How to choose a clutch for a VAZ according to your driving style
When choosing a clutch, you need to take into account your driving style.
Calm driving style - low revs, smooth shifts, not harsh acceleration. Suitable kits from manufacturers:
- Luk - gears shift smoothly, no jerking.
- Valeo - soft clutch for a comfortable ride.
Most motorists drive at medium speeds, occasionally accelerating in traffic. The style is standard. Suitable mechanism from manufacturers:
- KraftTech - a coupling for comfortable movement.
- Sachs - a tighter device than previous options, suitable for many drivers.
- “VIS” is a domestically produced system, manufactured with high quality, and does not tolerate sudden movements.
With a dynamic driving style, sharp shifts and “throwing” of the clutch pedal are possible. The coupling experiences heavy loads, the following kits are suitable:
- Pilenga - recommended without metal ceramics. The clutch is hard, to avoid jerking you need to pick up high speeds and shift quickly.
- Sachs - suitable for many.
Some motorists prefer a sporty driving style when the mechanism is under stress. The same kits are suitable as for the dynamic style. The clutch will have to be changed more often.
Attention! A sporty driving style is undesirable; frequent high speeds wear out many elements of the car.
When choosing a coupling, you need to take into account factors: cost, compatibility of the kit with the vehicle model, and operating features of the machine.
Among owners of VAZ cars, it is common to install the entire Sachs kit, except for the release bearing, which is replaced with a factory one.
Let's summarize
From the above, we can conclude that the operation of replacing the release bearing of a VAZ 2113-2115 is not as labor-intensive as it might seem at first glance. The most important thing is to follow the above instructions and master all the listed tools.
If you doubt your abilities, it is better to entrust the work to professionals. The price for replacing a release bearing for a VAZ 2113-2115 is from 2000 to 3500 rubles. The price for the work is the same as for replacing the entire clutch.
The process of replacing the release bearing of a VAZ 2113-2115 is clearly shown in these videos:
Rating of the TOP 8 best clutches for VAZ
Among the wide range of clutch kits, we can highlight the most popular and high-quality ones.
Valeo
The leader in the question of which clutch is best to install on a VAZ is the product from Valeo, which is valued among motorists for its reliability, quality, and service life.
The product is more expensive than competitors, which is explained by good performance. Average mileage is 120 thousand km. Often the mechanism remains operational up to 200,000 kilometers. The disk can withstand severe overheating without breaking.
The safety factor of the set is 6000 rpm. The device works normally at 9 thousand. This indicator is important for owners of modified models.
The average cost of a kit for a VAZ-2114 and other models is 7-8 thousand rubles.
Source
Dismantling the gearbox
The most important thing is to remove the gearbox. Therefore, it is best to carry out all work on an inspection hole or overpass - it’s really more convenient. Procedure:
- Remove the left wheel, unscrew the nuts from the ball joint and the tie rod end. You will need to move the box to the side; the drive on the left should come out without any problems.
- Loosen the nut securing the rocker and remove it from the gearbox shaft.
- Remove the starter, having first disconnected the battery and all wires from it.
- Unscrew the fastenings of the pillows holding the box. It is recommended to place a jack or reliable support under the gearbox housing before doing this.
- Disconnect the speedometer cable, disconnect the wires from the reverse sensor, as well as the ground bus.
- Unscrew the three bolts and nut that secure the gearbox housing to the engine block.
- Carefully move the box to the side; the right drive must be removed.
A little about how to properly remove the box:
- Firstly, you cannot remove both drives at once - replace one with a tube that will hold the differential.
- Secondly, it is imperative to drain the oil from the gearbox crankcase. By the way, why not replace it?
VAZ 2109: which clutch to choose and how to do it yourself
Today are no longer the days when the necessary part could only be found from a speculator, purchased at exorbitant prices on the market or through great connections. Then there was more confidence that the quality of the spare part would be 100 percent. Now there are a lot of different clutch kits for the VAZ 2109. “Which clutch to choose?” - this question is becoming more relevant than before. It is noteworthy that on a VAZ 2109 you can determine which clutch is better yourself.
VAZ 2109 when to change the clutch
On the modern market there are copies from different manufacturers, both domestic and foreign, which makes it more difficult to choose truly high-quality clutch discs.
Note! Statistics show that most pressure and driven disks sold in markets and stores are of dubious quality, and sometimes you can even stumble upon counterfeits.
