DIY Niva Chevrolet rear suspension repair

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of the rear suspension of a Chevrolet Niva from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

The rear suspension on a Chevrolet Niva car includes the following details:

transverse bar;
bottom spring gasket;
the bolt that secures the lower bar;
lower longitudinal bar;
rubber and spacer sleeve;
bracket;
nut;
upper longitudinal bar;
upper spring gasket;
compression stroke buffer;
rear shock absorber;
additional buffer.

Now let's look at the structure of each of the above details. So, the booms transmit the push and brake signal through the rear axle beam. The transverse keeps the trunk from lateral displacement. The jet rods are attached to the body brackets. The hinge consists of a rubber bushing 5. The elastic suspension parts are composed of coil springs of a cylindrical shape. The installed spring is supported by its end on the support cup. The top insulating pad is located in the molded boot cup. The main buffers are installed inside the springs, and they are attached with a mushroom retainer. The bracket contains the main buffer, which is bolted to the underbody.

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

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

The main reason for all these malfunctions is the quality of the road surface. If the components are selected of low-quality and short-lived, then this also negatively affects the operation of the rear suspension and its condition in general. You can find out the presence of faults by the following signs:

Video (click to play).

the car is driving on the wrong trajectory;
vibrations of the "four-wheeled friend" in different directions during braking;
a tangible knock on a bumpy road or an ordinary one;
uneven wheel wear.

All these problems must be eliminated as soon as possible so that they do not lead to a traffic accident. You can repair the rear suspension at the nearest service station.

There are times when it is possible to fix the faulty functioning of the rear suspension only by replacing it. This device is not very expensive, so any owner of a Chevrolet Niva is able to purchase it as needed. Replacing the silent blocks is necessary if the device is very worn out, and no repair helps to restore full-fledged work. Often, the owners of this car need to remove and replace the suspension springs. The scheme of actions here is as follows:

To begin with, it is required to disconnect the lower shock absorber hinge from the rear axle. It is advisable to remove it aside so that it does not interfere with the rest of the dismantling work.
After the car, it is necessary to raise it in order to relieve the suspension.
Then remove the spring.
Next, the lower spring gasket is removed from the support.
Next, using a screwdriver, the upper gasket is removed.
After that, the compression travel stop must be removed.

This is where the withdrawal ends. The installation of a new device is carried out in the reverse order. To make it easier to fix the upper gasket, you can use a thread with which it will be necessary to fasten the gasket to the spring. Also d

Insulating tape is suitable for this purpose. It is very important that the threads align clearly with the grooves on the gaskets.

Summing up, it should be noted once again that the rear suspension serves to ensure that the wheel grip is elastic with the supporting structure of the body. This structure should not have outdated rubber, mechanical damage or one-sided bulging. Since the rear suspension consists of many parts, one or another spare part can be replaced at any time so that the mechanism does its job properly. The rear independent suspension takes part in all processes related to the road surface and the machine. That is why any damage can significantly impair the ride process.

Thus, it is important to ensure that this structure functions smoothly and, if necessary, repair or replace its worn out parts. If you do not know how to find and eliminate faults on your own, then it is better to contact the service center. There, the craftsmen will perform any repair work, including the rear suspension lift and other procedures.

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Chevrolet Niva rear suspension diagram: 1 - transverse bar; 2 - bottom spring gasket; 3 - lower longitudinal bar; 4 - bolt of fastening of the lower rod; 5 - rubber sleeve of the hinge; 6 - spacer sleeve; 7 - nut; 8 - bracket; 9 - upper longitudinal bar; 10 — additional buffer of the compression stroke; 11 - upper spring gasket; 12 - compression stroke buffer; 13 - rear shock absorber.

Rear suspension from the bottom rear Chevrolet Niva: 1 - rear axle beam; 2 - compression stroke buffer; 3 - additional buffer of the compression stroke; 4 - transverse rodsa.

Rear suspension Chevy Niva bottom front: 1 - spring; 2 - upper longitudinal bar; 3 - lower longitudinal bar.

Check the condition of the rear suspension underneath the vehicle on a lift or inspection ditch. Not allowed on rubber suspension parts: signs of rubber aging; mechanical damage. Signs of aging, cracks, unilateral bulging of the rubber mass are not allowed on rubber-metal hinges. Replace defective parts. Check for mechanical damage (deformation, cracks, etc.) of the suspension elements, especially the suspension rods and the transverse rod bracket on the body.

