Technical characteristics and general description of the GAZ-33104 Valdai truck

GAZ Valdai 3310 is a Russian medium-tonnage low-bed truck of class No2 of the MCV group, which has been produced since the end of 2004 at an automobile plant in the city of Nizhny Novgorod. If the model is compared with an LCV, the GAZelle needs a category C driver's license (Russian classification of vehicle categories).

Following the collapse of the late 90s with AMO ZIL, GAZ was preoccupied with designing a low-frame, medium-tonnage delivery vehicle desired on the market, which could carry out transportation on roads of higher categories. Everyone expected the 3310 city truck to meet the increased freight transportation needs of small and medium-sized businesses. Surprisingly, the model has become one of the best-selling medium-duty vehicles in the Russian Federation. The entire GAZ model range.

General information

Despite the fact that neither large nor medium-sized businesses buy the car with great excitement, more than 23,000 copies were sold. This indicator is an unattainable result for classmates of foreign models. It is worth adding that the car has only been produced for about 9 years, and many cars bought at reduced prices in other countries were not included in the statistics.

Such an intricate prevalence can be explained quite easily - from a distance the car looks like a GAZelle, which is not striking. And the GAZ-3310 is most often purchased by small carriers that have outgrown the GAZelle with 1.5 tons of cargo. However, so far there are only a few such vehicles, and the GAZelle exceeds the number of Valdai by 50 times.

GAZ-Valdai

In addition, if we recall that the “lorry” was produced in approximately four million units (GAZ-53), then the GAZ-3310 is not that it is not a leader, it is rather an outsider. Although this is quite different, because modern medium-duty vehicle logistics plays a much smaller role than during the era of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which was an early agricultural power.

Today, cargo delivery is managed by massive long-haul trucks along with frameless light-duty vans. But already in the small area of ​​medium-duty vehicles, the favorite is the GAZ-3310. Moreover, it has not yet exhausted its market potential, since the difference in cost with the GAZelle on diesel fuel does not cross the border of 20%.

GAZ-Valdai truck

The debut samples were designed together with the Minsk Automobile Plant, but in the future Minsk specialists decided to unilaterally refuse to sell their own cabins, such as the MAZ-5336, to the Gorky Automobile Plant. They decided to launch a whole generation of 5-ton low-bed trucks MAZ-4370 “Zubrenok”.

Therefore, Gorky workers had no choice but to independently develop a cabin for an existing chassis. We decided to use the power base of the mass cabin of the famous GAZelle. When the car was being prepared for mass production, they mastered the production of 1,295 unique spare parts.

Side view of GAZ-Valdai

To achieve this, 6,747 equipment positions were manufactured, which included 207 massive and medium dies, 62 forging dies, 40 welded constructors, 14 plastic molds and 547 working fixtures. In the shortest possible time, using the latest methods of mathematical modeling, FutoForm, together with computer-aided design, developed the processes and designs of 67 large, 117 medium and 246 small dies for 207 unique stamped elements. An experimental model of the 4-ton truck 3310, which was called “Valdai”, was shown at the International Moscow Automobile Salon in 1999.

GAZ-3310 Valdai can be easily confused with a regular GAZelle, because they have a lot in common both outside and inside.

The current design of the new car, which received the name GAZ-3310, was obtained through the introduction of current segmented headlights with a teardrop shape, a hood, a radiator grille whose shape has been changed, and a massive integral bumper. The hood, along with the mudguards and power compartment panel, received a noise insulation coating.

In general, the conveyor path of the GAZ-3310 was indicated by the use of serial production of block headlights since 2003, which were used for updated generations of commercial vehicles of the Gorky Automobile Plant, which includes the Sobol. The car has a number of its own advantages, including a small turning radius (6.4 m).

GAZ-Valdai car

Thanks to its low height (from 985 mm), it is possible to load heavy items quite comfortably. The Valdai division is a reliable business car that quickly pays for itself with good efficiency and maintainability. Various vans are provided for Valdai.

For example, there is an isothermal van on the GAZ-33106 platform. It was created for transporting goods that are critical to changes in temperature. Thanks to the special material of the van, it is possible to maintain the required temperature, which protects the products from the influence of the external environment.

Photo of a GAZ-Valdai truck

A couple of body types are used: polymer and sandwich panels. The latter have metal sheets of outer skin, between which liquid polyurethane foam is poured. Once it sets, it begins to harden, which serves as excellent insulation.

After all this, glue is poured. This type of van is perfect for installing a refrigeration unit. There is a modification of GAZ 33104 Valdai and GAZ 33106 Valdai. This common car will be discussed in this article.

