Malfunctions and replacement of the hub and axle shaft on a VAZ 2106

To operate a vehicle safely, its wheels must rotate without any problems. If any appear, then nuances arise in driving the vehicle that can lead to an accident. Therefore, the condition of the hubs, axle shafts and their bearings must be periodically monitored, and if problems arise, they must be corrected in a timely manner.

• Steering knuckle
  Malfunctions
• How to increase wheel turnout

Front hub VAZ 2106

One of the important elements of the VAZ 2106 chassis is the hub. This part allows the wheel to rotate. To do this, a wheel disk is screwed onto the hub, and the rotation itself is carried out thanks to a pair of wheel bearings. The main functions assigned to the hub are:

• connection of the wheel disk with the steering knuckle;
• ensuring a high-quality stopping of the car, since the brake disc is fixed to the hub.

To know how hub malfunctions manifest themselves, as well as how to make repairs, you need to familiarize yourself with the structure of this element. Despite the fact that the part is designed to perform complex functions, it is structurally quite simple. The main parts of the hub are the housing and bearings. The body of the part is cast, made of durable alloy and processed on turning equipment. The hub fails quite rarely. The main malfunction of the product is the wear and tear of the outer bearing races at the installation sites.

The hub secures and rotates the front wheel

↑ Installation of bearings

• We press the outer rings of the bearings in a vice, using the corresponding rings from old bearings.
• The old rings should be oriented with a smaller cone diameter inside the hub to facilitate their removal after pressing in the new rings.
• Using caution, you can press the inner races of the bearings with light blows of a hammer through the gasket.
• We put about 40 g of Litol-24 lubricant in the separator of the internal bearing and the internal cavity of the hub. We cover the new cuff with the same lubricant.
• Install the inner bearing into the hub.
• We install the spacer bushing.

Caliper

When considering the chassis of the VAZ “six”, you cannot ignore the brake caliper. This unit is mounted on the steering knuckle and holds the brake pads and brake wheel cylinders through appropriate holes, slots and grooves. There is a special hole in the caliper for the brake disc. Structurally, the product is made in the form of a monolithic steel part. When the piston of the working brake cylinder acts on the brake pad, the force is transmitted to the brake disc, which leads to the deceleration and stopping of the car. If the caliper is deformed, which is possible with a strong impact, the brake pads wear unevenly, which significantly reduces their service life.

The “six” caliper is a part without which full braking is impossible

The caliper may receive the following damage:

• appearance of cracks. Since the part is constantly exposed to loads, over time cracks appear on it due to metal fatigue. This indicates the need to replace the caliper, since it is unsuitable for restoration;
• formation of oxides on moving elements. The working cylinders gradually become covered with dirt and an oxide film, and the pistons begin to jam over time, which reduces braking efficiency. In this case, repair or replacement of the cylinders is required.

Rounded fist

An equally important element of the six's chassis is the steering knuckle. Force is transmitted to it from the steering linkage through the lever, resulting in the rotation of the wheels of the front axle. In addition, ball joints (upper and lower) are attached to the assembly through the corresponding eyes. On the reverse side of the steering knuckle there is an axis on which the hub with bearings is placed. The hub element is fixed to the axle with a nut. The left trunnion uses a nut with a right-hand thread, and the right one uses a left-hand thread . This was done in order to prevent the bearings from being tightened while moving and to avoid overheating and jamming.

An additional function of the steering knuckle is to limit the rotation of the wheels, while the part rests against the levers with special protrusions.

Malfunctions

The resource of the steering knuckle is practically unlimited, if you do not take into account the quality of roads and neglect of adjusting the wheel bearings. Sometimes a product can travel 200 thousand km. The part is made of cast iron and can withstand heavy loads. However, if it fails, the owners of Zhiguli cars often replace it along with the bearings and hub. It is necessary to pay attention to the steering knuckle when the following symptoms appear:

• the car began to pull to the sides, and the problem is not eliminated by adjusting the wheel alignment;
• It was noticed that the wheels turned out at a smaller angle. The cause may be problems with both the steering knuckle and the ball joint;
• wheel break. This happens due to the breaking of the threaded part of the steering knuckle or the ball joint pin, which happens relatively often on Zhiguli cars;
• unadjustable play. If the wheel bearings were adjusted untimely or incorrectly, then in the places where they are installed, the steering knuckle axis will gradually wear out, which will lead to the appearance of play, which cannot be eliminated by adjustment.

Sometimes it happens that during car repairs a small crack is discovered on the steering knuckle. Some car enthusiasts advise fixing the problem by welding. However, it must be taken into account that safety directly depends on the condition of the steering knuckle. Therefore, such elements should not be repaired, but replaced with known good ones or new ones.

