Niva Chevrolet jet rods: which ones are better to install and how to replace them yourself?

Tie rods are important parts of the Chevrolet Niva suspension. They limit the movement of the rear axle, preventing it from moving forward or backward.

When driving off-road, the rods are subject to a high load. This may cause their deformation, wear of the silent blocks or breakage of the fastening.

As a result, the position of the rear axle is disrupted, the car begins to pull to the sides and tire wear accelerates. Therefore, you need to monitor the condition of the torque rods and silent blocks of the rear suspension.

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In every car, the weakest point is the chassis. When driving on asphalt, the car's suspension experiences virtually no stress. But when traveling off-road, traction is most often affected. This is especially true when operating an SUV such as the Chevrolet Niva. Therefore, it is better to take care of strengthening the reaction rods or rods in advance.

Purpose of the part

Niva Chevrolet thrust rods are one of the main suspension elements. The main purpose is to limit the travel of the front steering knuckle. The rear ones adjust the position of the axle. Rods are also necessary to hold the wheels in place in a longitudinal position. Thanks to the rods, the part can only move to the extreme upper or lower position. The lever is attached at two points; bolts and silent blocks are used for this.

The rear links are installed mainly on multi-link suspension. They are necessary in order to avoid oscillatory movements in the transverse direction of the bridge.

For the manufacture of rods, only high-quality elastic steel is used, which is able to withstand constant exposure to high loads. But if they consisted only of metal, they would practically not need to be replaced. But this design also has one weak point - silent blocks. Their fastening is carried out by welding. This seam is the weak point of the part. With increased load on the element, a small crack may appear at the seam, even unnoticeable at first glance. But over time, this can lead to major damage on the road. Therefore, in case of strong impacts on the suspension, it is necessary to carefully check all components of the system and change them at the first sign of malfunction.

In addition, malfunctions with silent blocks can occur when dust and dirt get inside. This occurs when the protective rubber band breaks. They can be deformed under strong physical impact on the levers, and the structure of the material can also deteriorate over time. It must be remembered that over time the situation will only worsen due to the fact that the lubricant inside dries out and increased wear begins.

Mileage 97 thousand. km. Major repairs - universal joint, torque rods, trapezoid, ball joints. How much money?

Well, brothers Chevy drivers. It’s time to repair my beloved Shevik again, because after recent driving, an unpleasant sound appeared in the rear of the car in the area of the cardan - sometimes a grinding sound, sometimes as if something was whistling (as my wife says, the cricket was whistling again). On the last fishing trip, it pulled off the track and when its bottom hit a pothole, my soul immediately began to ache. Apparently, this blow was the last, and after it unpleasant sounds appeared.

It’s clear that driving like this is absolutely uncomfortable, it feels like something is going to break. Plus, the lock has become very difficult to turn on; sometimes you have to drive back and forth to turn it on. Previously, it turned on without problems, but it can be difficult to turn off, sometimes it gets stuck.

In general, bad sounds appeared and I immediately turned my feet (wheels) to very good guys, from whom I now constantly get repairs. They changed my shock absorbers and brakes.

Without stopping at the service center, I drove a couple of meters, and the master listened to this whistle. He says “the crosspiece has flown.” Okay, we drove into the pit, looked and, as usually happens, the trouble began to increase))

It turned out that the rear cardan was being replaced (both of its crosspieces were completely loose with no hope of recovery), the front cardan was also wobbly, but only closer to the “face” of the car. To eliminate this problem, it was also necessary to buy a front crosspiece.

I took a couple of photos of the “worn out” rear card:

Unfortunately, there is nothing to stitch in, only replacement:

Next I ask the question - why did the cardan crack? The master shows - do you see the jet thrusts? They “sat down”, because of them there was play in the cardan and it “staggered”. And he recommended that if you want the new cardan to last as long as possible, install new jet rods. This is what the “tired” old ones looked like:

We wrote down the shopping front on a piece of paper and went to the store. The store has a decent selection, the cost of cardans is 2200 for a regular VAZ one and 3900 for a branded one, which will last longer. And then I was simply stunned - my wife said: “We take the best.” I really didn’t expect it)) So, here are the photos of the purchases:

Driveshaft Belkard

So, we took the rear cardan (it comes assembled with crosspieces on both sides) for 3,900 rubles. Produced by Belkard, here is a photo:

Reinforced jet thrust SITEK

Jet thrusts were for 700 rubles a set and for 1600. Cheaper - regular, 1600 - reinforced, especially for increased loads. They took them. Photo:

Let's open the box :))

K/V cross assembly - 1 piece

The front cardan is still breathing, but one of the two crosspieces has grunted - 700 rubles.

