VAZ-2109 replacement of rear struts: rules and replacement process

Causes of failure

There are two main reasons why rear shock absorbers begin to misbehave:

• When driving, the rear wheel can gradually wear out the locker, made of plastic. It serves to protect the rack. Over time, the wheel gets closer and closer to the stand;
• If the breakage occurs along the lower silent block, the culprit is the bolt holding it in place. It was simply not tightened to the required load.

Worn out old shock absorbers

When changing the strut, pay special attention to this bolt. If you make the same mistake again, you will soon have to make repairs again.

Symptoms of a problem

Pay attention to the telltale signs that tell you that you need to take action to correct problems with your rear struts.

Silent block

Kinds

There are two main types of racks used for the VAZ 2109:

• Oily;
• Gas.

Let's talk about each of the types and their features separately.

Oily

They are also called hydraulic because they use fluid. Key features of oil struts include:

• Almost all domestic passenger cars are equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. Before this, there were belt or friction ones;
• Modern variations of hydraulic struts are a double-acting unit. They are able to reduce suspension vibrations and dampen amplitude during relaxation or full compression. This became possible thanks to the oil, which moves from one part of the rack to another, taking on the resistance of the springs, helping to dampen the force;
• A hydraulic shock absorber includes in its design a cylinder, a rod with a piston, compensation chambers, guide bushings and the damping fluid itself - oil;
• The main disadvantage of this option is the presence of an air mixture in the compensation chambers. If the air level is low or completely absent in the chamber, the efficiency of the racks is equal to zero;
• If there is too much air, the shock absorber also cannot perform its functions and begins to fail;
• Another disadvantage is poor heat transfer performance. During long trips, ineffective cooling of the struts is especially affected, since the fluid overheats and loses its properties, so the struts do not work properly;
• When driving on bad roads, overheated shock absorbers cause the car to sway. This cannot be called a dangerous phenomenon, but the comfort of the driver and passengers is clearly reduced;
• If you regularly drive on bad roads, it is strictly not recommended to equip the VAZ 2109 with hydraulic struts. The piston will move frequently, causing a tense field to appear on the working surface. This leads to the appearance of cavitation bubbles, that is, the oil will simply foam. The oil loses viscosity, shock absorbers do not do their job or simply fail.

The most important advantage of a hydraulic strut is its cost and resistance to fairly harsh climates. But just because of these advantages it is not worth buying them.

Gas

Gas shock absorbers have appeared quite recently, and they have managed to profitably replace soft hydraulic systems. Gas struts work more rigidly, but at the same time ensure long-term, reliable, stable operation of the suspension.

1. Unlike oil struts, gas-filled struts contain gas rather than air in the compensation chambers. It is pumped there under a pressure of about 28 atmospheres.
2. A special membrane, provided by the design of the gas shock absorber, serves to separate and isolate gas from oil. This minimized the likelihood of liquid foaming.
3. Due to the high pressure, the piston is always pressed. This way the car reacts faster and more adequately to unevenness, potholes, and bumps. There are more than enough shortcomings on our domestic roads, and gas-filled struts allow us to at least somehow cope with them.
4. Single-pipe gas units cope with their tasks more efficiently than double-pipe oil units. This is achieved through better cooling. Therefore, the device works more stable and performs its assigned functions.
5. If we compare the level of rigidity of the two types of struts, hydraulic ones are inferior to gas ones. Therefore, gas shock absorbers are mainly used by fans of fast driving and participants in sports competitions.
6. An important advantage of gas shock absorbers is the ability to install them in different directions: horizontally, vertically, at an angle. Under no circumstances should hydraulics be installed this way.
7. The main disadvantages of gas-filled units include high price, complexity of manufacturing, reduced driving comfort and large loads placed on the car body. Due to the last minus, the body of your VAZ 2109 may suffer and lose strength.

Gas unit
When using gas struts, be prepared for the fact that you will have to change ball joints and bearings more often than expected.

What to choose?

Your choice in favor of one type of shock absorber or another is influenced by several factors:

• Driving experience;
• Current condition of the car;
• Quality of machine service;
• The condition of the roads you primarily travel on.

Here are some basic thoughts that may help you make your choice.

