The army will soon take
large-scale deliveries of a new cross-country vehicle from the Austrian
Steyr-Daimler-Puch works. The model is
called “Pinzgauer" - which has the same origins as the Haflinger. Both names were well-known as Austrian farm
horses of sturdy build, high endurance and good mountain-going abilities. The following technical data indicate that
these horse-like characteristics have been incorporated in the new cross-country
vehicle. Like the Haflinger, the
Pinzgauer finds its way to the public through deliveries to the army. The original design of the new model differs
from conventional army vehicles and in view of the intended introduction to the
civilian market at a later date it is of particular interest to note that this
vehicle can be driven with a group A driving licence.
The "Pinzgauer" is
a further development of the "Haflinger", well-known for its
cross-country driving ability. Its basic design principles have been proven in
practical use. The “Pinzgauer" is constructed on the
same lines, having the following characteristics:
For general use, even a
purpose-designed cross-country vehicle must have a sufficiently fast road
speed. 100 km/h is acceptable but requires at least an 85 h.p. engine for such
a vehicle. The need for a robust engine
needing little maintenance calls for air cooling because an air-cooled engine
fulfils this requirement better than a water-cooled type. Since no suitable engine was in the
production range or available from other sources, an air-cooled, four-cylinder
in-line engine has been developed to suit the special needs of the Pinzgauer.
It is a horizontal,
four-cylinder, 2,5 litre in-line engine.
The bore ist 92 mm and the stroke 94 mm. The maximum output of 90 h. p. (or 87 h. p.) at 4000 rpm is
achieved with a compression ratio of 7,8 : 1 - high grade petrol (or 7,5 : 1 -
low grade petrol). Maximum torque of
18,5 mkp is at 2000 rpm. The engine has
finned separate cylinders and finned aluminium cylinder heads with
semi-spherical combustion chambers and overhead valves. The valves are controlled by pushrods and
rocker arms. The engine casing is light
alloy, holding the five-bearing crankshaft.
Lubrication is by gear pumps of the suction and pressure type. The suction pump delivers oil from the front
of the engine sump to the oil container and the pressure pump sucks the oil from
the oil container and feeds the crankshaft bearings and cylinder heads, through
drilled lubricating channels passing through a thermostatically-controlled oil
cooler and an inline fine mesh oil filter. Carburation is by two inverted carburettors
which are not position sensitive and have a choke arrangement. The combustion air is cleaned in a micro air
filter. Electric power supply is by a
28 V, 650 W alternator. An axial fan
provides engine cooling. The
well-dimensioned, single-disc clutch is hydraulically operated.
The specified top speed and
the need for low speed call for a wide gear ratio (approx: 1 : 10). For comfortable control, a five-speed
gearbox is used with a sufficiently big ratio (5 : 33) to prevent the need to
select the five-speed additional gearbox in normal road or cross country use.
The gear ratio of the additional gearbox in road and cross country use is 1,92
in order to achieve a total ratio of 10.6. All gears, including supplementary
gears, but excluding reverse, are synchronised.
This gear arrangement permits
a top road speed of 100 km/h as well as continuous low speed at full engine
power of 4 km/h.
The engine-gearbox unit is
fitted in the conventional direction below the front seats, immediately behind
the front axle and in the highest possible position. To reduce engine space, the cylinder axis is at an angle. This position protects the engine as far as
possible against damage or dirt. A short, exposed drive shaft connects the
flexibly mounted engine-gearbox unit to the auxiliary gearbox. The auxiliary
gearbox housing, together with the central frame tube and both axle housings,
provides a strong, distortion-free backbone. An auxiliary drive can be fitted to
the supplementary gearbox. This drive
is on the far side of the engine and points forward. The five-speed gearbox provides for
different auxiliary drive speeds, and, if necessary, the drive can be selected
during driving.
The two or three axle (6 X
6) configurations are of the jointless crossshaft type with two pairs of bevel
gears, each wheel being driven by one pair.
A further normal gear train
is fitted to the wheel hubs. This
design permits increased ground clearance.
The homo Kinetic drive joints of the front axle are completely enclosed. External damage is not possible. These two joints are the only transmission
joints between supplementary gearbox and wheels.
