Priora struts: which shock absorbers are better to choose

The shock absorber is an important element in the car suspension system, serving as the basis for the shock absorber strut. The quality of its operation and condition directly determine the smoothness of the ride, vehicle stability on the road, handling, etc. At the same time, entry-level and even middle-class cars are often not equipped with high-quality shock absorbers from the factory.

Unfortunately, the popular Lada Priora model was also no exception. However, the situation can be improved by installing high-quality analogues on the car instead of the standard factory version. Next, we will look at how to choose Priora shock absorbers, which models are best to pay attention to, and also what you need to consider when choosing shock absorbers for a Priora.

Front shock absorbers for Priora

The front suspension is equipped with struts with different original part numbers (for right and left). The only difference between them is depending on the side of installation; they are the same in size. The design of the stock front shock absorbers of the VAZ 2170 is non-separable. Reviews about the original shock absorbers are different, but most are still positive. They are relatively soft and last a long time, provided they are not used too intensively on bad roads and off-road conditions.

Analogs of Priora front shock absorbers

Replacement shock absorbers for Priora are very popular, since the factory parts have performed poorly off-road and their service life is not very long. The table shows the most popular and best-selling models, which will be equally good for operating a car in any conditions.

But if the goal is simply to save money when buying stock shock absorber struts, then you can buy not in standard packaging with the Lada inscription, but in red, directly from the SAAZ manufacturer itself.

Front suspension strut - disassembly and assembly

You will need spring ties to get the job done.

1. Remove the rack from the car.

2. Clamp the stand in a vice.

Be careful! A compressed spring has great force and when the tie breaks, it straightens out and can cause injury.

3. Install the couplers and tighten the spring evenly, without distortions, until the load is removed from the upper spring cup.

4. While holding the shock absorber rod from turning with a 6 mm hex wrench, use a 22 mm wrench to unscrew its nut. 5. Remove the limit washer from the upper support of the rebound stroke from the strut rod. 6. Remove the upper compression stroke limiter and the upper support from the rack. 7. Remove the bearing from the upper support.

8. Remove the upper spring cup and rubber gasket.

9. Remove the spring from the rack.

10. Remove the compression stroke buffer and the protective casing of the shock absorber rod.

11. To replace the spring, loosen the spring ties.

We assemble the front suspension strut in the reverse order.

Before assembling the strut, by fully extending and retracting the rod by hand, make sure that the shock absorber is in good condition. If you feel dips, jerks, or hear strange sounds when moving the rod, replace the shock absorber. Check the integrity and serviceability of all elements installed on the rack. Replace a damaged or cracked shock absorber rod guard, damaged compression stroke bumper, or cracked or weakened suspension spring.

Front suspension springs are divided into classes according to their stiffness. The class of the spring is indicated by paint on the outside of one of its coils. The front suspension must have springs of the same class installed.

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Rear shock absorbers on Priora

The rear wheels of the Lada Priora factory also come with non-separable shock absorbers. Their characteristics are similar to the front ones. As many drivers note, these shock absorbers are very soft and do not hold the road well at high speeds.

Analogs of Priora front shock absorbers

Replacements for shock absorbers on the rear wheels of Priors are slightly less popular than those on the front wheels. Often, many drivers install analogues on the front wheels, and leave original spare parts on the rear wheels. Nevertheless, the most popular analogues of rear shock absorbers are presented below.

Which shock absorber struts for Priora are better? For moderate driving, and at a low price, it is better to take the original SAAZ. Also, shock absorbers from the Russian company SS20 deserve special attention. They produce high-quality and technologically advanced products at a relatively low price. The range is represented by several lines of shock absorbers (differing in level of rigidity). But the most popular for the VAZ 2170 is the “Comfort” series. They are a little stiffer than the factory ones, which is especially noticeable at speeds up to 50 km/h. But after this mark they perfectly reveal their full potential on uneven roads. When entering the pit, the sound is practically inaudible, and most of the vibrational energy is absorbed.

Also of particular interest are shock absorber struts from the Japanese Kayaba (KYB), the big advantage of which is their versatility. They perform well both on smooth highways and off-road. The company has developed gas-oil shock absorbers labeled Exel-G, especially for Priora. But, due to the novelty of these spare parts, they are now quite rare on sale.

When to change shock absorbers on Priors?

According to Lada Priora maintenance regulations, shock absorbers are checked at every scheduled inspection. They change depending on the condition. The main signs of the need for replacement are body swaying and vibration when driving, poor road holding by the car, knocking and clicking in the chassis area, high sensitivity even to small road irregularities. And also, of course, oil drips on the racks. As practice shows, original Priora shock absorbers last an average of 40 thousand km. But there were some rare cases when this figure reached 90 thousand km.