1. When changing shock absorbers, every driver strives to improve comfort and controllability. But these are mutually exclusive indicators. If you increase comfort, handling deteriorates, and vice versa.
2. Gas units demonstrate their true advantages during high-speed driving and at sports competitions. How often can you see “charged” VAZ 2109? Not good.
3. Hydraulics are the optimal solution for ordinary drivers. Especially considering the state of our roads.
4. Oil struts are available, much cheaper than gas struts.
5. But safety, braking distance and handling efficiency speak in favor of gas ones.

You just have to decide what is more important to you.

Replacement

To replace or partially repair you have to go through a rather labor-intensive path.

You will need the following set of tools and materials:

• Screwdriver Set;
• Set of wrenches;
• Jack;
• Partner.

Decide in advance whether you are going to change the entire assembly, or whether you want to change only the damaged elements of the rear pillar. The volume of your purchases depends on this.

You can start working. Based on our instructions and the video lessons provided, you will be able to replace the rear struts yourself.

1. Turn the gearbox into first gear mode.
2. Raise the rear wheels using a jack.
3. Install supports, strengthening the reliability of fixing your car in a given position.
4. Remove the racks. To do this, first go to the trunk, remove the decorative rubber plug, which is located on top of the rack mount. It is better to remove all unnecessary things from the trunk.
5. Take a 17-size spanner and a 6-size open-end wrench. With their help, you can unscrew the nut with a spanner, and the open-end wrench will be useful for holding the shock-absorbing strut rod.

Removal process

1. That's it, this allows you to remove the mounting nut, support washer, spring washer and top pad without any problems.
2. Now we go under the car to finish what we started.
3. Take a 19 mm wrench and remove the shock absorber mounting bolt to the rear beam. Remove it.
4. In some cases, problems may arise with dismantling this bolt, since it simply sticks. To do this, pre-treat the bolt with the almighty WD40 and give it time to react.
5. If even this method did not help, then you will have to take the guide and simply knock out the fastening element.
6. Next, remove our shock absorber along with the spring.
7. Do not forget that during such manipulations most often the spring gasket remains on the body. It sticks to the metal. Many people forget to take it out, which causes difficulties during reinstallation. Don't make this mistake.
8. Clean all the seats to make it more convenient for you and make it all look more aesthetically pleasing. Plus, neatness never hurts to extend the service life of new spare parts.
9. To make it more convenient for you, wrap the gasket on the new spring with electrical tape, or secure it with thin wire. This will prevent it from slipping when you begin installation.
10. When putting the assembly back together with the new rear strut, be sure to make sure that the raised portion of the spring cup faces the direction of the wheel.
11. Secure the lower end of the rack with a nut and bolt, but there is no need to tighten the fasteners just yet.
12. Using the lever of your jack, raise and lower the rear of the car. This is necessary in order to eventually insert the shock absorber rod into the hole in the body of your nine.
13. With the spring in place, pull the shock absorber rod out to its full length.
14. Insert the rod into the lower ear and secure with a bolt.
15. Place a jack under the beam and begin manipulating the lifting mechanism.
16. At the same time, the spring will begin to compress, and the rod will move towards the glass.
17. You or your assistant must be alert in the car in order to have time to pry the rod with a screwdriver and ensure it is directed in the right direction.
18. Once the rod is in place, the work can be considered almost complete.
19. Fix the rod, not forgetting to insert the cushion, washer and engraver. All this is securely fixed.
20. Now you can lower the car onto its own wheels and fully tighten the bolt of the lower shock absorber mounting.

Reassembly stage

Changing rear strut assemblies is easier and faster than dismantling, disassembling the old strut, looking for defects in it and replacing individual damaged components. But this requires less financial costs.

Changing racks is not that difficult, even if you have little experience in such matters. But if there are none, be sure to contact trusted car services. Do not risk your own car, otherwise subsequent repairs will be even more difficult and expensive.

How to remove rear shock absorbers on VAZ 2114, 2115, 2109, 2108.

Begin dismantling the rear shock absorber by removing the plastic plugs located in the trunk.

Having removed the plastic, we will see the nuts screwed onto the shock absorber rod. We unscrew them with a special key. If it is not there, then we use a 17 socket wrench and a 6 wrench or an adjustable wrench.

Having unscrewed the top nut, remove the washer and cushion that stood between the nut and the body.

