Do-it-yourself repair of the Prior's undercarriage

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of a running Prior from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

The undercarriage of any vehicle is needed to move on the road surface. It smooths out the effect of different vibrations and shaking. The chassis is primarily the rear and front suspension, as well as the wheels. With the help of the walking components, the wheels on two axles are connected to the body parts, vibrations are damped and various forces arising from movement are transmitted.

When the car moves, the driver and everyone inside are affected by oscillatory movements of a different nature. There are fluctuations with varying degrees of deviation from the equilibrium position. Movements with a small amplitude are successfully smoothed out by the support of the power plant and gearbox, as well as by soft seats. But in order to smooth out oscillatory movements with a large amplitude, wheels and most of the suspension elements are needed.

All front-wheel drive VAZ vehicles use the same suspension scheme, there are no fundamental differences.

Lada Priora is in fact a restyled model of the outdated VAZ 2110. The developers practically did not touch upon the technical equipment, therefore the suspension elements are identical, with a slight difference in the design of the shock absorbers. Disadvantages from the "top ten" have completely migrated to the Prioru. For example, poor quality wheel bearings, unreliable ball joints, short service life, etc.

A fist for turns is installed on the ball joint from below, at the top it is connected to the underside of the strut with a shock absorber. A wheel drive shaft coupling is attached to the central part of the fists. The anti-roll bar fixes the ball, the second side is attached to the body parts. The brace is designed to prevent displacement in the lengthwise direction, with one side connected to the body brackets, and the other with the lever system of lateral stability. The transverse also connects to the stabilizer, connects to the side members in two places.

Video (click to play).

It also does not differ much from the previous 2110. Its main component is a semi-rigid beam. With the help of silent blocks, it is fixed to the side members, and the other part is connected to the suspension struts. The shock absorbers with springs are attached to the body parts at the top and to the wheel hubs at the bottom. The system is based on an independent partly beam and telescopic shock absorbers, reinforced with rigid metal springs. In order to increase the stability across the beam, there is a stabilizer arm in the form of steel reinforcement with a diameter of 14 mm inside the beam. The bar is welded to the beam on both sides. This design reduces roll during cornering.

The chassis of the car, not only on the Lada Priora, is a complex set consisting of many components. All of them form a single complex that ensures vehicle handling and stability on the road. Therefore, it is important to monitor these components and keep them in good condition at all times. The safety of everyone in the cabin largely depends on this. If it is difficult for beginners to assess the degree of malfunctions of the suspension and related parts, then an experienced driver will always notice even small deviations in work.

Of the most common malfunctions of the Lada Priora chassis, there is a strong swaying of the body during cornering or when the car brakes sharply.

Also, the following are common signs of malfunctions:

tires wear out unevenly;
during compression, the shock absorbers do not offer resistance;
oil leaks on shock absorbers;
when driving, the car leads to the side;
strong vibration;
extraneous sounds from the suspension while driving.

For more accurate diagnostics, it is recommended to contact specialized technical centers, where qualified personnel using high-tech equipment will quickly diagnose the chassis and offer services to eliminate all identified problems.

Other probable problems

How to fix or prevent

Vibration and abnormal sounds are usually caused by overly worn suspension struts. Malfunctions are also possible due to deformation or damage to levers, shock absorbers, etc. When operating a car, you need to understand that even the best part (and, as you know, the components of domestic cars are not of high quality) has its own resource. After a certain period of time and depending on the operating conditions, natural wear and tear will occur. Accordingly, there is a need for repair or replacement. The simplest and most obvious diagnostic option is to contact a car service.

There are many problems with the suspension and chassis. It's all to blame for the imperfection of the design and the mediocre quality of spare parts. In general, the system is maintainable and all problems are corrected by hand. Although this will require vehicle repair skills, the appropriate conditions and tools.

