KamAZ-5490 is the flagship vehicle of the Kama Automobile Plant, the most technologically advanced model in the KamAZ truck family. Produced since 2013. It is a long-haul truck tractor, which is the first car in the history of the Kama plant with an updated cabin, which was borrowed from the previous generation Mercedes-Benz Actros model. The production of the imported cab was mastered at the Kama Automobile Plant, and most of the components for the 5490 are also produced in Russia. According to KamAZ's plans, by 2022, trucks with the classic old cab will be discontinued. They should be replaced by updated vehicles with a cab, like the KamAZ-5490. The carrying capacity of KamAZ-5490 is 44 tons.
Operating experience
In good hands, a German engine can serve for years without repairs.
In good hands, a German engine can serve for years without repairs.
became one of the first buyers of KAMAZ-5490 tractors, purchasing these vehicles in large quantities since 2014. Today, there are 2,718 units of tractors of this model in the fleet (including all regional divisions), of which 258 vehicles are based in the Nizhny Novgorod ATP. Tractors work with semi-trailers (mainly tilt and curtain-sided) of the brands Schmitz Cargobull, Tonar, NefAZ, etc., performing flights throughout Russia. The loads are very diverse. Annual mileage exceeds 100 thousand km. Cargo delivery routes run both along well-maintained routes and along roads with worn-out surfaces, and the geography of transportation covers regions with different climates.
Operating conditions greatly influence the durability of vehicle components. A five- to seven-year-old car can retain a significant residual life, or it can be worn out to the point where it is more profitable to sell it.
Evgeniy Belov
, senior mechanic of the technical department:
Owner reviews of Kamaz-5490: advantages and disadvantages of the Russian tractor
Owner reviews of Kamaz-5490: advantages and disadvantages of the Russian tractor. Kamaz-5490 is a new Russian-made long-haul tractor with non-Russian filling.
The Soviet Union once actively supplied technology to China, which still makes many of our compatriots proud. Today there is nothing left of the great power, and the frantic steps of Russian officials to glorify the country in the field of truck production have turned out to be a complete disgrace over all these years. The new Kamaz 5490 tractor is another attempt to prove that we, after all, do not slurp cabbage soup, but also know how to make trucks. The only thing that’s Russian in the new car is just the frame and the front axle.
Cabin: cheap plastic and Chinese electronics
According to some reports, as much as $40 million was spent on the development of the new Kamaz 5490 cab. Of course, it cannot be compared with the previous horror - the interior of the previous 5460 model. However, the cabin of the new tractor roughly corresponds to the level of Renault trucks of the late 90s. Cheap plastic, a dashboard with small scales and a thin steering wheel. This is a huge breakthrough for the Russian automobile industry.
The Kamaz 5490 truck tractor has two full berths in the cabin. True, reviews from tall drivers indicate that sleeping on them is a bit cramped. But the sound insulation in the cabin is at a decent level - drivers get less tired, and you can actually sleep on the road. Compared to the 5460 model, I would also like to note the more carefully made doors. In general, the cabin has been radically redesigned. And there’s more space in it. The cabin of the new Russian truck tractor, as expected, is proudly filled with Chinese electronics. A radio with USB, cruise control, electric windows, a tachograph and air conditioning, an electric sunroof - like a balm for the soul of a Russian driver exhausted by heat and cold. A pre-heater is also installed on the tractor, which, however, is unlikely to be installed on the basic configuration. Although they seem to promise...
And in the KAMAZ 5490 cab a media system from the famous Russian manufacturer Intel can be installed. So every patriot can rejoice at the large number of Russian components.
European engine
At the exhibition and test drive, the doors of the trucks were opened with keys, on the key fobs of which the three-pointed Mercedes star sparkled. A small investigation showed that, in the best traditions of the Russian automobile industry, our Kulibins did not rack their brains with invention, and most of the components (including parts of the cabin) were ripped off from the hated Gay Europeans.
The engine, of course, was also torn off, along with the entire transmission. So the new KamAZ will be equipped with the time-tested OM457 LA unit from the Mercedes Axor tractor. It produces as much as 428 hp. With. and meets modern requirements. So 5490 is Euro-5, it can safely travel abroad.