Reviews GAZ-33104 Valdai

Most owners and drivers of the GAZ-33104 Valdai car characterize it as the optimal medium-duty vehicle for intracity transportation, as well as for short- and medium-range intercity flights. This is a full-fledged truck, practically possessing the handling, acceleration and maneuverability of a passenger car.

There is no doubt about the ability of the Valdai to take on board and freely transport not only the 3.9 tons required “according to the passport”, but also more (4.5 and even 5 tons): there are many examples of this, and absolutely everyone has had this experience successful.

Unless you constantly and systematically overload the car: then it begins to appear that the suspension - silent blocks and springs, anti-roll bars - is still not designed for regularly inflated loads. The durable frame that Valdai inherited from the classic GAZONs does not even notice overload.

There are no complaints about the power, throttle response and thrust of the D-245.7 engine: “This turbodiesel is power! Pulls in any gear, at any speed.” There are complaints about excessive noise and vibration of this engine. Everyone, even the most devoted supporters of Valdai cars, points out these shortcomings.

Especially after it was possible to compare the performance of the D-245.7 not only with the engines on other classmate trucks, but also with the Cummins ISF-3.8s3154 diesel engine on the Valdai itself, a modification of the GAZ-33106 . The comparison was clearly not in favor of the Minsk engine.

The car's brakes deserve high praise - pneumatic and all disc, expensive, German-made, like those on a Mercedes Atego. Despite the fact that disc brakes, by tradition, are considered very gentle, not liking dirt and salts. They are expensive, but they work excellently, including in icy conditions. ABS works simply, it bleeds out excess air. There is a Wabco dehumidifier that removes condensate from the air. Valdai maintains pressure in its circuits better than KamAZ, up to a week.

The main thing that all owners note is that Valdai is a working machine that brings in real money. And if you look after her properly, she will not let you down. Cargo transportation in our time is not a simple matter. And, if you buy a car for business, then in comparison with fairly used imported “classmates”, a relatively “fresh” Valdai for the same money looks preferable.

Exterior and interior

If we talk about the cabin of the GAZ-3310 Valdai truck, it is represented by the “Gazelle” version, but it was still slightly changed. For example, we used plastic fender flares and updated the radiator trim. The bumper now consists of 3 parts, the middle of which has a metal material. As well as externally, inside the GAZ 3310 Valdai is completely identical to the simplest and most common GAZelle.

The driver's seat is separated from the passengers' seat. The front panel was made of not very high quality plastic. The steering wheel has a thin rim and a pair of spokes. Immediately behind it are the control lever for the direction indicators (on the left) and the sound signal, as well as the control lever for the wipers (on the right).

Photo GAZ-Valdai

There are two large round gauges on the dashboard, where the left one is the speedometer and the right one is the tachometer. In the far left corner there is a fuel level sensor, and in the right there is a sensor that shows the engine temperature. A little lower, under them, on the sides there are air pressure sensors.

The ignition switch is installed on the left side of the steering wheel. The middle of the front panel has compartments for installing music players. In front of the windshield, on the sides, the already familiar music system speakers were installed.

Salon GAZ-Valdai

The location of the deflectors is quite standard, which allows you to maintain the required temperature in the cabin. All controls are quite clear. On the right there is a small glove compartment for storing the necessary small things. The seats received headrests, which made travel more comfortable.

Overall, the cabin is quite spacious, with plenty of headroom. In addition to pressure gauges, they added an electronic gas pedal, which drivers did not like much, because it is very expensive to maintain, and its advantages are rather dubious.

Cabin GAZ-33104 Valdai

The cabin of the Valdai vehicles is maximally unified with the Gazelevskaya. You could even say that they are identical. Minor changes were made to the bumper and radiator grille. The bumper is more massive and consists of three parts. Another point: the cabin now has steps, since it is noticeably higher than the Gazelevskaya. The mirrors are increased in size, mounted on different brackets and equipped with electric heating.

The interior and level of comfort in the Valdai cabin are almost the same as in the Gazelle. The workplace can be adjusted to suit a person of almost any build and height: the steering column moves both in height and in angle of inclination. And the driver's seat varies in height. When traveling short and medium distances, the comfort in the cabin is quite sufficient. It’s not enough for a long-range driver: a sprung seat wouldn’t hurt.

Specifications

Power unit

Initially, it was planned to install a GAZ-562 power unit on this Valdai model car, which was a modified version of the 6-cylinder licensed Steyr M1 diesel engine. I was pleased that the design staff did not move beyond the planning, since the engine was very difficult to repair and was also overpriced when compared with its competitors. Following this, they decided to install an Italian-made diesel engine, IVECO, at the enterprise, the volume of which was 3.9 liters. It produced 136 horsepower.

