Selecting brakes for Lada Kalina 2: stopping on demand

Tormoza_Kalina zr9–14_1

We undertook to prepare the editorial VAZ-21927 for participation in amateur circuit racing. Let's try to find a balance and build a car that can not only show decent results in lap time trials, but also drive with pleasure every day - after all, reliable brakes, a powerful engine and good handling will not hurt on public roads.

First of all, of course, the brakes. Moreover, the front ones: during intense deceleration, a significant part of the car’s weight is distributed forward, so it is they who bear the main burden of converting kinetic energy into thermal energy. How can we evaluate how much better the mechanisms we have chosen compare to the standard ones? We decided to use a complex parameter - we will record the time of passage of the Smolensk Ring. After all, the more effective the brakes, the longer you can keep the gas open and hit the brake pedal closer to the entrance to the turn. Let's look not only at the peak deceleration values, but also at the stability of the brakes: how many laps can the tuning mechanisms withstand without stopping?

Before the start of the tests, Kalina was prepared: the engine oil was changed and Motul-RBF660 brake fluid with a boiling point of 325 °C was added - this is used in racing cars. True, for the winter it will have to be replaced with a regular one: it is too hygroscopic.

How to evaluate discs

To choose the right brake discs for Kalina 2 or 1, which will last you many thousands of kilometers, use some selection rules.

Comparison of brake discs for Kalina is made according to three criteria.

According to braking efficiency

The first thing you should pay attention to is that rotors can be ventilated or unventilated. Any understanding driver will say that ventilated brakes are more durable than non-ventilated ones, and he will be right.

With ventilated brakes, heat exchange with the atmosphere occurs faster under the same loads.

When driving through a puddle, water accumulates at the point of contact between the disc and the pads, which affects the braking efficiency, reducing it. To do this, notches are made across the entire area of ​​the rotor to drain this water away from the disk.

Ventilated brakes for Kalina

You can often find through perforation. These holes compensate for the expansion that is caused by the temperature increase due to friction.

By reliability

Brake discs made of composite materials are in good demand among drivers. They are not subject to deformation under the influence of temperature loads.

But carbon-ceramic ones remain the most reliable. Even with intensive use of the brake system, they do not become deformed. Ceramic is lighter than cast iron, which makes the car lighter. But you will have to pay a lot for such advantages. The prices of brake discs for Kalina are justifiably high.

Carbon ceramic brakes

For products of the domestic automobile industry, such parts will be an irrational solution even for the fastest Kalina, which AvtoVAZ has - Lada Kalina NFR, Lux AT, Cross, Kalina Sport. It doesn't matter if it's a hatchback, sedan or station wagon.

By price

The cost of rotors on a Lada depends on the material and brand. A very simple cast-iron brake disc for a Kalina costs 500 rubles. For a good product they will ask for up to 5 thousand rubles apiece. But this is necessary for those who do not like to skimp on quality and are concerned about their safety.

By manufacturer and brand

There are many companies and brands participating in the race for the best rotors. Each company tries to optimize its product. Each company has its own advantages and features that speak about this brand.

BOSCH

Let's start with German quality.

The best brake discs for Kalina are Bosch products. It is the quality and low price that made this company famous in the automotive spare parts market.

They produce rotors from different materials, so the car owner will find something for himself.

ATE

A company that has gained popularity through cooperation with such large concerns as BMW, Audi, Toyota. There was also close cooperation with the domestic manufacturer.

The Powerdisk line from ATE can withstand temperatures of +800°C, and they are made of alloy cast iron.

Brembo

Brembo supplies brakes from Italy. It differs from its competitors by having its own research laboratories.

The products are in great demand in the domestic automotive industry market. Good quality allows you to change brake discs extremely rarely, compared to competitors.

BREMBO brake discs

Brembo brake discs for Kalina 2 can be purchased at all automotive stores.

Trialli

A little-known company with great potential. This can be said about Trialli - they make cheap, high-quality rotors. Manufacturing plants are located in different countries.

Reviews about brake discs for Kalina from the Trialli brand are only positive. This is an option for purchasing high-quality budget discs.

TRW

This is a merger of two companies founded in 1958. The TRW concept involves the development of systems and means for driving safety. It has established itself in the rotor ratings as a manufacturer of a reliable, cheap braking system and its elements. TRV brake discs are also manufactured for Kalina.

Brake discs "Avtoreal"

You can look at the products of such and ALNAS. Production is located in Russia and is aimed at the domestic auto industry.

VERDICT

Oleg PETRIKOV, “Behind the Wheel” test driver, Russian vice-champion

06

I really liked the Proma kit for its deceleration efficiency. With it, in addition, the clarity of the drive has improved - it’s easier for me to control the deceleration with pedal effort, although I admit that this will cause some difficulties for ordinary drivers. I think most motorists will like the HP Brakes kit, which is similar to “civilian” brakes in terms of pedal movement and force on it.

In each case, Kalina does not become much faster on the race track, and it was not possible to assess which set will last longer - even after fifteen laps in racing mode, the front brakes do not lose effectiveness.

In everyday use of the Lada, standard mechanisms are quite sufficient. It makes sense for residents of regions who operate their cars on mountain roads to install more efficient ones.

BEHIND THE LINE INSTRUCTIONS

I admit, there were moments when I wanted to give up everything and return Kalina to regular brakes. First, when dismantling the hubs, the rear bearings, which were thoroughly stuck to the axles, fell apart, and had previously been running for 70,000 km without any unnecessary sounds. Then, already when assembling the first “foreign” kit, for some reason the length of the handbrake cable was not enough and we had to quickly come up with ways to extend it.