This is what it looks like in real life:

Oh yes, when purchasing, make sure you include the retaining rings:

Steering linkage set

At the same time, the guys took a look at the front end and had to take one set - TRACK, produced in the Chelyabinsk region, Miass.

Plus, the guys saw that the front brake hose was all cracked - it was also replaced, on the left it was worn out, on the right it was normal, apparently the owner had changed it before me. Like this:

During the work, while the front left trapezoid was being installed, it turned out that the upper ball joints were also “covered.” It is noteworthy that on my Chevy Niva there were balls from the regular Niva 2121, they were on spacers. As the masters said, they had never seen anything like this before; it was done in order to “lift up” the face of the car. The spacers for the ball joint were specially machined. In terms of money - another plus of 700 rubles for a set of 2 tops.

Total came out: 7400 rubles + 700 balls.

Over 97,000 km, everything got stuck there, and the jet thrusts had to be cut out with gas. They made Shevik for me from 11 pm to 8 pm. They charged 4,900 rubles for the work (this amount also includes wheel alignment after installing the steering rods).

In total, the repair cost me 13,000 rubles and a day without a car))

After the replacement, the car immediately felt fresher, and as soon as I got behind the wheel, I immediately felt the changes. There is some density on the highway, the car runs confidently, it doesn’t wobble like before. Apparently, there was previously a play in the cardan, which caused the other components of the car to break down.

The repair was not cheap for me, but now my Shevik is again ready for adventure, dirt and off-road. And I don’t mind the money for this, it’s drive, adrenaline, fun and interesting. And of course, the machine needs to be repaired as soon as you sense something wrong in its operation.

Good luck to everyone on the roads and less breakdowns))

Lift kit for Niva: which one to buy and how to install it yourself

Hello, dear friends! Today I propose to talk to you about the elevator kit for the Niva. This could be a Chevrolet Niva, that is, series 2123, or the more “our” Niva Urban, 2131 or 4x4, and representatives of the 2121 series, that is, 21213, 21214. It all depends on what kind of car you have at your disposal.

Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and a number of other countries are the greatest admirers of Niva cars. They are affordable and provide many benefits.

You can find out how much such a service costs at a service station. The price for a professional lift is steep, so not every owner of a not-so-expensive crossover like the Niva is willing to spend that kind of money, having the opportunity to do everything themselves. And if you put a power bumper and an expeditionary trunk on top, it will turn out great. At least now on a round-the-world trip on Niva.

Increasing the ground clearance of the VAZ 2121 (lifting) allows you to increase the vehicle's off-road capability. Thanks to simple manipulations, the ground clearance increases significantly by changing the suspension height (the Niva lift kit will help you here, which makes the work very easy to do even with your own hands without the help of a service center) and installing slightly larger diameter wheels.

Lifting - increasing the vehicle's ground clearance by upgrading the suspension. Performed in order to increase cross-country ability.

We propose to consider this issue in more detail.

As a rule, a lift kit for Niva 2121 includes:

Rear and front springs.
A set of spacers for the upper ball joint.
Front oil shock absorber.
Adjustable Panhard rod.

How to replace silent blocks on Niva 21213

Replacing the silent blocks of the upper arm of the front suspension of the VAZ 2121-31 Niva is required more often than on the lower arm, due to the fact that it is close to the exhaust manifold, where high temperatures have a negative effect on it.

To change the silent blocks of the lever, you first need to remove this lever, so the task will not be ordinary and will require a lot of time, and if you are going to change the lower levers, then there will be even more work, because then you will also need to remove the spring. Fortunately, in our case, it is enough to unscrew the nuts of the upper ball and the nuts of the bolts securing the lever itself of the VAZ 2121. All that remains is to knock out or press out the silent blocks by holding the lever in a vice and beating it significantly with a hammer.

