Replacing the support without removing the rack

Hello. Chassis repair is perhaps the most common work that a car owner has to do, or more accurately, “our” car owner has to do. These constant knocks and squeaks seem impossible to completely “defeat”, and after one is put in order, another goes out of order. In general, this is not strange, given the state of the roads in Russia. Constant loads and driving on uneven roads have the most unfavorable effect on the chassis. In principle, it would probably be wrong to blame the roads alone; part of the problem certainly lies with the designers of AvtoVAZ, who, despite problems with the roads, continue to produce cars with flimsy suspension and chassis. Well, enough of the ranting, I think, we need to get to work.

Today, dear readers of VAZ Repair, you will learn how to replace the support bearings on a Lada Granta, and not just replace them, but replace them without removing the struts. I wonder how? Then continue reading.

I’ll say right away that before replacing the support bearings, you need to make sure that they are really faulty. Read about how to check support bearings here.

Those who have ever encountered the need to replace support bearings know that to perform this work it is necessary to remove the struts along with the springs, which certainly complicates the task. However, as you know, laziness sometimes works wonders; in addition to being the “engine of progress”, it also often allows you to make your life easier. This photo report will clearly demonstrate to you how to replace the support bearings without removing the strut and you will be able to see that sometimes laziness can work wonders :-). Joke!

To work you must have:

Set of keys: “13, 14, 17, 22”;
Hexagon (to fix the rod from twisting);
Two jacks or supports for the car;
Special spring ties;
Actually, the support bearings themselves.

Replacing support bearings on a Lada Granta without removing struts - step-by-step instructions

We hang the wheel, then remove it.

We unscrew the bolt securing the stabilizer strut, and then remove it so that it does not limit the travel of the strut.

Next, take the hexagon and, holding the strut rod with it, loosen the fastening nut.

We install the jack under the ball pin, and jack the rack, thereby removing the load from the second jack. At the same time, the stand will begin to “play” a little.

We take the spring ties and attach them to the coils. We tighten the spring quite a bit, and then lower the jack installed under the ball. After these manipulations, the stand should go down.

Now you need to unscrew the support bearing and rod; to do this, lower the rod down and pull out the “support” through the resulting void.

We clean the rubber band and support cup from dirt. If you are going to install SS-20 supports, then the lower cup will not be useful to you.

Further assembly is carried out in reverse order. I recommend lubricating the bolts and nuts with “graphite” or at least working off, and after completing all the work, do not forget to tighten everything properly. We put the wheel in place and do the same with the second “support”, after which you can safely check the work. As you can see, in order to replace the support bearing on a Lada Granta, it is not at all necessary to completely dismantle the shock absorber struts.

That’s all I have, I hope this “life hack” will be very useful to someone and will significantly “make life easier.”

Main reasons for failure

Before we talk about replacement, I propose to talk about the reasons why it fails. There are only two main directions here: mechanical impact and time factor.

Mechanical impact - as you probably guessed - is broken roads, bumps and holes. The stand hits the support bearing with force, thereby destroying it. By the way, I myself witnessed when it broke down at 45,000 kilometers.

The time factor - there are other reasons here, the first is, of course, the fatigue of the metal and plastic parts themselves from time and long mileage, that is, simply wear and tear. Secondly, water, dust, dirt - everything gets into the bearing and destroys it. For example, from water it begins to rust and collapse. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that it has practically no protective housings.

In general, there is no third option here, either you will break it, or rust will eat it, the result is the same - destruction.

Replacing the front wheel bearing without removing the strut, attempt 1

2) I will carry out all the work on site, so you MUST place a safety stop under the car. I used a removed wheel and a couple of wooden blocks as a stop.

At the same time, I decided to check how the jack was holding - that is, I left a distance of about a centimeter to the safety stop. 3) Unscrew the hub nut. I took the beard and, driving it into the groove in the shank of the CV joint, opened it with a hammer.