Before unscrewing the lower shock absorber mounting bolt, lift the wheel on a jack. The racks can be removed very easily if the bolts securing the rack to the beam can be unscrewed without any problems.

What to do if the shock absorber bolt is soured.

Removing the struts can be complicated by souring of the bolts with silent blocks. If you encounter such a problem, then you will not be able to remove the shock absorber without a grinder.

Just carefully file off the head of the bolt and knock it out with a hammer.

If the bolts are not soured.

If the bolts securing the rack to the beam have not soured, you are very lucky. Simply unscrew them and remove the stand from the eye.

Ready! Let's move on to installing the new part.

Self-replacement of rear struts of VAZ-2109

Any breakdown in a car requires immediate repair, since in most cases the breakdown leads to a decrease in the level of safety during operation.

In this article we will tell you how to replace the rear struts of a VAZ-2109. You should know that, as a rule, a problem is indicated by a very characteristic noise coming from the rear suspension while driving the car.

If you do not have sufficient knowledge, then it would be better to seek help from an auto repair shop. But it is worth saying that with some effort you can make the replacement yourself.

Purpose of shock absorbers

The main function of shock absorbers is to keep the vehicle on the road no matter the condition of the road surface. Due to the struts, control is not lost when hitting bumps, which ensures a comfortable ride. Also, the front and rear struts do not allow the car to roll too much when entering a sharp turn.

Both the rear and front shock absorber struts of the VAZ 2108, 2109, 21099 consist of two elements - the shock absorber itself and the softening spring. The shock absorber is a cylindrical pipe with smooth inner walls, filled with working fluid. While the car is moving, the spring prevents the shock absorber from falling too low.

Front suspension elements: 1 — protective cap; 2 — compression stroke limiter of the support; 3 — upper support of the rack; 4 — upper support bearing; 5 — upper spring cup; 6 — front suspension spring; 7 — adjusting bolt; 8 - eccentric washer; 9 — protective casing; 10 - compression progress buffer

Reasons for failure of the rear strut

There are quite a lot of them, but the most common ones are:

• ​abrasion by the rear wheel of the locker protecting the rack itself;
• fracture of the element in question in the area of ​​the lower silent blocks.

The latter often occurs when the fixing bolt was tightened without load.

Signs of malfunction:

• The silent block has various types of damage - cracks or other defects;
• the rubber seal and boot have lost their elasticity;
• the compression buffer was deformed;
• There are cracks directly on the springs.

Such problems require immediate replacement of the rack or its individual elements - otherwise there is a risk of breaking it and causing even greater damage, which is much more difficult to eliminate.

As practice shows, many car enthusiasts, in order to do without spring tensioners, cut off several turns from them. This, among other things, achieves a decrease in clearance. This should not be done under any circumstances.

Replacement procedure

For such work you need the following devices and tools:

• ​screwdriver set;
• a set of keys;
• jack;
• container for draining shock-absorbing fluid.

​ The procedure is as follows:

• at the gearbox, switch the lever to first speed;
• lift the rear of the car with a jack (both wheels must be in the air);
• provide reliable support;
• take away the jack;
• dismantle the old racks.

If you need to completely replace them, then the disassembly process ends.

When you need to repair any individual element, you should also perform the following steps:

• remove the anthers, bushings and buffer;
• make sure that there are no noticeable flaws;
• wash the shock absorber (it is its contamination that most often leads to breakdown);
• check the rear silent blocks;
• assemble the stand and install it in place.

It is very difficult for one person to complete all the actions on his own, so it is worth asking a friend for help.

In particular, your partner will have to direct the rod into the glass. Further:

• install the spring;
• pull out the shock absorber rod completely;
• put on the lower ear and clamp everything with a bolt as tightly as possible.

Required Tools

You can remove faulty racks and install new ones in their place yourself. To do this you will need the following set of tools and accessories:

• Socket head for 17 and 19.
• Mount.
• Socket wrench.
• Jack.
• Pliers.
• Ratchet handle.
• Collar.
• Wrenches for 17 and 19.
• Penetrating lubricant.
• A key to keep the shock absorber rod from accidentally turning.

A special wrench prevents the nut from turning while unscrewing

How to check a shock absorber

To make sure it works, you will need to do the following:

• ​it is clamped in a vertical position;
• raise to the maximum;
• quickly lowered.