Many owners burn out rubber silent blocks from the suspension arms of the VAZ 2121 using a lamp, which does not have a very good effect on the arms themselves, because after heating the metal becomes softer.

The silent blocks are pressed back into the lever using a good vice through the head at “22” after having previously lubricated the holder with graphite lubricant.

So if you have not previously changed the silent blocks in the levers of a VAZ 2121, you will have to work hard, but an experienced master can change all eight silent blocks of the front suspension on a Niva in 2-3 hours.

To see how to change the silent blocks of the upper arm of the front suspension on a VAZ 2121-2131 Niva “4×4”, watch the video.

Types of breakdowns and their causes

The parts are made of durable alloy steel, therefore they are virtually not subject to deformation.
The jet rod can only bend as a result of hitting large pebbles or tree stumps off-road.
More often, car enthusiasts have to deal with other problems:
Cracks in the welds between the rod base and the eyes. If the breakdown is not found in time, the part may fall apart on the fly.
Corrosion of rods. A rusted base loses its strength and simply deforms or breaks.
Wear and damage to rubber bushings of silent blocks. Over time, rubber dries out and cracks. This process is enhanced by physical activity. As a result, free play occurs in the connection of the rod with the axle and the body. This worsens the car's directional stability and can lead to the lugs coming off.

Fundamentally: the occurrence of a knock in the rear suspension may indicate wear of the silent blocks of the reaction rods.

If the fault is not removed promptly, the lugs will quickly come off under the influence of increased shock loads.

Replacing jet rods

The work is carried out on an overpass or inspection ditch. To replace jet rods you need to prepare:

hammer;
a pair of spanners 19;
metal brush for cleaning threads;
mounting blade;
WD-40 liquid.

Reaction rods need to be changed in the following sequence: transverse, front, rear. You should not lift the rear axle with a jack, otherwise there will be difficulties in aligning the holes of the silent blocks and mounting brackets.

Work order:

Clean threaded connections with a wire brush and spray with WD-40.
Unscrew the lower mounting nut and move the shock absorber to the side so that it does not obstruct access to the transverse link nut.
Unscrew the threaded connections holding the silent blocks and remove the transverse rod.
Install a new rod and screw it on the top side.
Align the holes in the silent block and the bracket, insert the bolt and tighten the nut.

If the rods have not rusted or bent, or cracks have not appeared on them in the area of the welds, you can only get by by replacing the rubber-metal bushings. In this case, you can save on buying new rods and get by only with silent blocks.

To replace the bushings you will need a vice, a thick screwdriver, a pair of tubes and a special tool for pressing. The diameter of the first tube is 60-80 mm. The thickness of the second should correspond to the diameter of the metal bushing of the silent block.

The pressing device is a metal rod, the thickness of which is slightly less than the inner diameter of the rubber part of the silent block.

There is a thickening on the rod that presses on the rubber bushing. The diameter of the thickening must correspond to the outer diameter of the silent block.

Replacement of bushings is carried out on removed rods.

You need to start by dismantling the old silent blocks. Press the tubes on both sides into the hinge: the thin one into the metal bushing, and the thick one into the rubber bushing. Clamp the structure in a vice and tighten it. The metal bushing will come out of the silent block and the rubber will be easy to remove from the eye using a thick screwdriver.

Before installing a new silent block, it is necessary to clean the inner surface of the eyelet and lubricate it with a solution of soap or detergent. Oil, which is recommended for use in some assembly instructions, will shorten the life of rubber bushings.

After this, all that remains is to insert the pressing device into the rubber bushing of the hinge, lean it against the eye of the rod and compress the structure in a vice.

The metal sleeve is pressed in with the same device. To facilitate installation, it must be treated with a soap solution.

Replacing silent blocks alone takes more time than replacing the assembled jet rods. However, if the condition of the rods is satisfactory, you can leave the old ones. In the absence of extreme loads, they can travel 100 thousand kilometers or more.

