Digest
«Yemelya» – is an amphibious vehicle designed for transportation over ice floes and thin ice of the Arctic Ocean. Its six wheels are dressed with special low pressure tires inflated to the mere 0,7 bar. The gross vehicle weight is under 1,5 tons while the total water displacement of the six inflated tires constitutes 4 tons resulting in the very shallow draft of the vehicle body in water - just 10 centimeters. Despite the large profile and windage characteristics of vehicle’s body, its spinning wheels are capable of propelling at the speed of 2-3 km/h on the open water. The vehicle tows three single-axel trailers each loaded with a pair of 200 L fuel barrels and six 130 L plastic containers for food and gear. Inside of its aluminum body, which also performs the function of vehicle’s frame, “Yemelya’s” drive train uses an engine from a Toyota front wheel driven passenger car for its powerhouse. Two driveshafts of the engine deliver torque to the locking differentials of the front and middle axles. The rear differential can also be locked and is driven by chain drive and a driveshaft from the middle axle. Driveshafts of all wheels have through-body construction and use rubber seals at the entry points. The engine, transmission and the electrical components of the drive train are all located completely on the inside of the sealed, watertight body, allowing “Yemelya” to feel quite comfortable in salty sea waters. Wheel drums are mounted on separate levers of vehicle’s independent suspension with a free travel of 450 mm. Mechanical winch in the front of “Yemelya” is driven by the main engine power through a separate clutch mechanism. Mechanical winch design is the most reliable and it is not susceptible to overheating and ice build up inside of its components resulting from condensation of water vapors, common with the electric winches. Battery terminals are extended to the outside of the vehicle’s body allowing them to be connected in-line for welding. Snow melting container is located in specially designed pocket near muffler of the exhaust system. On the inside, «Yemelya» is a spacious, well insulated transport capable of accommodating Arctic travelers for extended periods of time with safety and comfort.
Comparison characteristics
| General information | «Yemelya» all-terrain vehicle 1,2 (2008-2009) | «Yemelya» all-terrain vehicle 3,4 (2011 – at present time) |
| Unladen mass, kg | 1500 | 1430 |
| Gross mass, kg | 2100 | 2100 |
| Payload capacity, kg | 600 | 670 |
| Mass and number of towed trailers, kg | 2x800 | 3x800 |
| Average ground pressure per unit of area under full load, kPa (kgf⁄sm²) | 7 (0,07) | 7 (0,07) |
| Maximum travel speed at hard-surface roads, km⁄h | 50 | 50 |
| Minimum travel speed at lowest gear, km⁄h | 2,5 | 2 |
| Travel speed afloat, km⁄h | 2-3 | 2-3 |
| Fuel tank capacity, l | 90 | 50 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 3600 | 3600 |
| Wheel track, mm | 1950 | 1950 |
| Clearance, mm | 600 | 600 |
| Length, mm | 5200 | 5200 |
| Width, mm | 2450 | 2450 |
| Height, mm | 2700 | 2700 |
| 2. Engine | ||
| Diesel | TOYOTA | TOYOTA |
| Displacement, sm ². | 2000 | 2000 |
| Power, hp (kW) | 75 (55,2) at 3400 rpm | 75 (55,2) at 3400 rpm |
| Torque, Nm | 132,4 at 2000 rpm | 132,4 at 2000 rpm |
| 3. Transmission | ||
| Clutch | Single-plate, dry, hydraulically-operated | Single-disk, dry, hydraulically-operated |
| Gearbox | Mechanical, 5-speed | Mechanical, 5-speed, with lockable interaxle differential |
| Front axle main gear | Hypoid-spiral bevel gear, with limited-slip differential | Hypoid-spiral bevel gear, with lockable differential |
| Intermediate axle main gear | Hypoid-spiral bevel gear, with locked differential | Hypoid-spiral bevel gear, with lockable differential |
| Rear axle main gear | Hypoid-spiral bevel gear, with locked differential | Hypoid-spiral bevel gear, with lockable differential |
| Wheel drives | Constant velocity joint | Constant velocity joint |
| Free-wheel clutches («Hubs») | Mechanical, manual, at middle and rear axles | Mechanical, automatic, at rear axle |
| Front wheels ⁄ rear wheels swiveling mechanism | Steering wheel, screw-nut type⁄rope type | Steering wheel, screw-nut type⁄----no---- |
| Rear axle | Permanently engaged | Switchable, rear-axle actuation mechanism – vacuum-type |
| Brakes | Disk-type transmission brakes, at front axle and rear axle | Disk-type transmission brakes, at intermediate axle |
| Winch | Mechanical driven with multi-plate clutch | Mechanical driven with multi-plate clutch |
| Rope | Kevlar, length on reel 100 m | Kevlar, length on reel 50 m |
| 4. Chassis | ||
| Wheel arrangement | 6õ6 | 6õ6 |
| Propulsion device type | Wheel-type, tire-shell OSh-1 1300õ500x530 | Wheel-type, tire-shell OSh-1 1300õ500x530 |
| Tire pressure, kPa (kg⁄sm²) | 5 (0,05) | 5 (0,05) |
| Suspension | Independent, spring-type with shock-absorbers, double fishbone suspension on crossbars | Independent, spring-type with shock-absorbers, double fishbone suspension on crossbars ⁄ doubled shock-absorbers at the front axle |
| Directional control | Steering, by simultaneous turning of front and rear wheels | Steering, by turning of front wheels |
| Rear wheels control | switchable | -------- |
| Turning radius between kerbs, m | 7,25 | 6,25 (with switched-off rear axle) |
| 5. Body | ||
| Body displacement together with submerged wheel, tons | 2,1 | 2,1 |
| Frame | Three-dimensional, integrated in the body, made of light alloy, welded⁄riveted | Three-dimensional, integrated in the body, made of light alloy, riveted |
| Cabin | Wagon-type configuration, made of light alloy, riveted, with thermal insulation by PU foam sheets with heat reflector | Wagon-type configuration, made of light alloy, riveted, with thermal insulation by PU foam sheets with heat reflector |
| Number of seats (including driver's seat) | 3-5 | 3-5 |
| Number of berths | 5 | 5 |