The MTZ 1523 tractor model came out of the production lines of the Minsk Plant in 2009. The development of the model was the result of a set of improvements and upgrades to the MTZ 1221 tractor. The purpose of creating the machine was to maintain a competitive position in the global tractor market, as well as to produce a universal high-performance machine with wide use, including all types of soil cultivation and agricultural work, plus the use of the tractor in municipal, construction and other industrial sectors. The use of hydroelectric drives in the design of transmission units and machine equipment made it possible to improve the ergonomics of tractor control and its operational performance. The frame of the machine has a traditional semi-frame design of a wheeled tractor. MTZ 1523, 1523V became the two basic versions of the series. The 1523B machine is designed for long-term use in reverse mode. It features an additional reverse control station with a swivel operator's seat and redundant controls: clutch, fuel supply, brake, rear steering column. The subsequent evolution of the model in modification 1523.3,1523В.3,1523.4,1523.5 is to increase the environmental standard of the machines.
The tractor belongs to the third traction class with power from 148 to 155 hp. depending on the model modification. With its performance and use in wide-cut tillage units, the machine successfully competes with tractors of a similar class of the KhTZ T-150, T-150K brands. At the same time, the fuel consumption of the MTZ 1523 is 30% less, and the machine also differs significantly in the level of comfort and ergonomics of the operator’s workplace.
Engine
The tractor is equipped with a turbocharged six-cylinder diesel power unit D-260 with a cylinder operating order of 1-5-3-6-2-4. The abbreviation “1S2” in the modification of the unit indicates that it is equipped with intermediate cooling of the air inflated by the turbine. The motor is operated with a reserve factor of the rated torque of 15-25%. The engines are equipped with six-plunger in-line fuel pumps of the Motorpal brand, manufactured in the Czech Republic or Yazda, Russia. The unit is also equipped with two types of turbochargers of the brand “Turbo” - Czech Republic and OJSC “BZA” - Belarus. Automatic regulation of the thermal regime in the cooling system is carried out by two thermostats.
Engine D-260.1S2 of the MTZ 1523.3 tractor
| Modification | Engine make | Power hp | Fuel consumption g/kWh | Environmental standard |
| 1523 | D-260.1 | 148 | 227 | stage I |
| 1523B | D-260.1 | 148 | 227 | stage I |
| 1523.3 | D-260.1S2 | 150 | 250 | stage II |
| 1523.3B | D-260.1S2 | 150 | 250 | stage II |
| 1523.4 | D-260.1S3A | 150 | 250 | stage III A |
| 1523.5 | D-260.1S3B | 153 | 222 | stage III B |
Tractor attachments
The universal row-crop tractor MTZ-1523 is designed to perform a wide range of agricultural and transport operations.
The work is carried out using the following mounted and trailed equipment:
- Plows PPN.7.30/50, PO-(4+1)-40, PKM-5-40R, PKM-6-40R, PLN-5-35P and PLN-5-35P-2.
- Platform for transporting feed.
- Semi-trailers: agricultural with spreader, transport and special tractor.
- Seeders: pneumatic, mechanical and dotted seeding.
- Stubble seeders-cultivators.
- Units: sowing, chisel, tillage and combined.
- Mounted cultivators for continuous tillage or steam.
- Mounted and semi-mounted harrows.
- Frontal and mounted mowers.
- Baler.
- Forage harvester.
Transmission and chassis
The power transmission of torque from the engine to the tractor transmission is provided by a dry double-disc permanently closed clutch with a hydromechanical drive. The gearbox is mechanical, synchronized constant mesh with 16 forward gears and 8 reverse speeds, providing forward speeds in the range of 1.74-32.58 km/h and reverse speeds of 2.73-15.61 km/h. The unit has four forward shift ranges with four speeds in each range and two reverse ranges with the same number of speeds. The power of the tractor and the layout of the tractor transmission allows towing a load of up to 15 tons on a slope of up to 12̊.
MTZ 1523 device
In the custom configuration, a box of a similar type is installed with 24 forward gears and 12 reverse speeds, providing forward speed in the range of 1.7-36.3 km.h. and reverse speed in the range of 2.5-17.1 km.h. The unit has four ranges of six speeds in each range and two ranges of reverse speeds with six speeds each.
The rear axle has a traditional design:
- main gear bevel with helical teeth
- differential lock
- final drives with pairs of spur gears
- planetary final drives
Front drive axle of portal type with removable sleeves:
- main gear bevel with helical teeth
- final drives with planetary spur gearboxes
The FDA drive is carried out from the gearbox through an electrohydraulic-controlled friction clutch and cardan transmission. Automatic control is carried out by an electro-hydraulic distributor. The chassis of the tractor with a rigid frame suspension is equipped with pneumatic tires measuring 420/70R24 on the front wheels and 520/70R38 on the rear. It is possible to pair the wheels on the rear drive axle of the vehicle using a spacer. The minimum turning radius of the tractor with braking is 5 meters. The height of the clearance allows you to ford with a depth of up to 0.85 meters.