Selection of struts for Lada Priora: products of the manufacturer SS20

Like any other spare parts, racks are selected depending on the design features of a particular car.
In this case, you should take into account not only the model and make of the vehicle, but also its purpose in each individual case, and operating conditions. Based on the above, it becomes clear why domestic car enthusiasts in the vast majority of cases install domestic and SS20 products on Priora. We will begin our review with the products of the latter company, since it offers four options for products ideal for the Lada:

1. “Standard” class racks ensuring maximum smoothness.
2. Products belonging to the rather popular “Sports” category. If you dream of a rigid sports suspension, it is better to install this product on the Priora. It allows you to take turns at great speed without fear of strong car roll.
3. Comfort class shock absorber struts for Priora, the characteristics of which fully correspond to the name. This is the optimal choice for both urban and suburban road surfaces, which ensures full control over the car and no hesitation when cornering.
4. Products in the “Highway” category. It is better to install them if you often travel on paved country roads. The products are characterized by fairly high rigidity, but in this respect they fall somewhat short of sports racks.

Regardless of which SS20 racks for the Priora you choose, the manufacturer will equip them with everything necessary for quick installation - bumpers, sound-insulating elements and supports.

Which racks are better for Priora?

An important part of the vehicle, which can be placed on a par with the transmission and chassis, is the car suspension. Its main purpose is to neutralize vibrations transmitted from the road by the wheelbase to the body. A high-quality suspension should ensure the reliability of the car during sharp turns. And it is especially important if the suspension is selected with the correct degree of rigidity. Excessively soft will perfectly dampen vibrations, but will not save you from strong rolls. But hard shock absorbers guarantee no tilt, but shaking will be felt.

Suspension parts for Priora: choose wisely

The suspension of a car is no less important part of it than the power plant and transmission. Its task is to dampen vibrations transmitted through the wheels from the road surface to the body. At the same time, it must ensure the stability of the car when cornering at high speeds. If the chassis is too soft, it will provide good vibration damping, but there will be significant body roll when cornering. A very stiff suspension will not allow rolls, but will not provide the proper smooth ride.

While driving, the suspension experiences heavy loads, which often leads to breakdowns and replacement of suspension parts, especially struts. Priora in this case is no exception. Let's try to figure out which struts are best installed on the Priora if they are worn out and the struts need to be replaced.

We will not consider factory parts; we will take the most recommended by Priora owners, namely CC20 struts, Kayaba struts and Acomi struts. It is impossible to understand which of them is better. Every car enthusiast has his own opinion and sticks to it. Some people prefer to use racks from one manufacturer, while others disagree and install racks from another manufacturer.

What are racks?

These are devices that smooth out jerks caused by uneven road surfaces. Their action is based on the piston effect of the syringe. Only the liquid in the cylinder is squeezed out through the piston through a special valve.

To decide which ones are best to install on the Priora, you should know that shock absorbers are divided into three groups based on the type of filler:

• hydraulic;
• gas;
• pneumohydraulic.

During factory assembly, it is the first group that is installed on the Priora, and during the operational period, many drivers prefer to replace them with gas analogues.

Front strut Priora

Sometimes you can hear the knocking of the front struts while driving. It is possible to determine that the support should be replaced not only with the help of a specialist, but also based on certain signs. Firstly, the car loses stability. Checking the integrity of the shock absorber is simple - by rocking the corner of the vehicle, you should determine the number of free swings. If they exceed 1.5, then the support must be replaced. This type of work is carried out by specialists. Experienced drivers determine the need for replacement by the sound - when driving on an uneven road, tapping and dull clicks will be heard.

And it is better to replace the rear struts of the priors at the same time as the front struts in order to give the car good stability while driving.

Tips for choosing

Before choosing shock absorbers, imagine what types of road surfaces you will drive on most often.

The fact is that hydraulic ones, although they are reliable, are also harsh. They are best used on good roads with smooth surfaces. On dirt roads and roads with broken asphalt surfaces, it is recommended to use combined pneumatic-hydraulic racks.

Remember that the operational period of any vehicle is individual and depends on the conditions in which the car is used. On average, the price of a set of shock absorbers for a Priora will be about 1,800 rubles. When making a replacement, it is recommended to opt for supports from foreign manufacturers, as they have proven themselves to be of higher quality and more reliable than their domestic counterparts. Popular with most Prior drivers are the SS 20 or Kayaba, which have a short stroke. There are also other options that are perfect for a Priora - ASOMI, SAAZ, Koni, Monroe.

For ease of replacement, the delivery set includes soundproofing elements, bumpers, and supports. By the way, the supports are designed specifically for this model of Lada, and those from other cars simply will not fit the Priora. As you can see, there is no clear answer to this question. The choice will entirely depend on the owner of the vehicle.