This procedure must be repeated several times.

The following signs indicate failure of this part:

• ​presence of sounds during the above procedure;
• jamming;
• failure.

This shock absorber is replaced with a new one.
However, before doing this, it is better to make sure that any individual element is not damaged. If this is the case, then only what is broken is replaced. The procedure is as follows:

• the rod is pulled out to the maximum;
• the nut is unscrewed;
• take out the fixing elements and the rod itself;
• remove the working cylinder;
• every detail is inspected.

If defects are found, they are replaced. Assembly is carried out in reverse order.

After installing the compression valve, you need to make sure that its discs move smoothly. Jamming is not acceptable.

Finally, it’s worth telling that on average in Russia a new rack will cost approximately 3 thousand rubles. As you can see, the price is quite serious, and therefore it makes sense to treat the car more carefully and regularly care for it.

To fully familiarize yourself with the process, we recommend watching the video below:

Replacing rear struts on a VAZ 2109: how to do it right

Rear struts and their replacement on a VAZ 2109

In a VAZ 2109 car, replacing the rear struts is simply necessary if they are even slightly damaged. Otherwise, driving your own car will bring nothing but trouble.

Typically, such a breakdown leads to extraneous noise being heard in the rear suspension. Replacement of the rear struts of a VAZ 2109 is carried out either at a service station or in your own garage.

How to carry out this work yourself will be described in this article.

Shock absorbers VAZ-2109 and analogues

Original spare parts produced by SAAZ are soft. Car enthusiasts prefer stiffer struts so that the car can handle corners with confidence.

Front shock absorber struts VAZ-2109, article numbers:

1. Left – 21080290540303.
2. Right – 21080290540203.

Both have a stem with a diameter of 22 mm, a body of 51 mm in circumference and a height of 360 mm. If you do not need to change elements, but repair them, then it is enough to purchase cartridge inserts. Spare part numbers – 21082905002 (for the left rack) and 21082905003 (for the right).

Due to the excessive softness and low quality of original spare parts, motorists prefer analogues. In this case, they are no worse, and even better, than the originals. List of analogues:

1. SS20 – article number SS20102. Sold as a set.
2. Hola 4.1 – article S426 (right), S425 (left).
3. Fenox 3.5 – article number A61547C1 (right), A61546C1 (left).

The original earbuds can be replaced with better ones. After repairs, the racks must be pumped. We will tell you further how to pump up the struts on a VAZ-2109 with your own hands. The earbuds are not divided into left and right, they are the same:

1. KYB 4.0 – article number 665059.
2. Bilstein 3.7 – article number 21-030550.

IMPORTANT! The rear suspension has identical struts; there is no separation between left and right. They have the same article number.

Unlike the front ones, the rear shock absorbers cannot be disassembled. Original elements produced by SAAZ (article 21082915004) are characterized by excessive softness, driving over bumps is not very comfortable.

1. Rod diameter 14 mm.
2. Case diameter – 45 mm.
3. Case height – 367 mm.

When replacing rear shock absorbers on a VAZ-2109, you need to answer the main question - which ones to install? There are several analogues that work better than their counterparts:

1. SS20 – article number SS20122. Sold as a set of two shock absorbers.
2. KYB 4.0 – article number 441824.
3. Hola 4.1 – article number S422.

Based on the experience of drivers, the manufacturer Fenox produces the highest quality A-pillars. But Kayaba - rear struts of VAZ-2108 and 2109. Their cost is high, not everyone is ready to pay several thousand for one shock absorber. So if you're looking for good value for money, Hola is worth a look.

There are oil and gas shock absorbers, their operating principles are different. Motorists give preference to oil ones, since gas ones are too hard.

Mid-price racks SS20 (produced in the Russian Federation) are able to satisfy the needs of car owners. When driving at speeds of more than 50 km/h on uneven roads, they provide good stability.

Note! Shock absorbers are replaced depending on the mileage and their condition. The original racks can withstand a maximum of 50 thousand km.

Although the manufacturer of shock absorbers for the VAZ-2109 provides a guarantee of 30 thousand km. But the resource is influenced by many factors - from weather conditions to driving style. On old nines, produced back in Soviet times, the original struts worked perfectly even after 100 thousand km. But this is rather an exception to the rule. Replacing struts on VAZ 2108 and 2109 cars is done much more often.