Engine GAZ-Valdai

But again it didn’t come to fruition. As a result, it was decided to settle on the Minsk version of the MMZ-245, which began to be supplied to all Valdai that were intended for export. A modification with a Cummins ISF 3.8 engine was released for the domestic market of the Russian Federation. It is capable of developing power up to 143/154/170 horses and producing torque of 450/491/600 N/m, and this covers from 1,200 to 1,300 rpm.

The technical component of the motor depends directly on the settings chosen during production. For our vehicle, we chose the average value, which, according to the developers, served as an optimized variation - the power of the power unit is enough, and the gearbox will be operational much longer. 3310 consumes from 14 to 17 liters per hundred.

The American powertrain manufacturing company Cummins is one of the world leaders. It has more than 20 branches in various countries, but this does not interfere with the production of quality parts, regardless of where the production itself is located. For example, the ISF line is produced at a Chinese enterprise specialized for these needs, which is capable of providing up to 400 thousand power units per year.

The engines of the ISF division have a turbocharger, which has a cast-iron linerless block and a common head for all cylinders, which has 4 valves for each. The timing drive is carried out by a single-row chain installed on the flywheel side. They decided to do this in order to reduce the noise level. The presence of an automatic chain tensioner allows you to avoid servicing it for 500 thousand km. This is exactly how many kilometers the engine can operate without maintenance, as the company claims.

I would also like to tell you a little about the system that ensures trouble-free starting of a diesel power unit in the cold season. To achieve this, we decided to install an air heating coil in the intake manifold. On top of that, there is a function for heating the fuel filter, and it is possible to mount heating parts powered by a 220 V network to heat the coolant in the jacket and the oil in the sump of the power unit. Therefore, it turns out that the GAZ 3310 was well prepared for our harsh climatic conditions, which means it has a slight advantage.

Photo of a GAZ-3310 car

Transmission

What was surprising was that nothing new was included in the transmission. An exception is the presence of a single-disc Sachs diaphragm-type clutch. All other elements that were produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant can be seen on other cars of this enterprise. All Valdai vehicles come with a five-speed manual gearbox with numbers from 6.55 to 1. The box is equipped with a power take-off shaft. The box housing was cast from an aluminum alloy, which received developed stiffening ribs. As a basis for the rear axle, they decided to take the presence of an “indestructible” unit from the well-known GAZ-53 model.

GAZ-3310 2004

The designers decided to leave the hypoid single-stage gearbox, however, taking into account the low speed of the diesel power unit and the reduced (when compared with the original model) wheel diameter, its gear ratio was reduced. After that, it began to be about 2.417 instead of 6.83, as it was before. The use of a limited slip differential is sorely missed; then the cross-country ability would be much improved.

Chassis

For the frame of the Valdai vehicle, side members with variable profile height were used. On the sides it is 100 mm, and the middle part is 210 mm, the shelf width is 70 millimeters, and the metal thickness is 6 mm. Based on the fact that different vehicle configurations require different wheel bases, the plant decided not to produce several frame sizes, but to use inserts in the side members. These inserts are fastened with rivets, and they provide the necessary strength to the frame.

Fire truck GAZ-3310

For example, model 33104 received a transformed structural component of the suspension, where the main leaves of the springs began to have twisted ears at the ends and silent blocks at the connections of the springs to the frame. The springs installed in front were made from sheets whose width is 75 millimeters.

As for the rear ones, they received 3 straight leaves out of 11, but the rear suspension did not receive standard springs. Such a solution, together with the use of anti-roll bars on two axles, provided the car with the opportunity to improve smoothness and stability while driving.

GAZ-33104

Brake system

It represents the presence of disc mechanisms on all wheels. GAZ-33104 became the first car in history to use an imported pneumatic drive. Thanks to new solutions in the braking system, it was possible to use a truck with a trailer that uses a pneumatic braking system.

In addition, the brake system on a pneumatic device is much more reliable than a hydraulic one - operation has also shown that it is also easier to maintain. An ABS system has also appeared, which indicates a high level of active safety.

Steering

It is represented by a “screw-nut” steering mechanism.
They decided to combine it with a hydraulic power steering wheel. The wheels themselves rotate at an angle of up to 45 degrees. Specifications

History of production of GAZ-33016 "Valdai"

The history of the car dates back to 1999, when the first prototype was presented at an international exhibition in Moscow. At that time, the carrying capacity of the Valdai, according to the passport, was 4 tons, which fully met all needs. Mass production was hampered by disagreements with the Belarusian MAZ, which supplied the cabs. After lengthy modifications and improvements, the equipment was put on the assembly line in 2003. The basis for the design was the Gazelle GAZ-3302 model, popular at that time.

As production progressed, the vehicle was repeatedly modified, becoming more comfortable, more economical and more reliable.

