DIY tuning of Niva 2121 for off-road
Initially, the Niva 2121 was created as a universal all-terrain vehicle that feels comfortable off-road and in the city.
Therefore, it is logical that off-road tuning of the Niva 2121 is especially popular. This is explained by its relative simplicity. To create, or rather, enhance the image of an SUV, you need to install on your car:
- Larger diameter wheels with tires designed for extreme off-road use. It should be recalled that low-profile tires are not relevant in this case. It is also necessary to take into account that installing large-diameter disks requires impressive torque figures. Ignoring this rule will lead to premature wear of the power unit
- Installing arch extensions on a Niva will solve several problems at once: get rid of splashes of dirt on the wings and doors, expand the possibilities in terms of choosing the diameter of the disks, and complement the tuning composition
- Power kit. It consists of a powerful kenguryatnik. It is easy to make it yourself from pipes. A structure is installed on the rear door, onto which the spare tire is attached. It will also perform a protection function. A winch must be installed. It will help off-road and give the car an aggressive, masculine look.
This is all that is needed to create a car designed for participation in sports competitions or outdoor activities. This external tuning of the Niva 2121 combines aesthetic and practical functions. Therefore, the efforts and resources invested in it will quickly pay off.
You can do an easy tuning of the Niva 2121 - install new wheels and tires and apply stylish airbrushing with a 3D effect. To carry out the last operation, it is necessary to attract specialists.
Benefits of wheel tuning
This is the first thing anyone who plans to use their car for hunting should think about. The Niva will best cope with its tasks if you install SUV wheels on it. And they are always large in size. Due to the sufficient tread width, it becomes possible to optimize the contact patch. This is an important condition when the road is a rather unreliable ground.
And thanks to the increased (compared to the standard) diameter, it becomes possible to install large lugs on the tire - those “teeth” that have to dig into the road.
When using a Niva for hunting, it is important to understand that a car whose bottom is raised above the ground gets better cross-country ability. This means that installing good tires will require lifting the body. After all, it is quite logical that the larger the wheels, the greater the effort required to rotate them.
Mechanical modification of the Niva engine
For a 4x4 class car, which is the Niva, mechanical tuning is mandatory. The reason is the low performance of standard components in terms of geometry and wear resistance.
Engine tuning should begin with improving the carburetor. Here you should replace:
- Jets. Instead of 1 camera (t110 in ZD150), 2 cameras are installed (t125 in ZD135);
- Accelerator pump nozzle.
Be sure to clean the carburetor from carbon deposits. This can be done manually using a rag, gasoline and physical force, high-pressure washers designed for home car washing or specialized baths for cleaning parts. All of the above will allow you to debug the fuel supply mechanism to the timing belt (gas distribution mechanism).
The second stage is tuning the timing belt and other mechanical components of the engine. You should immediately start correcting the geometry of the power unit. To do this, it is necessary to increase the diameter of the valves. It should be noted that sealing them increases motor power by up to 10%.
The same operation is carried out with the pusher wells of the intake and exhaust channels. This entails replacing the pusher itself. It is recommended that its diameter be at least 1 mm. This upgrade is very important for the 4x4 layout. The next step is to replace the injectors and control unit.
You can increase engine power by replacing the standard crankshaft with an advanced modification, as well as installing new piston rings. Installing a new crankshaft will give increased stroke to the pistons. In this case, they must be bored. Although many experts argue that this significantly increases fuel consumption, this operation cannot be avoided when replacing the crankshaft. All of the above operations also add power to the motor.
All of the above will significantly improve the technical performance of the Niva and reduce the wear of spare parts. The smoothness of the ride is also improved.
What can be improved in the Niva 4×4 model
Most representatives of the domestic automobile industry require high-quality improvements, and Niva is no exception.
Tuning can significantly improve many parameters of an SUV, from the interior to pumping the chassis. Changing the suspension helps increase the vehicle's passing ability. You can also change the external design of the body, making it more modern and original. Many people try to increase the power of the power plant by tuning the engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWTWj7FdYHA
Most often, supporters of updates turn to professionals for help, although tuning a Niva 4x4 with your own hands is quite possible. You just have to take into account that remodeling a car will require significant costs and certain skills.