All drive shafts are completely protected inside the central tube and the
half axles.
The front wheel drive is
selective. The differentials of the rear axles can be manually locked separately
or together with the front axle.
The front wheel drive and the differential lock can be operated while
driving without interruption of power transmission by depressing the clutch or
reducing acceleration.
Selection is by
driver-operated manual levers hydraulically controlling the units without
auxiliary power. Brake fluid is used for the hydraulically operated brakes. All
bores of operating cylinders are chromium plated to prevent rust.
As already mentioned, the
axle housings are a rigid part of the central frame tubes (one tube for 4 X 4,
one additional tube for 6 X 6 between the rear axles) and are the backbone of
the chassis.
In front of the rear axle (centre
axle on 6 X 6) is the two speed supplementary gearbox.
Suspension is by frictionless
coil spring having cross sections and varying pitch to cope with increasing
loads. The springs are complemented by
rubber sleeves. This guarantees correct
suspension over the full vehicle loading range. Well dimensioned telescopic shock absorbers
ensure stability. To obtain then necessary width to load standard pallets (800
mm wide) between the rear wheels, the four-wheel models (4 X 4) have two smaller
diameter coil springs fitted for each rear wheel. These springs again have a progressive
characteristic and are fitted in conjunction with rubber sleeves.
The six-wheel models (6 X 6)
have a balance type leaf spring on each vehicle side between the two rear
wheels. These springs are of the
parabolic type for best shock absorbtion and the maximum upward spring movement
is limited by rubber sleeves.
Steering is of the rack and
pinion type using split control rods ensuring correct steering movement
regardless of suspension travel, The control rods are fitted with
maintenance-free universal joints. The
front-wheel drive parallel joints are fitted inside the front axle and are
lubricated from the central lubrication system.
The brake drums have a
diameter of 285 mm and a lining width of 76mm.
The brakes are scaled against dirt.
Front wheel brakes are of the duplex type, rear wheel brakes are duo
servo (equally efficient in either direction).
Operation is hydraulically assisted by a vacuum brake assisting
unit. A two circuit system is
used. One circuit controls the front
wheels, the other the rear wheels.
The hand-brake acts
mechanically on the rear axle drive shaft and to all wheels if front wheel
drive is engaged. The actual brakes are
completely sealed disc types remaining fully efficient even after driving through
water.
The Pinzgauer is designed on
a module system to simplify maintenance, repair and spare parts stockholdings
The drive shaft components with jointed cross axles are the same, so are the
gear wheels, wheel flanges, bearings and brake drums as well as the covers with
brake carriers.
No greasing points are
allocated to the suspension. The
coil-springs press on to hardened half-spherical shells resting on
spherical-beaded bolts without lubrication.
The centres of the rear springs of the Pinzgauer 6 X 6 rest on rubber
blocks (silentbloc), the leaves press on to rubber mountings resting on the same
type of spherical headed bolts as fitted to the front springs of the Pinzgauer 4
X 4.
The bodywork rests on the
chassis with seven rubber mountings, two on the cross member of the front
centre member, two on the rear crossmember and one below the rear door on the
trailer coupling flange. To prevent
cross movement, the bodywork is further secured by a rod from the front foot recess
to the chassis. The rigid tubular
chassis protects the bodywork from twisting or damage due to shocks from the
wheels on very rough country.
The front steering gives the
best view for the driver and permits a large loading area for this relatively
small vehicle. The full loading floor
is available to transport goods. To
carry personnel, seats can be fitted to the floor and legroom is available in
the recesses provided. The module
system is also used for the bodywork. Only
two types of bodywork are intended: the first is a three-door type with two
conventional and one rear door for cabin access from the loading platform. The floor of the loading platform is
recessed between the wheels to a width of 825 mm to tak6 standard pallets. The floor extends on both sides full length
above the wheels.
The second type is a
five-door model. The two additional
doors are on both sides between front and rear wheels. The floor area between these doors is at the
same level as the centre loading space.
Various additional body structures can be fitted to both types. The body is self-supporting and can be
removed from the chassis in one piece.
