VAZ 2109 body - its repair and replacement of body parts

Considering the current opportunities in terms of purchasing spare parts, materials, tools, as well as the relative simplicity of the design of the VAZ 2109 car, doing body repairs yourself is far from the most difficult task. Many perform body work on their own, not inferior in quality to specialized workshops.

The task is to return quality

Features of the VAZ 2109 body

“Nine” is a front-wheel drive passenger car with a hatchback body. The car is equipped with 5 doors. It has several modifications, released at different times and for different purposes - 21091, 21093, 21099.

Body of VAZ 2109

The body of the “nine” is made in a load-bearing structure and is 1-volume. 5 people can easily fit inside the car, although the hatchback does not have the comfort of a sedan. It was with the aim of increasing the convenience and spaciousness of the interior that one of the modifications of the “nine” was invented - the VAZ 21099.

The body of the “nine” is distinguished by a wedge-shaped shape, which is already a plus. The fact is that this form can significantly improve the AED* characteristics and reduce the resistance of oncoming air flows when the vehicle is moving.

AED* - aerodynamic

Smoothed surfaces of the front part of the VAZ 2109 body

Significant benefits in reducing the impact of air flow come from the smoothed outer surfaces of the hood, the greater slope of the windshield and rear window, as well as the unusually smooth connection of the front bumper to the body frame.

This body layout, coupled with a more economical power unit and new tire shapes, made it possible to significantly reduce fuel consumption.

In addition, this indicator is closely related to the reduction in body weight, which was achieved through the introduction of lightweight plastics and new composite materials. The plastic parts of the body and interior of the Nine, and there are a lot of them in the car, weigh about 80 kg.

Note. The reduction in weight of the VAZ 2109 is also due to the use of lightweight aluminum materials.

To carry out tuning on the “nine”, it will be useful to know how much the body of the VAZ 2109 weighs. This will make it possible to strengthen the frame by adding as much extra weight as needed. According to the table below, we see that the weight of the VAZ 2109 body in its bare state is 450 kg. Designers call this mass useful.

Weight and other body indicators of the VAZ 2109

Despite the light weight, the car owner is given the opportunity to easily transport from 50 to 275 kg of various cargo in the trunk, depending on the number of passengers inside the cabin.

Thanks to front-wheel drive and a special body structure, the “nine” is distinguished by enviable stability against lateral skidding. Good handling is ensured, again, due to the front drive wheels and the coincidence of the direction of the traction force with the direction of movement of the wheels.

VAZ 2109 on a winter road

The handling of the “nine” is especially good in comparison with other domestic cars, on icy roads, slippery roads, and so on.

In addition, the front-wheel drive design of the car allows for better use of the length of the body compared to rear-wheel drive models. This also makes it possible to reduce the weight of the car, make the interior and driving position more comfortable.

Due to the absence of intermediate transmission links in the “nine”, it is possible to increase the useful volume of the vehicle without increasing the dimensions of the body. In the “nine” the floor tunnel is short; only parts of the brake and exhaust system are located here.

VAZ 2109 hatchback

The rear of the Nine is also very compact. The 20-litre fuel tank is located under the rear seat, and the spare tire is located in a niche in the floor of the luggage compartment. This helped increase the free space in the trunk.

More information about the structure of the VAZ 2109 body can be found in the table below.

Checkpoints

Measuring the distances between body control points is the most common way to check the condition of a car. After taking measurements, you need to check them with the passport data.

The check is performed as follows:

• Dimensions are checked diagonally;
• The current condition of the machine racks is checked;
• The roof is examined visually, the dimensions of the diagonals of the roof itself and the door frame are checked;
• Increased attention is paid to measurements of the rear and front window frames;
• A visual inspection of the entire body is carried out from various angles in order to determine the presence of gaps and bulges that differ from the required parameters.

Features and body structure of the VAZ 2109

Restoration of the cylinder head (cylinder head)

After removing the cylinder head, it must be washed with acetone, and the combustion chamber must be cleaned of carbon deposits. Parts such as the camshaft and valve group are cleaned in the same way.

During the inspection of the condition of the cylinder head elements, the need for replacement may be identified:

• valves;
• springs;
• guide bushings;
• valve pushers and adjusting washers;
• cylinder head mounting bolts;
• intake and exhaust manifold gaskets.

Additionally, the camshaft may need to be replaced. If it has been determined that there is unevenness in the mating plane of the head, you can try to grind in. But experts recommend replacing it if the cylinder head is leaking.