When checking the rear suspension of the Chevy Niva, carefully inspect:

Image - DIY Niva Chevrolet rear suspension repair

Rubber bushings, lower and upper rear shock absorbers

Rubber bushings for the hinge for attaching the tie rod to the rear axle beam, the hinge for attaching the tie rod to the bracket on the body

Hinges for attaching the upper longitudinal rods to the rear axle, hinges for attaching the lower longitudinal rods to the rear axle

Hinges for attaching the upper longitudinal rods to the body, hinges for attaching the lower longitudinal rods to the brackets on the body.

The longitudinal rods are removed for replacement if they are damaged or to replace worn out hinges of the rods. The upper link is attached through rubber-metal hinges with the front end to the body side member, and the rear end to the bracket on the rear axle beam. The lower jet thrust is attached through rubber-metal hinges with the front end to the bracket on the body floor, the rear end to the bracket on the rear axle beam. To remove or install the Chevy Niva jet rods, you will need two keys for 19.

If working on a lift, place supports under the rear axle beam and lower the car, slightly loading the suspension

To replace the lower longitudinal link, unscrew the nuts of the bolts securing the rear and front ends of the link

Take out the bolts and remove the rod. Installation of jet longitudinal rods

To remove the upper longitudinal rod, unscrew the nut of the bolt securing the rear end of the reaction rod and remove the bolt

Unscrew the bolt securing the front end of the tie rod and remove the reaction rod from the vehicle.Installation of the upper longitudinal jet thrust on a Chevrolet Niva is performed in the reverse order of removal.

Read also: DIY power steering repair

- Disconnect the two rear brake hoses from the pipe fittings located on the rear Chevrolet Niva beam.

- Remove the tip of the rear brake pressure regulator lever from the rear axle bracket rod.

- Dismantle the upper longitudinal and transverse rods from the beam.

- We substitute an emphasis under the beam.

- Disconnect the shock absorbers from the rear axle beam brackets.

- Lowering the beam, remove the rear suspension springs of the Chevy Niva.

- Install the beam in reverse order.

- The nuts of the bolts of the rods and the bolts of the shock absorbers are finally tightened in the "car on wheels" position.

Removing the upper longitudinal rod of the rear suspension Chevrolet Niva

- We unscrew the nut of the bolt securing the rod to the rear axle beam, keeping the bolt from turning with a wrench of the same size.

- We knock out the bolt through a drift from soft metal.

- We unscrew the nut of the bolt securing the rod to the side member of the Chevrolet Niva body, keeping the bolt from turning with a wrench of the same size.

- We take out the bolt and remove the bar.

- Install the barbell in reverse order.

- The nuts of the rod mounting bolts are finally tightened in the position of the car on wheels.

Removing the spring rear suspension Chevrolet Niva

- We carry out the work on a viewing ditch or overpass.

- Disconnect the pressure regulator drive lever from the rack.

- We hang the back of the car.

- Disconnect the lower mounting of the rear shock absorber for the Chevrolet Niva.

- We pry the spring with a screwdriver at the bottom turn and remove it.

- Remove the upper rubber and lower plastic spring insulating gaskets.

- To replace the compression travel buffer of the rear suspension of the Chevrolet Niva, remove it from the restrictor hole.

- Before installing the spring, attach the upper gasket to it with insulating tape.

- When installing the spring, the end of its lower coil must abut through the plastic gasket against the flange of the lower support cup.

- Further installation is carried out in the reverse order.

The rear suspension in a Chevrolet Niva is designed to provide a more comfortable ride, both in urban conditions and off-road. By its structure, it is dependent. The main components are two coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers.

Two rods are attached at the bottom to prevent longitudinal movement of the bridge. The top two provide static under load during braking. The cross bar between the wheels prevents lateral movement.

The fastening of these elements is provided by hinges on a rubber-metal base. If the condition of the lugs after using the car is satisfactory, then the hinges can be replaced separately.

The amotrizator is mounted on a Chevrolet Niva car at the bottom to a specially welded bracket. At the top, the shock absorber is connected to an eyelet located in the arch. For fastening, rubber or steel bushings are used.

It is important to remember that when replacing shock absorbers or a rod, it is necessary to pull the bolts only by placing the car on the wheels and releasing the jack.

Retaining bowls are used to secure the suspension spring.

To support the upper end of the spring on the body, a special persistent bowl is welded. A special compression buffer is additionally attached to it. It is needed in order to limit the full travel of the suspension. When replacing rear suspension components, make sure they are of the same stiffness class.

