Replacing front suspension silent blocks on Lada Kalina

A silent block is a rubber-metal joint that compensates for vibrations and vibrations, ensuring the mobility of various suspension components. This element helps dampen radial, axial, cardan and torsional vibrations.

Many manufacturers set the service life of standard silent blocks within 100 thousand kilometers . However, operation under Russian road conditions can significantly reduce the working life of the joints, requiring their replacement.

Signs of faulty silent blocks on Lada

1. The main sign of silent block problems is unstable vehicle movement. The car begins to pull to the side when driving even on slight uneven road surfaces; when you press the accelerator pedal, the car begins to pull to the right or to the left. This is how wear on the silent blocks of the front control arms manifests itself.
2. Another characteristic sign of a silent block malfunction is, resulting from point 1, uneven tire wear.
3. There is a knocking sound in the front suspension.

A faulty silent block must be replaced as soon as possible. The use of a faulty, worn part, as well as its belated replacement, destroys the contact points of the hinges, and this can lead to a complete replacement of the elements of the front suspension arm.

What is a silent block

This word is of foreign origin. Translated from English, silent means silence, and block means detail. A silent block, or simply “silent,” is a rubber-metal component; in ordinary words, these are two bushings that are connected to each other by a layer of durable rubber. This invention, in addition to guaranteeing comfortable and silent movement in a car, has a number of advantages that will be listed below.

Purpose and functions

Silent blocks perform the following functions:

1. Protect components from wear and tear by damping vibrations .
2. They dampen vibrations that come from the chassis of the wheels, thus providing a comfortable and soft ride.
3. Prevent vibrations and beatings that appear during the movement of the car between different elements of the chassis and engine compartment.

And these are just the main advantages; in fact, there are many more.

We diagnose and replace the silent block ourselves using the Lada Kalina as an example.

If, during inspection of the silent block, cracks or tears were found on the rubber joint liner, it is necessary to replace it.

It is recommended to carry out independent diagnostics of silent blocks only if you have sufficient driving experience. In order to independently inspect silent blocks, you must first drive into a hole or jack up the top of the car and remove the front wheel. It is not necessary to remove the wheels when using the pit.

• We unscrew the rear nut of the trailing arm using a No. 24 wrench, after pre-treating the assembly with WD-40. If you have problems, most likely the nut is stuck and will require more effort to unscrew it - if possible, try heating the nut with a gas torch.
• Unscrew the front fastening of the lever to the body with head 17.
• Remove the trailing arm of the transverse arm silent block. In this case, the trailing arm shims must remain in place.
• Remove the bushings from the wishbone, they may be rusty so some extra force will be required - you can use a hammer and chisel to knock them out.
• Take the new silent blocks and press them into the hole in the lever.
• Insert the trailing arm into the new silent blocks, pre-lubricate the threaded part with graphite grease or grease.
• Reassemble in reverse order. If necessary, repeat the same steps on the other side.

Necessary materials

To press this part into place at home, you will need the following tools:

1. Mount;
2. Jack;
3. Set of wrenches;
4. New hinges.

It is recommended to use machine oil or other types of lubricant as a lubricant.

Among other things, you will need special mandrels designed for pressing silent blocks; as an alternative, you can use a piece of pipe with the required diameter. You also need to get a press to press in a new rubber-metal hinge . When it comes to home use, an ordinary vice can serve as a press. In addition, you can stock up on a set of sledgehammers, but with this approach it is necessary to maintain high precision in the work.

What silent blocks to install

If you are faced with the problem of silent block wear and selection of replacement parts, we recommend installing parts from the original LADA manufacturer, as well as from the trusted manufacturer Point Opori, if you are looking for a high-quality analogue. You can purchase silent blocks for VAZ, as well as other original components and spare parts in the IXORA store. For any questions you may have, please call the hotline.

Right choice

The choice is made after diagnosing the malfunction or during a planned replacement. It is necessary to understand what role the part plays in the suspension. Its task is to dampen vibrations that inevitably arise due to unevenness on the road.

