Rear shock absorbers from Niva on VAZ 2107

As I already said, I bought front springs from a Chevrolet Niva (2123) and Classic spring cushions.

The springs themselves are shorter than the Classic ones!

approximately
2.5 turns!
The rod is much thicker. I do all this to get a stiffer front suspension (less roll and sway.

I did not cut the spring, because... I thought that the car would either be lower or have the same spring as the stock one, but in reality it turned out to be some kind of Autosh))

It handles much better, turns sharper, all movements are coordinated, and not rolly as before. Movement as if on rails)

I’m not going to cut it yet, until better times (installation of KT or TT levers)

Ask if interested)

Issue price: 1,310 ₽

Purpose

Chevrolet Niva comes from the factory with springs, both front and rear. The main purpose of these devices is to absorb all the shocks of the suspension that occur when the wheels hit potholes and bumps. They are located in the gap between the wheel and the frame of the car, due to which shocks from the road are smoothed out.

For their manufacture, special high-strength steel is used. The number of turns of the device affects not only the quality of shock absorption, but also the distance of the body from the suspension.

Many Chevrolet Niva owners upgrade the rear springs by installing spacers or reinforced parts.

DIY replacement

Replacement of rear and front springs is carried out not only when they sag, but also when chips, cracks, and other defects are detected. At the initial stage of work, the necessary tools and materials are prepared.

Tools and materials

To carry out the replacement work, you will need the following tools and materials:

1. Set of wrenches.
2. Jacks and stops.
3. New set of springs.

Important! It is recommended to replace them as a set or in pairs for the front and rear wheels. You cannot install parts from different manufacturers or different stiffness classes on the machine.

Work progress

Replacement of the front elements should be carried out in this order:

1. Jack up the SUV and remove the wheel. Set the stop. 2. Unscrew the nut securing the lower arm axle using an open-end wrench.

3. Unscrew the shock absorber mounting bolt, having first unscrewed the nut. 4. The stabilizer cushion bracket is dismantled after unscrewing the two fastening nuts. 5. Place the jack under the suspension and lift until the compression limiter moves freely. 6. Unscrew the three nuts securing the ball joint. The bolts securing the support are removed. 7. Slowly unloading the suspension, remove the springs. 8. The spacers are also dismantled, and then new parts are installed in the reverse order of removal.

The process for replacing rear springs is as follows:

1. You need to disconnect the lower shock absorber hinge from the rear axle and move it to the side.

2. Raise the car to unload the spring. 3. Remove the springs with spacers.

4. Install new springs in reverse order.

The entire replacement process takes no more than an hour for one wheel.

Classification

The suspension elements under consideration are divided into two types according to their rigidity:

1. Standard hard ones are designated by the letter “A”. They have high stability and load capacity.
2. Soft “B” is their main advantage in providing increased comfort, but at the same time they quickly become unusable - they “sag”.

Reference! From the factory, Shniva is equipped with class “A” parts, that is, rigid ones.

Types of springs for Chevy Niva

The time comes when the springs on a Chevrolet Niva need to be replaced. First you need to figure out which suspension elements are best to install so that they provide the expected properties.

Front

You can replace the front suspension elements with devices from manufacturers such as Izh-Techno, Kilen, Lesjofors, Reid or Techno Ressor.

It is necessary to mark only devices of the Reid brand, the cost of which is 4,000 rubles per set. This price is due to the high quality of the kit.

Rear

Unlike the front end, it is recommended to install reinforced elements on the rear part. This is necessary so that the SUV can be loaded, and at the same time the car still absorbs shock from the road well.

Spacers

During operation, the elastic elements of a car's suspension sags and require replacement, however, there is a more budget-friendly option that many car enthusiasts use - installing spacers.

In this case, one main condition must be met - the absence of signs of deformation .
Spacers help restore the functionality of the shock-absorbing elements of the suspension, thereby the owner can save money.

Spring Upgrade

Upgrading springs is the process of modifying a spring yourself. As a rule, the essence of upgrading a standard spring is either cutting it (shortening) or lengthening it (through spacers).

Shortened springs

Springs with a shortened length (relative to the standard for the VAZ 2107) are needed in cases where the driver wants:

• lower the height of the car body;
• optimize steering;
• reduce the sagging opening when overtaking;
• remove sideways roll when cornering.