So, which clutch is better to buy and how not to make a mistake in your choice? First you need to figure out what today's manufacturers offer:
- Firstly, this is a factory VIS clutch, also called “stock”. In principle, the product is not bad, it is supplied by the AVTOVAZ plant itself for assembling cars. It is not difficult to distinguish an original clutch from a fake; you just need to check the presence of laser markings applied to the discs themselves. In addition, you can send an SMS with an identification code and receive a response message confirming its uniqueness and quality.
VAZ 2109 clutch kit
- Secondly, there is an imported line of products, this includes VALEO, LUK, SACHS and KRAFT clutches. Among such a variety, the buyer has to make a difficult choice. When choosing, it is not recommended to rely on beautiful packaging and name, since a primitive Chinese counterfeit of a certain brand may be sold.
Operating principle and components
The clutch is single-plate, with a central pressure spring. Drive – cable. The housing is attached to the flywheel and pressure plate. There is also a driven disk.
For dozens, the “native” clutch system is VIS, and although many reviews criticize it, there are also many who believe that there is no better VIS (VAZINTERSERVICE) for VAZ.
The main components are:
- casing;
- Pressure and driven disks;
- Carter with bottom cover. It also has support planes with which the crankcase is attached to the frame;
- Release bearing for disengaging the clutch;
- Flywheel;
- Power plug;
- The cable lead that goes directly to the clutch pedal (far left).
This, in brief, is the clutch device of the VAZ 2110.
TOP 7 best clutches for VAZ (Lada)
The modern market is filled with automotive products from different companies and manufacturers. In such a situation, it is difficult to determine which clutch is best to install on a VAZ. Among the abundance of offers, there are a large number of fakes or not very successful solutions. The following problems can result from a selection error:
- unpredictable pedal behavior;
- a more severe reaction to driver manipulations;
- complexity of installation;
- knocking out of gear during acceleration;
- rapid disc wear;
- increased vibration.
Only the most common problems that arise when making the wrong choice or buying a fake are described here.
Symptoms of a node malfunction
Before replacing the clutch on a VAZ-2112, you need to figure out whether it needs to be done at all.
Among the signs of malfunctions are the following:
- When you press the gas pedal, you can hear the engine picking up speed, but the car does not go faster. This indicates that the clutch is slipping, there is practically no connection between the driven and driving discs.
- Extraneous sounds are heard when the car moves - this may indicate the destruction of some system components. As a rule, at the same time as these sounds, the system also fails.
- A hum is heard when you lightly press the pedal - a clear sign of a faulty release bearing.
- The pedal falls through - most likely the VAZ-2112 clutch cable has broken. This is the most harmless thing that can happen.
- If the cable is intact, but the pedal falls and the clutch does not release, then the release bearing has collapsed. Unfortunately, this also happens sometimes.
Knowing all the signs of breakdowns, you can begin repairs. Replacing the clutch on a VAZ-2112 with your own hands is not difficult. You just need to know the order of the work.
How to choose the right one
Competent selection in 2022 begins with studying manufacturers’ offers. Knowing several factors will help determine which clutch is best installed on a VAZ.
- Precise car modification. The configuration of the clutch kit and its physical parameters depend on the type of car.
- Estimated price range. Depending on the desired cost, the user can navigate by company. The final price tag is considered an important factor - you shouldn’t count on the cheapest model.
- Method of operating the machine. With moderate driving under normal conditions, even simple modifications to the disc and drives will last quite a long time. If the car is used in racing mode or under critical overloads with frequent switching (this also includes training cars), you should buy high-quality products with a large margin of safety.
Dismantling
Most often you need to remove the gearbox, especially if you need a replacement rather than just an adjustment. It is not necessary to drain the oil from the box.
You also need:
- Disconnect the battery;
- Remove the air filter;
- Disconnect the wiring harness;
- Raise the car, then loosen the clutch drive nut (on the right) and unscrew it completely on the left;
- Remove the suspension arm, ball joint;
- Remove the lower engine protection;
- Disconnect the transmission linkage;
- Remove the clutch housing and inspect it carefully. The main defects that the crankcase may have are cracks, wear of the threads or paws with which it is attached. New threads can be cut, cracks can be welded, thus returning the crankcase to working condition;
- After jacking up the engine, remove the gearbox, gaining full access to the clutch elements.
