VAZ 2109 is the legendary “nine”. The front-wheel drive five-door hatchback was serially produced at the Volzhsky Automobile Plant from 1987 to 2004. From 2004 to the end of 2011, the VAZ 21093 modification was assembled in Zaporozhye.
Many car owners try to maintain their personal car themselves and know how to do it correctly, since they carefully study the operation of the main components and leading modules. The list of routine maintenance includes periodic adjustment of the VAZ 2109 clutch. This task is quite simple if you familiarize yourself with the operation algorithm in advance.
The design of the VAZ 2109 friction clutch and its purpose
Any self-respecting motorist will study the design of the unit before adjusting the clutch on a VAZ 2109. This will help you approach the issue wisely and avoid mistakes.
In the photo: The process of tightening the clutch cable on a VAZ 2109 car
The mechanical drive design is simple and reliable. Compared to hydraulics, the cable requires minimal maintenance, and changing it is not labor-intensive. The mechanical drive consists of the following elements:
- Adjustable sheathed cable.
- Control pedal.
- Clutch release fork lever.
- Bracket for fastening the end of the cable sheath.
- Brake and clutch pedal bracket.
The mechanism serves to transmit force from the pedal to the release fork, which, in turn, removes the friction disc from the flywheel. Using a cable drive avoids major problems such as fluid leaks and periodic bleeding of air from the clutch control system. The weakest link in this chain is the cable, the quality of which at times leaves much to be desired. Therefore, replacing a cable on a Samara is a fairly common occurrence.
Meanwhile, the question of how to adjust the clutch on a VAZ 2109 car remains relevant for the cable mechanism. Setting standard values guarantees optimal tightness of the driven disk to the plane of the flywheel and basket when the clutch is engaged. The design also ensures complete separation (switching off) of the above parts from the passenger compartment through the pedal.
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.
When the clutch needs adjustment
Adjusting the VAZ 2114 clutch may be required in the following situations: The clutch has been completely replaced. The clutch was repaired and its individual elements were replaced. The clutch travel is too large or, conversely, insufficient.
Photo: Clutch cable VAZ 2109
If everything is clear with the first two reasons, then in the latter case simple measurements should be performed. To do this, you need to measure the distance between the minimum and maximum positions of the pedal (that is, in situations when the pedal is pressed to the floor and when the pedal is freely released). The optimal value of this distance is in the range from 12 to 13.5 cm. If in fact it turns out to be larger or smaller than the specified dimensions, it is recommended to make an adjustment.
If the clutch travel exceeds 16 cm, then you should immediately stop all driving and make adjustments as soon as possible. In addition, in some cases, too much stroke may indicate severe wear of the friction linings located on the driven disk, as well as the need to replace them.
diagram, bolts, flywheel, where it is located, manufacturers
The clutch basket is the main device in a car, consisting of several parts that are located in a single unit. She ensures that the release plate and flywheel are properly disconnected and connected. That is, it is thanks to it that the engine is turned on and off. If the basket is bad, in a faulty condition, then the ability to start also fails, the mechanism does not work at all.
Purpose of the clutch
There are three main types of clutch baskets. They differ in design features.
This device is a very important kit in a car. Thanks to a part such as a spider, it is possible to separate the engine and transmission when braking occurs or a gear needs to be changed. Also regarding the classic movement, the clutch basket is needed to connect the two units of the car so that it starts. The engine operates using a fuse. Because thanks to the spider, transmission units, which can have very different diameters, are saved. The device parameters do not change even with strong dynamics. But in fact, running the engine is the simplest part of a car.
The point of supplying energy is that the spider controls the transmission of power coming from the flywheel and the main part to the main disk, which already sends the movement parameters to the gearbox.
The release plates are very elastic, they serve as petals of the basket, thanks to them the driven disk and the release disk are compressed together with the flywheel.
Such parameters indicate normal operation of the clutch basket. When you press the clutch pedal, no matter what the weight, the driven disc and release plate are separated, then no more torque is transmitted.
The weight of the kit is of great importance, since the lower it is, the easier the impact on the engine. The device is also responsible for the quality of operation of the entire set. The flywheel and spider should perform unconditionally well. At the same time, they must be in their places, since the car simply will not move without them. To summarize this subsection, we can say that the basket is an indispensable device in the engine kit.