The small SUV went into mass production in April 1977. Today the VAZ 2121 is a passenger car with increased cross-country ability. Available in two body types: a three-door hatchback and a five-door station wagon. It has permanent all-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission.
Two-stage transfer case with center differential lock. High cross-country ability of the car is ensured by significant ground clearance (220 mm). The wheelbase is 2.2 meters. Earlier modifications were equipped with engines based on the engine of the sixth VAZ model.
When new modifications were released, the previous engine was replaced with a more powerful four-cylinder unit producing 81.9 liters. s., having a working volume of 1.69 liters. Average fuel consumption in mixed mode is 10 l/100 km.
Tuning the VAZ 2121 engine involves improving its parameters, in particular, increasing the power of the power plant.
There are two main ways to improve the unit:
- Chip tuning.
- Mechanical modification of the engine.
For injection engines, the first option is best suited. Reflashing the electronic control unit allows you to increase engine power by 8%, reduce fuel consumption and eliminate failures at low speeds. But this will require the help of specialists, because incorrect tuning can lead to a number of problems in engine operation. The second option is possible on any SUV, which determines its popularity.
And also interesting: Do-it-yourself Niva tuning is accessible even to a beginner
Engine tuning using mechanical modification is carried out in several stages:
- Carburetor modernization. Here it is necessary to replace the pump accelerator and old jets with an indicator of 2 kam.
- Modification of the gas distribution system by increasing the diameter of the valves and sealing them.
- Installation of a crankshaft with increased stroke.
- Replacing the piston.
- Increasing the cylinder diameter (boring).
A high-quality exhaust system can also increase the efficiency of the power plant by optimizing the process of air supply and exhaust gas removal. To do this, it is recommended to replace the intake and exhaust manifolds with more modern options.
Installing a turbine is the most common way to increase power. It has a fairly simple structure, and its installation does not cause much difficulty. Therefore, such a tuning solution is far from uncommon.
New interior design
What is important in tuning the Niva’s interior with your own hands? That's right - this is installing sound insulation. To do this, you should buy special material (luckily you won’t have to search for a long time) and carefully cut the shape to the size of the bottom.
Such know-how will make it impossible to listen to the car’s camshaft, which loves to “sing” loudly while driving on the asphalt.
Replacing the decor inside the car should start with standard things. Of course, the door and seat trim should be reviewed first.
To do this, you can travel to shops and markets to choose the best option. In a more radical case, the old seats can be replaced with more modern types of seats (for example, a sports type).
You can, of course, upgrade the old version, but it will be more expensive financially and will take quite a long time.
And finally, you can replace the steering wheel. In addition, now you can find any model, even a Ferrari.
Modern tuning of Niva 21213
Not so often, but still among Niv owners there are those who do not ignore such “noticeable parts of the interior” - such as the instrument panel, dashboard and the instruments themselves. Which, in turn, can either be slightly modified (for example, changing the color of the scales or the backlight of standard sensors), or completely replaced with others, both from domestic cars and parts from foreign cars.
How to make a dashboard with your own hands?
The process of making a homemade dashboard from plywood is literally “on the knee”.
This instrument panel can be purchased from sellers of tuning parts and accessories. It seems that the choice of alternative plastic dashboards for the VAZ-21214 in online and online stores is relatively large. And if you search, you can find some pretty decent panels.
Often, fans of tuning a domestic SUV decide to completely replace the dashboard or instrument panel with appropriately sized panels from foreign cars. And more often than not, such a replacement is completely justified. Since, in addition to a clear improvement in the visual perception of the interior, comfort and ergonomics are significantly improved.
The first thing you should do in your car so that daily trips in it within the city (and not only) do not lead you into a sad state of a squeezed lemon is to carry out comprehensive sound insulation of the interior.
Before disassembling the entire interior, find the front seats from a foreign car. Seats from Japanese cars have proven themselves well in domestic SUVs. The fact that you need to find rather rare seats from a coupe car should not confuse you.
Any front seats from a foreign car can be easily converted into folding angle grinders with a slight movement - you just need to cut off the stop that limits the forward movement of the backrest.