One of the components most often affected during operation is the rear suspension shock absorber of the Chevrolet Niva. Replacing it requires a few simple steps:

using a folding key, the shock absorber mounting element is removed.
the wheel is hung out, for this the car must be lifted with a jack and fixed on special spacers
pull out the mount and then remove the shock absorber
the bracket is attached with three nuts to the rear axle beam. To remove it, you need to unscrew them.
if during operation the bolts move inside the brake mechanism and turn during operation, it is necessary to remove the drum and hold the unscrewed elements with a spanner wrench.

Replacing the lower longitudinal bar will require the vehicle to be installed on the observation deck. It will be most convenient to use a special lift. Replacement work is carried out in several stages:

unscrew the nut that holds the bar bolt to disconnect the structure from the rear axle beam. the bolt is held in place with a wrench of the same size.
using a special tool, you need to knock it out of the seat.
the rod tip is removed from the lug
so that when removing the bolt at the point of attachment to the body bracket, it does not rotate, you must also hold it with a key
after removal, the bar can be completely pulled out.
the front end of the rod is fastened with four nuts, removing which you can completely pull out the bracket

first, unscrew the nut located on the bolt securing this element to the body so that the bolt does not turn, you need to hold it with a key.
then it can be knocked out with a punch.
after that, you need to unscrew the nut on the bracket on the other side and knock out the bolt in the same way.
the barbell can now be removed completely

before starting work, it is necessary to securely place the vehicle in the inspection pit. You can also work on a specialized lift to provide access to all the necessary places.
the rear must hang freely so that the wheels lower by their own weight. it is necessary to remove the wheels from the rear of the car.
after that, the propeller shaft is turned off and dismantled, which fits the flange of the drive gear.
dismantle the elements that fasten the holder for the parking brake cable sheaths to the brake flap. It is necessary to remove the ends of the cable from the seats.
the brake hoses are disconnected. To do this, they are disconnected from the pipe fittings.
the tips are disconnected from the pressure regulator from the thrust of the bridge
the upper longitudinal and transverse rods are completely dismantled.
to fix the beam, you must substitute a special stop under it
shock absorbers are disconnected from the brackets located on the beam
then it is necessary to lower the beam and disconnect the shock absorbers, remove the springs
the beam can now be completely removed and replaced
assembly is carried out in reverse order.

The chassis of the Niva Chevrolet includes front and rear suspension. Since most of the troubles lie in wait for the owners of this model in the front independent suspension, consisting of several transverse levers, coil coil springs, as well as shock absorbers and a stabilizer for greater lateral stability, it is precisely its design and repair features that should be considered in more detail.In order to check the technical condition of the front suspension elements, it is necessary to drive the car onto a lift or a viewing ditch. In the latter case, the wheels are suspended using a jack or other lifting device. Diagnostics begins with a visual inspection of the suspension structural elements.So, for example, rubber parts should not show signs of material wear and there should be no mechanical damage to such parts. Hinges made from a mixture of metal and rubber should be free from cracking and signs of aging. If defects are found, the parts must be changed.