The basic principle of clutch operation
As we have seen, the clutch basket refers to one set of parts that has a certain weight in the car. This includes the spider, the flywheel, and various bushings, bolts, and discs. Including the pressure plate, round spring and protective cover. There is an excellent tandem between the basket and the main parts.
It turns out that the bolts hold the basket and the drive flywheel together, but also thanks to the bushings and bolts, the return spring manages to stay in the basket, which is located in close proximity to the bearing.
The flywheel and secondary disc are connected by a pressure plate. If the clutch is disengaged, the disc presses on the basket, causing it to interact with the flywheel. When the pressure plate no longer presses, the engine starts working. Then the driven element begins to rotate on its own. At this time, the pressure element and the casing have the same parameters, pressing on the spring, which returns everything to its original state when the engine stops working. The diameter of such a spring has a lot of weight in operation.
Clutch diagnostics VAZ 2109
Diagnostics must be carried out on all cars without exception. Regular implementation of this procedure allows you to minimize the likelihood of breakdowns of all kinds. It makes it possible to detect failures and problems at an early stage.
Thanks to this, repair work is carried out with minimal time and financial costs. Certain diagnostic procedures require special equipment. It can be found at any car service center.
It is not recommended to buy them yourself due to the fairly high price of these devices. Below are operations that you can perform independently without special technical devices.
Diagnostics of the VAZ-2109 clutch is carried out in several stages:
- Turn off the engine, depress the clutch pedal several times, while doing this, listen carefully to see if any extraneous sounds appear during these operations: clicks, friction, squeaks, etc.
- You also need to pay attention to the pedal travel. It should not be accompanied by any jerks or interruptions. The lowering and raising of the lever should be smooth. If the pedal jerks or sticks, you need to check the clutch adjustment
- Using a ruler, check the distance from the car floor to the outside of the pedal. The exact required value is indicated in the technical documentation of the VAZ-2114.
- Press the pedal all the way, then release it and measure the distance; if it does not correspond to the stated distance, it is necessary to adjust the pedal.
Nuances of the work
Following all the recommendations from the automaker's manual does not guarantee that everything is done simply and quickly. Not every car owner has the opportunity to drive the car onto a pit or overpass. A lift is perfect for carrying out work, but not everyone has one either.
When you contact any service, the replacement will be made within a couple of hours, but for such a service you will need to pay a considerable amount. It may take a whole day to do the work yourself. Maybe more if you don't have experience in car repairs.
Most of the time is spent on disassembly and assembly. The operation to replace the node will take you no more than half an hour. Later in the article we will look at the process of replacing a clutch without a pit/lift.
Step-by-step instructions for adjusting the clutch on a VAZ 2109 with your own hands.
In order to correctly configure (adjust the clutch) on a VAZ 2109 car, you must perform the following steps:
- Pull the handbrake and turn off the power to the car - for safety.
- In the engine compartment below, find the metal clutch cable. In the photo there are 3 red arrows pointing to it.
- Using 2 wrenches, loosen the cable end mounting nuts, and then, tightening or loosening them, until the clutch pedal travel becomes 125-135 mm.
- Get back into the car and press the adjustable pedal all the way down several times (at least 3 times). Then measure its progress again and adjust if necessary. If no adjustments are needed, then you did everything right.
If the nuts you are going to work with are rusty and therefore cannot be unscrewed, treat them with VD, machine oil or any other lubricant. This will save your energy and time.
Functionality check
After you have completed this work, you need to check the correctness of the work performed.
- First, measure the travel of the clutch pedal.
- With the engine turned off, depress the clutch pedal several times and return it to its place.
- Next, we take a new measurement and clarify the received readings.
- If they have not changed compared to the first measurements, then the work has been completed, correctly, and the first stage of verification can be considered completed.
- And if they differ from the first indicators, it means that the locking nut was not tightened tightly, and the adjustment process must be carried out again.
There is one rule among car enthusiasts! A properly adjusted clutch should begin to engage approximately halfway through the pedal stroke.