Strengthening and modernization

VAZ 2109 body strengthening

Strengthening or tuning the body of a VAZ 2109 according to the instructions should be carried out only if the owner is well versed in the design features of the car, has an appropriate understanding of the device, and knows the technical data on weight and other parameters. Otherwise, it is better to entrust the modernization work to professionals at the service station. True, the price of their services in these matters is too high, but you will be satisfied with the result.

So, tuning a VAZ 2109 car is, first of all, upgrading its body. The process always begins with this, and only after that the power unit and other components of the machine are brought to the desired state.

The need for reinforcement at “nine” and the quality of life indicator

Tuning VAZ 2109 body

It’s interesting that many owners of the “Nine” install modern amplification components more for the sake of beauty. This cannot in any way be a plus for reinforcement, since for the most part such elements can only provide decorative benefits.

On the contrary, if the goal of tuning is primarily to strengthen the body, TK*, spacers, rods and gussets can be selected accordingly. They will significantly strengthen the frame and increase its ability to withstand external influences.

TK* - tubular roll cage

Roll cage

Strengthening, as mentioned at the beginning of the article, is a mandatory procedure. By installing longitudinal and transverse reinforcing elements into the body structure, you can achieve a significant increase in the rigidity of the body frame, and this is already very good. The integrity of the original design obtained at the factory will be maintained and at the same time the corresponding torsional rigidity parameters will increase. At the same time, the weight of the car will practically not increase.

No matter how rigid the body is, it will have weak, vulnerable areas. Even if, under the influence of external forces, these places receive only microscopic damage, over time this will inevitably develop into a big problem.

You can verify the weakness of the “nine” body using a simple example:

• Raise the car on a jack (you can do it on one or both sides at once);
• In 80-90% of cases, car doors jam in the openings, which indicates deformation of the body.

Torsional rigidity or QR is one of the most important indicators of the condition of the body. Hatchbacks are much stronger than sedans in this regard. Thus, the strengthening of the body on the VAZ 21099 (sedan body type) should be carried out much more extensively in order to make it possible to increase the quality of life.

Rear spacer

But, again, the VAZ 2109 body has a low quality of life indicator when compared with some foreign-made hatchbacks. This means that the car turns worse, with some delay, as design features interfere.

Besides:

• During maneuvers and extreme driving, metal in the areas where the levers are attached causes mismatch in the operation of the suspension;
• Due to the periodic twisting that occurs during active driving, the body of the “nine” soon ages or, as engineers say, “gets tired.” This inevitably affects the destruction of welding seams and the appearance of intense corrosion.

Note. As mentioned above, hatchbacks, especially 3-door ones, performed better in terms of quality of life. Worse are sedans, station wagons and minivans.

Modern components for strengthening the body

Thanks to the technological breakthrough of recent years, designers are able to come up with various options for reinforcing elements.

VAZ 2109 body tuning

Most often in modern body tuning, a strut is used on the front suspension. They put it on body “glasses”. The effect makes itself felt immediately as soon as the car picks up speed or the driver maneuvers in any other way.

The spacer, like most tuning components, came to the world of tuning from big sport. The body of a sports car was reinforced with such an element without fail, as rigidity increased, which had a positive effect on handling.

If we keep in mind the technical benefits of spacers, then they become an effective method of treating the congenital sluggishness of a VAZ model car. The spacer gives only a positive effect to almost all AvtoVAZ models.

Sports tuning VAZ 2109

As for the practical effect, it manifests itself to a greater extent with extreme driving methods. During normal, quiet driving, the driver will not feel any interference from the strut in the vehicle's structure.

Here are the advantages a front brace can give to the front-wheel drive VAZ 2109 and VAZ 21099 models:

1. Accelerated steering wheel reactions;
2. The composure of the body (felt by the driver during a long drive - if there is no spacer, the car becomes “wobbly” after several hundred kilometers);
3. The driving characteristics become “sharper”, the play in the steering wheel appears more clearly and the movement is more similar to a sports one (although the steering wheel reacts faster, it does so somehow unpredictably, with accelerated turning);
4. Despite the above property, it is much easier to drive a “nine” with an installed strut, since the feeling of tension disappears and the maximum speed at the strut increases.

In a word, the strut as such will bring more benefit to the owner if he respects the active, so to speak, sporty driving style. For those who like calm, uniform movement, when the car speed rarely exceeds 60 km/h, it is better not to install a spacer, although there will be no obvious disadvantages.

There are many more ways of body tuning on the VAZ 2109. We won’t list them all. There are many interesting publications on this topic on our website, in which the tuning process is described in more detail.