Dismantling the rear and front suspension elements on the Lada Prior is mainly needed to lubricate the moving parts. It will also be needed in situations where repair or replacement of worn out components is required.Structurally, the hodovka is simpler here, which means that it is easier to disassemble (repair) it. The process consists of several standard procedures.

Grasping the wheel in a vertical plane, alternately sharply pull the upper part of the wheel towards ourselves, and the lower part away from ourselves, and vice versa.
Make sure there is no backlash (knock). If there is a knock on the front wheel, ask the assistant to press the brake pedal. If at the same time the knock disappeared, then the hub bearing is faulty, and if the knock remains, then the ball joint is most likely worn out.
The bearings of the front and rear wheel hubs are not adjustable and must be replaced if there is any backlash.
To check the health of the ball joint, insert a mounting blade between the suspension arm and the ball joint housing. Do not damage the ball joint cover.

Pressing the lever with the mounting blade, we observe the movement of the lever head relative to the ball joint housing.
If there is any backlash in the connection, replace the ball joint.

We check the condition of the protective covers of the ball joints.
We replace ball joints with torn, cracked covers.
To check the silent block of the front suspension arm ...

... insert a mounting paddle between the body bracket and the lever head ...
... and trying to move the lever along its axis and along the axis of the bolt. If the lever moves freely, without effort, it means that the silent block of the lever is badly worn or damaged and must be replaced. Tears, cracking and swelling of the rubber bushing of the silent block are unacceptable.
Checking the state of the silent blocks ...

... and the back ends of the guy lines.
Tears, cracking and swelling of the rubber of the silent blocks are unacceptable.

Inspecting the anti-roll bar cushions ...

... and rubber bushings for stabilizer struts.
If tears, cracks or severe deformation are found in the rubber pads and bushings, they must be replaced.
Hanging out the rear wheels one by one, we check the condition of the rear wheel hub bearings. The wheel should rotate by hand evenly, without jamming or knocking.
To check the condition of the silent block of the rear axle arm ...

… We insert the mounting paddle between the body bracket and the lever head and try to move the lever in different directions.
If the lever moves freely, without effort, it means that the silent block of the lever is badly worn or damaged and must be replaced.

We check the condition of the springs, telescopic struts and shock absorbers of the front and rear suspensions.
Suspension springs must not be damaged. Tears, cracks and severe deformation of rubber bushings, pads and shock absorbers are unacceptable.
Leakage of liquid from shock absorbers is not allowed. Slight "fogging" of the shock absorber at the top of it while maintaining performance is not a malfunction.
If the rubber element of the upper support of the telescopic strut of the front suspension settles or breaks, the support must be replaced.

We check the condition of the hinges and the protective cover of the gearshift rod and jet thrust.
Rotating and turning the front wheels alternately (with the front of the car hanging out) ...

... inspecting the protective covers of the outer ...

… And the internal hinges of the front wheel drives, we check the reliability of their fastening with clamps.
Covers that are cracked, torn or have lost their elasticity must be replaced.
We check the absence of oil leakage from the gearbox through the oil seals of the internal drive hinges. If there is a leak, replace the oil seals.

The front suspension of the Lada Priora as a whole remains the same as on the predecessor VAZ 2110. There are slight differences in the springs and shock absorbers. Diseases migrated along with the suspension (for example, short service life of wheel bearings, ball bearings). The table shows the problems in the front suspension of the Lada Priora, as well as how to fix them.