The car is designed for various transportations

The changes affected the following components and mechanisms:

1. Arrangement of space for a second passenger and development of a six-seater cabin. Versions for intercity transport have one seat next to the driver.
2. Installation of a six-cylinder diesel engine GAZ-562, which was subsequently replaced by more efficient power plants MMZ D-245.7, Cummins 3.9 140 CIV and IVECO-8143.
3. The front suspension has been improved, low-profile wheels and more efficient air brakes have been installed.

The production of the truck continued until the end of 2015, when it was replaced by a more modern NEXT City model that meets more stringent safety requirements.

Modifications of "Valdai"

The initial characteristics of the Valdai car allowed the designers to carry out its repeated upgrades, adapting the vehicle to the needs of numerous users. During the production period the following versions of the truck were produced:

• GAZ-3310 - the basic version with a flatbed body, which, with an installed crane or winch, was used as a tow truck for passenger cars;
• SAZ-2505 - dump truck with rear unloading (modification 2505-10 had unloading on 3 sides)
• GAZ-33104 (331041, 331042, 331043) - a truck with an extended frame and a turbocharged diesel engine;
• GAZ-331063 - a truck with an extended frame, a turbodiesel engine and 2 sleeping places;
• GAZ-33104V is a truck-type tractor for towing flatbed trailers weighing up to 10 tons;

Be sure to read: Kraz model car

The experimental models GAZ-43483 and GAZ-33101 did not find any adherents and went into mass production. During the modernization, the carrying capacity of the Valdai Gazelle vehicle varied between 3-5 tons. Self-produced cabins accommodated 2-6 people, with 1-2 beds. The length of the body was 3.5-5 m.

Car cost

For those who want to purchase for themselves or for a small and medium-sized business such an assistant as the GAZ-3310 Valdai, I would like to say that the cost of the car is quite different. It all depends on what the equipment is. Today the price starts from 850,000 rubles and exceeds the million mark. Although the price is still significantly less than that of its “brothers”.

Onboard GAZ-3310

GAZ-33104 Valdai Load capacity Fuel consumption Weight Tank volume

When the Gorky Automobile Plant launched its first low-frame, medium-duty truck, the GAZ-3310 Valdai, into mass production, several diesel engines were considered as the power unit of this vehicle. This is the “Steyr M1”, renamed “GAZ-560” after purchasing a license for it; three types of engines “Iveco” and “Perkins”. However, all these options were rejected in favor of the “good old” Minsk diesel engine “D-245” - the same “tractor” engine that MMZ has been producing since 1984. It was with it, in its modification “D-245.7”, that all Valdai trucks were equipped until the end of 2010. The basic model with this Minsk engine received.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros of the car

• Powerful power unit;
• Smooth ride;
• Quiet motor operation;
• Good maneuverability;
• Small dimensions;
• Small turning radius of the car;
• Increased load capacity;
• Minor improvements to the exterior;
• Variation of modifications;
• A pneumatic brake system appeared;
• Hydraulic power steering;
• American engine from Cummins;
• Improved suspension;
• Not afraid of bad roads;
• Can run on gasoline, gas, and diesel fuel;
• Good visibility;
• Relatively low cost of the car.

Cons of the car

• High fuel consumption;
• Sometimes the speedometer shows false information;
• Problems appear with electronics;
• The gearbox is quite noisy;
• The level and quality of the interior is still far from European;
• The appearance of the Valdai has not changed from the usual GAZelle.

Let's sum it up

If we compare the Valdai GAZ 3310 model with a simple GAZelle, the model has become much better. Its load capacity has been increased, improved technical characteristics have appeared, a suspension that improves the quality and level of control, which provides a good smooth ride.

In the end, they began to use a pneumatic brake system, which is much better than a hydraulic one in terms of cost and maintainability. In addition, well-known American power units from Cummins began to be installed on new vehicles, which had a positive effect on fuel consumption; it was reduced by 1 liter.

Photo of a GAZ-3310 car

The engine also became a little quieter and efficiency increased. It is clear that externally and internally the Valdai is very similar to the old GAZelle, but this is where the similarities almost end. A truck from the Gorky Automobile Plant can be ordered for any small and medium-sized business, and it will serve well.

The truck is even equipped with an ABS system, which, together with ventilated disc brakes, provides productive braking. Even in terms of cost, the GAZ-3310 is the leader on the Russian market, which is why it can be seen so often on the roads of many countries. Reviews of GAZ Valdai on the Internet are very good.

We advise you to read the article: GAZ - the history of car production.

GAZ-Valdai photo

Read further:

KamAZ-5511

KrAZ-6510

GAZ-Sadko

KrAZ-260

Lamborghini Countach

GAZ-3309