“I didn’t make a car so that it would sit in a sideboard”

I rolled out the updated car from the garage in December 2022. Since then, I drive in winter almost every day, and this is a paradox: many, on the contrary, protect old cars from our salts, but I mainly need a car only in winter! In the summer, I mostly travel on a motorcycle, and the V8 is good once a week to transport some cargo or something similar.

I am absolutely not sorry for my efforts and expenses. I didn’t make the car so that it would sit in the sideboard, as they say, just don’t forget to wipe it with a cloth. What's the point of such a car then? She must drive. Of course, it rusts and wears out - but what to do? Nothing is eternal. But it is still very far from being completely rotten. I keep an eye on this, before the season everything is coated with Movil and Pussal.

In almost two years I have traveled 17,000 kilometers. There were no critical malfunctions during this time. Unless the relay-regulator has failed, perhaps it was simply flooded with water. The battery didn't charge for a couple of days and eventually the car wouldn't start. I charged the battery and drove on, I didn’t even change the relay, there were no problems.

After replacing the motor, it sometimes stalled after a long drive. The reason was cheap - the fuel pump screen was clogged. It cost exactly a ruble, it took half an hour to replace it - the problem went away, we moved on. For me, as I joke, it was a commissioning process.

In 2022, the V8 is uncomfortable to drive. Is it pleasant? This is a purely personal matter, I like this car, it does not cause rejection. The only thing I would like to improve, but it is simply physically impossible, is sound insulation. Plastic rattles in the cabin no matter what you do. I have everything glued, assembled and coated, but alas, it’s cheap Soviet plastic...

The suspension travel is decent - after all, the G8 was made for harsh Soviet roads. The car goes well both on asphalt and off-road. It is moderately soft.

The biggest thing I transported was the interior for her. I brought the instrument panel, all the door trims, carpets and other small items from Vitebsk. All this was thrown literally to the ceiling. Once I carried two doors from a BMW E30 and a wing from it - everything fit.

The “Cinema” record rolls around in the trunk as a link between generations

Rust on the body? In these places, I personally prepared the car for painting. There was a through hole on one arch, but since the arches were original, I didn’t want to digest the entire element - it’s a pity the original iron, the operation is too serious. But, unfortunately, nothing can overcome such rust; it will still come out.

How to pull out body parts of a “nine” with your own hands

Photo of how to stretch the body of a VAZ 2109

In conclusion of the article I would like to dwell on such a point as body deformation. If the “nine” has any deformed part of the body, then there can be no talk of any tuning until restoration is carried out.

As a rule, complete restoration of the body and elimination of deformations is carried out on a special machine. It's called a slipway. This is professional equipment on which only an experienced and knowledgeable specialist can carry out procedures.

As for restoring the body at home, it must be borne in mind that such an operation is possible only for minor components. Thus, massive body elements, such as a spar or a beam, cannot be pulled out without a slipway. But you can successfully deal with a dented threshold or fender on your own in your garage.

The algorithm for carrying out the work is not very complicated:

• The car is placed on the handbrake, stops are placed under the wheels;
• One of the ends of the cable is tied to a monolithic support, for example, to a large and strong tree;
• The other end is tied to the body part;
• By winding a metal rod around the cable, it becomes possible to gradually tighten the cable.

When carrying out this work, we must remember that accuracy is extremely important here. So, with strong dents, it is better not to rush, but to tighten the cable little by little, leaving the metal under tension for some time. Thus, the metal is given a kind of “breathing space” necessary to withstand further stretching.

Body leveling installation

Simultaneously with stretching on the cable, it is recommended to treat the surface with straightening hammers on the back side of the part where the dent is. You need to hit not the metal, but the plank carefully placed in this place.

Advice. Instead of a cable, it is better to use a strong chain, since often the cable does not hold up and breaks, which can be dangerous to life.

What did we learn from the article? The body of the “nine”, in principle, has good design features, but for its further trouble-free operation it is recommended to strengthen it. The photo materials and video review presented above will help consolidate the material presented in the article.

Complete replacement

In case of severe damage from corrosion or metal obsolescence, the bottom of the “nine” is completely replaced. This requires:

• amplifiers;
• thresholds;
• jack;
• connectors;
• bottom;
• spars.

To repair the “nine”, you can use one second of the bottom of the 2108 cabin.

Preparatory work

Before replacement, doors, fenders, and sills are dismantled. If there are traces of corrosion, the cover plate and connector are replaced. Installing braces for rigidity increases the accuracy of the work. Using a chisel, the old metal is removed down to the undamaged body. The internal surfaces of thresholds and cavities are treated with zinc chromate primer GF-073 before replacing the floor.

