Do-it-yourself replacement of front struts on Renault Logan

Timely replacement of Renault Logan front struts is extremely important. After all, a shock absorber failure has a significant impact on how the car behaves on the track .

The body can “dive” during acceleration or roll while maneuvering. And the braking distance increases by an order of magnitude, which can also be dangerous.

Front struts on Logan: design features and purpose

Front shock absorbers on Renault Logan perform several functions, the main one of which is damping vertical vibrations.
If you have driven a car with faulty A-pillars, you should understand what we are talking about. Without shock absorbers, the car will rock up and down even at minimum speed. There is a very simple and accessible way to determine the performance of this element: press the weight of your body on the body in the hood area. If the car does not immediately return to its original position, then the problem is faulty shock absorbers. If you suspect that the shock absorbers are out of order, pay attention to the rod. If oil is pouring out of it, then this is a clear sign that the front struts of the car need to be replaced.

As for performance characteristics, it will be possible to travel up to 120 thousand km on factory racks. Subject to a careful driving style and acceptable road quality, this period will increase to 150 thousand km. Another important factor that affects the service life is the manufacturer. Of course, Lemforder or other spare parts installed from the factory will perform much better than cheap analogues. Here it’s up to you to decide: either pay more, but drive twice as far before the next replacement, or save money and change the struts after 55-65 thousand km.

Engine characteristics Renault Logan 1.4

Manufacture - Bursa plant Brand\Engine type Renault Logan - K7J Years of production - (2004 - present) Cylinder block material - cast iron Power system - injector Type - in-line Number of cylinders - 4 Valves per cylinder - 2 Piston stroke - 70 mm Cylinder diameter - 79 .5 mm Compression ratio – 9.5 Logan engine capacity – 1390 cm3 Renault Logan engine power – 75 hp /5500 rpm Torque - 112 Nm / 3000 rpm Fuel - 92 Environmental standards - Euro 3 Fuel consumption - city 9.4 l. | track 5.5 l. | mixed 6.9 l/100 km Oil consumption - up to 0.5 l/1000 km Engine oil for Logan 1.4: 5W-40 5W-30 Oil changes are carried out once every 7,500 km (In city conditions) Once every 15,000 km (In paradise conditions)

Resource of Renault Logan: 1. According to the plant - 400 thousand (unofficially, factory tests) 2. In practice - 400+ thousand km

TUNING Potential - unknown Without loss of resource - unknown

Engine installed on: Renault Logan Renault Sandero

Types of breakdowns and malfunctions

If you hear a knock in the front struts on a Renault Logan, then you should carry out the most thorough inspection. In fact, there could be many reasons. Here are the main elements that are susceptible to failure in the front chassis area:

Support stand - a visual inspection is sufficient. To perform this procedure, you must open the hood and inspect the thrust cup for mechanical chips and gaps. If the latter exceeds 10 mm, then the rack needs to be replaced.
Front shock absorber struts. Malfunctions manifest themselves as dull knocks, noises and squeaks while the car is moving. Press your weight onto the car body in the hood area. If it immediately returns to its original position, then everything is fine.
Front stabilizer bars. To check the functionality of this element of the assembly, you should provide a load on the car, and then rock it. Visually inspect the cup and its movement around the lever. If the movement seems unnatural to you, and strange sounds are heard during the move, then the problem is in the stabilizer struts.
Silent blocks are another weak point of shock absorbers on Renault Logan. These elements are located in the suspension arms, and their suitability can be determined using an ordinary mount. To do this, ensure horizontal and vertical rotation along the lever. If there are gaps, and the rubber around is very worn, then the silent blocks definitely need to be changed. It is important to understand that for Renault Logan it is necessary to replace and disassemble the silent blocks on the removed element.
The ball joint is the final element of the assembly. Diagnostics for this element is similar to inspection of the silent block. Remove the element, and then use a tool to ensure translational movements vertically and horizontally.

The appearance of malfunctions in the above-described components of the assembly is a clear sign that the front suspension has been damaged. What to do in this case and how to identify the breakdown will be discussed in the next paragraph of this article.

Worn support bearing

These sounds appear in the same way as with an inelastic damper, but they are sharper and much louder. In order to make an accurate diagnosis in this case, it is necessary to remove the stand. It is recommended to take into account one rather interesting feature that is inherent in such breakdowns: bearing wear is always uneven.

There is also another diagnostic method. It is quite old, but effective. You will need an assistant again.

The second person should rock the machine up and down. At this time, the driver should feel the shock absorber rod with his hand. The knock will be transmitted to this rod.

If you compare these knocks in the front suspension when turning the wheels at different angles, you can draw some conclusions about the condition of the support bearing.

