A classic in the “luxury” version, the Zhiguli 2107, or as evil tongues say, the Fiat SuperMirafiori with an engine from the Fiat 124, from 1982 to 2012 reigned supreme in car dealerships and garages of wealthy citizens, then in the fleets of collective farm chairmen, and by the end of production it turned from the flagship of the domestic automotive industry into a hopeless anachronism. But they continue to love it out of habit and forgive the outdated design. And those who don’t know how to forgive adapt them to suit themselves, and very often they start with the pendant.
Options for tuning the VAZ-2107 suspension with your own hands
The first element that people want to upgrade in a car is the suspension.
The car has problems, so not everyone likes it. Using the example of a VAZ-2107 car, let's look at suspension tuning and how to do it yourself. The disadvantage of the suspension of this car model is the softness of the connecting parts of the chassis and body, especially at the rear. To make it tougher, car enthusiasts do their own tuning, replacing factory parts with more powerful elements.
You will also have to make adjustments to the front suspension, since by increasing the rigidity of only the rear axle, an imbalance appears. Let's look at what work needs to be done so that the car's handling is not affected.
The main options for reducing clearance
The first option, which is considered the most economical, is to shorten the standard springs. You can do this yourself or, if you don’t have the necessary tools and skills, entrust it to a novice specialist. This operation can be performed without removing the spring. It is important to remember that the springs are shortened by a different number of turns (front, for example, by two, and rear by three). This is due to the fact that the weight of the machine must be distributed evenly.
The advantage of this method is low costs. As for the disadvantages, these include the risk of breaking both the spring and the shock absorber. Another option is to purchase and install shortened springs. Such springs are often called sports springs. The main costs here are associated with the purchase of finished parts. The advantages of this method include the fact that you can return everything to its place at any time (after all, the standard springs are not shortened). In addition, you can carry out such an operation yourself. The only thing is, upon completion, you need to contact specialists to perform camber/alignment work.
You can also reduce the ground clearance using a coilover. These are the springs that allow you to adjust the ground clearance. This option is the most convenient, because even if you were not able to achieve the expected result the first time, you can always adjust the desired suspension height without having to buy new parts. The advantages of this method include the versatility of coilovers. They are installed with both sports and conventional shock absorbers. They are adjustable according to your wishes. Finally, they are quite easy to install yourself. As for the minuses, there is only one – the price of the issue.
Air suspension is another option to “pump up” the VAZ 2107. Moreover, this option is only suitable for true fans. The fact is that the cost of the package can reach tens of thousands of rubles. But for this money you will get your hands on a full-fledged tool for working with the suspension. Another disadvantage is the cost of the work. The fact is that such a suspension cannot be made in your garage. And it is also not recommended to entrust the installation of equipment to the first “specialist” you come across. The disadvantages include the fact that such a suspension can quickly fail on domestic roads.
The advantages of this option include the possibility of flexible regulation of ground clearance (in a range of up to five centimeters). If the system is installed correctly, you can adjust the ground clearance at any time at your discretion, depending, for example, on the type of road surface and terrain. Another important advantage is the ability to well support the maximum weight of the car. The machine does not sag even at its maximum load. In general, the ground clearance can be adjusted in the range from two to nine centimeters. You should not do more, as this carries certain risks. During the modification process, it is also recommended to install new boots and rebound buffers. In addition, experts advise changing the support bearings. And one more important point. All work on suspension must be approached responsibly. If you cannot perform some operation yourself, it is better to entrust it to professionals. Saving or doing something carelessly is inappropriate here. Any mistake can significantly affect handling.
Rear suspension upgrade
To do this, change the following spare parts:
- springs;
- silent blocks;
- shock absorbers;
- rubber bumpers.
Rear suspension of VAZ-2107
It is considered a classic to replace factory springs with those intended for the VAZ-2102(04) or VAZ Niva. These parts fit well into the circuitry here, but are also stiffer and more powerful. However, if the Niva’s springs are the same size as those of the VAZ-2107, then these spare parts from the VAZ-2102(04) lift the rear of the car, which is undesirable. In this case, in order to reduce the ground clearance, you have to remove one or two turns yourself.
The front suspension of this model takes on the largest part of the mechanical load when driving. Therefore, owners of the VAZ-2107 model pay a lot of attention to it when repairing and tuning the car.
Choice of springs and wheels
Both stock springs and those with variable pitch without lowering are suitable for us. To achieve overall stiffness, the front springs must be less stiff than the rear springs. The original rear suspension is no good, it is too soft, so if there are several people in the cabin, the car instantly loses controllability, and what to hide, you risk running into the first bump and damaging the bottom of the car. The wheels may begin to catch on the fender liners.
