The procedure for replacing the anti-roll bar on a VAZ 2107

Purpose, design and principles of operation of the VAZ 2107 stabilizer

It has already been written above that the SPU is one of the important parts of the car. But why? The answer is simple - thanks to it, driving improves significantly, becoming more comfortable. This device makes it possible to keep the chassis tilt under control without increasing the pressure on the camber of the rear wheels.

The increased control over the vehicle on sharp turns is especially noticeable.

Thanks to the stabilizer, it will be possible to enter such turns at higher speeds without the risk of capsizing.

The roll bar SPU looks like a C-shaped hose that is installed next to the axle. The stabilizer is mounted on brackets with rubber bushings inside.

It is worth noting that the VAZ 2107 stabilizer bushing is the weakest point in the design and breaks most often.

The stabilizer works on the principle of distributing the load between two suspensions.

It works relatively simply - when making a sharp turn, the car can roll. Stabilizer, since one wheel lowers and the other, accordingly, rises. The stabilizer prevents this from happening by twisting the rod and raising the lowered wheel and lowering the raised one. Thanks to this, the car is leveled.

What is a rear stabilizer

The rear stabilizer for the VAZ 2107 is a curved C-shaped rod installed next to the rear axle of the “seven”. The stabilizer is attached at four points. Two of them are located on the rear suspension arms, two more on the rear side members of the “seven”. These fasteners are ordinary eyes with dense rubber bushings inside (these bushings are the weak point of the entire structure).

Today you can purchase a rear stabilizer and fasteners for it at any spare parts store. Some drivers prefer to make this device themselves, but this is a very labor-intensive process that requires certain skills that a novice car enthusiast simply does not have. That is why the replacement of bushings on a finished stabilizer will be discussed below.

Purpose of the rear stabilizer

The anti-roll bar on the “seven” performs two important functions at once:

• this device gives the driver the opportunity to control the tilt of the car’s chassis, while the force acting on the camber of the rear wheels practically does not increase;
• After installing the stabilizer, the tilt of the suspension between the axles of the car changes significantly. As a result, the driver is able to better control the car;
• The improvement in car control is especially noticeable on sharp turns. After installing the stabilizer, not only does the lateral roll of the car during such turns decrease, but you can also take them at a higher speed.

About the disadvantages of the rear stabilizer

Speaking about the advantages that the stabilizer provides, one cannot fail to mention the disadvantages that also exist. In general, the installation of a stabilizer still remains the subject of fierce debate among car enthusiasts. Opponents of installing stabilizers usually justify their position with the following points:

• Yes, after installing the rear stabilizer, lateral stability increases significantly. But this is a double-edged sword, since it is the high lateral stability that makes it much easier for the car to skid. This circumstance is good for those who engage in so-called drifting, but for an ordinary driver who finds himself on a slippery road, this is completely useless;
• If a car enthusiast decides to install a rear stabilizer on his “seven”, then he is strongly recommended to install a front one, and not a regular one, but a double one. This measure will help prevent excessive loosening of the car body;
• The cross-country ability of a car with stabilizers is reduced. On sharp turns, such a car often begins to cling to the soil or snow with its stabilizers.

Thus, a driver who is thinking about installing stabilizers should weigh all the pros and cons as carefully as possible, and only after that make a final decision.

Diagnostics

A breakdown can occur for a variety of reasons, so it is impossible to determine the exact time of full operation without breakdowns. Basically it all depends on the operating conditions. For example, if you often drive off-road, the stabilizer will break down often.

Basically, the SPU is checked during annual maintenance, but no one bothers you to do it yourself at any time.

First you need to remove the wheel. After this, use the steering wheel to make a maximum turn in any direction and shake the “bare” stand from side to side with your hand, grasping the middle third. If there are faults, looseness will be noticeable.

Signs of a broken rear stabilizer

The most common signs of failure are:

• Vehicle roll during sharp maneuvers, instability;
• The car begins to sway, as soon as you turn the steering wheel a little to the side;
• If you drive on an uneven road, you will hear a sound from the suspension;
• The car begins to “yaw” when braking;
• If you lower the steering wheel, the car will start to swerve.

How should the stabilizer be positioned?

A correctly installed SPU should twist when the wheels turn.

Therefore, on passenger cars it is strictly forbidden to weld to the frame, since there must always be an intermediate link between it and the wheel. For example, in the VAZ 2107 bushings act as such a link. It is not recommended to use a stabilizer without them.