Naturally, many people are interested in the fuel consumption of the KAMAZ 5490 per 100 km. Depending on the season and load, it ranges from 29.3 to 34.2 liters per 100 km. The maximum speed is promised to be 110 km/h. In principle, and most importantly, this engine will allow you to overcome inclines more quickly. However, it is easy to imagine how much a possible repair with so many imported components would cost.
Specifications
The mass of Kamaz 5490 is 7900 kg. The standard version is equipped with two tanks of 400 liters each - a good power reserve is ensured. The maximum weight of a road train with a Kamaz 5490 mainline tractor is 44 tons. Accordingly, the weight of the semi-trailer should not exceed 36 tons.
The new truck tractor is equipped with truly Russian EBS, ESP, ASR systems, which, of course, will save many driver’s lives. You can buy a Kamaz 5490 at a price starting from 2,900,000 rubles.
Is it worth buying? Owner reviews
It is terribly offensive for a resident of a country full of metal, oil, gas and bright minds to ask such a question. It seems that according to all canons, Russian trucks should be bought in Europe, and not vice versa. Our question is different - is it worth buying a Kamaz 5490 or is it better to buy a foreign car, for example, the same Mercedes Axor?
Even knowing that the KAMAZ 5490 only has a Russian-assembled frame, I still want to refuse the purchase, especially considering the increased weight of the semi-trailer. In terms of economic indicators and initial price, this machine is very attractive for commercial transportation. However, owner reviews of the KAMAZ 5490 already indicate that there are flaws in the assembly. However, the service life of the engine is stated to be more than 1 million kilometers, and the service interval is from 80,000 km, which is very good.
Among the reviews about the 5490 model there are also positive opinions. In particular, the car turned out to be dynamic, consumes little fuel and handles quite well. After, for example, Kamaz 5460, the drivers’ opinions are definitely full of enthusiasm.
I would like to believe that domestic designers will one day make a tractor that will consist entirely of Russian components, and in terms of characteristics and reliability it will surpass Western analogues, so much so that Europeans will abandon Mercedes and Volvo and line up with ours. Kamaz trucks in line.
At least, fans of computer games have already made a Kamaz 5490 mod for Euro Truck Simulator 2 and it tears up foreign trucks like a hot water bottle. Try to download - you will take pride in your native Fatherland.
LPG from the factory to KamAZ 5490
In the summer of 2017, the KAMAZ-5490 tractor was made to use gas cylinders. This was not just a couple of show cars, but a series. Moreover, some carriers have begun to massively update their fleet with KAMAZ-5490-891-S5 (4x2) tractors with a gas-diesel power system.
As it turned out, the new gas-cylinder vehicle is able to successfully compete on the Russian market with gas versions of Scania and Volvo FH truck tractors, being an order of magnitude ahead of them in the volume of deliveries to carriers. For the Swedes in Russia, these are vehicles for trial operation, for testing the market, for demonstrating capabilities, but KAMAZ trucks with gas equipment are already being purchased in dozens and even hundreds, and they are making money with their help.
To convert the Mercedes-Benz OM457 diesel engine to methane, a gas-diesel cycle was used, which was used on KAMAZ trucks in the mid-80s. The use of modern electronics in the OM457 fuel equipment, in comparison with mechanical injection pumps and vacuum gas reducers of almost 40 years ago, made it possible to convert the diesel engine elegantly and efficiently. Now KAMAZ-5490-S5 uses Italian gas equipment from EMER, which is one of the world's five largest manufacturers of gas equipment components. It is used by Volvo, Cummins, Caterpillar and other gas engine manufacturers.
LPG tractors powered by liquefied methane have now been developed. One problem - there are only six gas stations in the whole of Russia
The gas-cylinder tractor KAMAZ-5490-891-S5 has only one power setting - 401 hp. s., 2000 N.m.
