Pros and cons of houses
The houses have several advantages that will entice every Priora owner to install them.
Pros:
- Increased ground clearance allows you to overcome previously inaccessible obstacles;
- Ability to load heavier cargo into the trunk;
- After installing the houses, the car becomes more versatile;
Minuses:
- The car’s center of gravity shifts slightly and when the trunk is empty, the car’s controllability is lost;
- After installation, headlight adjustment is necessary;
On the left is Priora without houses, on the right with installed houses
Parameters of Priora bodies
In any Priora body, the characteristics of its wheels and wheelbases will be the same, and therefore it makes no sense to indicate them separately everywhere. These are the parameters:
| Parameter | Description | Meaning |
| Wheelbase | Distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels | 2492 mm |
| Front wheel track | Distance between tire tread marks on front axle | 1410 mm |
| Rear wheel track | Rear axle tire tread distance | 1380 mm |
These dimensions are valid for all bodies except the coupe. Hatchback parameters:
- The distance from the rear to the front point of the car is 4210 mm.
- The front overhang of the car is 770 mm.
- The rear overhang of the car is 660 mm.
Station wagon and sedan parameters:
- The distance from the rear to the front point of the machine is 4350 mm.
- The front overhang of the car is 740 mm.
- The rear overhang of the car is 830 mm.
Coupe parameters:
- The distance from the rear to the front suspension of the car is 440 mm.
- The wheelbase of the car is 2492 mm.
Overhangs for cars of sportier variants are not specified by the manufacturer. Considering that the Priora’s ground clearance is 165 mm, we can choose the best body type that allows us to use ground clearance more successfully than others. Having analyzed all the available characteristics, we will definitely come to the conclusion that the hatchback option is much better than all the others.
Dimensions of Lada Priora
The fairly large wheelbase of the body, despite its small length, allows us to call the car a cross-country vehicle. However, it is necessary to remind Priora owners that, even if you own a hatchback, you need to be very careful when parking next to high curbs. This warning is especially relevant when your machine is fully loaded.
But if the “Priora” hatchback can, with a big stretch, be called the conqueror of forest roads and mountain peaks, then the coupe body cannot receive such a title. Such a car has too long a distance between the front and rear wheels and a very large front overhang. Whatever one may say, it will be difficult to drive along rural country roads. This car design is only good for asphalt surfaces.
However, even they will need to be driven very carefully where there are large potholes and there is a need to overcome artificial unevenness. But since there are no unnecessary or protruding parts from under the transmission on the Priora, you can confidently count on the quality of the available ground clearance.
Despite the absence of parts sticking out from under the bottom of the Priora, you can greatly reduce the ground clearance if you put a lot of people in the car and load the trunk with things. Reducing its length by only 20 mm will be enough for the bottom to touch the surface of the speed bump. It is necessary to force such obstacles with special care in order to eliminate the possibility of breakdowns in time.
Installation
There is nothing difficult in installing houses; you just need to have the necessary tools and a little skill in car repair. The work will take no more than 40 minutes on both sides of the car.
Required tool:
- Set of keys or sockets;
- Penetrating lubricant WD-40 or similar;
- Two jacks
- Hammer and goatee;
Work process
The easiest way to install it is from an inspection hole, but if you don’t have one, you can do without it.
- We lift the car on jacks on both sides and remove the wheels, do not forget to fix the front wheels of the car using a rollback.
- We treat the bolt securing the strut to the beam with WD-40 penetrating lubricant and wait for 5 minutes. Then unscrew it.
- Remove the bolt from the silent block of the rear shock absorber
- We install the houses by first screwing them to the beam, and then insert the shock absorber into the house mount and fix it with a bolt.
TIP: It is recommended to install the stand in the middle hole on the house, this will allow you to achieve the optimal height and center of gravity of the car.
- We carry out similar work on the opposite side of the car.
The process of installing spacers for the rear shock absorbers of the Priora is completed, do not forget to adjust the headlights.
Ways to increase the ground clearance of a Priora car using spacers and modified shock absorbers
One way or another, the VAZ-2170 will not surpass SUVs in its cross-country ability, but you can inflate the car.
The first method is to install metal spacers over the factory springs. They give only 1.2-1.5 cm. They were produced for 2108-2115, and are also suitable for the VAZ 2170. A set of two costs about 150 rubles.
However, spacers to increase the ground clearance of the Priora car make the suspension a little stiffer. Nevertheless, the effect can be achieved - one and a half centimeters will create a fairly significant difference. Off-road driving will become easier. There are three holes on the metal parts to adjust the height (from 1.2 to 1.5 cm) of the shock absorber, the fasteners are part of the kit.
As for the modified struts, they should come with stiffer springs (because the compression amplitude will increase), with an extended rod. If you are purchasing a longer shock absorber for your car, also consider models that have similar characteristics to the stock parts.
Disadvantages of tuning
Increased ground clearance also has some disadvantages:
- the load on the bracket located below increases;
- poor machine stability on ice;
- skewed center of gravity leads to deterioration in controllability;
- wear of steering system elements accelerates;
- wheel alignment imbalance occurs.
