Which hubs are best to choose for the Chevrolet Niva and is it worth installing reinforced ones?

The Chevrolet Niva SUV (VAZ 2123) has proven itself to be a reliable car in off-road conditions. Despite the use of well-known Chevrolet brand parts in the design of the car, some chassis problems remained the same, inherited from the Soviet Niva. Such an important detail as the hub was not spared.

A broken car hub is usually a serious problem and should not be ignored. Therefore, if the check shows a malfunction, change it. How to replace the hub and its bearing on the Shnivy, see the photo report below.

A hub that is not repaired or not replaced in time can cause a serious accident due to self-jamming of the wheel while the car is moving, or due to the separation of the hub disk from the shaft.

Design Features

The product is a complex-shaped part that rotates on a pair of tapered roller bearings. Their outer diameter is pressed into the steering knuckle. The standard equipment of the Chevrolet Niva includes adjustable hubs. In it, the bearing clearance depends on the position of the adjusting nut.

The latter is equipped with a fixation belt that prevents spontaneous loosening or tightening of the threaded connection. This mechanism requires adjustment during maintenance. An incorrectly adjusted unit wears out quickly:

• Excessive tightening torque makes it difficult for the wheel to rotate, leading to overheating and destruction of the bearings.
• A loose nut causes play and knocking noise in the bearings. Impact loads accelerate wear of the roller metal.

The drive axle shaft transmits torque to the hub due to the presence of splines on the inside of the central hole.

There are 22 of them in the standard design, and 24 in the reinforced design. The second, more durable type of design is equipped with double-row bearings from IVECO trucks. Reinforced hubs are used on VAZ 2121, 2123, 2131, 21213 and 21214.

Some owners re-equip their cars by equipping them with hub units themselves. This avoids damage in the form of broken splines. However, this modification is fraught with drawbacks. The strength of the standard hub is lower than that of the transfer mechanism parts. Therefore, it serves as a kind of “fuse” against overload. When installing a reinforced part, the likelihood of the transfer case breaking increases. Therefore, along with the installation of a new hub unit, it is worth installing a reinforced transfer mechanism.

Important! Considering the high cost of reinforced hubs and the risk of breakdown, it makes no sense to install them on a standard car. Exceptions are cases when the car is systematically subjected to high loads off-road.

The mounting design for the rear wheels of the Chevrolet Niva is radically different from the front. No hubs are used here. The wheel is attached to the flange of the axle shaft, which rotates in a special bearing.

Reworking the hub and installing a non-adjustable bearing

Such a hub, for an adjustable bearing, can be made from a standard part. It is necessary to bore the hole to the size of the bearing 50 microns (0.05 mm) for interference, and press it into the resulting mounting hole.

1. According to the instructions provided, we dismantle the old parts.
2. We grind the hub to the required diameter ourselves or order it from a turner in your city.
3. We press in a new double-row ball bearing, for example SKF IVECO BTH-1024 C.
4. Install the retaining ring.
5. We install a spacer (washer) of about 3.5 mm and a seal (the size of the washer is determined using additional measurements).
6. The process is complex, so it is recommended to watch it in video format.

Video: “Installing a non-adjustable bearing”

Video: “Installing reinforced bearings”

Which ones are better to choose for Chevy Niva?

Front-wheel drive parts for Shnivy are produced by dozens of companies. Products differ in prices, quality, permissible loads and service life. The standard configuration of the SUV includes adjustable hub units, the tightening torque of which must be controlled after 2-3 thousand kilometers. For those who value reliability and are not ready for regular maintenance, manufacturers have introduced non-adjustable (maintenance-free) wheel hubs. They differ in the following indicators:

• The possibility of wear of the bearing seat in the steering knuckle is eliminated.
• The unit does not require lubrication or adjustment during its entire service life.
• The non-removable design of the bearings prevents them from turning.
• Increased service life of the unit.
• Reduced friction due to the use of ball bearings.

The non-adjustable hub has a reinforced cross-section, which prevents its deformation under the influence of shock loads. This is very important when regularly driving off-road or on broken asphalt roads.

Parts with catalog numbers 2123-3103014 and 21230-3103014 are produced by the following companies: IVECO, SKF, Leader, GM-Avtovaz, VolgaAvtoProm and other companies. The cost of the part depends on the manufacturer and design (adjustable and non-adjustable). The price of the products is 1000-6000 rubles. You can also find more expensive units that include brake discs.