4) Now we have reached a difficult moment. To unscrew the nut, you need a 30mm wrench and a lever (a pipe at least 1 meter long). But that's not the problem. The tightening torque of the nut is very high (I can’t give the numbers). In order for the applied force to be used to unscrew the nut, and not to turn the hub, you can put a wheel on the hub with the decorative cap removed. Lower the car from the jack and then unscrew the nut. But even with the car lowered and the anti-roll stop, the wheel can slip on the floor (I had this happen.) Therefore, I use a device to fix the hub from turning. It is a faceplate (like a classic one) with fittings welded to it.

5) I put the clamp on the hub so that when the nut is unscrewed, it rests with a hook against the brake caliper bracket, resisting rotation. And tighten a couple (or all) of the wheel bolts.

6) I take a 30 socket wrench (I have a piece of pipe welded to it), put a lever on the shank - a pipe and unscrew the nut.

7) Now that the nut is unscrewed and the clamp does not need a bracket for the stop, I take an extended 17 socket, an extension and unscrew the two bolts that secure the caliper bracket.

By inserting a stronger screwdriver between the back of the brake pad and the inside of the brake caliper, we push in the piston of the brake cylinder (We use the screwdriver as a lever) so that it does not interfere with removing the caliper from the brake disc.

9) unfasten the brake hose from the mounting to the rack. (I warn you right away, be sure to return the hose to its place after assembly, otherwise when you turn the steering wheel, the hose will rub against the wheel and become worn out)

Overview of the main shock absorber manufacturers

By default, hydraulic ones from SAAZ (Skopovsky Automobile Plant) are installed from the factory. They are not particularly distinguished by their quality, but with moderate use they can last up to 60,000 km.

Kayaba : Japanese, characterized by high quality, reliability, and long service life. When purchasing, be careful, as some of the products are made in China.
ASOMI: domestic manufacturer for GAZ, VAZ, LADA models. One year warranty from the date of installation. Judge the quality for yourself.
SS (SS): also a domestic manufacturer of racks for VAZs. Quality guarantee for two years, according to the owners' reviews, they are not bad, a little harsh.

In general, all shock absorbers are divided into three categories:

Highway;
Standard;
Sport.

Replacing the bearings without removing the strut is possible. | Topic author: Victor

I want to change the support bearings on a VAZ 2110, people say that you don’t even need to remove the strut and the camber doesn’t go astray, who has experience.

Ruslan Without removing it - no, but removing the strut along with the steering knuckle is possible, and the alignment will remain unchanged.

Gregory experience EE)

Arthur Dim sucks at climbing, quickly remove the stand. In order not to do the camber, I remove the entire assembly, only unscrew the calipers and the steering rod.

Pavel Well, you should ask people how this is done.

Polina What's the problem?

Zinaida You don't have to do the alignment even if you remove the strut. The main thing is not to unscrew anything unnecessary.

Kirill, you can’t, you’ll have to remove the entire stand.

Lyudmila, the main thing is not to unscrew the steering tips, compress the spring with zip ties, push the shock absorber down and move the strut towards you a little and the support will be removed - difficult but POSSIBLE

Replacing the front shock absorber strut support: VAZ 2110.

6 Jul 2015 — 6 min. — Added by user Carville: production of auto parts and accessories TRIALLI strut support was used in the video. When replacing the support, you will need to remove the shock absorber strut. . Replacement .

How to open a Kia Spectra without a key video in Russian

How does a heated steering wheel work on a BMW 760 Long 2004

How to change a lamp in a Ford Focus 2 headlight

How to change the support bearing on a VAZ 2109 without removing the strut: comments

I absolutely agree with you. This is a good idea. Ready to support you.

As a specialist, I can help. I specifically registered to participate in the discussion.