Another possible reason is that the nut on the upper support is loosely tightened, sometimes this happens.

We identify a breakdown of the front struts on a Logan

There are two options with which you can determine the cause and source of the problem. The first is a scheduled or forced inspection at a service center. If you have the slightest idea about the structure of the car, then you can carry out diagnostics yourself. This will allow you to carry out the replacement of the Renault Logan front struts in the future without the intervention of car mechanics. To do this, follow the recommendations below:

Remove all protective caps. Then rock the car from side to side. If the problem is a faulty strut, then you will hear characteristic knocks and creaks that can be heard while driving.
Place your palm on the front shock absorber spring coil. Then have someone sit behind the wheel and turn the steering wheel with the engine off. If you feel kickback in your hand, the stand is faulty.
The last way to determine a breakdown is to drive on an uneven road. Any noises, sounds, creaks and knocking in the suspension area directly or indirectly signal that the front struts have become unusable.

As you can see, replacing the front struts with your own hands on a Renault Logan begins with diagnostics. Carefully study the above tips to successfully and as objectively determine the cause of the breakdown as possible.

What is a support bearing and what function does it perform?

Renault Logan is a budget sedan, in the front part of which problems often arise after the end of the warranty period or high mileage. First of all, an uncharacteristic sound appears in the area of the front shock absorbers. Most often it is produced by a support bearing installed in the upper part of the support. The role of the strut support is important when operating a car - it connects the car body with the shock absorber, and also absorbs the load on the axle. The support bearing, in turn, ensures the movement of the strut when the car turns.

If signs of wear appear, it is necessary to diagnose the struts and bearings, identify faulty elements and replace them.

Tools for work: getting ready in advance

If you are a regular reader of our auto blog, then you already know that the preparatory stage is the most important part of the repair. When the car is on a jack and the wheel is removed, there is no time left to find a wrench with a suitable head. It is important to have all the necessary tools at hand. What might be needed to replace the front struts on a Logan? Let's figure it out:

Jack or lift. To secure the car at a convenient height and then remove the wheels.
Open-end wrench “17” to remove bolts from ball joints.
Socket wrench “13”. It will help unscrew hard-to-reach nuts.
Curved ring wrenches “13 and 17”. Here the function is the same as that of a spanner wrench.
The hex wrench is designed to remove hex bolts.

As you can see, in this type of repair you will need a fair amount of different keys, so prepare them and place them on the table next to the repair site.

If you doubt that you can handle it alone, ask a friend to help. It is always better to carry out work where the car is on a jack or lift.

Approximate life of levers

Vulnerable elements in the lever are silent blocks and ball joints. Rubber-metal inserts can withstand a resource of about 50 thousand km. Ball joints have proven to be tenacious here, since they can overcome the 80 thousand barrier on average. Sometimes there are cases where the need arises to replace the previously indicated mileage. This is due to damage to the ball pin boot. After this, dirt and moisture penetrate inside the housing, causing failure of the entire hinge.

The degree of wear is significantly influenced by the driving style of the Renault Logan car and the condition of the roads. As wear occurs, the front suspension arm needs to be replaced.

Recommendations for choosing replacement racks

How to choose struts for a Renault Logan is a question exclusively for every car owner. We have already mentioned that factory parts have a much longer service life, but are also more expensive. The most popular manufacturer brands are listed below:

TRW, Monroe, Boge, SACHS are not the cheapest options. They have high strength characteristics, so they can be recommended as an analogue to “original” racks.
Kayaba, Optimal – parts from the “economy” segment. They are a completely acceptable option for people who want to save on repairs here and now. Kayaba stands are some of the most popular on the market in this price range.

How much do the front struts cost on a Renault Logan? Prices start at 2 thousand rubles, reaching 11 thousand rubles. The most expensive ones are original racks or analogues close to them in quality. If your budget allows you to fork out, then take it without thinking. Reliable A-pillars are the key to safe and comfortable driving on Russian roads. If you're looking to save a few thousand, consider racks from Kayaba. So, a set of two pieces will cost you up to 4 thousand rubles, which is already two and a half times cheaper than buying the original product.

When to change shock absorbers on Lada Largus

It is important to know when to make repairs. To do this, you need to have information about the actual operating life of shock absorber struts

Information can be gleaned from the technical specifications and service documents provided by the manufacturer.

Manufacturers indicate different service life, which ranges from 50-60 thousand km of car mileage. However, taking into account the state of the road surface in the countries of the post-Soviet space, you can confidently reset the manufacturer’s data by 10 thousand km.

When approaching the issue of car repair, you need to decide on the working tool. More on this below.

