL 5350 layout, both appeared in 1987. Spot the differences! (photo 1)

LIAZ Proto 2 and ZIL 5350 layout, both appeared in 1987. Spot the differences! (photo 2)


LIAZ 300, 8x4, 1995


LIAZ Steyr, 1990


TEDOM FOX, 2005, respectively, civilian...


...and the military version