Not to mention such “little things” as individual adjustment of the anti-lock braking system sensors (they began to cling to the discs) or an unexpected leak in the brake hose seal. Having spent a total of ten hours installing two sets, I was convinced that it was better to entrust the work to a professional. And if the desire to twist the nuts yourself still prevails, you need to stock up on pullers, consumables and patience.

Running in and lapping is a separate issue. After installing the Darbis kit, the car suddenly stopped rolling normally. And as soon as the brakes warmed up even a little, such a hum and creaking began that experienced drivers of neighboring trucks shuddered. Gradually everything got better, but it was not possible to get rid of the extraneous sounds, clearly associated with the unimportant release of the brake pads.

MISSED?

Alas, the Proma Brakes set I liked so much after dismantling made me whistle. It seems that in extreme modes the rotor begins to warp: it literally removes chips from the caliper. The topic remains open, the manufacturer promised to look into the problem, but for now director Andrei Sisyukin said the following:

— The rotor touching the upper part of the outer half of the brake caliper occurs as a result of the selection of gaps in the dimensional chain and the wheel bearing due to the increased dynamic load on the outer wheel when cornering. This did not happen on other brakes tested due to the inherently larger gap between the brake disc and caliper.

We produce two types of brake calipers: road ones, which ZR tested, and racing ones. One of the differences between them is that in the racing version the gap between the rotor and the caliper is increased. In the road version, we do not increase it, guided by safety considerations: if there is a lot of wear, the pad plate gets into the gap between the brake disc and the caliper, and then either the rotor jams, or the plate is thrown inside the wheel and the car is left without front brakes.

We have been producing brake kits for front-wheel drive VAZ models with these parameters for more than eight years, and we have not received any complaints about the rotor touching the caliper. These elements have certificates of conformity and vehicle type approval.

To find out the reasons for the contact, we will test our brake mechanisms on Kalina.

UNTIL FAILURE

The real truth in the characters of the brakes only appears when you force them to work hard. At first, when you accelerate the Kalina to 160 km/h, you mockingly think: “Can it?” When it's time to brake to the floor, there is no place for jokes. The antics of the drum version force you to grip the steering wheel harder in advance.

At the same time, there is no doubt that the car will still show character and will “look for the road” for the entire 130-odd meters, actively scouring from side to side. Not strong (with an amplitude of about a meter and a half), but very persistent. Discs provide not only a reduction in braking distance, but also more stable behavior. The difference is clearly visible at a lower speed of 120 km/h. Here the Kalina with disc brakes stops like a bullet, while the drums again doom it to a slight, but clearly excessive independence.

RESULTS OF MEASUREMENTS OF LADY-KALINA BRAKING DISTANCE, m

The chief “Kalinovod” of the editorial staff, Maxim Sachkov, ended up liking the Darbis brakes more, as they were more rigid. But for me, on the contrary, the AST version. Perhaps because I was present during the installation of both systems, delving into all the flaws, and then began running-in. The AST product seemed more complete, convenient, and brought to a good consumer level.

In general, I’m in favor of all-round wheels even on a regular Kalina. And not at all because of their resistance to loads or high speeds. Feelings are more important. Well, now we just have to pass the last test - technical inspection...

Rear disc brakes for Lada Kalina: still images

Replacing front brake discs

The replacement algorithm includes the main steps:

• it is necessary to remove the wheel and jack up the car;
• the old brake pads are removed - to do this, the guide bolts are unscrewed and the caliper is folded back;
• The bracket is carefully hung on the suspension, after which you can begin to remove the disk - two nuts are unscrewed;

• if for some reason the disk cannot be removed from the bolts, you need to lightly hit it with a hammer from the reverse side;
• The new disk is carefully installed.

The nuts are screwed into place. It is advisable to pre-lubricate the threads with graphite lubricant. This will prevent souring. It is advisable to change the pads along with the discs.

How does the Lada Granta brake system work?

The working brake system is dual-circuit. This was done to ensure fault tolerance. If one of the circuits malfunctions, the second will perform braking, albeit with less efficiency. The first circuit is located on the front right and left rear wheels, and the second circuit is on the front left and right rear wheels.

The front brake discs on the Lada Granta are ventilated discs. When you press the brake pedal, the pressure in the system increases, the piston moves, pressing the pad against the disc.

To reduce cost, the rear brakes are drum brakes. They have a mechanism for automatically adjusting the gap between the drum and the pads. The disadvantage of this design is instability to moisture and souring of the brake cylinder. Only replacement helps. The Lada Granta Sport uses rear brake discs, but they are not ventilated.

The engineers took the handbrake from the VAZ-2109 car and did not modify it in any way. It also doesn't hold well and needs to be tightened frequently. To do this, there is an adjusting nut on the handbrake lever. The design is very primitive - a cable runs from the lever to the rear drum brakes.

Reasons for replacing spare parts

One of the main reasons for replacing brake discs is natural wear and tear. In addition, it is recommended to install new parts instead of old elements in the following cases:

• premature failure of discs, which can be determined by deterioration in the quality of braking of the car;
• damage to product surfaces;
• deformation of spare parts.

Attention! In any of these cases, it is recommended to replace the brake discs to avoid a dangerous situation while the vehicle is moving.

What kind of wheels are installed on the Lada Granta?

The system on all cars is approximately the same. The front brakes are ventilated disc brakes, the rear brakes are drum brakes. Exceptions are the sports versions of these cars. On the Lada Granta Sport the rear brake discs are ventilated, there is no drum.

If you are choosing rims for your wheels, look at the size. It should be the same, no less. Brake discs for Granta with wheels 14 are suitable only for sizes R14 and R15.