KAMAZ has rolled out Russia’s most powerful serially produced tow truck, built on the KAMAZ-65951 chassis from the K5 family. Designed to haul loads up to 60 tons, this heavy-duty vehicle has already been handed over to the Leningrad Regional Environmental Police.
- Load capacity: 60 tons, based on KAMAZ-65951 chassis (K5 family)
- Telescopic boom extends up to 5 meters, equipped with hydraulic grabs
- Two winches rated for 30 and 20 tons of pulling force
The truck features an 8×4 wheel arrangement and is outfitted with a telescopic boom capable of extending 5 meters, complete with hydraulic grabs for secure lifting. Its twin winches provide 30 and 20 tons of pulling power, enabling the extraction of heavy machinery from debris, ditches, and other hard-to-reach spots.
State corporation Rostec explains that this tow truck is built for challenging scenarios like natural disasters and accidents. During earthquakes, its five-meter rotating boom with hydraulic grabs can rescue trapped vehicles in confined spaces. After floods, mudslides, or landslides, the chassis’ off-road capability combined with strong winches makes retrieving equipment from soil or snow feasible. In serious traffic incidents involving trucks, tankers, or buses, it promises swift road clearance.
”This KAMAZ K5 family-based tow truck, with outstanding technical specs, can be deployed to handle aftermaths of both natural and man-made disasters. Machinery capable of working with extremely heavy objects in difficult conditions isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity,” said Rostec representatives.
KAMAZ 60-ton tow truck specifications
- Load capacity: 60 tons
- Chassis: KAMAZ-65951 (K5 family)
- Wheel arrangement: 8×4
- Telescopic boom: extends up to 5 meters with hydraulic grabs
- Winches: two, rated at 30 and 20 tons pulling force
KAMAZ tow truck compared to global heavy-duty recovery vehicles
KAMAZ’s new heavy-duty tow truck stands out in the global recovery vehicle arena, largely dominated by companies like Volvo, Scania, and MAN, which offer heavy-duty service trucks but rarely exceed 50 tons capacity in factory setups. This 60-ton capability places KAMAZ at the forefront of heavy recovery solutions in Russia and potentially neighboring countries with similar market demands.
Applications and future developments of KAMAZ heavy-duty tow trucks
As extreme weather events and large-scale traffic accidents become more frequent, specialized recovery vehicles like this are poised to play a crucial role. Future developments might see integration of remote control systems or hybrid powertrains to further enhance performance and safety. Watching how KAMAZ’s offering performs under real emergency conditions will be key to understanding the new benchmarks for heavy vehicle recovery.