The maximum mileage of unregulated IVECO hubs is 100-120 thousand kilometers. Adjustable ones last less and their durability depends on the frequency, correct maintenance, quality of lubricant and manufacturer.

Important! The service life of wheel bearings decreases sharply with regular fording of water obstacles. In this case, water and dirt particles wash away the lubricant and the moving parts of the unit begin to wear out intensively.

Table - recommended manufacturers, numbers and articles of wheel bearings

N p/p	Manufacturer	Catalog number	Price for 2022, rub.	Additional Information
				Dimensions (mm) and parameters	Applicability
Standard sets of two bearings
1	Volzhsky standard, Russia	2007108	200	Inner diameter - 40 mm; Outer diameter - 68 mm; Width -19 mm; Weight - 0.278 kg; Number of rollers in the bearing - 21 pcs.; Roller dimensions - 7/11x19 mm; Dynamic load capacity - 40 kN; Static load capacity - 52 kN; The maximum rated speed is 7000 rpm.	Chevrolet NIVA trim levels L, LC, LE, GL, GLC. In that case Restyling 2022.
2	VPZ, Russia	32008	200
3	SKF, Sweden	32008X/QSKF	770
4	KOYO, Japan	32008JR	880
Double row bearings (for reinforcement)
1	OPTIMAL, Germany	681 923	2200	Inner diameter - 40 mm; Outer diameter - 73 mm; Width - 55 mm; Number of raceways - 2 pcs.; Seal - Yes.	Likewise
2	RUVILLE, Germany	4013	2480
3	SKF, Sweden	BTH-1024 C VKBA 3551	2300

Parts of satisfactory quality last about 20 thousand km, mileage with high-quality products exceeds 30 thousand km. The most popular products from the Volzhsky and Samara plants are labeled SPZ-GROUP. The average price of a wheel bearing is 1000 rubles.

Step-by-step instructions for replacing an axle bearing

Before you begin to remove and replace the faulty unit, you must prepare a tool and purchase a new bearing, oil seal, and lock washer. The old ones will have to be cut or knocked down with a hammer, so they cannot be reused.

The ball bearing itself is single row and belongs to the common 500 series. Its serial number is 180508 for domestic manufacturers or 62208-2RS for foreign manufacturers. Manufacturer's article number: 2121-2403080. SKF, FAG, NSK and others have imported analogues, and the cost does not exceed 900-1000 rubles per piece.

Essential tool for DIY repairs

Replacing a Niva Chevrolet axle bearing does not always go smoothly, so you should make sure you have a special tool in advance.
We will need:

• a set of keys and screwdrivers;
• Bulgarian;
• reverse hammer or inertial puller;
• metalworking tools – hammer, chisel, file;
• gas burner or blowtorch;
• pipe with a diameter of 40 mm and about a meter long, wall thickness 3-4 mm;
• lubricant like litol24 or analogues.

Connoisseurs of tuned cars are often able to make radical changes to their cars. And few restrictions exist for them. Owners of Niva Chevrolet are no exception. Tuning fans also took a look at the design of the front hub assembly. Often on online forums in discussions you can find advice (and even corresponding training videos) about replacing the bearing using a hub mechanism that has a steering knuckle from a VAZ 2121 car, since it is believed that this design is better in terms of reliability.

However, this is a misconception. Yes, tightening will occur without any difficulties, but this will make it impossible to adjust the camber of the front wheel of the car. The fact is that each fist has distinct differences in size and axial angles. But much more stupid are the tips that require turning the hub and shaft on a lathe.

Repairs such as replacing a wheel bearing in a field can be done independently without much difficulty. Wheel bearings on the VAZ 2121 and Chevrolet Niva have a very short resource due to the suspension design, compared to other all-wheel drive vehicles, therefore, these parts need to be given increased attention in order to identify the fault in time.

Replacing a wheel bearing in the field does not involve anything complicated if you follow the instructions strictly. Anyone, even a novice car owner, can cope with such repairs. Not all vases have wheel bearings changed the same way. The design of the Niva car hub differs from the design of other VAZ models, so the process of replacing the bearing will also have its differences.

Symptoms and identification of a worn wheel bearing

When the life of the hub bearing is running out, a hum is clearly audible when driving, this is the main sign. If you listen, you can understand which direction this hum is coming from. When driving at low speeds, it is not too noticeable, and it can easily be confused with noise from rubber, but as speed increases, the hum increases, which is reminiscent of flying in an airplane. You can’t drive with a humming bearing, because soon it may simply break into pieces, and this implies a lot of other problems.