Device
Engine
A six-cylinder diesel engine produced by MMZ (Minsk Motor Plant) with 155 horsepower is in-line, equipped with a turbocharging system. The cooling in it is liquid type. This engine is economical in oil and fuel consumption, and also meets European environmental standards.
Transmission
The transmission of the MTZ 1523 has a reinforced double-disc dry permanently closed clutch and a mechanical synchronized gearbox with six ranges. When moving forward, one of 16 gears can be used, and back one of 8. The rear independent power take-off shaft with two speeds has a hydromechanical control system. The rear axle transmission is planetary.
The device of the tractor Belarus 1523
Chassis
The driving front axle of the machine is equipped with a limited slip differential with a locking system. This bridge is coaxial and is a beam type. There are rotary double-support axles and planetary wheel gearboxes. The bridge can be in one of three modes: forced on, off, or automatically turned on when the rear wheels slip. Control occurs using a friction clutch with an electric-hydraulic drive.
The brakes (both main and parking) are dry, three-disc. A hydrostatic separate drive is used to control them. A pneumatic drive is used to brake the trailer. It is interlocked with tractor brakes.
Electrics
The generator produces a power of one kilowatt, the voltage value (rectified) is 14 volts. To start the engine, a system with a power of 6 kilowatts and a voltage of 24 volts is used. The launcher contains an aerosol flammable liquid.
Cabin
The unit is equipped with a safety cylindrical cabin with a protective rigid frame. The glass is glued in, tinted, the side and rear windows open, as well as the sunroof. The air supplied inside is filtered and heated (if necessary). The rear and windshield are equipped with electric wipers. There is ROPS protection.
Brakes, steering and PTO
The car has eight disc brakes operating in an oil bath. Drive - hydrostatic interlocked with pneumatic drive of the trailer. Parking brake with a mechanical drive of wet friction connected to the main brake mechanism of the tractor.
The rear two-speed PTO MTZ 1523 operates in an independent mode with rotation of 540 and 1000 rpm. and in synchronous mode 3.8 and 6.2 rpm of path. Upon request, the tractor can be equipped with a front PTO with independent drive.
The hydrostatic steering is equipped with: a left-hand rotation gear pump with a displacement of 14-16 cm3 per revolution providing a pressure in the system of 16 MPa, a gerotor-type metering pump with a capacity of 160 cm3/rev. The turning mechanism is equipped with two 50x200mm hydraulic cylinders.
Hydraulics
The MTZ 1523 hydraulic system is equipped with an integrated block of the BOSCH brand, which provides power, positional and mixed position control of agricultural machines. The system's gear pump NSh-32-3 is of right rotation with a maximum capacity of 55 liters per minute, providing a pressure of 20 MPa. The BOSCH integrated block includes a four-position three-spool valve and an electro-hydraulic spool regulator HER-23LS, operating from an on-board electrical network with a voltage of 12 volts. The mounted system is equipped with a pair of hydraulic cylinders Ts90x250. Before installing the integral unit, the tractor was equipped with a BOSCH distributor and a BOSCH EHR4 regulator. The tractor is equipped with a lift-type towing device TSU-3V, adjustable in height.
Electrical system and equipment
The on-board electrical system has a voltage of 12 volts, the starting one is 24 volts. The tractor is equipped with two parallel-connected batteries with a voltage of 12 volts and a capacity of 120 A/h each. Discharge current when starting the engine is 880A. A generator with a built-in current rectifier and voltage regulator supplies a voltage of 14 volts. On tractors with a D-260.1 engine, a unit with a power of 1150 watts is installed, and with a D-260.1S2 engine, a generator with a power of 2000 watts is installed.
The lighting and light signaling system of the machine includes:
- pair of front road headlights with low and high beam
- four working front and four rear lights
- two front marker lights with turn signal
- rear marker lights with turn signal and stop signal
- license plate light, road train sign light
- cabin lamp, hazard warning lights
The audible alarm system is triggered when the oil pressure in the engine decreases, the operating temperature of the engine increases, and the pressure in the tractor pneumatic system drops. To connect towed machines to the tractor's electrical system, it is done through a nine-pin combined socket.
