KrAZ » 253B

At the end of 1961, the Ministry of Defence developed requirements for a brand new range of 3-axle 8-tonne AWD trucks. In 1962, a team of ambitious young engineers of KrAZ factory developed the first prototypes of the first generation trucks with a 240 hp diesel engine YaMZ 238 V8 - a 8-ton truck KrAZ-253B with an all-metal flatbed platform and a tractor +active trailer combination 259B. They got a cabin placed over the engine, allows to increase the length of the mounting frame, reduce the weight of vehicles and improve their agility. To speed up the development Kraz engineers borrowed a cabin from MAZ-500 trucks.

The prototypes got an innovative hydromechanical 4-speed transmission and independent suspension with wishbone longitudinal torsion bars. Tires were similar to wheels of KrAZ-255B. In 1962, the prototypes passed the factory tests. KrAZ-253B had a ground clearance of 420 mm, curb weight - 12.3 tonnes, trailer weight - from 10 to 30 tonnes, maximum speed - 76 kph. The prototypes of the first generation proved to be too ambitious and difficult for the domestic auto industry, costly and equally unreliable.