If there is an assumption that the bearing has exhausted its service life, then you can check this with the car parked. To do this, you need to jack up the wheel whose bearing is suspected and pull the wheel vertically with your hands. If there is play, then the bearing is most likely to blame.

Necessary tools for work

• Jack and supports. To replace the front bearing, you need to lift both wheels, otherwise the stabilizer will interfere, pinching the suspension elements;
• Wrench for unscrewing wheel nuts;
• Flathead screwdriver. To remove the protective cap;
• Head 27;
• Locksmith's beard. To straighten the collar of the hub nut;
• Hammer;
• Wrenches for 10, 17, 19 and 22;
• Chisel and wooden spacer. To avoid damaging other parts when knocking out;
• Vise;
• A piece of pipe for pressing in bearing retaining rings.

Bearing replacement process

• Loosen the nuts on the wheel where replacement is planned and jack up both wheels of the axle. Remove the desired wheel;
• We dismantle the caliper and guide. To avoid damaging the brake hose, we tie the caliper to the upper arm with wire;
• Having removed the protective cap, use a 27mm head to unscrew the hub bearing nut and remove the conical bushing;
• Using a chisel, unbend the locking plate of the front and rear lever mounting nuts. Using a 19mm wrench, unscrew the front and rear nuts securing the lever. After this, remove the locking plate;
• When the lever is released, it must be moved away from the steering knuckle, freeing the brake hose;
• Disconnect the ball joints (upper and lower) from the lever;
• Now you can remove the entire steering knuckle assembly, along with the ball joints and the brake disc, by removing it from the CV joint splines;
• Separate the steering knuckle from the hub with the brake disc. If the parts do not separate freely, then we clamp the fist in a vice and, using a soft metal drift or chisel, through a spacer from wood, knock out the hub with the brake disc;
• Next, pull out the bolts securing the lever and knock down the protective ring with a chisel;
• Using a 10mm wrench, unscrew the bolt that secures the casing and remove the casing itself;
• We hold the fist in a vice and, using a flat-head screwdriver, pry up and remove the wheel bearing seal. There is a metal ring behind the oil seal, we also remove it;
• The next step is to remove the inner ring of the outer bearing assembly from the well. Next, we also remove the oil seal, metal ring and inner bearing ring assembly;
• Using a punch and a hammer, we knock out the metal rings of the outer and inner bearings. At this point, dismantling is considered complete.

After cleaning the well from old grease, you can proceed to installing a new bearing. Replacing a wheel bearing in a field occurs in the reverse order; it is only important not to forget to fill it with fresh Litol 24 grease and, after installing the steering knuckle on the car, adjust the clearance in the bearings.

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We identify a malfunction on the VAZ 2123

Every driver must understand that a completely destroyed unit will lead to disconnection of the hub. If this happens at speed, the consequences can be disastrous. That is why it is important to recognize the first signs of a malfunction and carry out repair work in a timely manner.

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The bearing life can be about hundreds of thousands of kilometers, since all elements are made of durable hardened steel. However, in practice, the node fails much earlier. There are several main causes of failure.

1. The manufacturer supplies non-adjustable bearings with a sufficient amount of lubricant, which cannot be said about adjustable ones. It is the lack of lubrication that can cause the unit to quickly fail.
2. The oil seal, on the one hand, retains the lubricant, and on the other hand, prevents the penetration of foreign bodies into the separator. Even a small grain of sand can lead to accelerated wear of moving parts.
3. The presence of lubricant does not guarantee long-term operation, since everything depends on its quality.
4. Prolonged absence of work to adjust the gap will lead to increasing play and subsequent wear.
5. Features of the operation of the Chevrolet Niva imply disabling the differential lock when driving at high speed. If you do not follow this recommendation, the bearings will fail.

The first sign of a malfunction is extraneous noise when the car is moving. Over time, it intensifies, but it is difficult to guess from which side the bearing comes under suspicion. On a free and fairly wide road, you will have to make maneuvers by slightly turning the steering wheel left and right. If the sound gets louder when you turn right, the first thing you should do is check the left unit and vice versa. Finally, you can verify the malfunction by hanging the wheel. It is rocked in a plane perpendicular to the axis, checking for play.

You should also determine if there is any grinding, crunching or noise when the wheel rotates. These symptoms indicate the need to replace the bearing.