Control and signaling devices of the operator’s place of work:
- voltage indicator with additional battery charging alarm
- fuel level indicator with reserve level alarm
- coolant temperature indicator with alarm for emergency temperature rise
- engine oil pressure indicator with alarm pressure level alarm
- air pressure indicator in the pneumatic system with emergency pressure level alarm
- oil pressure indicator in the machine's transmission hydraulic system
- high beam alarm
- tractor and trailer turn indicator
- parking brake light
- air filter clogged lamp
- HPI oil pressure lamp
- liquid level monitoring lamps in the main cylinders
- foot for engaging differential and FDA locks
The combined indicator is equipped with indicators:
- arrow speed indicator
- arrow indicator of engine speed
- illuminated PTO speed indicator with colored segments
Aggregation
The tractor has wide application possibilities in soil-cultivating units and other agricultural machines, and is also used for attaching special drive equipment to the tractor on the rear and front linkages.
| Aggregated storage car | Specific resistance of average soils kN/m, at a speed of 5 km/h | Machine working width |
| Ploughshare plow | 12-14 | 2-2,5 |
| Disc harrow | 1,6-2,1 | Up to 12 |
| Ploughshare hoe | 6-10 | 3-4 |
| Cultivator | 1,6-3 | To 10 |
| Seeder | 1,2-1,8 | Up to 12 |
| Reaper | 1,2-1,5 | Up to 15 |
| Trailed combines: | ||
| silage harvesters | 2,6-3,3 | Until 3 |
| beet harvesters | 6-12 | Until 3 |
| potato harvesters | 10-12 | Up to 2.7 |
| A change in speed of 1 km/h changes the resistivity by up to 1% | ||
MTZ 1523 with trailed plow
Technical characteristics and dimensions
The total weight of the tractor without additional equipment is 5700 kg, and the maximum permissible weight is 9 tons.
Overall dimensions are (length, width, height) 471x225x300 cm.
For aggregation with the Belarus MTZ-1523 tractor, it is possible to use the following attachments:
- Plow;
- Platform for cargo transportation;
- Forage harvester;
- Seeder;
- Seeding unit;
- Harrow;
- Rotary cutter;
- Fertilizer distributor;
- Trailers for various needs;
- mower;
- Cultivator and more.
Advantages and disadvantages
The production of the machine, its subsequent operation and maintenance are focused on the economic trend of the general globalization of the world market. High-tech machine components require repairs in the manufacturer’s service network, which has the appropriate specialized material base and personnel qualifications. The MTZ 1523 tractor is a complex, high-tech machine that requires appropriate professional training and operator qualifications.
The engine of the machine is equipped with a powerful radiator that eliminates overheating at maximum speeds and loads. Taking into account the additional fuel tank, the tractor has a sufficient standard fuel capacity. The work place has convenient placement of controls and good noise and dust insulation providing comfort. The cab with spherical glazing provides maximum visibility to the driver of the car. The rear linkage of the tractor is equipped with a sufficient set of universal coupling and traction devices for quick and reliable connection with the machines used.
The release of the MTZ 1523 machine is the result of the company’s strategy of participation in the formation of the global market for agricultural machinery. The course is confirmed by certification of all manufactured equipment in accordance with European Union standards. In 2000, the Minsk Tractor Plant confirmed the level of production quality by receiving a document of conformity according to ISO-9001. World standards were confirmed by a certification audit carried out by the German company TUV-Thuringia.
Features of operating the Belarus MTZ-1523 tractor
Since the design of Belarus 1523 is distinguished by reasonable simplicity and perfection, this model has practically no equal in terms of rational operation. Tractor owners note the high reliability of the agricultural machine, the ability to operate efficiently without repairs with minimal maintenance for at least 15 years.
Tractor Belarus MTZ-1523 at work
Optionally, upon special order for the 1523 model, the manufacturer offers the installation of useful add-ons:
- air conditioner
- additional fuel tank
- extended gearbox with speeds 24 forward/12 reverse
- front PTO
- front counterweight
- wheel doubling systems
- additional seating.
Tractor maintenance
The tractor engine lubrication system is combined. In summer, it is recommended to use diesel oil with additives DP-11, DSP-11, in winter DP-8 or synthetic oils with the appropriate viscosity. For the transmission, all-season oil should be used, taking into account the viscosity and temperature conditions of operation. It is necessary to inspect the tractor every shift or every 10 hours. Scheduled maintenance of the Belarus tractor is carried out every 125/250/500/1000/2000 operating hours.
Major faults, repairs
One of the priority features when choosing a MTZ Belarus tractor is the ability to quickly perform the necessary repairs in the field. During the operating period specified by the manufacturer, the unit is characterized by stable operation, regardless of the intensity of use. The maintainability of components and mechanisms is quite high.
According to numerous reviews from machine operators, the price-quality ratio is optimal. And malfunctions and breakdowns are most often caused by improper operation, negligence in work, illiterate maintenance, and incorrect use of attachments.
You can learn in detail about the features of operation, routine maintenance, shift maintenance, proper aggregation with mounted implements, and safety requirements in the factory operating instructions for the Belarus MTZ-1523 tractor.