In any passenger car, regardless of design, the suspension must provide a smooth ride, good handling, each element of the chassis plays its role, and there are no unnecessary spare parts. The support bearing is a part of the front suspension, without which it is impossible to imagine a front-wheel drive car; if it were not there, the steering wheel would turn very tightly, with a terrible squeak, and it would be impossible to drive the car.

Reviews

№	Positive
1.	Mikhail, 36 years old : I’ve been using the car for two years now, no comments. The chassis and suspension work properly, everything is original, nothing has been changed. I've heard some negative things about the racks, but I don't agree.
2.	Kirill, 33 years old : recently carried out maintenance, the master recommended replacing the rear struts. I didn’t invent anything, I bought my native SAAZ.
3.	Vasily, 41 years old : the car is old, since 2011, I repair it myself. The other day I replaced the suspension - all four shock absorbers and springs. Since the old ones lasted a long time, I bought similar ones from SAAZ.
4.	Gennady, 32 years old : I’m leaving my positive review on the original racks for Grant. Those who spoke negatively may have gotten into trouble, but everything is fine with me. My advice.
Negative
1.	Martin, 39 years old : after the first 50,000 km. The original shock absorbers fell off. I didn’t make a mistake the second time, I bought a HOLA SH22-270G. I ride, enjoy, no problems.
2.	Victor, 34 years old : I don’t trust standard shock absorbers, I replaced them immediately after buying the car. I heard negative things and decided not to try it. Installed Trialli AH01510.
3.	Vitaly, 29 years old : I work as a taxi driver, driving a car day and night. Two months ago I replaced the racks with the same original ones. Already dissatisfied, they began to rattle, no quality. I will change to Pilenga.
4.	Konstantin, 27 years old : on the advice of a friend, I replaced my original shock absorbers with BOSCH ones. I didn’t try my luck; I heard a lot of negative things.

Conclusion

Why do you need a support bearing?

The question of why a support bearing is needed is asked by many novice car enthusiasts, but before you figure it out, you need to understand how shock absorber struts work and are installed. Shock absorbers in a car are designed to ensure a smooth ride, smooth out shocks and vibrations when driving on uneven roads, bumps and potholes. On front-wheel drive cars, the struts are attached to the body at the top, to the so-called “glasses”, and at the bottom they are connected to the steering knuckles. The support bearing (PU) is often called the upper shock absorber support; this generally simple device plays a very important role in the suspension of the car, and if it is faulty, it will become difficult to drive the car. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the supports and replace them in a timely manner - we must not forget that traffic safety depends on them.

A typical OP consists of three parts:

an upper metal plate with fasteners (most often these are three studs);
lower base;
directly to the bearing itself.

The lower and upper plates are rigidly connected to each other, the bearing itself is usually pressed into the body of the support, and the design options for the OP can be different; each automaker uses its own design solutions. With the help of a support, the shock absorber strut is fixed to the body; due to the OP, the shock absorber rotates smoothly relative to the body, with no play.

Consequences of bearing wear and signs of damage

Since the support bearing can be partially attributed to the steering (without it, rotation of the rack would be impossible), its failure primarily affects the controllability.

But here it should be noted that this depends on the design solution used.

For example, in a VAZ-2110, the inner race of the bearing acts as a bushing through which the shock absorber rod passes.

As a result of critical wear of the bearing, it begins to play and the rod is able to deviate from the axis.

The result of this is a violation of the wheel alignment angles, and consequently a deterioration in the car’s handling, as well as accelerated tire wear.

But on a car, where the bearing only provides rotation of the strut and does not interact with the shock absorber, alignment violation practically does not occur, since the rod is kept from axial displacement by a bushing pressed into the rubber damper.

But even with this design, bearing wear will have a negative impact on handling.

If the bearing has worn out, this will naturally begin to show. In this case, the symptoms of a malfunction depend on the design.

If we take the same VAZ-2110, then bearing wear will manifest itself in the form of knocking noises when driving over potholes and unevenness on the road; in addition, they can be heard when turning. Sounds in the support are caused by play in the support element; it is important not to confuse them with a knock in the shock absorber.