Owners of a Chevrolet Niva SUV know that the weakest point of a car's ride is the traction bars. But if the vehicle is operated primarily on asphalt roads, then you can forget about problems with traction rods. But the Chevrolet Niva was not made to trample on ready-made roads. By its design, an SUV prefers mainly off-road driving, but in this case it is necessary to properly prepare it for such tests. For this purpose, there are devices such as reaction rods or rods. This article will talk about these elements.

Remedy

Increased noise from the rear wheels

— The wheel fastening is loose

Tighten the wheel nuts

— Wear or destruction of the axle ball bearing

Inspect the axle shaft and replace the bearing

Constant increased noise when the rear axle is operating

— The rear axle beam is deformed, the axle bearings are damaged

Straighten the beam and check its dimensions, replace the axle bearings

— The axle shafts are deformed and have unacceptable runout

Replace the axle shafts with new ones

— Incorrect adjustment, damage or wear of gears or gear bearings

Determine the gearbox malfunction, repair or replace the gearbox

— Worn or incorrectly adjusted differential bearings

Remove the gearbox, repair and adjust

Noise when accelerating and braking the car

— Incorrect adjustment of the main gear gear engagement

Adjust the engagement

— Damage to the axle bearings

Replace bearings

— Insufficient amount of oil

Restore the oil level and check for leaks in the seals or rear axle beam

— Incorrect side clearance in the meshing of the final drive gears

Adjust the gap

— Increased clearance in the drive gear bearings due to loosening of the flange nut or wear of the bearings

Adjust the clearance, replace bearings if necessary

Noise when cornering

— Damage to axle bearings

Replace bearings

Knock when starting to move the car

— Wear of the hole for the pinion axle in the differential box

Replace the differential box and, if necessary, the pinion axle

— The rear suspension rod mounting bolts are loose

Tighten the bolts

Oil leak

— Worn or damaged drive gear oil seal

Replace the oil seal

— Wear of the axle shaft seal, leading to oiling of the brake shields, drums and pads

Check the runout of the axle shaft and beam deflection. Repair or replace damaged parts

— Loosening of the bolts securing the rear axle gear housing, damage to the sealing gaskets

Tighten the bolts, replace the gaskets

How to identify rear suspension problems

All car enthusiasts know that sooner or later any part on a car can fail. Problems can be very diverse. The main thing is to notice them in time and eliminate them. As for the rear suspension, the following malfunctions most often occur with this device:

deformation of suspension arms;
weakening or failure of the spring;
support damage;
bushing wear.

The main reason for all these faults is the quality of the road surface. If the components selected are of poor quality and short-lived, this also negatively affects the operation of the rear suspension and its condition as a whole. You can recognize the presence of malfunctions by the following signs:

the car is driving along the wrong path;
vibrations of the “four-wheeled friend” in different directions when braking;
a noticeable knock on a broken or regular road;
uneven wheel wear.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Niva Chevrolet suspension

A comprehensive assessment of the suspension takes into account the study of the design, its effect on handling and cross-country ability. You also need to take several factors into account.

Pros of car suspension

excellent cross-country ability – thanks to high ergonomics and adaptive design;
maintainability - you can replace worn parts yourself according to the instructions;
Availability of spare parts - always available in any store.

In terms of costs, repairing the front or rear suspension of a Chevrolet Niva is cheaper than foreign cars - the price of spare parts is 2-3 times lower. The parts have a shorter lifespan, but even with scheduled maintenance, it is more profitable to maintain a domestic SUV.

Disadvantages of the Chevrolet Niva suspension

vibrations - mainly due to the rear dependent suspension or due to “oak” rubber bands when replacing them is missed;
low quality of spare parts - if you buy cheaper analogues instead of original ones;
increased fuel consumption - mainly due to the heavy rear gearbox.

Some people note other shortcomings, such as play in the front hub due to a worn tapered bearing, ball joints or silent blocks. But the cause of these malfunctions is poor vehicle maintenance and missed scheduled maintenance.

Tie rod bushings VAZ 2101, 2123 Chevrolet Niva 10 pcs CS-20 red polyurethane COMFORT 05797

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Replacing longitudinal rods on a VAZ 2121 Niva car

With longitudinal reaction rods, everything happens exactly the same by analogy, and the same tool is needed. The only thing that can be noted is that you will need to unscrew the lower shock absorber mounts when removing the long cross rods. This is necessary in order to remove the long rod mounting bolt.

