After installing the new front suspension from SS20, of course, I was happy with everything, both the smooth operation of the shock absorbers and the disappearance of knocks on the rebound. But after some time, a strange sound began to appear more and more clearly, especially when turning the steering wheel all the way. I began to blame the support bearings, and even decided to remove the struts and look at their condition. But after dismantling it turned out that everything was fine with them.
As for the sound, my assumptions are as follows. Since the springs were slightly lower, and the SS20 strut rod itself was slightly longer than on the factory struts, it turns out that the spring was almost always in an unloaded state. I even dismantled the springs today without ties, since they were useless. In the end, I decided that these strange squeaks (knocks) were coming from the spring, since it was not really tightened with such a design as the SS20.
In general, I decided to put back the factory springs, leaving the struts, supports and bearings in place. Everything became normal, but when I lowered the car to the ground, I simply couldn’t believe my eyes: the front end was now even higher than on the factory suspension. I think many people have guessed why this picture turned out:
The fact is that the SS20 strut rod is about 3 cm longer than the SAAZ one, and maybe even more, I just didn’t specifically measure the difference today. It turns out that with the original spring, the front end rises about 3 cm. That is, it turns out to be a kind of Kalina Cross variant.
Why lower the Lada Priora?
On the roads of our country you can often find “Priors” with a low landing. The main reason why owners resort to this solution is to improve the appearance of the car. Lowering allows you to give the car a sporty look. In this budget way, the VAZ 2170 can be distinguished from the road traffic. When lowering work is carried out correctly, the following benefits can be obtained:
- reduce roll when cornering;
- improve the handling and behavior of the car at high speeds.
One of the main disadvantages of lowering a car lies in the quality of the roads: any hole or unevenness can lead to serious damage to body elements or vehicle components (bumpers, sills, engine crankcase, exhaust system). Due to the low seating position, the owner has to visit a car service much more often to fix certain problems. Therefore, if you want to make your “Priora” below, you need to take into account the following disadvantages of such a procedure:
- you will have to plan your route more carefully;
- incorrect lowering can lead to rapid failure of suspension elements, in particular shock absorbers;
- Due to increased suspension rigidity, the level of comfort decreases.
RESULT
Bottom line: to lower a car, it is best to use short-travel struts. Such racks are the most suitable option for everything in terms of price and quality.
It should be noted that with a measured lowering of -120 mm, it is necessary to saw the right spar. Due to the very low lowering, the right-hand drive wheel will touch the car body. The photo shows how the drive rests on the car body.
Also, when carrying out any actions, it is imperative to have the wheel geometry done at a service station upon completion of the repair.
We hope our article was useful to you.
The biggest disadvantage that needs to be eliminated
Now I want to talk about one significant disadvantage that you will have to face when installing original springs paired with SS20 struts and supports from the same company. As mentioned above, the rod is slightly longer than on the factory SAAZ. It turns out that when the car wheel is fully suspended and the steering wheel is turned all the way, the tie rod tightening bolts will cling to the end of the hole in the body. This is what it looks like in practice:
You can take my word for it that one such time, when the steering wheel is fully turned in one direction or the other, the metal at the point of contact is crushed and the following damage occurs:
In fact, I don’t see anything critical in this, since when turning again everything goes almost smoothly. If you want to get rid of constant clinging, you can use pliers to bend the required section of metal in the hole from below (at the point of contact). Of course, I’m not sure that I’m strong enough to do this with pliers, but I can try. Or use a round file to do it more civilly. But after that you will definitely need to carefully treat this place with an anticorrosive agent, and the more, the better. I haven’t done this yet, but on my first trip to the village I’ll do it, since the bottle of mastic was left there.
Another point that may arise, but I personally have not noticed this. Since the rack has become longer when fully suspended, the brake hose is tightened more, but not critically. In my case, the tension is quite acceptable, which is unlikely to lead to a break.
In general, of course, that moment with metal damage is not very pleasant, but I don’t really bother about it, I’ll do everything in the near future, file a couple of millimeters or bend it even further so that nothing sticks anymore, and then thoroughly fill this place with anti-corrosion treatment . I wanted to describe my new spring ties in this article, but I’m already thinking that it’s better to make a separate post about this.
Understatement -70/-90 at 2114
Greetings to my subscribers. Well, as we understand, we will talk about underestimation. For a long time I wanted to lower the car, but never got around to it. So I drove for 7 years without understating it. The factory suspension was there all along. I drove 78 thousand on it. Well, more or less the suspension was still alive.
So I chose Aston struts, SS-20 cups, Technoresor springs, rear donuts, SS-20 sound insulators too, Demfi bumpers, TRT balls with polyurethane covers, I also installed polyurethane boots on the front and rear. At first it was very unusual to drive with such a lowered suspension, but I got used to it and even began to like it. Now it’s possible to maneuver at a relatively high speed, there is no roll at all, the car seems to be nailed to the road. Very pleased with the stands. I didn't put spacers on the balls. I also replaced the external grenade covers with polyurethane ones.
How to lower the Priora correctly
There are several ways to lower the landing position on the Priora. Each of them is worth dwelling on in more detail.
Air suspension
Air suspension is considered one of the best, but at the same time expensive, ways to lower a car. The driver can raise or lower the car body as necessary. In addition to the high cost of such equipment, the work must be carried out by specialists who understand the electronics and chassis of the car. Therefore, most Prior owners prefer less expensive methods of undervaluation.
Suspension with adjustable ground clearance
The Priora can be equipped with a special adjustable suspension kit. Height adjustment is carried out by means of struts, and springs with a selected lowering (-50, -70, -90) are compressed or stretched. Thus, the car can be raised for the winter and lowered for the summer. The springs that come with the kit are highly reliable and are designed to constantly change in length. The set in question consists of the following elements:
- front and rear springs;
- screw-adjustable struts and shock absorbers;
- front upper supports;
- spring cups;
- bumpers.