Reasons for failure of the rear struts on the VAZ 2109

Replacing rear struts on a VAZ 2109

There may be several reasons why the rear shock absorber strut is not functioning properly:

• ​ It is possible that the rear wheel wears out the plastic locker that protects the strut while driving. This leads to the fact that over time the wheel “makes its way” to the rack.
• ​ If the strut breaks off along the lower silent block, then most likely the bolt that holds it was not tightened under load.

Note : therefore, when replacing the rack, you need to pay attention to this bolt if you do not want to carry out repair work again soon.

How to understand that the rear pillar needs repair

VAZ 2109 rear strut extension

Signals that repairs need to be done can be different:

• ​ The silent block has changed slightly. Perhaps there are cracks or other types of flaws on it.
• ​ The boot and rubber gasket have become limp and less elastic.

Note: if they haven't broken yet, they definitely will soon. Therefore, it is advisable to replace them in a timely manner.

• ​ The compression buffer is deformed or damaged. Because everything in the system works under high pressure, and the rubber gasket does not work normally, but all this pressure “presses” on the compression buffer. Ultimately, this leads to its breakdown.
• ​ Small cracks appeared on the spring.

Note: if the spring is somehow deformed, it should be replaced immediately. At the same time, some drivers, wanting to “lower” their car, deliberately cut off several coils of the spring.

Replacing rear struts

VAZ 2109 installation of rear struts

To carry out the replacement you need to acquire the following tools:

• ​ Several screwdrivers of different sizes.
• ​ Jack
• ​ Wrench
• ​ Dishes for shock-absorbing liquid.

The replacement itself goes like this:

• ​ It is necessary to turn on the first gear on the gearbox.
• ​ Raise both rear wheels using a jack.
• ​ Place supports (bricks or small stumps can be used as them). Remove the jack.

Fastening the rear pillars of the VAZ 2109

Note: in general, you can leave the jack, but the car will hold up well on the installed supports.

• ​ Remove the stands.

Note: If you only want to replace the old racks with new ones, you should do this at this stage. However, in order to replace only some parts of the rack (if the rack itself is still usable), then you need to perform a few additional steps.

• ​Remove the boot and power buffer (it was already noted earlier that the stand can “knock” due to their malfunction). Inspect them carefully for any defects. As a rule, they are barely noticeable, so you need to consider these details as carefully as possible.
• ​ Wash the shock absorber. If there is a lot of dirt on it, this will lead to its breakdown. It can break for other reasons. However, this reason is the most common.
• ​ Inspect the rear silent block (if necessary, replace it).
• ​ You also need to pay attention to the cushions, spring and shock absorber gaskets.
• ​ Assemble the stand.
• ​ Put her in her place. To do this without difficulty, you will have to call someone to help you. An assistant should guide the rod into the hole in the glass.
• ​ Insert the spring into its place (if necessary, take a new one).
• ​ Fully extend the shock absorber rod.

Method of fastening the rear pillars of the VAZ 2109

• ​ Insert into the lower ear, then tighten it with the bolt as tightly as possible.
• ​ Someone must be inside the car to pick up the rod with a screwdriver. After that, he will only need to be guided.
• ​ When he is completely seated in his rightful place, you will need to install the washer, pillow and grower. Record everything carefully.

Checking the shock absorber

Shock absorber

To check how well the shock absorber works, you need to:

• ​ Clamp it vertically.
• ​ Raise it all the way, and then very quickly lower it down.

Note: this must be done 3-4 times in a row.

• ​ If during such manipulation strange sounds were heard, the shock absorber stuck or failed, then you urgently need to purchase a new one.
• ​ At the same time, sometimes only individual elements fail, and not the entire shock absorber. To check which parts need to be replaced, pull the rod out all the way.
• ​ Unscrew the nut using a special wrench.

Note: You will need to use a 12 key.

• ​ Remove the rod and fasteners.
• ​ Remove the slave cylinder.
• ​ Carefully inspect each element.

Note: if any of them is broken, it must be replaced.

• ​ Reassemble in reverse order.

Note: After replacing the compression valve, you should check how smoothly its disks and plates move. If they still stick, something was done wrong.