1 - steering knuckle; 2 - eccentric bolt; 3 - shock absorber rack; 4 - lever; 5 - stabilizer bar; 6 - bracket for fastening the stabilizer bar cushion; 7 - the rack of the stabilizer bar; 8 - front suspension cross member; 9 - ball bearing; 10 - stretching

1 - telescopic rack; 2 - spring; 3 - stem nut; 4 - upper support rebound travel stop; 5 - upper support; 6 - bearing; 7 - upper spring cup; 8 - spring gasket; 9 - stop for the compression stroke of the upper support; 10 - compression stroke buffer; 11 - protective cover

1 - ball bearing; 2 - hub; 3 - nut of the hub bearing; 4 - protective cap; 5 - hub bearing; 6 - steering fist; 7 - nut; 8 - front wheel brake disc; 9 - brake shield; 10 - eccentric (adjusting) bolt; 11 - pivot arm; 12 - front suspension spring; 13 - shock absorber rod; 14 - upper spring cup; 15 - the upper support of the shock absorber; 16 - shock absorber rod nut; 17 - bearing of the upper support of the shock absorber strut; 18 - spring gasket; 19 - buffer of the compression stroke of the front suspension; 20 - protective casing; 21 - rack body; 22 - bracket for fastening the cushion of the anti-roll bar; 23 - stretching the front suspension; 24 - front wheel drive shaft; 25 - bar of the anti-roll bar; 26 - anti-roll bar; 27 - front suspension arm

Replacing the front struts Lada Priora produced in the event of their failure. Signs of a malfunction of the front struts are most often: dull knocks, squeaks and clicks that occur when the car is moving on an uneven road and are heard from under the wheel arches.

It is quite difficult and not correct to make the final conclusion that your car needs to replace the front struts by knocks alone. For example, a knock in the front lower part can come from faulty ball or silent blocks that need urgent replacement. Simply put, it is necessary to make an independent diagnosis of the suspension, steering rods, ball and ends, in order to make sure that the problem is 100% in the A-pillars. Today I will tell you what it is do-it-yourself front struts replacement and how to do it quickly and correctly. For this, I have prepared a detailed photo report, which will certainly come in handy if you decide to carry out these works on your own.

First of all, make a simple diagnosis in order to make sure that the reason is in the racks. To do this, grasp the shock absorber with your hands and check if there is any play in its joints, pay attention to oil smudges.A defective strut usually has traces of oil on the piston and boot. Hang up the wheel and repeat the check, the faulty rack will be immediately visible, so I see no point in describing the diagnostic process in detail.

For myself, I chose the front struts Asomi model "Comfort CLASSIC А170.2905.002 / 003-05", you can buy others, this, as they say, is a master's business.

The main criterion that I was guided by during the choice was softness and affordable cost. The “native oak” racks are pretty fed up, so when installing new ones, I decided not to buy cheap stuff. Soft pillars provide comfort, which is very important while driving, for me, for example, this is almost the most important thing in a car.

Front struts Asomi - collapsible, hydraulic, which is quite convenient, if you feel that something is wrong with the racks, they can be easily “brought to life” by buying special cartridges in the store, after which they can be easily installed, the “native” SAAZ ones did not allow do it.

Self replacement of the front struts Lada Priora - the task is not an easy one, to say that it is very difficult, it seems not, but it takes a lot of time. In addition, if a person is not aware of what and what, then you can pretty much suffer while doing this work. In addition, before changing the front struts, you need to acquire a special tool, namely: special tensioners for springs, as well as a puller for unpressing steering tips.

As for the standard tools, you will need:

Socket wrenches for “13”, “17”, “19”.
Span keys on “17”, “19”, “22”.
Hexagon to “6”.
Pliers and hammer.
WD-40.

Before how to replace the front struts Lada Priora, I recommend treating all fasteners that are to be disassembled with WD-40 liquid, it is better to do this a few hours before the start of the repair.

1. First, remove the bolts on the wheel, then install the jack on the side from which you are going to make repairs.

2. Next, unscrew the bolts completely and remove the wheel.

3. It is necessary to disconnect the brake hoses, then remove them from the holder located on the rack.

4. Take the pliers and carefully unpin the locking cotter pin on the steering end pin, after which it is necessary to get it out and unscrew the nut with a wrench on “17”.

5. Now it is the turn of the puller, install it on the steering end as shown in the photo and press it out of the socket.

