The Tatra 148 was a

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construct ...

produced in

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...

by the Tatra company.Moderní Uźitkové Automobily TATRA kolektiv vývojove konstrukce N.P. Tatra Kopŕivnice 1979 Naśe Vojsko Praha, První vydání

History

In 1969 Tatra decided to modernize the existing T138 model with a number of improvements and design changes. The new model series was designated T148. Designers were tasked with the requirements of increasing engine power, vehicle speed and reliability as well as meeting stricter noise and emission regulations.

Design and technology

Yet again design continued with the proven central backbone tube construction and power train integrated into the central backbone tube as a modular concept in

4x4 A four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, is a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case provi ...

and

6x6 Six-wheel drive (6WD or 6×6) is an all-wheel drive drivetrain configuration of three axles with at least two wheels on each axle capable of being driven simultaneously by the vehicle's engine. Unlike four-wheel drive drivetrains, the config ...

configuration. A new feature was the inter-axle differential. The main advantages of the central load carrying backbone tube are in its high torsion and bend strength, which protects the truck body against load stresses. The secondary advantage is that it houses all important parts of the drive train as well as it enables a concept of modular construction where designers and customers can specify 4 and 6 wheel drive, as well as various length wheelbase combinations.

Engine

The significantly improved

powerplant Propulsion is the generation of force by any combination of pushing or pulling to modify the translational motion of an object, which is typically a rigid body (or an articulated rigid body) but may also concern a fluid. The term is derived from ...

had its

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

lifted by 10 mm while the bore remained the same. The angle of the cylinder heads has changed to 90°. The supercharged or turbocharged versions tested in development with even more power and, more importantly, torque, did not make it into series production. So the displacement was lifted to 12.6 litres which resulted in at least in part increased

horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are t ...

and

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational analogue of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). The symbol for torque is typically \boldsymbol\tau, the lowercase Greek letter ''tau''. Wh ...

. For military variants the engines were capable of running on alternative fuels (mixtures of

diesel fuel Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil, heavy oil (historically) or simply diesel, is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a re ...

gasoline Gasoline ( North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When for ...

and or

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' include fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air aircraft such as h ...

kerosine

fuel A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work (physics), work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chem ...

), albeit with a

performance A performance is an act or process of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. It is also defined as the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function. Performance has evolved glo ...

loss. The air cooling system was retained once again with the cooling fan driven via hydraulic clutch and engine oil

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...

controlled. The fuel injection pumps featured different types variable or combination governors depending on the vehicle application.

Chassis

Full length backbone tube with independent swing half axles in 4x4 and 6x6. On 6x6 models front axle suspension via adjustable torsion bars, rear axles suspended by longitudinal semi elliptic leaf springs. For 4x4 configuration rear axle was also suspended via torsion bars. Manually selectable front drive via homo-kinetic

driveshaft A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft (Australian English), propeller shaft (prop shaft), or Cardan shaft (after Girolamo Cardano) is a component for transmitting mechanical power, torque, and rotation, usually used to connect ...

s, constant rear drive with the axle locks standard on all models. *Front track = *Rear track = *

Wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...

= model specific **T148 S1, S3 = + **T148 VNM = + **T148 NTt 6x6 = + **T148 NTt 4x4 = *

Ground clearance Ride height or ground clearance is the amount of space between the base of an automobile tire and the lowest point of the automobile, typically the bottom exterior of the differential housing (even though the lower shock mounting point may be l ...

Transmission

The main

gearbox A transmission (also called a gearbox) is a mechanical device invented by Louis Renault (who founded Renault) which uses a gear set—two or more gears working together—to change the speed, direction of rotation, or torque multiplication/r ...

was located behind the cabin and connected to the engine clutch housing via a short uni joint

shaft Shaft may refer to: Rotating machine elements * Shaft (mechanical engineering), a rotating machine element used to transmit power * Line shaft, a power transmission system * Drive shaft, a shaft for transferring torque * Axle, a shaft around whi ...

(this design enables the so-called flat floor cabin) which was bolted together with the auxiliary

to the backbone tube and formed the main part of the chassis structure. Options for rear

power take off A power take-off or power takeoff (PTO) is one of several methods for taking power from a power source, such as a running engine, and transmitting it to an application such as an attached implement or separate machine. Most commonly, it is a sp ...

and

winch A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in (wind up) or let out (wind out) or otherwise adjust the tension (physics), tension of a rope or wire rope (also called "cable" or "wire cable"). In its simplest form, it consists of a Bobb ...

drive were also possible. The main and auxiliary gears were fully synchronized except the first and reverse gear. * Main

– 5+1 (2-5 gear synchronized) **

gear ratios A gear train or gear set is a machine element of a mechanical system formed by mounting two or more gears on a frame such that the teeth of the gears engage. Gear teeth are designed to ensure the pitch circles of engaging gears roll on each oth ...