The procedure for implementing such a kit comes down to replacing the standard suspension elements with new ones:
- Remove the rear shock absorbers along with the springs.
It is recommended to lubricate the threaded part of the shock absorbers with graphite lubricant.
Lowered suspension
This method of lowering the suspension is less expensive than the previous one. It involves purchasing a set of shock absorbers and lowered springs (-30, -50, -70 and more.). The disadvantage of this kit is the impossibility of adjusting the ground clearance. However, you can install such a suspension yourself. To replace you will need the following kit:
- Demfi -50 racks;
- springs Techno Ressor -50;
- supports Sevi Expert.
Air suspension installation
Installing an air suspension is an option for real tuning fans. Why? – Yes, because the cost of such an alteration amounts to several thousand, or even tens of thousands of rubles.
To organize the process, you need to spend money on the purchase of air bags (for the front and rear), pressure sensors (they monitor pressure indicators in the above-mentioned bags), a receiver, a compressor (for inflation) and a control panel.
But the high cost of all the components listed above is still half the problem. You must be prepared for the costly installation of all equipment. This kind of work cannot be entrusted to some “Vasya from the garage.”
Installation of air springs should only be carried out by qualified specialists and only at specialized service stations.
This is a whole range of work, which includes the removal of existing struts, springs, as well as the proper installation of air bags, sensors, a compressor and other equipment that we have already mentioned.
If the system is configured correctly, it is possible to lower the suspension to the required level at any time or return it all back. You can focus on many factors - terrain, road quality, driving mode, and so on.
The advantage of this method is the ability to adjust the ground clearance over a wide range (ground clearance can be changed from one to five centimeters).
In addition, installing such a suspension improves the characteristics of the car (primarily its handling at high speeds).
There is another undeniable plus - air springs hold weight well, so they do not sag even when the vehicle is maximally loaded.
But there are also disadvantages.
- Firstly, the high cost of modifications, which not all tuning lovers can afford.
- Secondly, the short “life” of pillows, which do not withstand domestic roads for a long time. In addition, due to constant shaking, the pressure control sensors also “give up.”
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.
Installation of lower springs
Installation of lower springs. If you do not want to cut existing springs, you can buy new products that have a lower height (such springs are often called sports springs).
Their main difference is the height, which is four centimeters less than in standard models.
If you want to save money, then you can lower the suspension this way without outside help. If in doubt, it is better to contact specialists in this matter. Moreover, the alignment will still have to be done.
The advantage of this method is its comparative simplicity and the ability to quickly return everything to its place (install old springs). Another advantage of sports springs is that they have greater rigidity and do not sag as much as standard (hand-shortened) products.
The disadvantage is the cost of purchasing new springs, as well as increasing the overall rigidity of the car. But with this type of tuning this is a common occurrence.
Types of understatement
You can lower your car in the following ways:
- Purchase special lowering springs and replace them with standard ones.
- Trim factory springs. Having gotten rid of unnecessary turns, install it on the car.
- Use sports suspension. During the operation, you will have to install lowered springs along with shortened sports shock absorbers.
- Replace conventional springs with coilovers or special coil suspensions.
- You can install coilovers with shock absorbers. They regulate the stiffness. Wheelovers are purchased with camber supports.
An analogue of the operation of cutting original springs is purchasing factory springs made specifically for such purposes. If you doubt what you can get from homemade spare parts, it’s better to buy special lowering springs.
Disadvantages of understatement
If you decide to perform this procedure using a technical means, it is worth remembering that there are advantages and disadvantages. Among the negative characteristics of lowering a car, the following main ones can be identified:
- Once the car gets much lower, it becomes very difficult to tow it. It is also completely impossible to pull other cars, because if you attach a tow rope to the bumper, then it simply cannot withstand a certain load and breaks.
- Some elements of the road can become quite a strong obstacle. So, speed bumps can cause a lowered car to hang a little on them.
- This procedure is ideal only for smooth roads. After lowering it will be completely impossible to go out into nature: into the forest, to a pond, to a river. Even the smallest stones will become a huge obstacle to your technical equipment.
- Very often you will hear the sound of a muffler catching on a less than perfectly level road.
Understatement is done to obtain maximum contact between the car engine and the wheels of the car. It helps the vehicle stay on the road better, especially on slippery asphalt. Appearance - very overloaded. The inclination of the wheel changes. Vehicle controllability may deteriorate. Due to lowering, tires wear out quickly. To avoid these consequences, after the procedure you need a camber set. It helps to set the correct wheel angle. You can also purchase other levers.
If you have finally decided to lower your car, then it is worth remembering that before starting work you will need to decide on the method of this procedure and only then can you proceed to work. It is also worth carefully weighing both the advantages and disadvantages of this process.
Reducing the clearance on a VAZ
In the case of lowering the suspension of a VAZ “classic”, a special approach to work is required. Simply cutting off the springs is not the best option, because after just a few tens of kilometers the car can become severely distorted. And it’s not far from breaking the shock absorber and the spring itself.
The best option is to install low springs. But at the same time, it is advisable to select suitable shock absorbers.
For example, if you plan to reduce the ground clearance by 40-50 mm, then it is worth buying shock absorbers that can work in such conditions. It is strictly forbidden to lose sight of this moment.
On VAZ cars, the ride height can be adjusted in the range from 20 to 90 mm. Anything more than nine centimeters is already dangerous. And it is almost impossible to implement this in practice.
To make the suspension durable, it is necessary to install new boots and rebound buffers during installation. But that's not all.
It would be a good idea to replace the support bearings on the front struts (this will significantly reduce the force on the steering wheel).