6. Unfold the support and start unscrewing the fixing nuts on the steering knuckle, if you listened to my recommendations and processed all the WD-40 connections - there should be no problems with unscrewing.

7. If necessary, use a hammer to knock out the bolts, but be careful not to damage the threads, God forbid.

8. The top eccentric bolt is for camber adjustment and has a washer that often likes to stick to the strut. Do not discard the bolt itself; during the replacement process, it will be installed in place. It makes no sense to memorize the position of the eccentric along the axis - there is no, because in any case you will have to go to the wheel alignment.

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A double-row ball bearing is installed in the hub, which does not require adjustment and lubrication during operation.

It is more convenient to remove the rear axle on a lift. If it is not possible to place the vehicle on a lift, carefully raise the rear of the vehicle by placing a jack under the beam. Then place the supports under the jacks for the jack on the car body.
As a result, the rear of the car must be suspended. In the suspended state, deviations from the geometric dimensions of the beam will be clearly visible, as a rule, the rear wheels in this case will be hung out at different heights.

Like all domestic cars, Lada Priora has its drawbacks. During the release of the model, a list of the most frequent breakdowns and weaknesses of this machine was formed. For Lada Priora, the repair of engine parts and electrical equipment is common. There are also problems with the suspension struts and the interior plastic.

In case of serious breakdowns that are beyond the scope of your competence, you need to undergo diagnostics at a service station. But if you are sure that you are able to identify a certain, not too serious damage, you can handle it on your own. Repairing Priora on your own will help you complete the operation and repair manual for the VAZ 2170.

When a driver undergoes Priora maintenance, service station workers often find malfunctions in engine systems. The most common causes of motor failure are as follows.

Timing belt problems.
Breakage of fuel pump parts.
Failure of the crankshaft position sensor.

Signs: drop in power, engine stability. The repair manual prescribes how to replace the timing belt, repair the fuel pump, replace the crankshaft position sensor. Car repairs are carried out with the ignition off.

First you need to remove the right protective shield of the motor, squeeze the retainer on which the block of the wiring harness of the engine control system is held. Then disconnect the crankshaft position sensor from this pad. The sensor is dismantled using a 10 key. Unscrew the mounting bolt.

You need to check not only the sensor itself, but also its entire circuit. We do not turn on the ignition, the crankshaft is motionless. We connect one probe of the multimeter to the terminal of the harness of the shoe, the other to ground. The voltage on the tester should be about 2.5 V. We repeat the procedure with the other pin of the harness. If the voltage is normal, you need to check the circuit for an open or short circuit: the section between the harness terminal 1 and terminal 34 of the controller, as well as the wire that connects the terminal 2 of the harness and 15 of the controller.

If the voltage and circuit are OK, the controller may be out of order. We test the sensor itself using a multimeter. Normal operation of the sensor occurs with a resistance of 550-570 ohms.And in AC mode, when the steel bar is brought to the end of the sensor, a voltage surge should occur. Then the sensor is OK. If none of the conditions are met, we replace the sensor and put it back on the oil pump cover.

Timing belt maintenance involves replacing it after 200 thousand kilometers. A check is recommended every 45,000 km. After all, a belt break, "licking" teeth, the presence of folds, cracks, razvlecheniya leads to a violation of the phases of the camshaft and crankshaft. Consequences: seizure of pistons, valves, connecting rods. The presence of oil on the belt is also unacceptable. If such breakdowns are detected, we replace the timing belt. Repair and maintenance of the belt is carried out according to the instruction manual. The main thing to know: before removing the belt, you need to set the shafts to the TDC (top dead center) position of the piston.You will need a pressure gauge to check the pressure in the fuel rail, which depends on the fuel pump and filter. You need to insert it instead of the spool, which is located under the fuel rail union. With the ignition on, read the pressure gauge. The value must be between 3.6-4 bar.We check the serviceability of the fuel pump by ear. If the pump makes unusual sounds or the pressure does not correspond to the specified, parts are replaced. The replacement process is described in the instructions for use and repair.In terms of electrical equipment, breakdowns often occur:

electric power steering;

wipers drive;

head lighting lamps.