The correct choice of tires and rims is important. Wheels in Kyiv can be bought for quite reasonable money.
A popular type of tuning is installing a sports suspension.
To provide better handling and stability at high speed, the following changes are made to the suspension:
- gas-oil shock absorbers are installed;
- springs are lowered;
- the stroke of the shock absorber rod is limited;
- a suspension is installed with the ability to adjust ground clearance (with remote cameras or screws);
- triangular levers are mounted that change the castor - the angle of longitudinal inclination of the axis along which the wheel rotates. The larger it is, the better the car's handling.
This completes the modernization of the car's suspension.
Tuning the suspension of the VAZ 2107
Despite the availability of foreign-made cars for domestic motorists, the fleet of vehicles produced by the Russian Automotive Industry is quite large. And various models of Zhiguli are especially popular among our compatriots. That is why the problem of tuning in general, and suspension tuning in particular, does not lose its relevance.
Decor
Caps for alloy wheels play an important role - they close the holes on the wheel design elements and give the car an original appearance. They are part of the tuning of any car that is not equipped with hubcaps. An improved car wheel will look stylish and sophisticated
Beautiful and practical wheel caps are what add originality to a vehicle and attract attention. Equipping the car with spectacular caps with a logo will allow you to appreciate not only the manufacturer, but also the owner of the “iron horse”
Tuning the front suspension of the VAZ 2107
Restyling of the “Seven” suspension, however, like the tuning of the “VAZ 2106” suspension, usually pursues one main goal - to make an analogue of the sports suspension. And the main means of achieving it is to replace the main suspension elements with modern options. First of all, these are shock absorbers and springs. Tuning masters recommend parts produced on the Eibach and Koni conveyors for this purpose.
The main advantage of spare parts from these brands is a high level of quality coupled with an affordable price. In addition, the installation of these elements does not imply alteration of standard seats.
The next element that is frequently replaced during the modernization process is rubber products, or silent blocks. For example, tuning the VAZ 2106 suspension is rarely complete without installing silent blocks made of polyurethane.
Preparatory work
Before removing the beam, it is necessary to remove the shock absorbers and suspension springs. For this operation, in addition to standard keys and heads, you will need a pry bar, a jack and spring ties.
The order of operation is as follows:
- Drive the car into the pit, put the handbrake on, and install wheel chocks under the rear wheels.
- Loosen the upper nuts of the front shock absorbers located in the engine compartment (to prevent the shock absorber rod from turning, it should be held with an open-end wrench).
- Unscrew the top nuts and remove them along with the washers and springs (the location of the elements must be remembered, this will be useful during assembly).
- Unscrew the nuts securing the shock absorbers to the lower arms.
- Pull out the shock absorbers.
- Loosen the front wheel mounting bolts.
- Raise the car on a jack, place the front part of the car on supports, remove the front wheels (special supports or ordinary bricks are located under the side members at the point where they connect to the body).
Further actions are performed sequentially for the right and left levers:
- Unscrew the nuts securing the lever two turns (otherwise it will be difficult to lift it with a jack).
- Raise the end of the lever with a jack and remove the stabilizer rubber bracket by unscrewing the fastening nuts.
- Partially unscrew the nuts securing the lower ball joint and knock it out of the knuckle with a hammer (it is better to use a special puller instead of a hammer).
- Move the stabilizer through the top pin using a pry bar.
- Lower the lever and remove the jack.
- Lift the upper arm and pull out the suspension spring, prying it up with a pry bar from below.
Reinstalling the parts is done in the reverse order. Before installing the springs, they should be compressed with ties.
Tuning of VAZ 2109 suspensions
Modernization of the suspension systems of domestic "eights" and "nines", as well as tuning of the VAZ 2110 suspension, basically does not have any fundamental differences from the changes described above. The restyling procedure includes:
- Installation of front air shock absorbers.
- Replacing the anti-roll bar.
- Changing the front wheel alignment angles:
— the longitudinal inclination angle increases; — “camber” is set to a negative value.
- Installation of spacers between the “cups” of the upper supports on the front pillars.
The result of such tuning is a significant increase in the degree of rigidity of the car suspension, which eliminates the occurrence of large roll angles when turning, “yaw” and increases the controllability of the vehicle.
What's the result?
To summarize the text, we urge Russian motorists to approach the structural modifications of the suspension of their vehicles wisely.
Some elements, such as the front strut brace or the additional rear beam stabilizer, are quite applicable in everyday life.
They will absolutely improve the process of traveling by car, adding comfort and safety.
The influence of other modifications may not bring a positive effect, and sometimes even worsen the initial performance characteristics of the machine.
Before installing anything additional, evaluate not only the upcoming costs, but also their feasibility.
Read on the topic, tuning a VAZ 2110 with your own hands.
Self-tuning of VAZ 2114 suspension
Upgrading the suspension is, first of all, necessary for car owners who prefer a dynamic driving style, including frequent maneuvering.
a) Replacing shock absorbers. The best choice for replacing standard shock absorbers will be gas-hydraulic devices. They will provide almost perfect response to uneven road surfaces. The only negative point that arises during their operation is heating of the cylinder walls when driving at high speeds.
b) Modernization of springs. These elements provide a smooth ride and excellent handling of the car. A prerequisite when choosing springs is the presence of a reduction coefficient on the packaging and the identity of the brand of new and standard elements.
c) Replacement of bushings. Bushings and silent blocks made of polyurethane, together with the installation of a stabilizer bar, will provide a high level of resistance to deforming loads.
Suspension device VAZ 2107
The Seven, like its predecessors, has a double wishbone suspension with independent wishbones. The upper arms are attached to the mudguard strut, the lower arms are attached to the cross member holding the front side members.
For free rotation of the levers on the axle, silent blocks (rubber-metal bushings) are used, thanks to which the lever remains mobile, but does not “play” on the axle and does not knock.
The wheel hub is mounted on ball joints, which allow it to rotate freely along a vertical axis.
A smooth ride when driving over uneven surfaces is ensured by springs and shock absorbers that dampen vibrations.
How to glue stained glass film to glass
The gluing process is quite simple and does not require special skills or knowledge. It is performed in the following order:
- Marking and cutting of material. The canvas is cut with scissors or a knife along the glass area with an allowance of 2 cm on each side.
- Preparing the plane. Before applying the material, the surface is freed from dust and wiped with a degreasing solution.
- Gluing the film covering. The edge of the canvas (about 5 cm) is released from the protective layer of paper and applied to the glass with the adhesive side. Decorative stained glass self-adhesive film can be applied to windows on one or each side of the glass. In the second option, it is possible to form not only two different compositional patterns, but also strengthen the strength of the glass.
- Removing air from under the material. To know how to stick stained glass film on glass without bubbles, you need to follow the necessary steps: from the middle to the edges, the coating must be carefully smoothed with a soft cloth or rubber spatula. When atmospheric balls form, the fabric in these places can be pierced with a thin needle or heated with a hairdryer and then gently smoothed.
Its surface is wiped with a flannel cloth soaked in a soap solution or other detergent.
Possible malfunctions of the VAZ 2107 suspension
Suspension faults can be divided into groups:
- drying out and wear of rubber parts: boots, bushings;
- wear of liners and seals, which causes failure of ball joints, anti-roll bar cushions, silent blocks;
- metal fatigue, leading to breakage of shock absorbers, springs and even levers.
Checking and repairing the front suspension is a fairly simple operation. They are carried out on an inspection pit or a lift.
Possibilities of tuning the front suspension of the VAZ 2107
The design of the VAZ 2107, especially the suspension, is not far removed from the outdated FIAT 124. That is why suspension tuning is so popular - owners are trying to improve its characteristics. The purposes for which the front suspension of the VAZ 2107 is tuned are as follows:
- improving the smoothness of the ride;
- improved handling;
- increased stability at high speeds;
- increasing the reliability and durability of components and parts.
One of the simple and effective ways is to install high-quality components from foreign manufacturers. This is especially true of shock absorbers, a wide selection of which allows you to solve many problems and customize the “seven” for yourself, making its ride either softer and smoother, or stiffer but stable at high speeds.
Below we will consider the most popular types of tuning.
Installation of sports suspension
To improve stability and handling at high speed, the following changes can be made to the suspension:
How to properly tune and strengthen the suspension of VAZ cars
You should not think that the installation of additional elements of the car’s design is carried out exclusively by tuning enthusiasts.
Many car owners often do this in order to give their domestic car, for example a VAZ car, better driving characteristics.
Today we will talk about the main types of modifications to the suspension of VAZ 2107, 2109, 2110, 2106, 2112, 2101,2105 cars made by drivers, and we will also evaluate the feasibility of their installation.
Here are the basic principles of the correct approach to tuning the suspension of VAZ cars and other domestic cars, as well as ways to strengthen it.
And although the procedure for installing individual additional suspension parts is the same for many VAZ cars, you still need to understand that their installation on the VAZ 2101 and 2112 will be different.
Rework to strengthen the chassis
It is also important to treat the studs that are located on the lower arm from corrosive wear. Before tightening the nuts, they must be pre-lubricated. Plastic can be fused onto the tips of the studs. To do this, you can take any plastic thing, cut off a piece, lean it against the tip of a hairpin and melt it.
Additionally, the stabilizer brackets can be strengthened. To do this, it is recommended to weld special steel corners onto them. Then carry out anti-corrosion treatment.