In the case of a bearing that does not interact with the shock absorber, its malfunction most often manifests itself in the form of squeaks and squeaks when turning.

What types of support bearings are there?

The upper shock absorber mounts on different car models can differ significantly in design and mounting;

with two or three studs;
with threads in the body of the cup for screwing in bolts.

To dampen oscillations and vibration, shock absorber cups often have a rubberized surface or separate elastic elements, and the bearing itself can be pressed out and replaced.

What other support bearings are there? There are car models on which the upper support is not attached to the body “glass” with studs or nuts; the shock absorber is held in place by the upper steel plate. A wide metal washer is secured here with a nut screwed onto the shock absorber rod; to ensure a soft connection, a rubber spacer is placed under the plate (a similar design is found on the Chery Amulet car).

In some designs, the upper support consists of several parts; they may contain separate upper and lower cups, rubber buffers, and the bearing itself. When assembling the shock absorber strut, all parts are installed in a certain order; they must not be mixed up.

Reviews

Review #1 (author)

The suspension became very quiet, the banging noise disappeared, I’m very pleased with the result! The factory washers are metal, and when the struts are released, they hit the rubber and you get unpleasant knocks, but the Peugeot washer is rubberized, and in this case, rubber on rubber knocks much quieter.

Review No. 2 (author)

The effect is amazing, soft and very elastic suspension, the suspension has become much quieter and more pleasant. Now only the rack needs to be repaired, it rattles like a nightmare, and the washers transmit this noise well to the body.

Review No. 3 (author)

Review No. 4 (author)

Alas, in urban driving conditions in slushy snow, no changes in the suspension performance were noticed. On the recumbent stands, they hit the rebound just as vigorously as they hit, especially the right one. The only thing is that on small irregularities, it seems that less vibrations are transmitted to the body, but again, everything is at the level of nuances.

Front shock absorber support bearing faults

Like any parts in a car, OPs wear out and break over time; these suspension elements have their own service life. For each car model, the shock absorber supports have their own service life; on average, parts can last from 50 to 100 thousand kilometers without replacement. But for various reasons, support bearings can fail prematurely; the main causes of failure are:

driving a car on bad roads;
poorly performed repairs (for example, during installation the nuts were not fully tightened);
low quality of spare parts or defects, most often non-original parts are of poor quality;
destruction of the OP as a result of an impact (when hitting an obstacle or due to an accident);
ingress of dirt and moisture onto the parts of the “support”; on many car models these parts are not protected in any way.

To make sure that the upper support is faulty, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics; in general, checking the support bearing is not difficult, but it is better to diagnose the suspension together.

When to change

The service life of standard bearings for the VAZ 2110 is 100 thousand km, but given the state of our roads, it is better not to take risks and change the bearings after no more than 50 thousand km or 2-3 years of operation, especially if they are no longer factory.

Also, support bearings must be immediately replaced when their malfunction is diagnosed. Otherwise, in addition to the body, the supports themselves and the shock absorber struts will suffer.

It is recommended to replace two support bearings at once.

The cheapest support for the “ten” costs about 300 rubles . A good alternative to the original bearing models are products from other manufacturers, such as SS-20, ASOMI, TRACK or FENOX ( up to 800 rubles per piece ). They may have a modified design designed to meet certain consumer requirements.

You can also buy the entire upper support assembly. This will cost approximately 1200-3000 rubles per unit .

The cost of replacing one prop at a service station is about 500 rubles.

How to check the serviceability of the front strut support

The OP check is performed when the car is parked on a level surface; there is no need to hang the wheels. Diagnosis is carried out as follows:

one of the inspection participants in the front rocks the car up and down;
another person performs a visual inspection to see if there are any gaps.