At the first stages of Lada Priora sales, there were problems with a new function - electric power steering. This was a test step for AvtoVAZ, and it is logical that there were some disruptions in its work. There were jerks during the rotation of the steering wheel, as well as jamming and tight movement. The wiring diagram in the owner's manual helps you trace the rudder drive circuit and troubleshoot. Sometimes the problem was solved with the help of a banal stripping of contacts and strengthening of the wiring. But often the breakdowns were much more serious, their solution was only within the power of service station workers.Over time, the plant has developed an optimal assembly technology. And therefore, problems with the amplifier occur much less frequently. In case of deterioration of the drive, open the section "Electrical equipment" in the manual for the VAZ. We check the entire drive circuit for integrity and short circuit, and also clean the contacts.

Covers (often called “anthers”) protect critical vehicle components from premature wear (eg CV joints).
We carefully inspect the car from below for the integrity of the hinge covers. Torn anthers do more harm than good. dirt accumulates in them, which soon gets into the unit itself. If the torn boot is not replaced immediately, then the end will soon come to the knot, therefore, when replacing the knot, the boot changes immediately.

The rubber bushings in the suspension elements absorb hard road bumps, preventing them from transferring to the body, and also simultaneously act as hinges, providing mobility of the suspension parts.

All parts and assemblies that are heavily loaded with shocks and vibrations suffer from fatigue, and cracks appear on them over time. For example, the front suspension levers of Zhiguli often “crackle” near the ball joints and near the silent blocks, as well as under the spring supports. If, due to cracks, the transverse rod of the front suspension is notched (in the middle, where it is covered with protection, or at the edges, near the bolts of the lower arm axle), then the rod should be replaced with a new one and in no case should you resort to welding.
A completely different conversation when it comes to the rear suspension, where the brackets on the body seem to be surrounded by fatigue cracks. In this case, it is possible to weld the cracks, or it is even better to apply patches to “reinforce” the place of repair.
You can also resort to welding when the body bracket of the transverse bar breaks on the Zhiguli.

Cracks do not bypass the side of the car wheels. Over time, the ductile steel of the wheels easily cracks near bolt holes or ventilation windows. Riding such a wheel is already dangerous. The fragile light alloy wheels require even more attention. After any strong blow, they should be carefully examined.

The behavior of the car changes a lot when the condition of the shock absorbers and suspension springs is not important. When the machine comes off the assembly line, the characteristics of all suspension elements are carefully selected: the springs are resilient enough, and the shock absorbers are effective. In real life, the springs sit down and lose their elasticity, and if their state is completely neglected, then they crack and break. The shock absorbers, due to the loss of fluid, cease to damp vibrations.

Repair sagging springs impossible, so they are immediately changed to new ones. Shock absorbers that have fluid leaks can be repaired if they are collapsible, otherwise they can also be replaced.

Check the condition of the shock absorbers possible by alternately swinging each corner of the car. If the insides of the shock absorber are in good order, then they will not allow more than one or a half free swinging, and the faulty ones will remind you of the swing.

Backlash is not only a source of knocking, but also a guarantee of further accelerated wear of suspension parts, which is why it is important not to bring the suspension to a deplorable state.

Check the condition of the steering rod joints follows with an assistant when one shakes the steering wheel, and the other probes each connection.

Check the condition of the steering knuckle joints "Zhiguli" follows differently.

When replacing bearings, they do not need to be tightened too much. If you overtighten, then the hub will get very hot on the go. Suspension diagnostics are also shown in the video:

In conclusion, I would like to remind you that after replacing the front suspension parts, you should adjust the wheel alignment angles.

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Video (click to play).

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