Next, a check is made of the condition of the protective covers of the hinges and the ball joint on each side. If damage is found on these elements, they will have to be replaced. On the upper hinges, we inspect the rubber pads, and on the lower ones - the rubber bushings of the shock absorbers. The algorithm for detecting defects is identical to the previous cases.We examine the bushings on both levers. It is also necessary to check the condition of the bushings located in the anti-roll bar. Do not forget about the safe attachment of the stabilizer brackets and body side members to the lower arm.In the case of an increased value of the clearance in the bearings in a certain speed range, you can feel the appearance of vibration. In this case, there is also unevenness (spotting) of tire wear, and a sharp decrease in the service life of the bearings. A zero clearance value can also lead to a decrease in the resource. In this case, stiffness can also be added to vibration when trying to rotate the hub.The bearing clearance should be 0.15 millimeters. In order to adjust this value, you will need to use a wheel bolt wrench, a hammer and a 27 wrench.To determine the problem with the bearings, you need to shake the posted wheel a little. If even a small amount of play is felt, you will need to adjust the gap parameter. For the final check, you need to ask for a little help, as you will have to simultaneously hold down the brake pedal and swing the wheel. If such a manipulation does not reveal a backlash, then one hundred percent the bearing clearance needs to be adjusted.General information about the repair and maintenance of the chassis of cars, see here. How to repair a bumper with your own hands and what materials are required for this, read here.The first step is to dismantle the decorative cover, then unlock the hub nut and, at the same time, keep the hub from turning with a knob, unscrew the nut. In the process of adjusting the hub, it is imperative to have a new hub nut on hand, because once the adjustment is complete, it is unlikely to be securely locked in its old place. Most likely, the collar will be damaged due to the previous locking. And if you do not prepare in advance, the process can be delayed.Next, we screw on and tighten the new hub nut using a torque of 19.6 Nm. In this case, you need to simultaneously turn the hub itself almost 90 degrees in each direction several times. Thus, self-alignment of the bearings can be achieved.Loosen the adjusting nut and tighten it again with a force equal to 6.8 Nm. The adjustment nut can now be loosened 25 degrees.We stop the hub nut by jamming the collar into several grooves on the trunnions located on the housing and install the previously removed parts in the reverse order.At the end of the process of adjusting the clearance in the wheel bearings, you need to check how easily the wheels rotate. The very last step in checking the quality of the work performed is to assess the degree of heating of the hub after the car has traveled one kilometer without applying the braking system.Among the main external signs that make it possible to judge the emergence of the need to dismantle the bearings for troubleshooting, it is worth highlighting the presence of increased noise while driving, as well as the absence of a positive effect from adjusting the nominal value of the clearance between the bearings. To dismantle and then replace the wheel bearings, you will need a wheel mount wrench, a few more wrenches, sizes 17 and 13, a flat screwdriver, a small hammer, a torque wrench, and a mandrel for pressing the oil seal. Of the fluids, a lubricant called Litol-24 and a little kerosene are needed for work. In addition, you need to find a suitable container in which the removed parts will be washed.The process of work itself begins with the removal of the steering knuckle, removal from its design of the hub, distance ring, oil seal, as well as inner bearing rings. Do not forget to rinse every detail with kerosene prepared in advance. We carry out a visual inspection of the raceways of both bearing rings, as well as the working roller surface. The presence of visible wear and chips is unacceptable both on the rollers and on the rings. The defective part must be replaced together with the rings located on the outside. In this case, both parts of the car must be replaced at the same time.With the help of hammer blows of small force on the beard attached to the outside of the ring, you need to try to squeeze it out of the fist.Further, with the same simple tapping with a hammer, it is necessary to press a new outer bearing, until it stops, into the shoulder of the socket located on the rotary cam. With the help of Litol, we fill in the empty cavities inside the rotary cam. Grease is applied to the outside of the bearing ring.It remains only to put back the parts previously removed in the steering knuckle and carry out the process of adjusting the clearance parameter between the wheel bearings.

If, when diagnosing the front suspension of the Chevrolet Niva, you find mechanical damage or decide to replace the worn out bushings, you will have to remove the upper arm. To work you need two keys for 13, one for 22, a jack and a wheel wrench. Jack up the car and remove the wheel, and then support the lower arm and load the suspension by lowering the car.

Unscrew the three nuts that hold the ball joint to the upper arm. Then unscrew a pair of upper arm axle bolts. When turning the bolts, they must be held in place with a wrench.

Remove the upper arm, paying attention to the number and location of the adjusting washers that are located on the axle bolts. Installation of the upper arm in the silent blocks is carried out in the reverse order.

Replacing the Chevrolet Niva silent blocks in the lower arm is required if they are worn out or damaged. To do this, use a 22 key and a special puller. First you need to remove the lower arm along with all the silent blocks.

Using a special puller, press out the silent blocks from the lugs of the lever and press in new ones. After that, install the lever in place and go to the workshop to adjust the camber-toe.

Upper arm bushing

In the upper lever, the silent blocks are changed for the same reasons as in the lower one. To work, you need a 22 key and a puller. First dismantle the upper arm with all bushings and the machine axle. Unscrew the upper arm nuts and remove the washers and nuts from the axle.

With the help of a puller, you need to press out the silent blocks from the eyes, and press new ones here. Then put everything back together and adjust the camber. You cannot do this on your own, since you probably do not have special equipment.

When repairing the front suspension of a Chevrolet Niva, sometimes it is necessary to change the stabilizer. It must be removed from the rod using keys 13 and 17.With their help, unscrew the four nuts of the brackets securing the stabilizer to the front axle gearbox and dismantle the brackets.

Video (click to play).

Remove the Chevrolet Niva stabilizer and inspect the condition of the part. There should be no signs of rubber aging, damage, wear on the inner surfaces that come into contact with the stabilizer on the pillows. Replace damaged pillows. The stabilizer is installed in the reverse order.

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