– (1)9.97, (2)4.96, (3)2.83, (4)1.68, (5)1.0, (R)8.58 *Auxiliary

– 2 speed (electro-pneumatic control via switch on the gear lever and clutch pedal activated ) **

– (L)2.20, (H)1.62 *Step down

transfer case A transfer case is an intermediate gearbox that transfers power from the transmission of a motor vehicle to the driven axles of four-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive, and other multi-axled on- and off-road machines. A part of the vehicle's drivetr ...

Clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that allows an output shaft to be disconnected from a rotating input shaft. The clutch's input shaft is typically attached to a motor, while the clutch's output shaft is connected to the mechanism that does th ...

– 2x plate dry (clutch pedal hydraulic and power assisted) * Differentials – 1x front 2x rear (

models) 1x front 1x rear (

models) ** final drive ratios – 3.39

Brakes

Full compressed air brakes acting on all wheels * Main wheel brakes ----> dual circuit drum brakes adjustable "S" cam type ** Park brake ----> mechanical via output

at the back of the gearbox *** Supplementary brake ---->

exhaust brake An exhaust brake is a means of slowing a diesel engine by closing off the exhaust path from the engine, causing the exhaust gases to be compressed in the exhaust manifold, and in the cylinder. Since the exhaust is being compressed, and there is ...

electro-pneumatically controlled

Bodywork

The Tatra T148 featured an all-

steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...

two door cabin with a fully suspended drivers seat and a bench seat for two occupants. Special military variants included a hatch opening on the roof. The vehicle featured an independent auxiliary cab heater and included

cyclone In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an ant ...

pre-cleaners mounted on the front mudguards. The vehicle's top speed was approximately 80 km/h up to GVM (T148 S3) or a total truck and trailer combination of up to GCM (T148 S3).

Production

Production of the T148 started in 1972 and ended in December 1982 where a total of 113,647 vehicles left the

production line A production line is a set of sequential operations established in a factory where components are assembled to make a finished article or where materials are put through a refining process to produce an end-product that is suitable for onward ...

. Total export figures rested at approximately 63,700 units sold in 43 countries around the world, where traditionally the biggest export user was the

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. ** Primary models * Tatra T148 S1 6x6 – One way tipper * Tatra T148 S3 6x6 – Three way tipper * Tatra T148 V S1 6x6 – High-lift one way tipper * Tatra T148 V 6x6 – Flatbed civilian * Tatra T148 VNM 6x6 – Flatbed w/winch troops and cargo military special * Tatra T148 NTt 6x6 – Tractor * Tatra T148 NTt 4x4 – Tractor * Tatra T148 Pxx – Bodybuilders chassis for special use e.g. tanker, crane, excavator File:Tatra 148S1.jpg, Tatra T148 S1 One way tipper File:Kopřivnice - Muzeum nákladních automobilů Tatra, Tatra 148 domíchávač, obr01.jpg, Tatra T148 Cement mixer truck File:Tatra T148 - firefighting car.JPG, Tatra T148 Fire File:Kralupy nad Vltavou, Libušina, Tatra 148.jpg, Tatra T148 Crane File:Sněžné-Tatra-na-cestě-u-hřbitova2017.jpg, Tatra T148 S3 Three way tipper File:100RIES 02, Tatra 148 VS1.jpg, T148 V S1 High-lift one way tipper's lifting mechanism File:Retro městečko K01. Tatra-sklápěčky.jpg, Tatra T148 S1 and T148 S3 File:2010 09 27 Hannover 182200 (5040234772).jpg, Tatra T148 NTt 6×6 Tractor File:Plastová Tatra 148 - edition 2014.jpg, Tatra T148 S1 plastic toy

References

* ''Modern Utility Automobiles TATRA by design team of N.P. Tatra Kopŕivnice'', 1979, Naśe Vojsko, Prague, First edition

External links

Tatra a.s.

Tatra Portal

Unofficial Tatra trucks pages
{{Authority control T148 All-wheel-drive vehicles Trucks of the Czech Republic Vehicles introduced in 1972