Most manufacturers already have a range of lowering springs. In this case, the understatement varies by height (-30, -50 and -70 mm). Do not forget that at the same time the ground clearance is also reduced, so operating the “Seven” over potholes and bumps will become difficult.

To save money, you can shorten the springs yourself. To do this, you will need a standard pair of springs and an angle grinder (grinder). Usually it is enough to cut 2 turns to get the “low body” effect and ease of handling. Cutting off 3 turns makes the car very low, so it is already dangerous to drive it on uneven sections of the road.

The modernization of springs should be carried out in clean and bright rooms. It is important to cut the two springs to the same number of turns and carefully measure their length. Even if there is a difference of 1–2 mm in the length of the springs, they cannot be installed in pairs, as this will affect the ride quality.

Video: the formation of springs on a “classic”

Spacers for springs

During operation, the springs wear out - and this is normal. The driver immediately begins to notice that the suspension is losing its rigidity: the car is more difficult to control on uneven roads, increased vibrations and shocks appear.

This problem can be solved by simply replacing the springs or using spacers. By the way, spacers can be used even when installing new springs - they increase their service life and increase the rigidity of operation.

In the auto store you can purchase several types of spacers for VAZ 2107 springs:

• interturn (that is, springs used between the turns);
• products for joints between the spring and the suspension cup;
• products for the joint between the ball joint and the cup;
• spacers for suspension.

Interturn spacers are inexpensive and easy to install. The use of such products will not in any way affect the ground clearance of the car, but will increase the degree of compression of the springs and their stiffness. After installing an interturn spacer on each of the springs, the car will not sag and can continue to be operated without roll when cornering.

The process for installing the interturn spacer is as follows:

1. Place a jack under the front wheel.
2. Expand the spring to maximum using crowbars.
3. Soak the spacer in soapy water.
4. Install the spacer with a screwdriver on one of the lower coils of the spring and secure it.
5. Remove the wheel from the jack and perform the same procedure on the other side of the car.

All other types of spacers are aimed at upgrading the suspension, not the springs, but the essence of their installation and functions is the same.

Video: operating procedure

Compatibility of springs from Niva and Shniva

The springs on the Chevrolet Niva from the regular Niva VAZ-2123 are not suitable. The reason for this is the differences in length. Let's consider the main technical parameters of these elements.

From the comparison table it is clear that the free length of the parts in question does not correspond, which is the reason for the impossibility of installation, since the springs from the Niva are shorter.

Springs Kilen-Lesjofors, coating

I cannot help but note the issue of spring coating. The most important difference from other manufacturers is not the paint. Primary coating is made with zinc phosphate, secondary with epoxy powder. Let me note an important thing. Spring coating isn't just about "beauty" - it's about long-lasting performance. Metal whose structure has been penetrated by rust is, in most cases, scrap metal. In St. Petersburg conditions, the coating lasted more than 7 years before the first chips appeared on the springs.

Suspension springs have a direct impact on the smoothness of the car and driving safety. Being in constant operation, these suspension elements wear out, and therefore they should be regularly inspected for mechanical damage. It is also necessary to constantly “listen” to the behavior of the car when hitting bumps.

The main signs that it is time to change the front springs on a Chevrolet Niva are:

• Reduced ride smoothness, suspension breakdowns;
• Creaking, grinding and a characteristic metallic knock when hitting an uneven surface;
• Distortion of the front of the car;
• Noticeable “sag” of the front suspension;
• Body sway when driving, etc.

Video

We recommend watching detailed video instructions, this can save you time and effort when carrying out repairs on your own

As I already said, I bought front springs from a Chevrolet Niva (2123) and Classic spring cushions.

The springs themselves are shorter than the Classic ones!

approximately
2.5 turns!
The rod is much thicker. I do all this to get a stiffer front suspension (less roll and sway.

I did not cut the spring, because... I thought that the car would either be lower or have the same spring as the stock one, but in reality it turned out to be some kind of Autosh))

It handles much better, turns sharper, all movements are coordinated, and not rolly as before. Movement as if on rails)

I’m not going to cut it yet, until better times (installation of KT or TT levers)

Ask if interested)

Issue price: 1,310 ₽

Characteristics of suspension springs for VAZ cars

You can find out the price of a part by the catalog number (article), which is indicated in the tables.