Causes of creaking stabilizer bushings

Drivers most often complain about bushings creaking either in cold or dry weather. But these are not the main factors and each driver may have his own reasons for this problem. They are individual for everyone. Main reasons:

• The material from which the bushings were made is of poor quality;
• When it freezes, the rubber from which the bushings are made becomes harder and loses its elasticity, which is why squeaks are heard;

• The bushing has simply worn out and can no longer fulfill its direct duties;
• Due to the design features of the car.

Before replacing the anti-roll bar, you need to figure out what the problem is. Most often you just need to replace the rubber bands.

Why does the stabilizer bushing squeeze out?

In fact, the bushing is quite gentle to use. It can wear out pretty quickly. This mainly happens in winter. In cold weather, the bushing freezes, which can cause cracks to appear on it. Various reagents that are used to sprinkle roads during icy conditions can also play a role in this.

If the driver did not notice the problem in time, the cracks continue to grow. Because of this, the bushing begins to lose its elasticity. And so, at the next turn, it can simply be squeezed out of the eyelet. It is no longer possible to return it back - it is too worn out and will not be able to perform its direct functions.

After this, when entering a turn, the motorist may hear a creaking and grinding sound. The vehicle's handling will also decrease.

About double stabilizers

As the name suggests, there are two rods in this stabilizer. But such a device is installed only on the front wheels. Basically there are no fundamental differences.

Thanks to this SPU device, the stiffness of the suspension will increase significantly, which on the one hand is good, but on the other hand, some problems may arise. The fact is that on the classic VAZ 2107 the two front wheels operate independently of each other - that is, if the left front wheel lifts, the right one does not. But due to the installation of a double stabilizer, everything will change - the suspension will become semi-independent and the steering will become much stiffer, and the traction will become worse.

Therefore, before purchasing and installing a double SPU, you need to think carefully - either comfortable driving and good cross-country ability, or no roll.

Signs of a broken rear stabilizer

It’s not difficult to guess that something is wrong with the rear stabilizer of the VAZ 2107. Here's what's observed:

• a characteristic grinding or creaking noise, which is especially clearly heard when entering a sharp turn at high speed;
• a significant increase in vehicle roll when cornering and a decrease in controllability when cornering;
• the appearance of play on the stabilizer. Play can be easily detected by placing the car in an inspection hole and simply shaking the stabilizer bar up and down;
• destruction of bushings. The play mentioned above is almost always accompanied by the destruction of rubber bushings. They are squeezed out of their eyes, crack and completely cease to perform their functions.

All of the above things indicate only one thing: it’s time to repair the stabilizer. In the vast majority of cases, repairing the rear stabilizer comes down to replacing damaged bushings, since the fasteners and rod rarely need repairs. Such a need may arise only in the event of serious mechanical damage, when the driver caught a large stone or curb with the stabilizer, for example.

How should the stabilizer be positioned?

A properly installed stabilizer should be able to twist under the influence of forces on the wheels, and it should do this even when the forces applied to the right and left wheels are directed at completely different angles.

That is, stabilizers on passenger cars should never be directly welded to the frame; between the frame and the wheel mount there must always be some kind of intermediate link responsible for compensating for multidirectional forces. In the case of the VAZ 2107, such a link is dense rubber bushings, without which it is strictly not recommended to operate the stabilizer.

Why does the stabilizer bushing squeeze out?

As mentioned above, the bushings on the stabilizer serve to compensate for the forces on the wheels. These efforts can reach enormous values, especially when the car enters a sharp turn. Rubber, even of very high quality, systematically subjected to enormous alternating loads, inevitably becomes unusable. Severe frosts and reagents that are used to sprinkle roads in our country during icy conditions also contribute to the destruction of bushings.

It usually starts with cracking of the bushing surface. If the driver does not notice the problem in time, the cracks become deeper and the bushing gradually loses its rigidity. At the next sharp turn, this cracked bushing is squeezed out of the eye and does not return back to it, since the elasticity of the part is completely lost. After this, play appears on the stabilizer bar, the driver hears a creaking and grinding sound when entering a turn, and the car’s controllability decreases sharply.

About double stabilizers

Double stabilizers are installed only on the front wheels of the VAZ 2107. As the name suggests, there are already two bars in this device. They have the same C-shape and are located approximately four centimeters from each other. The mounting lugs in the double stabilizers are also paired. Otherwise, this design does not have any fundamental differences from the rear stabilizer.

Why use two bars instead of one? The answer is obvious: to increase the overall stiffness of the suspension. The double front stabilizer copes with this task perfectly. But one cannot fail to note the problems that arise after its installation. The fact is that the front suspension on the classic “seven” is initially independent, that is, the position of one wheel does not in any way affect the position of the second. After installing a double stabilizer, this situation will change and the suspension will turn from independent to semi-independent: its working stroke will be significantly reduced, and in general the control of the car will become tougher.