It is also possible to replace the clutch without completely removing the gearbox:
After repairs, you may notice that the clutch is too tight. But this is easy to fix without disassembling the entire system - from the interior side, by adjusting the pedal travel.
VAZ clutch rating
Existing offers on the market can be divided into several groups. The best manufacturers and modifications of VAZ clutches are presented below.
7th place: STARCO
The ranking of the best market offers opens with a company that is a product that combines the developments of engineers from the USA and Turkey.
In principle, the company is represented on the Russian market as a Turkish brand, but technological developments have been collected from all over the world. Such a symbiosis ensures sufficient reliability, high quality indicators and reasonable cost, which attracts a large number of domestic motorists. Initially, the company was organized in 2005 as a result of the signing of an agreement between several brands located in Germany, Turkey and the USA. At the beginning of its work, the company produced a rather meager range of parts, which scared off buyers. As of 2022, the brand’s range has expanded to 7,000 items. Among other things, the brand has 2,000 models of clutch kits ready for installation.
The manufacturer is focused more on trucks. The choice of passenger modifications is scant, but you can buy a clutch at a VAZ.
- sufficiently strong clutch baskets can withstand inept operation;
- moderate cost;
- sufficient quality of packaging;
- The friction pads are protected against counterfeiting.
- The clutch disc wears out quickly;
- friction linings quickly become loose or fly off the rivets;
- damper springs of insufficient quality quickly sag or break;
- The release bearing begins to whistle almost immediately after installation.
6th place: AMD
The next representative of the ranking comes from Asia.
The brand is organized by Japanese corporations to create consumables for their own cars. Thanks to a competent approach, the organization managed to achieve wide distribution of products far beyond the continent. After updating the assortment, parts for domestic cars appeared here - clutch kits, bearings, filters, etc. The main advantage of the company is that its work is as simple and clear as possible - the buyer can order parts through an online store without waiting for an order in physical retail outlets. Among the disadvantages, the possibility of running into a low-quality product is considered a significant drawback. The manufacturer has several production sites in South Korea, China and Taiwan. The most negative thing is that in the package the motorist can receive a low-grade product from the Middle Kingdom with the poorest durability. However, on the other hand, the part may also come from Japan - the kit will serve for a long time and will be worth the money invested. As a result, this gives rise to many conflicting reviews among domestic buyers.
- gears are easily engaged;
- there are no extraneous sounds during operation;
- excellent disc geometry;
- optimal cost;
- available on the Internet.
- Some production sites are located in China;
- a lot of conflicting reviews.
5th place: SACHS
You can also choose the best clutch for a VAZ from a German manufacturer.
The company is a real old-timer; its history began back in 1987. Initially, the company acted as the main supplier of consumables for Formula 1 competitions around the world. The next important step was the change in production rights. The ZF brand bought the organization and since then parts have been supplied to 80% of serial German-made machines, which guarantees a high level of quality and reliability. The manufacturer claims that the moment the car takes off is adjusted to racing cars. In other words, the car starts moving earlier than usual. Consequently, there is no need to keep the pedal clamped, which reduces wear on the friction linings.
Users praise the excellent geometry of the disc and basket. Thanks to this, they do not need to be ground in - normal operation begins immediately after installation.
The company was included in the rating due to its high degree of protection against counterfeiting. At the factory, parts are packaged in a branded box, where the serial number of the part is duplicated. There is also a special tape with a holographic coating. The company’s work exclusively with official dealers stands out separately. Strict control of points of sale and prices guarantees sufficient copy protection. Thanks to the incoming parameters, the buyer can quickly identify a factory part and determine that it has not been used previously.
Advantages:
- reliable design does not break quickly;
- torque is transmitted as smoothly as possible;
- there is no need to overpress the pedal - it is designed for racing mode;
- smooth linings do not require grinding in;
- high-quality packaging prevents parts from rusting during long-term storage.
- the complete set is quite expensive;
- Despite the efforts of the manufacturer, there are a large number of fakes.
4th place: LUK
If you have a question about what kind of clutch to install on a VAZ, you can contact a renowned company that is widespread throughout the CIS countries. The wide popularity of the brand is due to several technological solutions and sufficient production quality. A special feature of clutch kits is the presence of narrow petals on the basket, which makes it much easier to press the pedal. A similar plus is relevant for classics and some modern versions. Therefore, if you have a question about which clutch is better to install on the VAZ 2109 and older models, you can safely buy products from the specified brand.