Also everything is done, we put two keys on both sides and unscrew the fastening nuts:

Then we knock out the bolt through a wooden block, the photo below clearly shows it, only without the block:

We carry out all work on replacing jet rods one by one, replacing first two long ones, for example, and then changing short ones, or vice versa.

The mileage exceeded 60,000 and on bumps a knocking sound began to be heard in the rear suspension. At TO5, the entire set of rods was sentenced to be replaced due to torn rubber bands, but I decided to save money. Instead of buying a new set of rods for 1,500 rubles, I bought a set of rubber bushings for 300. Since I don’t drive through mud often, this option is acceptable to me, otherwise it’s better to take a more expensive set of reinforced rods. On sale there are sets of rubber bands for kopeks and for fields. In the penny set there are large elastic bands with long pulls and small elastic bands with bones and panara, in the Niva set they are all large. Any set will do; a cheap one comes from the factory; I bought myself a Nivsky one.

Purpose and principle of operation of the product

A special lever in the suspension design of the UAZ Patriot car is called Panhard rod, which it received thanks to its founder Rene Panhard at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a rigid steel beam with hinged ends. Thanks to the hinge joints, the rod rotates up and down. This product on the UAZ Patriot SUV serves to prevent the car suspension from moving sideways.

On one side, the rod is attached to the frame of the SUV using a hinge joint, and on the other, to the bridge, or rather, to its beam. The hinges are presented in the form of silent blocks, which limit the mobility of this lever to the right or left. Silent blocks allow the bridge to move in the vertical direction, preventing horizontal displacements.

The UAZ Patriot SUV has two axles, so the front and rear suspensions of this vehicle must be equipped with Panhard rods. But since the rear suspension of the SUV is presented in the form of a leaf spring structure, there is no need to install a Panhard rod. But this does not mean that the car owner cannot independently add such an important element to his car, protecting his life and the lives of passengers.

Adjustable traction in place

The Panhard rod is produced in production in the form of two designs:

Solid, integral or non-adjustable. Cars are equipped with this part from the factory. The disadvantage of this type is that there is no possibility of adjustment.
Split or adjustable. In addition to the main functional features of the product, the ability to adjust allows you to vary the parameters of the bridge height. The adjustable Panhard rod is the most functional and therefore it is preferred by all motorists who own UAZ Patriot SUVs and other cars.

Adjustable traction for the UAZ Patriot SUV can be purchased separately and installed independently or at a service station. But there is an option for processing a solid product into an adjustable one. We’ll look at how to do this a little later, but for now let’s find out what the advantages and disadvantages of the Panhard thrust are.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main and main advantage of the regulated product is its reliability, simplicity of design and diagnostics, which actually affects its cost. Every owner of a UAZ Patriot SUV can afford such traction, since its cost is about 3,000 rubles.

But there are also disadvantages to such a product, which are based on the imperfect operation of the device when performing maneuvers. When turning, the bridge is observed to move to the left or right relative to its body. As a result, problems arise with the handling of the UAZ Patriot SUV. In order to somehow reduce this drawback, it was decided to use the product in conjunction with guide arms. These levers make it possible to additionally control the longitudinal and lateral displacements of the bridge and thereby compensate for the main disadvantage of the device.

The photo below shows a transverse non-adjustable Panhard rod for the UAZ Patriot SUV, in a design that does not have the ability to adjust it.

The adjustable Panhard rod has a similar appearance, only the design has a special mount for performing adjustment work.

This difference, at first glance, although insignificant, is very important, since over time factors such as sagging of the springs or the installation of spacers in the suspension structure are observed. Many people strive to lift the suspension, while others install wheels of larger diameter

Because of this, the distance between the bridge and the frame changes, and it is also necessary to change the length of the rod. All these factors lead to the fact that you can’t do without an adjustable Panhard rod.

Panhard rod silent blocks

The weak point of the product is the fixing elements or silent blocks. Over time, the silent blocks are affected by many negative factors, such as:

mechanical influences;
water;
dirt;
sand;
heat;
low temperature.

Installation features.