Of course, the roll when entering turns with a double stabilizer will be reduced. But the driver should think: is he really ready to sacrifice personal comfort and cross-country ability of the car for the sake of its stability? And only after answering this question can you start working.

Benefits of timely replacement

Replacing bushings is a simple process that any driver can handle. As they say - “if there is a desire.” If it is not there, it is better to contact a car service center, where you will be provided with professional assistance.

Thanks to the timely replacement of worn bushings, the anti-roll bar of the VAZ 2107 can last longer.

Thanks to the new bushings, driving on roads, regardless of whether they are of high quality or not, will become much more comfortable and safer.

When do you need to change struts?

If the driver still decides to install a rear anti-roll bar on a classic, he will have to deal with the struts in any case. If the device is installed for the first time, the car owner simply does not know how to determine that his rack is no longer working. There are several ways to figure this out:

• grinding and crashing;
• severe drifts;
• the lubrication has run out.

The first thing a driver may notice when the struts wear out is a grinding and rattling noise. You can feel it when turning and drifting. This is such a unique sound that it is difficult to compare with anything. The sound appears only when it is completely worn out; initially there is no noise in this area. If you hear a rumble, the struts definitely need to be changed.

Important: In order not to be left guessing, the driver can not focus on the rumble, but independently touch the rack and feel the vibration with the rumble. To do this, your friend must pull the steering wheel to the side.

Since the stabilizer is connected to the car's suspension, it transmits information that the car has gone into a skid and a roll has appeared. All this information passes through the strut, as it performs an important function - it connects these two suspension elements. If the strut is worn out, the stabilizer stops performing its function and the driver experiences strong skidding when turning.

Solution

Many beginners may experience problems or difficulties when replacing bushings. This section of the article will help you solve them.

When to replace transverse stabilizer bushings

SPU bushings are replaced immediately after wear is detected. If this is not done and you continue to drive with worn bushings, then irreparable problems may soon appear and then you will have to replace the stabilizer completely.

Installation materials and tools

In order to successfully change rubber bands you will need:

• A set of new bushings for the rear stabilizer;

• Set of open-end wrenches;
• Flathead screwdriver and hammer;
• Composition WD40;
• Mounting blade.

Sequence of operations for replacing rear stabilizer bushings on a VAZ 2107

Having prepared everything you need, you can begin the repair:

1. After the car is placed in the pit, you need to inspect the fastenings. Usually, due to long-term use, a layer of dirt and rust could appear on them. To eliminate these unpleasant consequences, you need to treat the compounds with WD 40. After that, all you have to do is wait about fifteen minutes. During this time, dirt and rust should dissolve and work can continue.
2. The nuts must be unscrewed with a 17mm open-end wrench.

3. In order to loosen the stabilizer bar with the clamp, you will have to use a mounting blade. Having inserted it into a narrow hole, you need to use the lever principle and bend the clamp.

4. After this you need to get rid of the old gum. This can be done with a knife.
5. The place where the new bushing will be installed must be cleaned of dirt and rust. After this, you can install a new rubber band, having first lubricated its inside with grease (it should be sold with the kit). Now you need to put it on the rod and move it along it to the installation site.

6. After the fifth step is completed, you need to tighten the nut on the clamp.
7. Then all that remains is to replace all the other bushings according to the instructions above. Afterwards, you need to evaluate the quality of the work performed - if the stabilizer is not warped and no play is detected, then the replacement was carried out correctly. You can drive.

Video of replacing stabilizer bushings on a VAZ 2107. Useful video:

Let's summarize - the stabilizer for the classic VAZ 2107 is an extremely controversial tuning element. On the one hand, it increases the stability of the car, but on the other hand, it reduces cross-country ability and driving comfort. However, it has one undoubted advantage - ease of maintenance. Even a novice car enthusiast can cope with this. After all, the only part of the SPU that is subject to rapid wear is the bushings, replacing which will not be a problem for a person who has at least once held a wrench with a mounting blade in his hands.

Materials and tools that will be needed for work

1. Bulgarian.
2. Keys and heads.
3. Welding machine.
4. Solvent.
5. Electric drill.
6. Sandpaper.
7. An attachment for an electric drill to clean surfaces.
8. Wheels for grinder.
9. Blowtorch.
10. Well secured vice.

All parts can be easily found at any auto parts store. A set of tools can be found in almost every car enthusiast’s garage. It is worth finding only a welding machine for the duration of the work.