Vibrations during movement are transmitted to the suspension springs, where they are partially damped by shock absorbers. The vibration then spreads to the frame through the connecting nodes. It is partially damped by silent blocks due to the presence of a soft base between the bushings. Therefore, the quality of the base must be of a high level. The factory version of the suspension is equipped with rubber-based silent blocks. This is a proven material, but there are better ones - for example, polyurethane.

1. The service life is increased by 5 times. This allows replacements to be made after long mileage intervals and the suspension to be loaded more aggressively.
2. Increased thermal stability. Polyurethane tolerates temperature changes well. The material works just as well in cold weather as at high temperatures.
3. Thanks to the dense structure of the material, vehicle handling is improved.

Rubber and polyurethane are equally popular. Drivers themselves choose what to focus on. With rubber spacers you can get increased riding comfort, but improved handling can only be achieved with polyurethane. But in the latter case, comfort decreases, which is especially felt by passengers.

Causes of knocking in the front suspension

In total, there are four main reasons why noises and squeaks can annoy the Lada Kalina car owner, and three of them can be eliminated independently and everything can be returned to a safe state.

1. The first reason why knocking occurs in the suspension is the poor quality of the road surface . A suspension that is in good working order can also produce some extraneous noise. If the noise disappears when you drive onto a good road, then everything is fine with your suspension, you can move on to the point below.
2. If knocking and simultaneous vibration occur in the steering wheel, the reason may lie in a faulty steering rack . If you can tighten the steering rack yourself, then it is better to entrust its repair or replacement to professionals.
3. The third reason is the front suspension strut spring that has lost its elasticity . Since the spring tone is significantly reduced, the suspension hits directly against the body. How to change the front struts, and along with it the spring, is described in detail in this article.
4. And the last reason is cracked silent blocks, which are simply necessary to thoroughly dampen knocks and vibrations that occur while driving. Read below for information on how to properly replace these front suspension elements.

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Disassembling the steering mechanism

Remove the steering rod support. We insert the bit into the groove of the crankcase pipe mounting nut.

We unscrew the nut, striking the beard (right-hand thread).

. and remove the crankcase pipe.

Use a screwdriver to press out the two clamps of the bushing located inside the pipe.

. and remove the bushing.

Remove the two rubber O-rings from the bushing.

Steering rack bushing (arrows indicate bushing clamps)

.

If it is necessary to replace the nut, use pliers to remove the locking rings. . and remove the retaining ring.. Remove the pipe securing nut.

Remove the rubber plug from the rack stop adjusting nut. Using a scraper, remove the jammed metal in the locking areas of the stop adjusting nut.

Important!

If during the work you find that the bolts and nuts are in poor condition (there are cracks, traces of severe rust, bad threads - approx.), then it is best to replace such elements with new ones, using high-quality steel bolts and nuts with a self-locking element .

Other front suspension elements

The remaining elements of the front suspension, which contain rubber-metal and metal hinges, are replaced immediately as an assembly. These include:

These elements cost about 500 rubles per set, and also do not require specific installation skills.

Replacing the silent block of the rear suspension beam lever Lada Kalina 1117 2004 - 2013

Tools:

• Jack
• Support posts
• Open-end wrench 10 mm
• Straight box spanner 19 mm (2 pcs.)
• Wheel key
• Torque wrench
• Cup puller for wheel bearings

Parts and consumables:

• Wood block
• Cylinder head screw
• Soap
• Water
• Rags
• Screw d=12 mm
• Pipe sections to fit the silent block
• Silent block

Note:

We carry out the work on an overpass or inspection ditch.

1. We hang out the back of the car. To make the job easier, remove the wheel.

2. Using a 10mm wrench, unscrew the nut and disconnect the parking brake cable from the rear suspension beam.

3. We remove the cable sheath from the holder on the rear suspension beam mounting bracket.

4. Use a 19mm spanner to unscrew the nut, hold the bolt securing the lever to the bracket with another wrench of the same size and remove the bolt.

5. We insert a wooden block between the body and the beam. At the same time, make sure that the brake hose of the rear wheel is not stretched.

