Park an armored vehicle on a slope with a gradient of over 80%? Gerlach can do that.
The new generation armored vehicle Gerlach 4×4 is continuing with a series of special stress tests this year as well. After ballistic resistance tests and challenging terrain and racing circuit testing, the vehicle has successfully passed through extreme tests connected with other important construction elements.
The aim of the tests that took place on the grounds of the Military Technical Institute of Ground Forces in Vyškov (Czech republic) was mainly to examine the efficiency and robustness of the parking brake system, which can play an important role in crisis situations.
Gerlach was confronted with the general army requirement of keeping the vehicle on a slope with a gradient of 60%, i.e. at an angle of 30°. “This gradient is the limit whereby physical laws begin to be critical for vehicle sustainability, especially for a high friction coefficient. However, the need to shut down a vehicle without a motor in any terrain during sharp deployment may arise. This is an important tactical parameter,” explained Gerlach project manager Pavel Bušta.
Tests were carried out on a special tilting platform, which gradually tested the limits of the domestic armor with an increasing tilt. The vehicle passed the tests with a large reserve, holding an incline of 78% (38.2° angle) in the “uphill” direction, while in the “downhill” tilt test, Gerlach parked at an angle of 83.9% (40° angle) without difficulty.
During the tests, the vehicle was weighted to a maximum weight of 14.2 tons, simulating the weight of a 6-member crew with full equipment as well as the maximum cargo weight in the cargo space. As P. Bušta explained, these results were achieved using special components and the cooperation of the parking system with a special descending gearbox, as the parking brake alone would not be able to cope with such a strain. The test resulted in a certificate issued by the Military Technical Institute as the certification office.