Judging by the specifications, gas, smoothly replacing diesel fuel, ultimately provides the following average ratio: 55% diesel fuel and 45% methane. If you recalculate, taking into account the difference in the price of diesel fuel - 40–41 rubles. per liter and methane - 16.5–18 rubles. per cubic meter, then this “delta” results in savings. According to KAMAZ specialists, the carrier saves 2.5 rubles for every kilometer of road train mileage. If the annual mileage is about 200 thousand km, this means that you can save about half a million rubles on just one car.
Engines KamAZ 5490
The in-line sixes Mercedes-Benz OM457 LA with a volume of 11.97 liters, which are now installed on KAMAZ-5490 truck tractors, are reliable engines with a declared service life of 1 million km. They are assembled in Mannheim, Germany, at the Daimler AG engine plant. They are very economical, the service mileage reaches 80 thousand km. One of the disadvantages of this originally bus engine is that there is no power take-off to drive auxiliary gearboxes or hydraulic pumps. If you need to haul a dump semi-trailer or use any other equipment, you will have to equip the PTO gearbox (power take-off).
OM457 provides the road train with fuel consumption of 32–35 liters per 100 km
They planned to equip KAMAZ-5490 with the new promising G8 KAMAZ-750. This engine has a new block and common cast iron heads for each bank of cylinders. It also has a completely different dimension: the piston stroke was planned to be increased to 135 mm (and possibly up to 140 mm!), with a constant diameter of 120 mm (although it could have been increased by 5–10 mm), the working volume was about 13 liters. Power – up to 550 l. With. at 1900 rpm, torque over 2000 N.m at 1200–400 rpm.
Technical characteristics of KamAZ 54901
Dimensions and load capacity:
- Length 6,350 millimeters;
- Width excluding mirrors: 2,550 mm;
- Height: 4,000 mm;
- Center distance: 3,600 mm;
- External overall turning radius: 8 meters;
- Wheel type: disc;
- Tire type: tubeless, radial, 315/70 R22.5;
- Curb weight: 8,400 kilograms;
- Maximum fifth wheel load: 11,300 kg;
- Fifth wheel height: 1,150 mm;
- Maximum semi-trailer weight: 35,600 kg;
- Gross vehicle weight: 44 tons;
- Maximum vehicle speed: 90 km/h.
Engine and fuel consumption
The truck is driven by a KamAZ 54901 diesel power unit. Structurally, it is an in-line six-cylinder engine with a turbocharging function and an air intercooling system. The working volume of the turbodiesel is 11.96 liters, and its rated power reaches 450 horsepower at a rotation speed of 1,900 rpm. The engine is equipped with a modern Common Rail fuel system, which helps save fuel and reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere. The cylinder block is made of cast iron; each cylinder has 4 valves.
In accordance with the operating manual, the efficiency of the KamAZ 54901 is 43%, however, the designers declare the possibility of further improving the engine and bringing it to Euro 6 standards. Today, the diesel engine complies with the Euro 5 standard.
The advantages of the new engine include:
- The presence of turbocharging with technology for reducing the charge air temperature;
- The presence of an electronic fuel injection system, in which electrically controlled injectors supply fuel under high pressure, which guarantees its complete combustion;
- Engine efficiency and high efficiency;
- Technology of deep purification of exhaust gases, which significantly increases the environmental friendliness of the engine.
The KamAZ 54901 truck tractor, as standard, is equipped with a fuel tank with a capacity of 800 liters. Also available for sale are cars equipped with two fuel tanks of 600 liters each. The declared fuel consumption corresponds to 30 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, which once again emphasizes the efficiency of the car.
Transmission and power supply KamAZ 54901
Good acceleration dynamics and comfort in driving the truck are ensured by the new generation ZF 12TX2210 TD automatic 12-speed gearbox, created on the basis of fundamentally new technologies. First of all, drivers note the TraXon's quiet operation; overall, it produces 33% less noise than its predecessors. The new transmission also increases the vehicle’s efficiency, as engine torque is transmitted to the drive axles with virtually no loss of energy.
The electronics respond perfectly to road conditions and switch from one gear to another in a timely manner, with high precision and smoothness. This happens through the use of various sensors that analyze the slope of the road, curvature and turning direction, engine speed and many other aspects. The declared mileage of the ZF 12TX2210 TD TraXon transmission is 1,600,000 kilometers, without major repairs.