At this stage, the main part of the magic created by the Papuan service happens. In the fairy tale, the toad turned into a princess, but here it’s the other way around. Transformation of the princess into a toad, vile and disgusting.

The suspension silent blocks must be tightened while the vehicle is standing on the ground. Or put the car on the ground, measure the distance from the wheel to a point on the wing. Raise the machine on the lift again and tighten the SBL to this distance. If you see that your suspension silent blocks are being tightened on a lift without measuring them, run away from there. The resource of any SBL of the best quality will in this case amount to several hundred kilometers.
AvtoVAZ provides a very specific tightening force for the lower axle nut. Moreover, in the Fiat service manual, it is written separately that this must be done with a torque wrench. The tightening force was specified as 17-18 kg. More modern manuals indicate a more democratic force of 105-170 Newtons, or 10-17 kg. To ensure this force, you need a meter-long wrench. Therefore, when a locksmith has two wrenches or, even more fun, a ratchet in his hands, then.....look for another service.

Replacing the Chevrolet Niva suspension shock absorber

The need to remove and install the shock absorber arises when a leak of a specialized solution is detected or a noticeable loss of effectiveness in damping vibrations of the car body. The necessary tools will include keys “No. 19”.

Work progress:

Place the machine above the inspection hole or lift it with a specialized lift. If you prefer a lift, then place a support under the rear axle beam and lower the car so that the suspension receives the appropriate load.

Unscrew the shock absorber hinge mounting bolt at the bottom and pull it out.

Unscrew the fasteners at the top of the shock absorber hinge, remove it and remove the shock absorber.

Install the new element in return mode.

Replacing the transverse rod of Niva VAZ 2121

I will show you using the left side as an example, since there are certain nuances there. To unscrew the nut, you need to hold the bolt on the back side, and you can only reach there with the head, approximately as shown in the photo below:

On the reverse side, we use a wrench with a long lever to move the threads out of place. If the nut is then unscrewed normally, you can use a ratchet to do everything as quickly and conveniently as possible:

After this, to knock out the bolt, you can use a wooden block or the handle of a hammer, knocking on the back side:

And then you can do the same with the second side of the transverse rod, after which you can remove it and replace it with a new one if necessary.

The price of a set of new rods for the Niva VAZ 2121 is 1,100 rubles.

Removing the upper longitudinal rod

Using a 19mm spanner, unscrew the nut of the bolt securing the rod to the rear axle beam, holding the bolt from turning with a wrench of the same size.

We knock out the bolt through a soft metal drift

Using a 19mm spanner, unscrew the nut of the bolt securing the rod to the body spar, holding the bolt from turning with a wrench of the same size

We change the rubber bushings as shown above

Install the rod in reverse order.

Replacing bushings.

To save on repairs, you can limit yourself to replacing metal bushings. However, it is necessary to check the welds for damage. If a visual inspection does not reveal any damage, but it is noticeable that the rubber bands have dried out or become rough, then the bushings can be replaced. The cost of such a kit is quite low, around 300-500 rubles.

The rod is removed
A stop is installed on the sleeve, on the other side there is a tube, opposite the silent block. It is necessary to use a pipe with a diameter of 5-8 centimeters. This structure is then clamped in a vice so that the sleeve falls out.
You need to pull out the rubber bushing. To do this, the rod is clamped in a vice and the remaining rubber is removed using a screwdriver.

Increased traction.

To save on repairs, you can install reinforced jet rods. They are manufactured in such a way as to prevent the occurrence of cracks at welded seams as much as possible. Their difference is that they have the strongest possible seams and are made as cast as possible. This made it possible to improve the reliability of parts to 90%. In practice, it has been proven that the use of such parts has increased several key indicators:

Reducing the weight of the structure by 2 times
Increase part reliability
Possibility of mass production in the factory
Application of a protective color, which helps to further protect welds from environmental factors.

In addition, this design has higher resistance to torsion and stretching, which is very important when operating a vehicle in off-road conditions.

Purpose of jet thrusts.

In the Chevrolet Niva, torque rods are a suspension element. Rods are installed to limit the movement of the rear axle or steering knuckle. The wheel is fixed in the longitudinal direction, but at the same time moves freely up and down. Fastening is carried out using bolts on the lever on one side and using silent blocks on the body on the other.