Priora struts: which shock absorbers are better to choose

The shock absorber is an important element in the car suspension system, serving as the basis for the shock absorber strut. The quality of its operation and condition directly determine the smoothness of the ride, vehicle stability on the road, handling, etc. At the same time, entry-level and even middle-class cars are often not equipped with high-quality shock absorbers from the factory.

Unfortunately, the popular Lada Priora model was also no exception. However, the situation can be improved by installing high-quality analogues on the car instead of the standard factory version. Next, we will look at how to choose Priora shock absorbers, which models are best to pay attention to, and also what you need to consider when choosing shock absorbers for a Priora.

SS20 chassis

SS20 chassis for Niva

SS20 chassis parts for domestic and foreign cars are produced. The SS20 chassis has won recognition due to the high quality of its parts, which ensures reliability and good performance of the machine.

For Priora, SS20 offers 4 types of struts, differing in rigidity while driving. All SS20 parts are hydraulic.

1. The SS20 struts called “Standard” are considered the smoothest. In addition to these front suspension elements, the company also offers to install SS20 rear struts on the car. To slightly increase the vehicle's load capacity, you can purchase reinforced SS20 rear struts.
2. The next SS20 kit, which includes front and rear struts, is called “Comfort”. It is these elements, according to car owners, that are best installed on the car. They have slightly greater rigidity than “Standard”, which ensures proper suspension performance both on highways and on roads with poor surfaces.
3. Another SS20 “Road” kit is designed for those who like a stiffer suspension. This kit is well suited for owners who often travel on paved country roads.
4. The SS20 “Sport” struts have the highest rigidity. These elements are more intended for VAZ Priora, which the owners converted to participate in sports competitions.

To ensure that replacement is easy for owners, the kits also include supports, sound insulators, and bumpers. The pillar support was specially designed for the VAZ 2170, since these elements from the predecessors of the VAZ family of cars were not suitable.

Racks on Priora: what you need to know

First of all, you need to consider that a shock absorber strut is not just a shock absorber. As you know, Priora has McPherson at the front. In fact, the MacPherson suspension design involves a shock absorber with a coil spring installed on its body.

The spring itself is clamped between the cups (upper and lower). There is also an upper shock mount that is attached to the body. The wheels turn due to the fact that the support has a support bearing. The lower part of the rack is connected to the hub assembly.

We also add that the rear suspension on the Priora is structurally simpler (there is no need to implement the ability to turn the wheels). It is based on a strong beam to which the hub assembly is attached; there is also a shock-absorbing strut in the form of a shock absorber and spring, supports for the rear struts, etc.

So, taking into account the fact that the shock absorber itself is the basis of the shock absorber strut, car enthusiasts and repair specialists simply call it a strut (without taking into account other structural elements). In other words, when we are talking about a car, including a Priora, in the language of professionals, struts often mean only a shock absorber, and not the entire shock absorber strut as a whole.

• Let's move on. As practice shows, the front struts of the Priora fail much faster than the rear struts. Also, the front shock absorbers influence controllability and stability, as well as a number of other characteristics and indicators. In fact, if the rear struts of a Priora may well last up to 80-100 thousand km, the front struts may require replacement by 40 thousand.

One way or another, if the car does not hold the road well, and defects in the road surface are transferred to the body in the form of impacts, this is a reason to check and replace the shock absorbers. Naturally, if they need to be replaced, many car owners wonder which struts for the Priora are best to choose. Let's look at this in more detail.

Kayaba chassis

Kayaba chassis for Niva

It is possible to install racks on the Priora from the Japanese company Kayaba. This company produces suspension elements for foreign cars, but there are also products for the domestic auto industry.

It is quite difficult to purchase both front and rear struts for the Priora, since this model is relatively new. Often, Priora owners purchase Kayaba racks designed for installation on a VAZ 2110. Although some dealers already have Kayaba products made for Priora. Kayaba Exel-G gas-oil front and rear struts are offered for this car. While the VAZ 2110 sells gas and oil Kayaba Exel-G and Premium.

But it is impossible to simply replace the factory front chassis parts with Kayaba for the VAZ 2110. To do this, you will have to purchase collapsible VAZ 2170 glasses and insert the purchased Kayaba glasses into them. The supports will also have to be replaced; most car enthusiasts use CC20 supports. There are no such problems with the rear ones; they are installed assembled.

Priora front struts and rear shock absorbers: the best solutions

As practice shows, correctly selected front struts on a Priora can significantly improve the car’s behavior on the road. Taking into account the fact that Lada Priora is a budget model, there is no talk of installing expensive shock absorbers such as Bilstein, Koni, Sachs and others.