If the car owner is not a car specialist, he can more likely damage the car by installing spacers himself. In this case, it is better to entrust the increase in ground clearance to professionals.
Color change
“First impressions: the car needs to be rolled out, it doesn’t drive. There is no sound insulation, locks and door handles require improvement. The standard tires are noisy and dull. You’re riding like you’re on stumps.”
“In two difficult months, the car covered 18,000 km, but did not cause any problems. The chassis, in my opinion, is quite tolerable, the only thing is that a knock is heard in the right pillar when passing speed bumps. I came to the service, looked at it - everything is fine, they say it’s their illness. The brakes are not bad, 4"...
I compare the impressions of Moscow Prior owners with my own. The cars have the same 98-horsepower engines, so there are no fundamental differences in movement. The suspensions regularly absorb large bumps, but shake on small bumps. However, the gray car is more interesting at the level of nuances: it is more composed in corners, a little more stable on the way out, and absorbs road bumps more smoothly.
In terms of acceleration dynamics, the new and old “Priors” are practically no different from each other, while a noticeable monotonous rumble fills the interior. I remember that during our first meeting with the car they told us about improving the sound insulation. We measured the noise level in the cabin (both Prioras were shod with the standard Kama-Euro) and were surprised: the new car turned out to be not as quiet as the previous version! The reason was found in the trunk: it turned out that the carpet in the pre-restyling car was thicker.
The steering is equally uninformative, and the updated car has a sharper steering wheel only in the Lux. We are waiting for him in other modifications.
Reviews from car enthusiasts about lowering the Priora suspension
Suspension 2110, supports VAZ 2110, front shock absorbers Plaza Sport shortened -50 gas oil, rear Bilstein b8 gazmas, springs all around Eibach -45 pro kit. To be honest, Eibachs lower the front well, but the rear is almost like stock. I put standard and Eibach springs next to each other, the difference is a centimeter and a half. I didn’t like the fact that the rear didn’t sit down at all and I put the phobos back: they really lowered them - 50, although they were on the 12 and sagged a little. Therefore, I would like the front to be a little lower.
hATE
https://www.lada-priora.ru/forum/showthread.php?p=226489
Understated. The racks around the SAAZ are ten-size, with shortened rods. In front there are TechnoRessor -90 springs, SS20 queen support springs (with a lowering of 1 cm), at the rear I cut off the original springs by 3 turns. The struts were pumped up for stiffness, because... the rod stroke is short. Bottom line, the car is a bouncer, it’s very rough, I feel every bump, a small wave - me and the sub in the trunk are bouncing.
byxoiLeXX
https://www.lada-priora.ru/forum/showthread.php?p=226489
On the original struts, put -30 in the rear, -70 in the front, it will lie flat. At first I set everything to -30, the rear was as it should be, the front was generally as it was, then I changed the front ones to -50 and still 2 cm higher than the rear.
Kova1enko
https://www.car72.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?t=73965&start=30
The Demfi struts themselves are a bit harsh. I have a KX -90, the springs are TechnoRessor -90 and two more coils have been sawn off at the back. I drive and rejoice, low and soft.
kos-jz
https://www.drive2.ru/communities/4035225266123971064/forum/288230376153233401
Lowering a car suspension is not an amateur activity. However, if you decide to carry out this procedure with your Priora, you need to familiarize yourself with the possible options, choosing the most suitable one. It is advisable to entrust changes to the suspension to an experienced mechanic or use special kits for lowering the landing, which you can easily install yourself.
Who needs this?
Basically, young car enthusiasts who want to make their iron horse stand out from the crowd or simply show off against friends and acquaintances want to lower the Priora. However, if you also use this car for family trips, of course such tuning will only harm the car, and thus you will not do anything good to it. A clear example of this is the photo of the Priora called “only the plinth below,” which you can see in this photo.
Looking at such a car, it is difficult to imagine what will happen to the bottom if 2 or more people, including the driver, sit in the cabin
Obviously, such a lowered suspension on the Priora is not suitable for simple family trips, and if you also take into account the fact that in many parts of Russia the roads are full of holes and potholes, the bottom of such a car will not last long. Therefore, everything needs to be done within reason.
The main reasons why drivers tend to undervalue their cars
If we start with the main reason, it is obvious. We are talking about a strong desire to make your favorite car the most beautiful. Appearance is everything. With this modification, even an outwardly unsightly budget “swallow” will become an advanced and pumped-up supercar with an original appearance and tuning.
Lowering is the most inexpensive option to make a car irresistible and respectable. With the right mechanism for performing technical re-equipment, not only the exterior, but also the driving characteristics will improve.
Let's talk in more detail about the positive aspects of this procedure:
maneuverability will increase due to improved driving capabilities;
What happens with the suspension lowered at speed? Centrifugal force is reduced precisely due to improved performance and stability.
Priora becomes more obedient and is ready to fulfill any command from the driver. Now it doesn’t matter to her whether she rushes along a straight route or makes sharp turns when necessary.