High-quality tuning for the VAZ-2107 chassis makes the car more reliable and easy to use.
The desire for tuning begins with discomfort, when everything is as it should be, but something is still wrong. And the rest of the actions depend on the driver himself - some are completely satisfied with instrument clusters with original scale designs, while others will want to modernize almost every element of the vehicle.
Due to the great demand for tuning of certain elements, stores were simply overflowing with a variety of accessories, auto repair shops had to recruit specialists in tuning of varying complexity, and thematic publications appeared on the shelves of kiosks.
Our article will not be replete with giant pictures, since the focus is on information, not images.
Front strut
The most popular element, widely used by many owners of Russian cars, is the front cross brace.
Its installation is carried out in the area of the upper shock absorber supports, by securing it between the strut cups.
The main purpose of this part is to increase the angular rigidity of the body and improve the handling quality of the vehicle.
In addition, the presence of a spacer helps eliminate the “floating” geometry of the suspension arms, which occurs as a result of strong impacts on road potholes or uneven surfaces.
The main reason why many car enthusiasts, in particular owners of VAZ cars, make such modifications is due to insufficient body rigidity, which contributes to deterioration of handling, a feeling of “sluggish” steering and excessive roll that occurs when performing maneuvers.
This is detected only when driving at high speeds, mainly associated with trips on country roads.
Auxiliary powertrain support
The purpose of supplementing the standard motor mounts with another auxiliary module is to minimize the amplitude vibrations of the engine during sudden braking, acceleration and overcoming road hills or potholes.
Its presence eliminates the so-called “pecking” - inertial phenomena that occur during vehicle operation.
The presence of an auxiliary support also prevents spontaneous disengagement of the transmission gears.
This significantly reduces the risk of unpleasant incidents that directly affect safety.
Typically, it is difficult to install this component yourself.
A certain skill is required, which the average car enthusiast does not always have.
Separately, we will say that some engine models require the installation of a fourth support only after moving the ignition unit.
This, on the one hand, is an additional difficulty, but, on the other hand, it significantly improves the operating conditions of the electronic module, moving it away from the road, thereby reducing the amount of dirt that gets on it.
An additional support for the power unit is often installed during tuning of the suspension of VAZ 2109, 2110 cars.
Rear beam stabilizer bar
The element's purpose is to reduce the lateral roll of the car, improve the interaction of the wheels with the road surface when cornering, as well as distribute the load between the rear shock absorbers when one of the wheels drives over uneven surfaces.
The fact is that when you hit deep potholes, extremely strong suspension occurs, often causing the rear shock absorber strut rod to be pulled out.
When working in compression, the shock absorber, on the contrary, is overly susceptible to breakdown, which seriously affects its durability.
This does not happen with amplification. The resulting force is distributed between both wheels with an approximate ratio of 3 to 2, which has a positive effect on the quality of control and the reliability of the suspension elements.
The stabilization bar is installed directly on the rear beam of front-wheel drive models of domestic VAZ and other cars.
Installing a beam reinforcement should not cause any problems for most drivers. To do this, you need to use a trestle or inspection hole, and then fasten the rod to the beam according to the instructions.
The only difficulty that may arise is the need to drill eight holes in the beam housing.
How to profitably exchange a used car
To guarantee the legality of the used car exchange service and its objective cost, the purchase and sale process should be carried out at a trusted auto center. Here the client will be offered:
- Diagnostics of the old model, on the basis of which its cost will be determined;
- Selection of cars for exchange, completely new or with a clean mileage history: all cars undergo forensic examination, therefore the car dealership will never sell a car with a “dark past”;
- Legal support of the transaction: the client enters into a notarized agreement and, if necessary, can use the credit services of the car dealership’s partner bank;
- Efficiency of the service: the client does not need to look for buyers for his vehicle; he does not need to settle issues with the traffic police or the bank. The listed functions are the task of the auto center.
Thus, with minimal documents, it is possible to buy an improved car within one to three days. The used car exchange service makes it possible to regularly change the owner’s vehicle fleet by purchasing its best models.
Reinforced front stabilizer
The front stabilizer of increased rigidity is a means designed to significantly improve the quality of vehicle handling.
Its main difference from the standard part is the harder rubber bushings located at the attachment points.
The nuance of using such an element is that it improves the ride on smooth asphalt areas, but if you have to drive along a bumpy country road, vibrations in the steering wheel will become a real punishment.
Even the slightest impact will be completely transmitted to the steering wheel, which will significantly complicate the driver’s life.
A reinforced stabilizer is quite expensive, and we consider the need for its installation doubtful.
Perhaps only sports car models participating in road competitions need it. The average car enthusiast does not need this modification, especially when tuning the VAZ suspension.