Troubleshooting and Correction
Let's talk about how to detect malfunctions based on special signs, as well as correct them.
1. If the clutch is leading, the following may be to blame:
- Insufficient pedal travel, possibly too tight. Adjusting the drive will help;
- Deformations in the driven disk. If straightening is not possible, then the disk must be replaced;
- The driven disk hub periodically jams. You can try washing and then lubricating the splines on the input shaft. If they or the shaft are worn out, replacement is needed;
- Rivets are loose or friction linings are broken. In this case, it is best to change the casing along with the spring and disk;
- The pressure plate is warped or warped. Replacing the linings will help, but before that, check for any deviations in the end runout of this disk;
- Something is wrong with the cable. The cable needs to be tightened or replaced, depending on wear.
2. It slips, that is, it does not turn on. Possible reasons:
- The friction linings of the driven disc are burnt or worn. “Cure” by replacement;
- The surfaces of the flywheel and both disks are oily. These signs also indirectly indicate that it is time to change the engine and gearbox seals. You also need to check if there is any oil leakage through the bolts securing the flywheel. In this case, it is better to place them on sealant. And rinse the oily parts (white spirit is usually used);
- The drive jams. Check and replace what is damaged.
3. It works, but in jerks. This clutch operation can be caused by:
- Oil getting on surfaces, as mentioned above;
- Jamming in the drive. Trace the “chain”, troubleshoot;
- Deformations or damage in the pressure disk, requiring replacement of the casing along with the disk.
4. It makes a lot of noise when it turns on. Most likely, these are signs that the springs in the damper have broken. Replace the entire driven disk assembly.
5. It makes a lot of noise when it turns off. The first suspect is the release bearing. It can wear out, become damaged, and lose oil. Therefore, naturally, it is better to replace such a bearing.
6. During prolonged operation, the clutch may suddenly disengage. The reason most often is that the release bearing is stuck. It is located on the gearbox guide sleeve. A worn bearing must be replaced with a new one.
There are also other problems. For example, the clutch is very tight, or it disappears when overtaking. With such a problem, you can still slowly drive to the garage, but if the clutch is completely lost, you can’t go, you need to call a tow truck.
Let's look at how to properly dismantle it, repair it, and then reassemble it.
Peculiarities
Clutch discs Valeo PHC, 832. 160. 801502 and other models have been produced for over 80 years. Valeo kits, produced by a company from Paris, are sometimes called “women’s” because their use provides softness during gear shifting and braking, as well as a smooth ride.
The manufacturer's products are characterized by a high service life. If no errors are made during installation of the kit, the service life of the system will be 150 thousand kilometers. During intensive use, Valeo clutches do not overheat.
Main advantages:
- The latest technologies are used in the manufacture of clutch systems, which ultimately results in a high-quality, research-proven product.
- Due to the high quality of the part, its use is allowed during the factory assembly of the vehicle.
- The product comes with detailed instructions for installing the clutch. It details not only the steps that the car owner must follow, but also shows photographs.
User Boroda73rus talked about original Valeo clutches in his video.
Peculiarities
Clutch discs Valeo PHC, 832. 160. 801502 and other models have been produced for over 80 years. Valeo kits, produced by a company from Paris, are sometimes called “women’s” because their use provides softness during gear shifting and braking, as well as a smooth ride.
The manufacturer's products are characterized by a high service life. If no errors are made during installation of the kit, the service life of the system will be 150 thousand kilometers. During intensive use, Valeo clutches do not overheat.
- The latest technologies are used in the manufacture of clutch systems, which ultimately results in a high-quality, research-proven product.
- Due to the high quality of the part, its use is allowed during the factory assembly of the vehicle.
- The product comes with detailed instructions for installing the clutch. It details not only the steps that the car owner must follow, but also shows photographs.
User Boroda73rus talked about original Valeo clutches in his video.
Luk VS Valeo: service life
The uninterrupted operation life of any high-quality clutch should be approximately 100,000 kilometers of standard (average) driving. Luk and Valeo “fit” into this framework without any problems thanks to excellent materials that withstand mechanical wear, friction and temperature “attacks” with honor. In addition, we can note that Valeo clutch discs are not only made of durable alloys, but also heat-treated, which prevents overheating, deformation and premature destruction.
And again, returning to the statistics: Valeo clutch parts on average “live” up to 150,000 kilometers, and the flywheel, with careful driving, can last forever.