Rear links are used if the car is equipped with a multi-link suspension. They perform the same function - they hold the longitudinal movement of the bridge. They are attached using silent blocks to the bridge and car body.

Depending on the location they have different lengths. Longitudinal rods are usually shorter than transverse rods. This is because the bridge can deviate over a considerable distance.

Why is there a need for replacement?

The thrust rods themselves are made of high-strength material to withstand high loads that occur during movement and long-term operation of the vehicle. But using only one metal in the manufacture of rods is impossible. At the mounting points, special eyes are made into which silent blocks are installed. They are installed in the rods directly at the factory and secured by welding. Therefore, they are the weak point of the system. If errors were made during manufacturing and microcracks appeared, this could eventually lead to destruction of the product. Therefore, it is important to correct the malfunction in a timely manner and periodically diagnose the car.

The design also includes rubber bands that protect against dust. If the seals are damaged, the rubber bands bear increased load. They begin to deform and tear. Over time, this can cause the rod to come off.

But it is impossible to constructively do without oil seals. Therefore, the rod must rotate slightly to compensate for the movement of the suspension.

Diagnosis of silent block faults

Replacement of parts on a Chevrolet Niva is carried out for the right and left levers according to the same instructions.

Raise the car using a jack. Remove the wheel. Place a support under the lower arm. Using a jack, raise the lower arm or, conversely, lower the car slightly to increase the load on the suspension. It is best to use a second jack to fully compress the spring. This way you will achieve this effect faster. Install the tie down spring and then lower the second jack to relieve stress on the anti-roll bar. Release the lever from the stabilizer clamp. Remove the shock absorber mounting bolt from the eye, having first unscrewed it. Remove the three nuts that secure the ball joint to the arm. Remove the second jack and remove the spring. Unscrew the lower arm axle nut and use a spacer to knock out the axle. Remove the lever

Pay attention to the location of the front suspension axle shims. Try to remember their number so that there are no problems when reassembling

Remove the nuts from the upper arm axis. Remove them along with the washers. Using a puller, press the old parts out of the lever lugs. If this cannot be done with a tool, then you need to use a blowtorch or gas torch. Clean the seat. Install new silent blocks and press them with the same tool. Before this, it is advisable to coat the lever and bushing with graphite lubricant, Litol or Movil.

Now you need to install the lever in place, making sure to place the shims correctly. Before you install this part, you can change the silent blocks on the upper arm. This operation is carried out according to simpler instructions:

Tie the front hub together with the caliper to the body so as not to break the brake hose during the work.
Remove the upper arm by unscrewing the bolts securing the axle and arm to the ball joint.

The rest of the work follows the same principles as when installing parts on the lower arm. First, the worn bushing is removed with a puller, and then a new one is installed in its place. Don't forget to clean the seat of the upper assembly and treat it with lubricant. After installing this part of the suspension, carry out final assembly.

The final tightening of the silent blocks should only be carried out with the machine standing on the ground. The Niva manufacturer recommends tightening the lower axle nut with a force of 100-170 N. After replacing the components on both sides, it is recommended to have a wheel alignment performed at a service station. This will help increase the life of the suspension and tires.

It is impossible to accurately indicate the service life of silent blocks, because everything depends on the quality of the rubber insert and the operating conditions of the vehicle. But everyone understands that sooner or later they will have to be replaced. There are several methods of self-diagnosis. All these methods can be implemented comprehensively in order to make an accurate verdict regarding repairs.

Any driver will immediately feel changes for the worse. But similar symptoms also appear when the ball joints are faulty, so you will have to use the method of elimination.

For convenience, you should hang the wheel. Giving it variable forces at the top and bottom points, you need to rock the hub in a vertical plane. The presence of play is very easy to determine

It is important to make sure that the source of this play is the silent block and not the ball joint. It is necessary to visually inspect the entire lever mounting assembly

Small cracks are allowed on the elastic bands, but there should not be large breaks. A rupture of the rubber rim, which is visible from under the bushing, is not yet a cause for concern, but a sign of imminent failure of the silent block. The axis of rotation of the lever and the axis of the silent block must coincide. If they are at an angle to each other, then this indicates that the rubber has begun to deteriorate, and under load the inner bushing has shifted relative to the outer one.