Additionally, you can turn the steering wheel and observe the behavior of the shock absorbers, put your hand on the upper support while rotating the steering wheel or rocking the car - if there is play, you will feel it with your hand; clicks and squeaks may also be heard. Another diagnostic option is to grab the top cup protruding above the glass and try to rock it from side to side, in this case the play will also be noticeable.

Checking serviceability: do-it-yourself diagnostics

A more detailed check can be done using the assistant:

Open the hood and have a helper turn the steering wheel (if you have power steering, start the engine). When you place your hand on the support, you will feel impacts and clicks. The fault can be more accurately determined using a car stethoscope.

If you don’t have a car stethoscope, a regular medical stethoscope will do.

Rock the car from side to side with the help of a partner. A faulty support will make knocking noises.

Support bearing cost

The upper support of the front strut is a relatively inexpensive part; the cost of a spare part depends on the car model, brand, design features; it is no secret that car shops can sell the same spare parts at different prices. The approximate price of a shock absorber bearing is from 150 to 2200 rubles; for prestigious foreign cars, parts usually cost significantly more; you can buy cheaper ones from non-original production. As you can see, the range in prices for these spare parts is quite large; the most expensive bearings are sold for cars:

Mazda 3;
Toyota 4Runner/ Avensis;
Nissan Juke;
Honda CR-V;
Mercedes W204;
Lexus RX300;
BMW X6.

At a very affordable price you can purchase support bearings for such car models as:

Chevrolet Lacetti;
Daewoo Matiz;
Honda Fit;
Nissan Almera;
Chery Amulet;
Hyundai Accent.

Support bearings for Chinese and Korean cars are generally inexpensive; spare parts for brands such as BMW, Audi, Lexus, and many purely American cars are almost always more expensive.

What supports to put on Kalina

The choice depends on you and your budget. Today, manufacturers offer us a large selection of support bearings from 300 rubles to 3000 rubles. Which ones to install is up to you to decide. You can purchase factory supports, or you can choose an option from another manufacturer. The most popular supports are:

Rack support FENOX price from 500 rub.
Rack support Balakovo price from 350 rub.
Rack support TRACK price from 800 rub.
Rack support BZAK price from 600 rub.
ASOMI supports, Tolyatti price from 3000 set
Supports SS-20 Togliatti price from 3500 rubles set

Some car enthusiasts, for the so-called suspension tuning, install ASOMI or SS20 supports.

Replacing the support bearing

Changing a support bearing is not very difficult, and almost every driver can do the job if he has the necessary tools and at least a little plumbing experience. It is more convenient to replace the OP in a pit or a car lift, but it is also possible to carry out repairs on a flat area, for example, in a garage or on the street near the house.

What kind of keys are required for repairs depends on the specific car model; in addition to combination and ring keys, sockets with collars, hexagons and sprockets are often used. To change the support bearing, it will be necessary to remove and disassemble the shock absorber strut, so in any case you will need:

hammer;
screwdrivers;
pliers;
mount;
set of spring ties;
remover of ball joints (steering rods).

Cars such as Mitsubishi, Renault or Chevrolet often require keys of non-standard sizes - 16, 18, 21 and 23.

Kinds

In analysis

There are several types of supports:

A bearing with an integrated inner or outer ring. No clamping flanges are required for its installation. There are corresponding holes for installation;
With detachable outer ring;
With detachable inner ring;
Finishing and cutting structure, the characteristic feature of which is its strong rigidity.

The name of the support bearing speaks for itself. This is something like a strut support on the front shock absorber, which is located in the area where it connects to the body. This arrangement indicates the axial loads that the support must withstand.