Detailed instructions for replacing front struts

Replacing Logan front struts is not an easy task. You can do it yourself only with an understanding of what exactly to do. We have prepared detailed instructions for you, following which you can replace the front struts in your own garage:

Place the car on a level surface and open the hood. Using a socket or size 21 wrench, unscrew the nut on the bearing.
After this, you can remove the upper part of the bearing.
Raise the car on a jack or lift. Then you can unscrew the bolts on the wheels.
The struts are attached to the steering knuckle using bolts. They also need to be removed.
The next stage is working with the caliper. It needs to be turned into the upper mount, and the lower one needs to be loosened. You will get a situation in which you can easily get the caliper bolt.
Remove the shock absorber assembly, consisting of a spring, support bearing and the shock absorber itself.
Next, you should disassemble the element for subsequent installation of a new part. In addition to replacing the front struts, this option is also used when replacing the support bearing. The algorithm of actions will be as follows: Securely fix the shock absorber, for example, in cleats. Cover the spring with a tie so that it can move freely between the upper and lower supports.
Remove the nut that holds the support bearing.
The bearing is inserted into a rubber gasket. It is necessary to dismantle both elements. Pay attention to how the part behaves when dismantled. If noise, crunching or creaking is heard, of course, the part needs to be replaced.
To free the shock-absorbing cup from the spring, remove the support cup.
Install a new part in place of the broken part and reassemble the shock-absorbing unit.

This option involves the use of screeds. If desired, you can do without auxiliary elements. Let us immediately note that this method is more complex, but it is suitable for experienced car enthusiasts who have previously dealt with repairing an “iron horse”. If you are confident, follow the algorithm described below:

Open the hood and unscrew the support cup nut.
Remove the wheel. Use the jack to lift the shock absorber rod. It is necessary to ensure that the rod rises together with the nut, which is secured to the support bearing.
Remove the fasteners, all the bolts that are attached to the casing. Remove the car from the jack. Then you need to knock out the bolts. The design contains an upper and lower bolt. The top one should come out relatively freely, and the bottom one should ensure compression of the spring. As a result, the car will jump noticeably. Don't worry, the spring won't shoot out too much because it's in a fairly loose position.
Pull down on the shock absorber to completely remove it. The previously removed nut from the ball joint is no longer holding it in place, so it will give way easily.

As you can see, the process of removing a shock absorber without a coupler is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. It is much more difficult to install the front pillar in place. We believe that if you have enough dexterity and dexterity to perform dismantling, then there will be no nuances in assembly. Follow the tips described above, and you will know exactly how to change the front struts on a Renault Logan.

Try to remove the spring so that the bolts fit into the grooves of the steering knuckle. If the fist does not lower completely, you can disconnect the ball joint and steering rod.

How to identify faulty shock absorber struts: watch the car

To diagnose the condition of the shock absorber struts, it is not necessary to go to a service station for help or completely disassemble the suspension system - the failure of parts can be determined by the behavior of the car on the road. Characteristic signs requiring immediate repair are:

Difficult maneuvering or strong roll when cornering;
The presence of extraneous sounds, knocks or impacts in the wheel area while overcoming obstacles;
Strong vibration loading of the steering wheel or swaying of the car body when reaching cruising speed;
The presence of oil leaks after a long period of parking under the wheels of the car;
Problems are observed during emergency braking or an increase in braking distance is noticed;
On tires with correct camber, uneven tread wear is monitored.

If one or more signs are present on the vehicle, it is recommended to inspect the suspension as a whole - if the car easily swings on the racks or there are deformed parts in the structure, it is recommended to urgently repair or replace components.

Let's sum it up

The work of replacing levers in Renault Logan is quite simple, can be done independently and will not take more than one hour of time; for clarity, you can watch the video. Upon completion of all manipulations, it is recommended to contact a specialized service to check the correct installation of wheel angles.

After all the manipulations, we head to the service center to check the alignment angles of the Renault Logan wheels. Note that the stern struts need to be replaced less frequently than these elements in the front end. Replacing a strut is a completely doable process on your own; the most important thing is to decide which struts are better and follow the algorithm of actions if you need to change the shock absorber. For a better understanding of the work, you can watch the video.

Rear suspension

The dampers in this part of the car are tubular pumps in nature, the design of which uses metal valves fixed on a rod. The upper support of the rack is attached to the body element by means of an eye with a rubber support integrated into it.

With its lower edge, the strut is “seated” on the suspension element using a similar eyelet, which already contains a rubber-metal silent block. This design is very common among the Renault model family and has proven itself quite well in terms of reliability.

The spring component in the rear suspension is mounted separately from the shock absorber and has its own supports.