Old and new silent blocks for Niva Chevrolet

The topic of the article is silent blocks in the field. What is this anyway? This is a rubber-metal hinge, or a polymer-metal (polyurethane) hinge, which works in torsion. There is an internal metal bushing that is tightly clamped onto the axle, there is an outer bushing that is pressed into the lever and an elastic elastomer between these bushings.

Upper arm and silent blocks.

Rubber-metal articulated bushings (silent blocks) on all Nivas until 2008 had a different design from the modern one, and the design and dimensions changed only for the lower front ones.

Broken silent blocks of the old design

The service life of silent blocks of the old design ranged from two to three years, depending on the intensity of use and climatic conditions.

After 2008

On the new parts, the diameter of the inner sleeve increased by 2 mm, and the outer diameter by 7 mm, which could not but affect the service life. Old bushings turned out well from Balakovo and Dimitrovgrad silent blocks, they were packed in branded VAZ packaging. The quality of other manufacturers is poor.

New bushings are supplied to the conveyor. And about the new articles: the upper silent blocks, interchangeable with the old ones, received the number 2101-2904040, the new lower, reinforced ones - 2121 2904040.

Polyurethane silent block.

Not so long ago, polyurethane bushings, dampers and silent blocks became popular. The thing is good and useful, but you shouldn’t take polyurethane unconditionally enthusiastically and here’s the thing.

Classic regular silent block

For example, shock absorber bushings made from it are quite durable. But the silent block mainly works to twist, and the articulation of the SUV’s suspension implies large angles of rotation of the levers. And rubber parts cope better with this; on off-road they work smoother and longer.

Basic faults

Chevrolet Niva suspension parts are designed for different service life.

The levers, beam and anti-roll bar do not need to be changed even after 100-200 thousand kilometers.

But rubber-metal hinges, boots and bushings gradually lose their properties even while parked.

VAZ-2123 owners have to deal with the following malfunctions:

Wear of silent blocks, ball joints.
Damage or cracking of anthers.
Reduced performance of shock absorbers.
Breakage of jet rods.

In addition to replacing faulty parts, it is necessary to regularly check and adjust the angles of the front wheels.

Otherwise, the car's handling deteriorates, and the tires begin to wear out rapidly. Wheel alignment is checked every 10-15 thousand kilometers and after very strong impacts when falling into road potholes.

Front suspension.

The front suspension is independent, spring type. It consists of a pair of wishbones on each side and telescopic shock absorber struts with an anti-roll bar. The suspension also includes the following components:

The upper and lower arms are responsible for ensuring independent vertical movement of each of the two front wheels, which allows you to overcome all kinds of road obstacles. The ball joints are connected to the steering knuckles and suspension arms. The upper arm is connected to the cross member bracket using an axle. And the axle, in turn, is connected to the bracket with two bolts, the second lever, the lower one, is connected to the suspension cross member. The adjusting washers are located in the space between the lever axis and the bracket. Using these washers you can adjust certain indicators. These are the wheel camber and the longitudinal angle of the axle. The suspension arms are connected to the axles via silent blocks, which allows you to create a backlash-free connection.

Which ones are better?

There are parts from several manufacturers on the market, among which the following options can be distinguished:

Cross and Detal-Resurs are two budget brands that produce suspension parts for the Niva. Price - from 1600 rub. per set.
Sitek - budget spare parts with rubber or polyurethane silent blocks. They are distinguished by their small wall thickness and low weight. Suitable for those whose route mainly runs on asphalt. Price - 2200 rub.
Niva Urban - inexpensive high-quality spare parts for Niva Chevrolet. The manufacturer produces rods for the entire VAZ family. Price - 2600 rub.
UG is another budget rod from a little-known company. Like Sitek, they are not intended for active off-road running. Price 3000 rub.
SC is a more expensive model, characterized by a rectangular cross-section. Judging by the mass, the manufacturer did not spare the metal. The quality of the seam does not cause any complaints from car owners. Price - 3400 rub.
Niva Extreme - reliable, durable suspension parts that are preferred by fans of extreme racing. The only drawback is the price, which is almost 5,000 rubles.