For safety, we strongly recommend that you do not weld new seats into the body of the Niva, but redesign the slide of the seat itself in order to integrate the lower rails from the original ones. Then the new comfortable chairs will become standard installation locations.
For high-quality sound insulation, you will also need to remove the front panel. Here you will find another key point included in high-quality tuning for Niva 21213 - the dashboard. It can be replaced with a more modern version. A radical solution to changing the appearance of the interior would be to completely replace the front panel with another one.
There is a “comfort” version of the front panel on sale. Its advantages are that there is no need to redo the fasteners, adjust them to size, etc. It has space for both an on-board computer and a tape recorder. The new dashboard and steering wheel will create the complete feeling that you are driving another car. Moreover, every car enthusiast can do such tuning of Niva 21213 with his own hands (photo above).
Lift options
How and where you will make a lift for your crossover, decide for yourself. I will try to tell you about all the nuances of this procedure so that you understand what to expect and what to prepare for.
I will say right away that a body lift lifts the entire body by using stands, modifying the hose and other parts. In theory, such tuning is very simple, but in the case of the Niva it is not used. And why all? Yes, because the Niva 2121 and other representatives of the series do not have a frame. If there was a frame, then there would be no questions.
From this we conclude that for our Niva the optimal solution would be suspension lifting. It provides the following benefits:
- increases crossover cross-country ability;
- lifts the entire machine;
- allows you to install larger wheels without having to trim the arches;
- provides the car with a more attractive appearance;
- makes the Niva an ideal car for fishing, hunting and driving on the most difficult sections of roads and off-roads.
If you raise the car by about 45 mm, achieve a lift of 50 mm, or even take the height to a bold 60 mm, you can easily insert wheels with a diameter of up to 29 inches into the factory arches. Do not forget that installing large wheels affects fuel consumption.
Many people mistakenly believe that it is easier to cut out the arches, insert 33-inch tires there and thereby raise the car. In practice, with such solutions the machine rises slightly. Most importantly, this does not greatly affect the geometric cross-country ability. I would recommend installing 31-inch wheels and lifting at the same time. This combination will provide the best result. Just choose your car wheels wisely and don’t forget about the seasonal rules for storing tires.
I'll make one remark. When lifting the car, the service life of the internal CV joint and the factory boot is reduced. To fix the problem, try replacing the internal boots on the CV joint with external ones, and also lower the FRM (front axle gearbox) by 10 mm. This way it will be possible to reduce the angle of operation of the CV joint.
Read news about the new Niva
- Do-it-yourself Niva 2121 elevator: drawings, dimensions
- Do-it-yourself Niva suspension lift. How to lift the front and rear suspension of a Niva car?
- Do-it-yourself Niva 2121 elevator: drawings, dimensions || Niva lift suspension spacers
- Niva Chevrolet suspension lift
- Chevrolet Niva suspension lift: rules, methods and step-by-step instructions
- Suspension lift in the field yourself
- Do-it-yourself Niva 2121 elevator: drawings, dimensions || Lift kit for Chevrolet Niva rating
- Niva 2121 suspension lift do-it-yourself drawings
Accessories for interior tuning
Steering wheels, pedal covers, non-standard transfer and gearbox shift knobs, as well as other controls. This is only part of the list of accessories to improve the interior, the installation of which instead of standard ones already transforms the interior, and sometimes makes the operation of the car more ergonomic and comfortable.
The sports steering wheel is an excellent replacement for the standard one.
Metal pedals with rubber inserts.
A set of handles for the gearshift lever and transfer case.
In addition, the list of accessories can be supplemented with door sill covers, all kinds of shelves, fasteners, bottle holders and other small things, sometimes useful.
Interior improvements
Despite a wide range of modifications, the Niva's interior requires improvement. When tuning the Niva's interior you need to:
- produce high-quality sound insulation using modern technologies and materials;
- secure the torpedo better, eliminating squeaking when moving;
- improve the interior trim, it is advisable to get rid of the original plastic, which tends to crack;
- A good advantage for the driver will be an armrest, a comfortable steering wheel, and pedal pads.
Also interesting: Buy manual winches for Niva in Balashikha in the online store