How to increase wheel turnout

Many owners of the VAZ 2106 and other “classics” are interested in the issue of increasing wheel turnout, since the model in question has a rather large turning radius, which is not always convenient. Those who are seriously involved in tuning their car simply install a set of suspension elements (levers, bipod) with changed parameters. However, such sets for the average owner of a VAZ “Six” may not be affordable, because for such pleasure you will have to pay about 6-8 thousand rubles. Therefore, other more affordable options are being considered, and they exist. You can increase the wheel inversion as follows:

1. We place the car on the pit and dismantle the bipod installed on the inside of the hub.
2. Since the bipods have different lengths, we cut the longer part in half, remove the part, and then weld it back together.

The described procedure allows you to increase the wheel turnout by about a third when compared with the standard position.

Checking status

Checking the condition of the front wheel bearing is not that difficult. You just need to jack up the front wheel, where the bearing is supposed to be worn out. If the car is front-wheel drive, you need to set the gearbox to neutral, put chocks under the rear wheels and put the car on the handbrake. Rear-wheel drive cars use both a gearbox (1st gear is installed) and a handbrake.

You need to grab the jacked wheel with your hands at the top and bottom, and check for play with rocking movements. In a bearing in normal condition there should not be any play, not even the slightest.

Additionally, you need to spin the wheel around the axle. The wheel should rotate easily; the presence of any jamming, as well as a slight crunch or noise, will indicate that the front wheel bearing needs to be replaced.

Video: Diagnostics of the VAZ front wheel bearing.

If you have the appropriate equipment, you can make a replacement in a garage, but you must first purchase a new bearing, as well as related spare parts (hub nut, oil seal, retaining rings).

As for the bearings themselves, they differ on different cars. For example, the VAZ-2106 has two tapered roller bearings at the front, but the Chevrolet Aveo has a double-row angular contact ball bearing.

Due to the differences in these elements used, work to replace them is carried out slightly differently. Therefore, let’s look at how to replace the front wheel bearing on the above models.

Checking and adjusting the tightening torque

Wheel bearings are tightened strictly according to the factory requirements of a specific car brand. The moment depends on:

1. bearing size;
2. nominal axial play of the wheel;
3. diameter, thread pitch of axle, axle shaft.

To complete the procedure you will need the following tools:

1. flat screwdriver;
2. chisel;
3. hammer;
4. pliers;
5. torque wrench.

The method for adjusting the hub is practically the same on different cars. Execution order:

1. Loosen the bolts.
2. Raise the body and remove the wheel.
3. Use a flat-head screwdriver to unscrew the protective cap of the hub.
4. Unscrew the edge with a chisel. If there is a locking pin, remove it with pliers.
5. Check the torque with a set torque wrench. Achieve the required value.
6. Reassemble the unit in reverse order and install the wheel.

Important:

On some car models, the nut is secured by pressing the edge into the groove. The nut is disposable and must be changed with each adjustment. It is recommended to replace damaged, leaking nut protective caps with new ones.

Example - adjustment on a Chevrolet Niva

It is recommended to perform the procedure on two wheels of one Niva Chevrolet axle.

Structurally, the wheel assembly consists of several parts:

1. a steering knuckle held in place by a pair of ball joints;
2. brake disk;
3. hub assembly;
4. support for mounting cylinders, brake pads.

Required set of tools:

Hammer, chisel, flat screwdriver, 27mm socket, dial indicator with tripod.

Step-by-step instructions using the Niva Chevy as an example:

1. The car is secured with a parking brake.
2. The wheel mounts become loose.
3. The body is raised with a jack or lift.
4. The protective cap is removed.
5. The indicator stand is installed on the hub bolts. Place the leg of the micrometer against the drive axis.
6. Measurements are taken.

The presence of a torque that differs from the tolerance indicates the need for adjustment. For this:

• Unscrew the fasteners, unscrew the axle shafts from the thread;
• make a new one;
• tighten to a torque of 19.6-19.7 N*m;
• simultaneously turn the wheel in both directions to self-install the balls;
• Check the condition of the displacement with an indicator and the tightening torque with a torque wrench.

Watch the video for 2 ways to adjust without an indicator:

Method 1:

Method 2:

Example - adjustment on a VAZ 2107

“Classic” VAZ models have a similar adjustment procedure. Design features of chassis parts:

1. the hub is located under the brake disc;
2. tapered bearings, paired, mounted on a journal;
3. different tightening torque.

How to adjust wheel bearings:

Bearing clearance adjustment: