Replacing the grant's electric power steering rack

Rack and pinion steering

If we talk in general about the steering mechanism of the Lada Grant, then the following are its main characteristics and features.

The steering column provides the ability to adjust the tilt of the steering wheel. And the steering wheel itself can be locked by installing an anti-rotation device connected to the ignition switch.
The steering mechanism is of a rack and pinion type, where it is possible to change the gear ratio in different operating modes.
The mechanism is mainly equipped with electric power steering.
The electric amplifier is equipped with a unit that allows you to independently diagnose the technical condition of the device, and, if necessary, exclude the amplifier from operation.

The schematic diagram of the Lada Granta steering device is quite simple. The rack-and-pinion type mechanism is fixed in the engine compartment on a special shield through rubber supports. Reliability of fastening is ensured by bolts welded to the body. Steering drive is provided through two separate tie rods, which interact with the steering arms of the front wheel struts.

Reliability of engagement of the gear pair on one side is ensured by a special gap set at the factory. On the other hand, the precision of engagement is maintained by a spring stop, which presses the rack itself against the gear teeth.

The above gap under normal conditions is 0.1 mm, but during operation it may be violated due to wear of individual parts. Thus, one of the main reasons why an extraneous knock appeared in the steering mechanism is a violation of the set gear clearance. It should be noted that there are other malfunctions that can lead to an unpleasant knocking sound in the car:

loosening of the steering rack itself on the mounting bolts;
loosening of the tie rod ball joint;
wear or destruction of mechanical transmission teeth.

Power steering and power steering: do-it-yourself installation

The electric booster first appeared on Kalina, then on Grant and on the new Priora. You can drive a car without an ESD. But if a car owner previously owned a car equipped with a hydraulic or electric booster, then, at a minimum, he will experience great inconvenience. On the Lada Granta in the minimum configuration, the manufacturer does not install electric power steering, so many owners of such cars decide to install the power steering themselves. This procedure is not the easiest, and the unit is not cheap. But its presence means a comfortable ride, maneuverability and safety.

Installation does not require any special knowledge or skills; minimal experience and a set of tools are sufficient.

If the question arises about installing electric power steering on the Lada Granta, then when purchasing an electric power steering unit you should pay attention to its number

The set of numbers contains a definition of the place of production, these are the last two digits:

00 – made in Makhachkala (not the highest quality, has many negative reviews);
04 – Korean amplifier, you can buy it in a store, a rare copy at auto wrecking yards;
02 – made in Kaluga, a good medium option.

To install the amplifier you will need a set of wrenches, screwdrivers and an angle grinder (grinder). Before proceeding with installation, the steering wheel, all steering column switches, the ignition switch, and the steering column with cardan must be removed. The further algorithm of actions is as follows.

Knock out the bolts from the removed bracket in the form of a plate and cut off about 3 cm from the top with a grinder.
Drill holes in the plate to mount the electric amplifier.
Fix the cardan to the EUR.
Place washers under the bracket (where the electric booster is mounted), and you can use them to adjust the steering wheel.
Attach the electric booster, and then install the cardan into the rack.

After this, all that remains is to connect the EUR to the wiring according to the electrical diagram supplied with the amplifier. Using washers you need to adjust the steering wheel deflection in different positions. No further maintenance of the electric amplifier is required. Those who decided to replace the electric power steering with a hydraulic booster should understand that this idea is pointless. Firstly, the power steering is much more technologically advanced and modern, and secondly, installing the power steering on the Grant is a labor-intensive and expensive process that has no practical advantage.

Removing the steering gear

If a knock does occur, the car owner will have to dismantle the mechanism. It is more convenient and faster to carry out this work when the vehicle is on a lift. To carry out the work you will need the necessary tools, which in this case include:

socket wrench or socket wrench 13;
flat screwdriver;
durable knife;
special 24mm wrench for the steering rack;
hexagon 6 with wrench.

Before starting work, the battery is disconnected, thereby taking the necessary safety measures. At the initial stage, you need to first loosen the bolts securing the front wheels. The wheels themselves should be left in the “straight” position before lifting the car onto the lift. Next, the steering wheel driveshaft is disconnected from the rack and pinion drive shaft.

Simpler, but even more expensive: what breaks in steering racks with electric power steering, and how they are repaired

Having studied in the most thorough manner all the shortcomings of hydraulic power steering, the designers eventually came to the conclusion that it would be cheaper and more reliable to give the “reins of power” to electrical systems. There are many advantages: the absence of working fluid and tubes with hoses, and the reduced weight of the entire system... In addition, thanks to electronic control, you can make the steering wheel rotate independently, as, for example, in a system with automatic parking. But every coin has a flip side: over time, no less, or even more, problems have emerged than in hydraulic systems. Today we will talk about these problems, as well as ways to eliminate them.

Features of work

Before we start talking about the types of electric amplifiers and their characteristic problems, let's say a few words about the algorithm of their operation. Immediately after starting the engine, a self-diagnosis of the system is performed to confirm its functionality. In the neutral position, the electric motor does not work: the entire system is waiting for active action.

As soon as you start turning the steering wheel, the signal from the steering angle and torque sensor goes to the ECU, which in turn gives a command to the electric motor, which makes your life easier. Moreover, the nature of the operation of the electric booster will be different depending on the speed of the car: in this way, progressive operation of the electric power steering is achieved. After going through a turn and gradually removing force from the steering wheel, the system will return the wheels to the neutral position.

Surely, owners of front-wheel drive cars with a transverse engine have noticed how the car pulls a little to the side during an active start. This is due to the different lengths of the drive shafts on the right and left sides. So, models with electric power steering can also steer the wheels a little, thereby compensating for the slip. In general, the force on the steering wheel is completely under the control of the EUR - and therefore it is on its conscience that the “emptiness of the steering wheel” and the “artificial force” that is so often talked about and about which numerous journalists complain.

Diagnostics, repair and reassembly

Before determining why there is a knock in the steering, you should completely disassemble the rack and carry out diagnostics for wear, destruction of components and connections. Disassembly is carried out in this order. Secure the steering rack in a vice, having previously installed spacers made of soft metal or other material. Unscrew the nut securing the mechanism crankcase pipe. The crankcase tube is removed. Remove the clamps securing the pipe bushings and remove them.

Unscrew the adjusting nut. Here you need to use a special 24mm wrench, which has external edges for unscrewing. Sequentially remove the rack stop spring, the sealing ring and the rack stop. Remove the crankcase cover. After removing the bearing cage and sealing ring, remove the rack. The second element of the steering mechanism pair - the gear shaft - is dismantled.

Now you can diagnose the condition of the bearings and sealing rings. After thorough cleaning, the wear of the gear sectors and the condition of the surface of the rack and shaft are assessed. After all, this is where the reason lies that causes the knocking that appears. If necessary, select the necessary parts and replace them.

Before reassembly, all critical connections are lubricated with a special compound. Very often, it is the insufficient amount of lubricant that leads to rapid wear of loaded parts, which violates the previously established clearance. Therefore, even a recently installed rack knocks again.

Assembling the steering mechanism is carried out in the reverse order. For correct and easy installation of dismantled bearings, you should select the required diameter of pipe cutting, which will help to correctly install the bearings in place. The assembled steering mechanism must be adjusted, since the size of the gap can also determine whether a knock will appear after reinstallation.

Summarize

The occurrence of malfunctions in the steering unit, if the steering rack is faulty, usually occurs due to untimely preventive checks. When the owner neglects this action, leaks may occur in the future due to loss of tightness of the seals in the rail. Such a scenario will inevitably cause knocking, and, as a result, the need for repair of the rack and pinion assembly. Carry out timely diagnostics of the mechanism and, if repairs are required, do not put it off until later.

Rack adjustment

Before installing the rack and rods back, it is necessary to set the gaps of the gear connection. Please note that it is better to immediately replace the thrust nut with a new one. Set the rack to the middle position, as if the wheels were straight. For adjustment, a special clock-type indicator mechanism is used. We start rotating the gear shaft and measure the indicator readings.

If the value is 0.05 mm, then the adjusting nut should be tightened to the same amount. After the steering rack adjustment is completed, check the ease and uniformity of movement along the entire length of the rack stroke. Provided that everything is done accurately, you should fix the position of the adjusting nut by performing special core punching with a punch. When all the work has been completed, you can begin to reinstall the steering mechanism on the Lada Granta.

Power steering and power steering: do-it-yourself installation

Application

When using the method of reading from the end, it should be said that it is in the application that the most necessary information related to this car is concentrated. The application contains information about the volume of the fuel tank and the types of gasoline used, the amount and type of coolant used, the oils used and their volumes. The attached picture shows the light bulbs used, and also provides a large table with the tightening torque of the main threaded connections, and shows the recommended tools used during maintenance and repair.

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