After removing the driver and front passenger seat, a large cover can be
hinged up to give easy access to the engine.
The Austrian-made Pinzgauer
will be with our troops in the next few months. This is a new cross-country vehicle as part of the necessary
replacement of army machinery.
Of course, the authorities
do not intend to extend the present range of military vehicles. The EMD (Defence Ministry) has for years
pursued a clear policy of fulfilling a multitude of army requirements with a
minimum of vehicle types.
The introduction of the
Pinzgauer is a further step in the miltary vehicle replacement programme. The new vehicle replaces older types which
are no longer economical to repair.
The Pinzgauer is by design a
typical multi-purpose vehicle. It will
replace a number of out-of-date army vehicles.
These are mainly the Dodge weapon carriers and commando cars purchased
25 years ago as American war-surplus material, and since then in constant hard
use. In a few years, the almost
20-year-old Mowog will need replacing.
The Pinzgauer will also be the intended replacement. Therefore, two vehicle types are replaced by
one.
There are further long-term
possibilities of using the Pinzgauer as a replacement. The one-ton Unimog will have to be changed
in due course.
Another problem has been the
large number of commanding officers who at present have just a jeep with hardly
any room for weapons and equipment apart from the four seats. And access to the rear seats is not very
practical.
If a CO intends to use a
driver, a radio operator, a runner and some advisers, the Jeep is no longer
suitable. The Pinzgauer is the answer
because there is room for nine passengers, excluding driver, and space for
material. More equipment can be loaded
if there are fewer passengers. With the
Pinzgauer, a CO receives a very mobile but small one-ton vehicle hardly larger
than a Land Rover but with good cross-country ability because of the basic
design: all four wheels have cross-country characteristics. Incidentally, the Pinzgauer is manufactured
by our EFTA partner, Austria.
To complete the story, it
must be said that such a design is not a recent development but originates from
the designer Ledwinka Senior, who has constructed such vehicles in the thirties
with Tatra in Czechoslovakia. Ledwinka
moved to Austria in 1948 and found new challenges at Steyr. His son is today chief engineer of Steyr and
ensures the further success of the original design of his late father.
The 6 X 6 version of the
Pinzgauer will soon follow. Engine,
transmission, suspension, etc., are the same as on the 4 X 4. The additional
rear axle assembly permits a 500/o extension of the load floor giving room for
12 people (loading capacity approx 1,5 ton).
The total weight of the Pinzgauer 6 X 6 is limited to 3.5 tons to permit
driving by holders of normal passenger car driving licences. R. V.
Messrs Steyr-Dalmler-Puch,
registered in Vienna, main plants in Steyr and Graz and subsidiary plants
troughout Austria, are known abroad mainly as commercial vehicle producers. In
1959, the company introduced a light cross-country vehicle, the Haflinger, which
was a big success in the military and civilian sector, although the production
was relatively small as is normal with such special purpose vehicles.
This vehicle is widely used in the Swiss army as a cross-country
transporter.
The
firm introduced the Pinzgauer on 17 May 1971 in Graz. As
for the Haflinger, the name Pinzgauer originates from a famous breed of Austrian
cart horses. The day was a new
cornerstone for the Graz works.'Production of cross-country vehicles is extended
and future demands are sure. it is intended to produce approx 10,000 Pinzgauers
over the next five years.
The total production of the next few months will be supplied to the Swiss
army. The management states that the
Pinzgauer will only be available for civilian use in 1972. The small Haflinger will still be produced
in the new plant in Graz together with the large scale production of the
Pinzgauer.
The
history of the Pinzgauer goes back six years. Market
research indicated sufficient demand for large-scale production of such
vehicles. Possible customers, among them the group for
military supplies in Switzerland, received prototypes at an early stage of
development. Steyr-Puch points out
today that this vehicle has been designed from the marketing viewpoint. For instance, a first picture of the
Pinzgauer with radio equipment was published in the ,AR" No 24 in May 1968,
introducing the vehicles of the armament programme.
The Steyr works are rightly proud to have scored again with the Pinzgauer, the design of which is based on experience from the Haflinger and which has been accepted immediately abroad. EWS