Buying Russian

[handler 69]

After all the grief I have had with the Fox...I decieded that a 2nd vehicle whilst needed would not be British, I had designs on a Saracen. I have heard lots of things about Russian gear and thought I would ask you fellas. Iam looking at something big in the way of an APC, what are their vehicles like to drive? What kind of gear box do they have? Can an ordinary mechanic work on them ( no one here knows anything about pre select gear boxes! :cry:)are parts OK to get. How robust are they? Who is best to buy one off?

Anyway drop me a line, or PM me.

Thanks

Troy

[ArtistsRifles]

After all the grief I have had with the Fox...I decieded that a 2nd vehicle whilst needed would not be British, I had designs on a Saracen. I have heard lots of things about Russian gear and thought I would ask you fellas. Iam looking at something big in the way of an APC, what are their vehicles like to drive? What kind of gear box do they have? Can an ordinary mechanic work on them ( no one here knows anything about pre select gear boxes! :cry:)are parts OK to get. How robust are they? Who is best to buy one off?

Anyway drop me a line, or PM me.

Thanks

Troy

 

First off - forget the horror stories of crap engineering. This things are built to be serviceable in the hands of conscripts more at home on a farm tractor - or a plough horse. I've had mine for 3+ years now and the only problems with it have been due to Beltring dust and a perished door fuel line. It's had ONE service in all that time - and that was this year.

 

The OT-90/BMP is relatively easy to work once the decks are up. If you cannot access it from the top there are pop-out hatched in the engine walls giving reasonable access (compared to some NATO kit) for all the essentials. The deck over the gear box, brakes and final drive as well as the rear of the instrument panel is 30 bolts and then it lifts on hinges forwards. the deck over the engine itself is another 30 bolts but requires a heavy duty hoist to lift it out of place. Once off - access again is good. Any competent mechanic should be able to work on them - V8 diesel engine, manual gearbox, seperate braking systems for steering and stopping... Be warned though - the air systems for starting and the swim-vane/snorkel run at around 120 atmospheres, not psi or kg/cm2

 

Driving is easy for people of all shapes and size - control as car-like with a tiller ar as opposed to levers, plenty of room inside and the seat height has a good range of adjustment to get the head above the periscope ring.

 

The 8 wheeler 0T-64/SKOT is a different ketle of fish. THe engine is mid-mounted and a right PITA to get at. The gearbox is air controlled and, again, a nightmare to get at whilst the drivers set has a minimal range of vertical movement and no way of driving with the head exposed. I looked at swapping my OT-90 for a -64 but a talk with a UK dealers mechanics changed my mind quickly.

I am told the BTR-60 and -80 are much the same as regards acess to major mechanicals. The 4 wheel BRDM is supposed to be akin to the BMP for access etc. I have no experience with either of these though.

 

Spares can be had - just expect a long delay in getting them. Most filters etc. have an equivalent in modern HGV's so aren't a problem. Mechanicals maybe be more so - especially in your part of the world. Standard parts are fairly easy ( in relative terms) to get - specialist ones less so - I've been trying to get hold of the main gun for mine for over 2 years now!Again though - they do not tend to break as readily as their NATO counterparts.

 

Where to buy one - well, given where you are - that is a tricky question. I would not recommend trying to buy one direct from the former Soviet states or satellites though as the paperwork is a nightmare. Look on MilWeb for the dealers and e-mail them to see what they recommend.

 

Any other questions - feel free to as away or PM me. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[BRDM Driver]

If you are ever down at Bovington Tank Museum, contact me and you can come and take a look at my BRDM2.

 

PROS

Simple engineering, easy to drive, easy to fix, lots of cool gadgets.

 

CONS

Parts hard to get, visibilty not too good for the driver.

[handler 69]

I will probabley be looking at a BTR 60, I need the carrying capacity. Have been told to avoid the Skots.

[paulob1]

SKOTS are a pig to drive underpowered and uncomfortable...BTR60 never driven but good if running well i am told, fuel consumption bad though...as to working on them, generally easy peasey with long term materials used through out, ie copper fuel pipes as opposed to rubber, etc etc..