Along the lines connecting the threshold with the trim, holes with a diameter of 5 mm are drilled at a distance of 40–50 mm. The geometry is checked by installing doors in the openings, maintaining gaps of no more than 3 mm. The doors are then removed.

The threshold is welded to the trim with electric rivets through stitched holes, to the side of the body, to the central pillar - with a continuous seam. After completion of the work, the welding areas are cleaned with a grinding machine, primed, and coated with an anti-corrosion compound.

Description and purpose of the car part

The body of the VAZ 2109 is an important structural part of the vehicle, an element of the load-bearing part. This is a kind of car shell. It is by this that the appearance and style of the car is judged. This spare part is designed to accommodate car passengers and protect them. Quite large. It is presented in three parts: motor, luggage and passenger.

The VAZ 2109 has a two-volume hatchback body. The purchase of this spare part may be required in the following cases:

• The old structure was worn out and covered with rust.
• The car was involved in an accident and the body part was severely damaged.
• I want to modernize my car.

Carburetor repair

Before repairing the carburetor unit, it is recommended to stock up on a repair kit, a can of carburetor cleaner and a bath of acetone (solvent) for washing parts.

During the repair work, it may be necessary to replace the following elements:

• idle jet solenoid valve;
• carburetor cover gaskets;
• fuel valve;
• springs, diaphragms, nozzles and their seals in the accelerator pump;
• main fuel jets and their emulsion tubes.

Product types

By volume you can purchase the following body:

• Three-volume.
• Single-volume.
• Two-volume.

Based on the shape, you can buy a body part of this type:

1. Sedan.
2. Station wagon.
3. Hatchback.

Based on the equipment level, you can purchase the following body for a VAZ 2109:

• Naked (represented only by a metal structure, without glass).
• Assembled (this is a structure with a ready-made car showroom, electrical appliances, wiring and glass).

You can buy the body:

• Original.
• Unoriginal.

For the Lada 2109 car, you can purchase and install a body from the following VAZ brands:

• 21091.
• 21093.
• 21099.
• 2114.
• 2108.
• 2115.

Depending on the condition, you can take a car part:

• New one.
• Used.

Used body parts can be purchased in this condition:

1. Excellent (no cracks, scratches, dents or other defects, the part has not been repainted).
2. Good (there may be scratches, the spare part may need to be tinted).
3. Bad (there are traces of corrosion, dents, the spare part needs to be restored).

You can buy the part:

• Painted.
• Unpainted.

Painted body on a VAZ 2109

At the place of purchase, the body part on the VAZ 2109 may be as follows:

• Taken from a private person.
• Purchased at a car dismantling point.
• Purchased from an online store.

“I would still get involved in this matter”

Nowadays there are no problems finding spare parts for the G8, if the task is simply to get it running. Parts are available in the markets, not to mention specialized VAZ outlets. And if you have time, you can find whatever you want; all sorts of plastic and other trinkets are brought from Russia.

I would calmly advise a fan to get involved in such an adventure. But only to someone who understands the hardware, otherwise a person who doesn’t “fumble around” will either end up with an even larger budget than me, or nothing will come of it at all.

The basic thing is choosing a car. You need to find a good body, you need to know where to look: at the rear and front side members, the radiator frame. Spare parts, especially for the carburetor version, cost pennies. But how long will it take to work on the service if you don’t do it all yourself? In my opinion, incredibly expensive.

Even if I initially knew how much money all this would cost me, I would still get involved in this business. My sum was not an astronomical one, but the car turned out to be very good. I drove it without fear to Brest, Grodno, Vitebsk, Verhnedvinsk and Polotsk - there were no problems.

Of course, you could spend some money and get a more modern car. But here I disassembled everything down to the bolts, assembled it with my own hands - everything is clear, everything is familiar, I know which way to dig. And with a newer car, if something happens, you’ll have to go to a service station - I don’t want to deal with that.

Approximate prices

In Russia, a body for a VAZ 2109 is sold for 10,000-45,000 rubles . Approximate prices are shown in the table.

Tools

Body repair of a VAZ 2109, including replacing the bottom yourself, begins with the selection of tools. Restoration work requires specific equipment:

• hammers of different sizes for straightening work;
• grinder, set of discs for removing rust and paintwork;
• carbon dioxide cylinder;
• welding machine;
• metal drills, chisels with a hardened tip;
• two jacks, a lift;
• metal brush;
• standard set of tools - screwdrivers, wrenches.