As garage mechanics say, “The knock will always come out.” You should not wait for this, otherwise you will have to call a tow truck or repair the unit in the field. In fact, it is easy to diagnose the problem yourself. The first sign of bearing failure is increased noise, unpleasant metallic sounds from the hub, and increased heating of the metal at the place where it is installed.

The following steps will help you accurately determine the source of the noise:

• hang out the rear wheel by jacking up the car;
• We begin to turn the wheel with our hands (the gearbox is in the neutral position) - extraneous noise is unacceptable, rotation should be easy without biting;
• pull the wheel towards you, play in the axial direction of more than 1 mm indicates wear of the bearing race and its imminent failure;
• An oil leak from under the rubber seal of the axle shaft also serves as a basis for removing and disassembling the unit with subsequent troubleshooting.

You should not delay repairs if at least one of these signs appears. The savings in this case are questionable, and a bearing that fails in motion can result in expensive repairs with the replacement of the entire axle shaft assembly.

Adjustment

Having restored the structure until the calipers with pads are returned to their place, a dial indicator clamp is placed on the steering knuckle. The indicator is positioned so that its leg rests against the adjusting nut.

Having built a lever on studs, the mechanism smoothly rotates around its axis.

If the permissible gap exceeds 0.15 mm , the adjusting nut is replaced with a new one. By successively changing the degree of twisting, the clearance in the bearings is measured. At the end of the work, the nut is locked.

Signs of wheel bearing failure in Niva Chevrolet

It is more convenient to check the suitability of the wheel bearing on a lift. You can also use a jack, while observing safety precautions.

Signs

, signaling the need to replace the wheel bearing are as follows:

• increased noise when the wheel rotates;
• it is impossible to eliminate the gap formed between the bearings and the hub;
• play when trying to swing the wheel;
• tire wear occurs unevenly, as a rule, there is a wear line along the edge of the wheel;
• noticeable vibration in the cabin when driving the car.

Installation

When the turning work is completed, we begin assembling the unit. Everything is simpler here - no adjustment is required, and the locknut is tightened “from the heart.” There is no need to worry about over-tightening the hub; it is almost impossible.

Stages of work:

• place the steering knuckle on a flat, hard surface;
• install the support washer and, using a head or steel pipe, carefully press the bearing into place;
• install the second support washer, then use the same tools to carefully hammer in the oil seal;
• repeat these works on the opposite side of the steering knuckle;
• put the steering knuckle on the hub and tighten the locknut to a torque of about 200 Nm or with moderate force;
• put on the wheel, rotate it and check the functionality of the bearing;
• We fasten the steering rack and ball joints.

We carry out similar work on the opposite side of the car. After the installation is completed, we go and enjoy - now replacement may be required no earlier than after 100 thousand kilometers, and maybe later. The manufacturer provides the same warranty provided that the installation was carried out correctly.

And if you buy

Of course, you don’t have to worry, don’t look for parts from Moskvich, but just go to the store and buy what you need to install non-adjustable hubs on the Niva.

This hub assembly, if purchased, should consist of knuckles with pressed bearings, hubs and anthers - there should be two of each item. You need to know how many splines the hub on your car has, so that you don’t make a mistake when buying new ones. Specifically for the Niva, there are kits that come with twenty-two and twenty-four splines.

It is best, of course, to install non-adjustable hubs on the Niva at any service center. But if you have enough knowledge and experience, the driver can handle it himself. It is advisable to use new nuts and studs when installing new parts. And also - lubricate all elements of the mechanism to prevent them from souring. Before you install the caliper, it is better to clean it, because it affects the movement of your car's pads.

What may put you off from this option is the price. For a hub assembly, it is very high, even in car markets, where prices are always slightly lower than in stores, for example, in AvtoVAZ stores, where they also have parts for the Niva Chevrolet car. A non-adjustable front hub costs about three thousand rubles and more.

Diagnostics

In the absence of a special stand, it is possible to identify the problem. To do this, with precautions, hang up the supposedly faulty wheel. And then grab the extreme points in the horizontal and vertical planes and make swinging movements. A serviceable bearing has no play or it is insignificant, requiring replacement, on the contrary. In addition, when turning, you can hear rolling or cracking sounds. What then? It is necessary to change the wheel bearing yourself, because there is no talk of adjustment.

As a result

The non-adjustable hub on the Chevrolet Niva is a very important detail. It makes car trips more comfortable. Nevertheless, the hub unit, which is factory-installed, especially from older models, is not to the liking of many who own a Chevrolet Niva car. A non-adjustable hub means the absence of unnecessary noise, hum and the ability to concentrate all your attention on the road.