[handler 69]

Have been quoted for a "nice" BTR at 24,000 GBP :shocked:. We will see what happens next year! Would be fantastic to get one! Have "wars" with my Fox (when he is going )

[diver99]

Have been quoted for a "nice" BTR at 24,000 GBP :shocked:. We will see what happens next year! Would be fantastic to get one! Have "wars" with my Fox (when he is going )

 

Get the guns to fire paintballs. That would be fun.

[ArtistsRifles]

SKOTS are a pig to drive underpowered and uncomfortable...BTR60 never driven but good if running well i am told, fuel consumption bad though...as to working on them, generally easy peasey with long term materials used through out, ie copper fuel pipes as opposed to rubber, etc etc..

 

"easy peasy" was not the words used by the mechnics from a well known importer when I had the OT serviced. I asked what both the SKOT and BTR were like as I was thiunking of swapping the OT-90 and they were not at all flattering in their decriptions of either in terms of maintenance and fixing......

 

Have been quoted for a "nice" BTR at 24,000 GBP :shocked:. We will see what happens next year! Would be fantastic to get one! Have "wars" with my Fox (when he is going )

 

Define "nice"!! I saw some BMP's described thus when buying the OT-90 that were anything but nice.... For example - high water marks inside the hull where they had sat for yeqars half full of water and so forth... Which meant all the internal fittings which are canvas and leather had rotted to nothing and which are almost impossible to source....

[handler 69]

I was quoted by Duncan Nicholson and Richard Moore. We are not allowed paintball in Tasmania so it would all be smoke and noise, still enjoyable I suppose.

I have 1000 acres in Tassie, Neil.....if you want to run your vehicles around without anyone complaining.

[ArtistsRifles]

Do you have the same issue we have on max width vehicles and use on the road? - only the BTR's are in the region of 2.8m wide

[handler 69]

We can get permission to drive on the road. Most of the time it would be out on the property anyway. Would need escort vehicle GOOD OLD LANDIE

[Rob Reznik]

Dont forget the BTR60 has two straight six petrol engines so fuel consumption is not great - parts are NOT that easy to get hold of although amazingly I was offered a brand new engine for one this year - they have the same engine as some of the older trucks which are still in use in the Ukraine so engine service parts should still be available. As already mentioned these vehicles are designed to be driven by conscripts and the BTR60 is great fun with a fair turn of speed for an old design. Having experienced living in thirld world Countries I'm sure some of the local 'mechanics' and fabricators would solve most problems you may have .

[diver99]

I was quoted by Duncan Nicholson and Richard Moore. We are not allowed paintball in Tasmania so it would all be smoke and noise, still enjoyable I suppose.

I have 1000 acres in Tassie, Neil.....if you want to run your vehicles around without anyone complaining.

 

No paintballing! I believe paintballing in the UK was initially financed as a money laundering venture. Chopper Read lives in Tas doesn't he, can't you ask him to have a word in somebody's ear, obviously not his own.:-D

[handler 69]

WE have decieded to get a BTR 60, going to have to get the uniforms now. Anyone have any pics of Russians from 1980's?

 

PS anyone heard of a firm called "Soviet Armour"?

Edited May 23, 2011 by handler 69
additional question

[bobrahakl]

Hi, I have no photos of the Russians, and some photos of my friends from the military action in the Czech Republic http://bobrahakl.rajce.idnes.cz/

[handler 69]

We have decieded on the BMP-1 instead of the 60.

[robin33ba07]

AN OT 90 is slightly better ,no gun so hassle there ,and get two dommy machines made up and your off

[ArtistsRifles]

AN OT 90 is slightly better ,no gun so hassle there ,and get two dommy machines made up and your off

Not strictly true - I've been trying to get a KVPT for over 3 years....

 

Where the OT scores is the simplicity of the turret, no power traverse or auto-feeder mechanism. IF buying one with the switches translated be aware that the one in the turret marked "heater" is actually the weapons safety!!! And the one marked "lights" turns on the gun sight!!