Some manufacturers simply do not have struts for Priora, others have solutions that are too expensive, and in some cases, modifications, alterations, etc. will also be required to install a new shock absorber. However, among the more affordable and high-quality racks for Priora, SS20, SAAZ or KYB (Kayaba, Kayaba) can be distinguished.

• First of all, if you need a comfortable and reliable Priora front strut, then the SS20 struts can be considered the optimal solution in terms of quality, as well as price (which is important). Moreover, the manufacturer of these shock absorbers is domestic (System Technologies), and specifically for the Priora there are 4 types of struts available in the line.

The SS20 “standard” struts are the softest and are well suited for a quiet ride. The “comfort” version is more universal, the shock absorbers are a little stiffer, and are better suited for high-speed driving on the highway. Also, these racks work more efficiently on bad roads.

Racks "ASOMI": choosing one of two options

Another Russian company that sells racks for Priora produces only two varieties:

• gas-oil front struts belonging to the Comfort PRO series. They have a fairly long service life, can be used equally successfully on roads with any surface, hold the road perfectly and reduce vibrations to a minimum. If you carefully study the reviews, you can note that these products are better than CC20 products precisely due to their versatility;
• “Comfort CLASSIC” oil products, which have high reliability indicators for high-speed travel on high-quality roads. Its excellent characteristics are well demonstrated, for example, by a video on the manufacturer’s official website.

It is better to purchase Priora products at specialized retail outlets, where they are equipped with everything necessary for installation and maximum reliable operation for a long time.

Another option is to install racks from the Japanese manufacturer Kayaba. But in this case, there is a nuance - the rear and front suspensions on the Priora appeared in the company’s product range relatively recently and can be expensive. As an alternative, it can be proposed to remake and install structures developed for the VAZ 2110.

Which of the above products are best suited for changing the worn suspension of your car? It is simply impossible to give a definite answer to this question, since everything depends on individual taste preferences.

Useful tips

Let's start with the fact that some owners decide to install VAZ2110 shock absorbers on the Priora to increase load capacity and improve handling. In fact, it is better to abandon such experiments and immediately purchase a kit for the VAZ 2170. With struts from the “ten”, the Priora becomes more rigid, but the handling deteriorates.

It is also not recommended to install KYB racks for the VAZ 2110 on the Priora. Such modification will require the purchase of collapsible glasses from Priora, installation of other supports, etc.

If we compare KYB and SS20, the second option involves several options for racks. On the one hand, this allows you to select shock absorbers for specific tasks, but Kayaba, presented in only one option, is still better in quality and works well in any conditions.

Popular rack models

Racks SS20

produces fairly high-quality and inexpensive chassis parts. As for the Priora, for this model, manufacturers offer four options for struts; they differ from each other in only one parameter - rigidity while driving. All SS20 shock absorbers are hydraulic .

Let's look at each option:

• "Standard". These SS20 components are considered the softest. Front and rear components can be replaced with SS20 "Standard". There is a special modification of this SS20 model, which allows you to increase the carrying capacity of the Priora.
• "Comfort". This entry kit comes with front and rear pieces. This model is universal, as it demonstrates sufficient rigidity not only on new routes, but also on bad roads, which we have plenty of.
• "Highway". This SS20 kit is best installed for motorists who often make long-distance trips. Despite the high rigidity, the shock absorbers also provide a soft ride in the city.
• "Sport". From the name you can understand what the racks are intended for. CC20 “Sport” is best used by fans of sports racing and street racing, as they have maximum rigidity.

The kit includes supports, bumpers and reliable sound insulators.

The manufacturer made supports specifically for the Priora, since the components intended for previous models were not suitable for the VAZ 2110. You don't have to think about modifications; all the necessary parts are already included in the kit.

Kayaba stands

If you want to know which racks from foreign manufacturers are best to install on the 2170, then pay attention to Kayaba products. The Japanese company specializes in the manufacture of chassis components for foreign cars, but there are also options for Russian cars. Some Priora owners prefer to install shock absorbers designed for the “ten”. We recommend spending time finding a kit specifically for the 2170. For the Priora, the company offers gas-oil rear and front components; the kit is called Exel-G. The release began recently, so you won’t be able to find them right away.

If you are a fan of do-it-yourself modifications and looking for various components, you can purchase the Kayaba kit for the “ten”. But for proper installation you will have to buy collapsible glasses from Priora and install supports. As for the supports, they can be supplied from SS20. But such difficulties are caused only by the front struts; the rear struts are already assembled.

Kayaba racks are universal - they are suitable for both trails and roads with poor surfaces. High-quality components contribute to a comfortable ride even on rough roads, hence the high price. If you want to know which parts are better - from Kayaba or SS20, then motorists are confident in the leadership of the Japanese manufacturer.