How to change the support bearing on a VAZ-2115 car

To replace the OP without a lift, the car will have to be jacked up; before starting work, stops should be placed under the rear wheels. Next we perform the following steps:

unscrew the hub nut, for this purpose you will need a 30mm head with a wrench or pry bar (depending on the design of the head);
remove the front wheel on the side where the bearing will be replaced, hang the car on a jack, and install a stand under the threshold to secure it (you can use a wooden block);
Having pulled out the cotter pin with pliers, unscrew the nut holding the steering tip, using a puller, disconnect the tip from the shock absorber strut;
unscrew the two caliper bracket bolts (13 wrench), if necessary, hold the caliper guide with the “17” wrench;
move the caliper to the side on the brake hose;
disconnect the ball joint (two bolts) from the steering knuckle, move the assembly with the axle toward you, freeing the hub from the CV joint splines;
from above, under the hood, tighten the three nuts of the upper support (13 wrench);
Having removed the rack assembly, use zip ties to compress the spring evenly on both sides;
Having fixed the shock absorber rod in a stationary position with a special wrench, use a 22 mm head to unscrew the nut that holds the entire structure, including the support bearing;
Next, remove the old bearing from the rod, install a new bearing without removing the couplers, tighten the nut to 22 until it stops;
loosen and remove the ties and assemble.

Some car owners recommend using a gas wrench instead of a special wrench to hold the shock absorber rod, but this is not recommended; you can scratch the mirror surface, and then the shock absorber will leak.

Since many VAZ models have an identical suspension design, exactly the same as on the VAZ-2115, replacement is carried out on cars 2108-09-099, 2110-11-12, 2113-14. Due to the fact that with this sequence of operations the steering knuckle is not disconnected from the shock absorber strut, wheel alignment is not necessary after repair.

About replacing an assembled part

If there are leaks on the shock absorber, the entire strut needs to be replaced. To do this, you need to carry out the disassembly process:

Hang up and dismantle the wheel;
Loosen the top fastenings;
Remove the brake caliper with hose;
Disconnect the steering tip and CV joint;
Disconnect the steering knuckle;
Dismantle the unit;
Replace the brake disc, spring and other elements on the new strut, and then reassemble.

It is important to remember that after such a procedure it is necessary to adjust the wheel alignment, because when dismantling the shock absorber, the camber bolts are disconnected.

Some Tips for Replacing the Front Shock Absorber Upper Mount

When disassembling, the hub nut should be loosened before you remove the wheel; if the car is already suspended on a jack, it will not be easy to move it.
If you do not have a ball joint and tie rod remover, the steering tip can be knocked out by hitting the joint joint with a heavy hammer, the blows must be sharp and precise. Even if the tip seriously “boils” in the connection, after several attempts it will still come off.
To make it more convenient to disassemble the shock absorber strut after removal, you can immediately (while the shock absorber is still on the car) loosen the shock absorber rod nut.
To make the nuts and bolts easier to turn off during the next repair, it is recommended to treat the fasteners and threads with graphite lubricant during assembly.
When removing the shock absorber assembly with the hub and steering knuckle, it is a good idea to check the condition of all suspension parts on this side of the wheel. Such diagnostics will save your money and time, because it is often discovered that along with a defective support bearing, for example, a shock absorber is also faulty, or the outer CV joint has a large amount of play.
You need to compress the spring with ties gradually, squeezing the coils little by little on one side and the other. The spring is compressed until the upper support begins to rotate freely; too much compression of the coils is not required, and in general it is unsafe.

In general, replacing the support bearings on the front struts is quite simple; to make a replacement, you don’t have to go to a car service center; you can do the work yourself.

What is this?

It is not uncommon for owners of the domestic “fourteenth” VAZ model to notice that a knock . The reason for its appearance is failed support bearings.

Support rod brand SS20

But you don’t need to start replacing right away. The first priority is to check the condition of the support. And only then take appropriate actions.

The support bearing is an element of the shock absorber strut located in the front suspension structure. Its job is to maintain the mobility of the connection between the body and the shock absorber of your car. If the bearing turns out to be faulty, mobility is impaired and a knocking noise occurs, which is difficult not to notice. Especially when it comes to bad roads.