6. Using a cup puller for wheel hub bearings or suitable pipe sections, press the silent block towards the threshold of the car. The wheel bearing puller bolt does not fit into the hole in the silent block, so we replace it with a bolt or screw d 12 mm (the cylinder head mounting screw is suitable).

7. Squeeze the silent block into the puller cup.

8. We clean the hole for the silent block in the lever from dirt. We wet the new silent block and the hole in the beam with soapy water.

9. We insert the silent block into the hole in the lever and press it in with the same puller.

10. Having lowered the car onto the wheels, tighten the nut of the bolt securing the lever to the bracket with a torque of 67-82 Nm.

The article is missing:

• High-quality photos of repairs

How does the chassis work in Kalina?

A detailed examination of the design features of the front suspension in the Lada Kalina immediately reveals its main elements - shock absorber struts, which are attached to the steering axle with their lower bracket. In this unit, fixation is carried out by means of two bolts with nuts, and the upper of the fastening components allows you to adjust the angle of the wheel (camber).

The upper part of the strut (shock absorber rod) is secured in the support with the bearing using a nut. The support itself is attached using three nuts to the body spar cup. This structural unit is necessary to allow the rack to rotate while the car is turning.

The strut reacts to uneven road surfaces with its movable element – ​​the rod. The rack-mount assembly contains a spring that allows damping vibrations of the shock absorber, thereby ensuring smooth rocking of the body during the passage of uneven surfaces.

Note that the Lada Kalina front suspension has an independent design. The arms on each side are individually connected to the body and steering knuckles.

An important component of the chassis is the stabilizer, which allows you to maintain body stability during lateral movements, which is especially important when turning at speed.

It is also worth mentioning the extensions, which allow you to level out longitudinal vibrations of the body during sudden starts and braking.

DIY puller

Dismantling and pressing in a new part are difficult stages of work, especially the last one. Therefore, the installation of silent blocks of the rear beam should be performed using a special device - a puller. You can make it yourself or ask a friend. With it you do not need to hit the parts with a hammer, so damage cannot be caused.

Device options:

1. Small vices. They are put on the suspension part, and a tube is placed under one of the sides. It is important to install the second part so that it presses on the body of the part. But a piece of wood is installed between the vise lip and the part.
2. Homemade device from scrap materials. This option involves turning and welding. Make a clamp from metal plates or improvised means. A hole is drilled in the base, where a nut is usually welded. A bolt is installed here, which serves as a press.
3. Purchase of factory tools.

The option with a vice is the simplest and most reliable. A factory product costs money. If they are not there, but you have the skills and parts, then you can make the tool yourself. It is important that it can withstand high loads.

Adjusting the rear wheel bearings of Daewoo Nexia (8/16 valves sedan and hatchback, n150)

Proper adjustment is an important criterion for wheel bearing life. The only correct method of adjustment from a mechanical point of view and according to official operating instructions is to tighten the nut to the specified torque using a torque wrench.

Step-by-step adjustment instructions

1. After screwing on the locknut, tighten it by hand until it stops.
2. Without putting on the cotter pin, roll the drum in both directions to distribute the lubricant.
3. Using a torque wrench, tighten the locknut to 2.5 Nm.
4. Roll the drum in both directions
5. Unscrew the locknut 180 degrees.
6. Retighten the locknut to 2.5 NM.
7. The bearing assembly is now adjusted correctly. Be sure to install the cotter pin. The whole process is also shown in the video.

Front suspension device

The front suspension of the Lada Kalina is independent on MacPherson struts. This suspension is the most common in the automotive world for its price and acceptable characteristics for this price. Previously, Lada used this suspension, for example, in Lada Samara, but it was much poorer in equipment than MacPherson, although it was 90% similar to it.

So, the Lada Kalina suspension consists of the following components:

1. Stabilization bar;
2. Brackets for securing the stabilization rod;
3. Cross arm mountings;
4. Front suspension arm;
5. SPU (anti-roll bar) bases;
6. Telescopic front suspension strut;
7. Ball-shaped supports;
8. Kulaga;
9. Longitudinal stretch;
10. Stretch mounts.