The interaction between the engine and gearbox is ensured through the mediation of the MFZ-350 clutch, manufactured by the German company ZF Sachs. This dry pull-type single disc clutch is found on many new generation truck models and is highly efficient and reliable.
Clutch diagram MFZ-350
The electronic and electrical systems of the KamAZ 54901 truck tractor are powered by two powerful 12-volt batteries with a total capacity of 450 A/h. Since the operating voltage of the car's electrical circuits is 24 volts, a voltage converter is installed here. The truck is also equipped with a 28-volt generator with a capacity of 3 kilowatts.
Brakes and safety systems KamAZ 54901
The KamAZ 54901 truck tractor is equipped with an effective safety system, which consists of disc brakes installed on each wheel of the truck; the brake system itself is equipped with stabilization technology. In addition, the following security systems are available on the car as standard:
- ASR: the main task of this system is to prevent the loss of traction between the wheels and the road; also, thanks to this technology, the load on the vehicle’s transmission is reduced;
- ESP: a modern electronic safety system that increases the car's directional stability on the road, protecting the car from skidding. With ESP technology, it is much easier for the driver to control the behavior of the car, especially when driving on wet or snowy roads.
- EBS: Electro-pneumatic pedal that has no physical contact with the brake system elements. When you press the drive, a signal is sent to the electronic control unit, as a result of which the system itself distributes the braking force to each wheel, depending on the situation on the road.
Cabin KamAZ 5490
They could very well make their own mainline tractor in Chelny on their own. Under the same index 5490, work was underway on a completely different car: with a cabin developed on the instructions of KAMAZ OJSC by the South Korean engineering company DMEC, part of Kia Motors, which, in turn, has been owned by Hyundai Corporation since the late 90s. And Hyundai Motor is seriously cooperating with Daimler. Prototypes of the entire family of these cabins were already ready: wide and narrow, with a sleeping bag and daytime, short ones. The cabins turned out to be very good, but the interior was not clear. Now the Mercedes-Benz Axor cab is installed on the KAMAZ-5490.
Used Scania
Scania or, as it is also called, the “bench” is the standard for many truckers.
Reliable, powerful, fast, maintainable. Here are the 4 key ingredients to success for a long-haul tractor. It’s not for nothing that I took her for comparison. There’s not much to say about it, since it’s just a car for work that doesn’t require constant repairs, especially if the owner drives it himself. This point is especially important in operating a tractor if you are a person who understands this issue. According to the results of the same survey, many drivers said that it was better to take an old Scania than to deal with KamAZ. What captivates Scania? To answer this question, I had to study many forums and personally communicate with truck drivers. They are sociable people and therefore I heard many answers to one of my questions.
If we take it in general, then the answer will be something like this: “Scania is reliable, time-tested, if you take care of it, you will travel two and a half million kilometers before a major overhaul. KamAZ is not yet time-tested and no one knows its resource, and truckers don’t like to deal with the unknown.”
If you ask yourself the question, would I switch from a foreign car to domestic equipment, then I would probably answer unequivocally “no”. Perhaps this is largely due to the fact that I was born and raised in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny, exactly where KamAZ trucks are produced. Probably every third local works at the plant and therefore there is more than enough information about what is being done at the plant. And as long as the plant remains in this state, care for workers will be at the lowest level, and the quality of the products will not improve.
So, to summarize this article, we can emphasize that the most important thing for a truck driver is confidence in the car, in every subsequent kilometer. And as long as the quality of domestic products remains at such a low level, we will not be able to compete with foreigners. Therefore, the choice between the two competitors undoubtedly falls on a used Scania.
Drive axle KamAZ 5490
Another predictable and justified design solution is the use of a completely “Mercedes” drive axle, the Daimler HL6 model, which is installed on the Axor and Actros. This is 100% imported from Germany. The axle has a single 3.077 hypoid gearbox with a differential lock. Disc brake mechanisms.
Daimler drive axle. It has a stamped-welded beam, brakes with ventilated discs, and a differential lock.