1 Before coating. 2 Dimensions and parameters for reference. 3 Including control washers. 4 DP - existing production; PP - production preparation; ZCh - spare parts; OV - extended turn; n.d. - no data.

A little theory

The main task of valve springs is to ensure an unbreakable kinematic connection of the holy trinity: camshaft cam - rocker - valve. At low speeds there are almost no problems. It all starts from the moment they start turning the engine. The rocker cam presses on the rocker at high speed, giving it and the valve a large vertical downward acceleration. If the springs are weak or sagging, then the following passage occurs. The valve and rocker fly by inertia more than intended by the cam lift. At best, they will return to the fist with a blow. In the worst case, the valve “hung” at the bottom meets the piston. Both of these can lead to major engine damage.

Valve spring 2101, specifics

Almost all articles on my site have a title that I usually call “problem”. In this case there are no problems. The stiffness of the standard springs is enough to “turn” the engine up to 6000-7000 rpm. The springs are even a little “pinched” if we talk about a civilian engine. This point can be easily corrected by installing modified valve plates , thereby “losing” the spring a little. Thus, the question comes down to only one thing: find and supply quality springs.

Valve spring 2101, manufacturer's choice

Springs are made by quite a few factories, using different technologies and from different spring steels. After several tests, I settled on two manufacturers. On conventional and modified engines, I install springs from the Samara plant (defense industry). If you need springs with non-standard characteristics, in my native St. Petersburg, I make springs to order with the necessary parameters. The photo shows springs made in Samara. Why them?

• During operation, there were no cases of spring breakage on standard and modified engines. Of course, we are talking about the correct calculation and selection of the camshaft. If, out of Russian stupidity, after reading the forums, you plug a camshaft with a lift of 12-13 mm onto standard plates, then everything can end quite sadly for the springs and cylinder head. The coils will close several times, and then the spring will simply burst.
• The springs are very well trimmed. The fit to the valve plate and the steel washer on the cylinder head is almost 100%.
• The calibration of the springs falls within the standards that I mentioned above. When, during my experiments, I calibrated new springs from other factories, I had to play “sorting”. Scatters reached 5 kg. Take the springs from this manufacturer out of the packaging and place them in the cylinder head.

Summary. If you decide to make a new high-quality cylinder head, and the old springs have covered about 100 thousand km or more, I recommend strangling the “toad” and installing a new set of valve springs. The price of a good Russian set, in comparison with springs for the “bashka” or the German spring manufacturer Schrick, is simply a pittance. As of 2018, the price of a set of Russian springs is about 1,000 rubles, for Germans it’s about 10,000.

Springs VAZ 2107 - role in the car

Initially, for a smooth ride while driving a car, the so-called “spring suspension” was used, which was installed exclusively on trucks in the first half of the 20th century. In the middle of the last century, along with springs, designers came up with the idea of ​​installing special torsion bars that looked like twisting rods.

Later, torsion bars were replaced by coil springs, which, with some modifications, are still used in car designs today. It was the spring elements in the suspension that were able to provide drivers with the necessary level of smoothness, elasticity on rough roads and increased handling.

The main performance characteristic of any automotive spring is the degree of compression. It is this parameter that will determine the uniformity of driving on different road surfaces.

The spring as part of the VAZ 2107 suspension is therefore necessary to maintain the vehicle’s ground clearance specified by the manufacturer, to reduce vibrations and impacts from the road. A smooth ride is ensured by all elements of the chassis, but the spring plays a major role in this.

Each vehicle has its own characteristics, so an incorrectly selected spring can dramatically worsen the initial ground clearance and the elasticity of the body when driving. As a rule, manufacturers indicate the degree of compression (stiffness) for each car model, since this parameter should become decisive when choosing new springs. In general, the stiffness and elasticity of suspension springs depend on the following parameters:

• diameter of the product: the larger its value, the higher the degree of compression;
• number of spring turns: the more turns, the lower the stiffness;
• coil shape: depending on the elongation of the spring and its shape, it will react differently to vibrations and impacts from the road.