It is hard to imagine, but Russia is considered the birthplace of an SUV. Back in the distant 70s, the first Niva appeared. No matter how strange it may sound, but this model, even in our time, has not changed much in appearance. For 2015, Lada Niva, of course, is not a sales leader, but it sells pretty well in the domestic market. But there was a time when this model was produced only for export. On the cross she has virtually no competitors. Heavy SUVs of foreign manufacturers skidded in the mud during the tests, and our pride instantly flew through all the difficult sections of the road.
DIY tuning
For patriots and just motorists, the legend of the domestic auto industry is the Niva 4x4. Tuning (photo of the car can be found in the article), made by experienced craftsmen, delights. Very soon, the model will celebrate the anniversary - 50 years from the date of release of the first car. However, frankly, the appearance of the car is somewhat outdated. Exterior and interior are no longer able to compete with new copies. What do motorists do in their iron friend? Of course, tuning. Only two things are needed in this process: money and creativity.
Currently, to purchase additional items for any brand is not a problem, especially for a car such as the Niva 4x4. DIY tuning is easy to do. First you need to pick up various pads, deflectors, spoilers, sills, grille and more.
The first thing we do is take the bumper. It must be removed and then manipulated. To change the appearance, you can use fiberglass. With its help, parts of various shapes are easily obtained. The prepared pads are simply glued to the base and painted.
To make new thresholds and replace the grille is not difficult. But for fans of airbrushing have to go to a specialized salon, where a high-quality image will be applied to the body.
Engine
Frankly speaking, the technical equipment from the manufacturer is not happy with the variety. Under the hood of the machine, an 8-valve power unit VAZ-21214 (28) with an fuel injection system is installed. Eighty horsepower is all that a Niva 4x4 car owner can count on.
Tuning in 2015 made it possible to make some adjustments: the piston stroke was increased by 4 mm in the engine, the volume was 1774, the piston and connecting rod groups were lightweight. This makes ICE more susceptible and resilient. Tests at the bench have demonstrated that the unit can generate a torsional moment of 150 Hm with a power of 92 hp.
Technical tuning: changes
In the experimental version, there are many other cardinal differences from the cars of the standard factory equipment. For example, in the passenger compartment, motorists will not see the lever of the demultiplier and lock. "Niva" 4x4 (tuning of the experimental version) has changed a little in technical terms. The entire unit is now mounted on the steering column and is a dial switch having 4 phases of fixation:
- 0 - lock and downshift are deactivated;
- P - low gear included;
- B - lock is on;
- BP - lock and downshift are included.
All indications of the included mode are displayed in the lower left corner of the instrument panel, another indicator is located on the right side next to the standard interior heater. This new electric lever has a high degree of reliability, unlike mechanical counterparts, the manipulations of which often require the application of physical effort and turn on intermittently.
Unfortunately, even the updated Lada Niva 4x4 model is not completely without flaws. Tuning is a process that can not only improve, but also significantly degrade technical specifications. Sometimes the device freezes, which provokes spontaneous activation of a particular mode. In order to localize the malfunction, the car will need to be stopped, the electric regulator turned off and the selected mode activated again.
Overcoming obstacles
The blocking mode ("lowering") rarely finds use when driving in urban conditions, although similar cases are known. An ordinary city snowdrift can cause a lot of inconvenience, for example, if the car is with a trailer. Engine power allows the machine, moving in low gear with a locked center differential, to freely overcome such obstacles. The tuned model will pass where the standard Chevrolet Niva, for example, will definitely get stuck.
Options model "Niva" 4x4
Tuning in 2015 made it possible to include heated rear-view mirrors, power windows (rack and pinion gear) in the package. Their control unit is located in a central tunnel, similar to the Urban 4x4 model. Also on the body as an additional option installed threshold protection made of durable steel. Another option designed to increase safety is the ABS system.
Indicators
On a slippery road surface, the experienced Niva 4x4 demonstrates excellent dynamics, accelerating the car to hundreds in 17 seconds - for SUVs of this category, the result is excellent. Confident traction is especially evident in 2nd and 3rd gear, with the inclusion of the 4th indicator of dynamics begins to decrease markedly. Nevertheless, with a 1.8 powertrain, the car can argue in the start dynamics with lighter models. In a combined cycle of movement, the car spends up to 12 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers.
Reviews
"Niva" 4x4 (tuning from the manufacturer) is quite comfortable when driving on the highway. Auto easily performs long overtaking, maneuvers well and clearly stands at a given course of movement. It is clear that the main advantages of the car are manifested when driving on the road, when not only auxiliary systems are activated, but also additional power reserves, and the difference in cross-country ability in comparison with regular Niva SUVs is very significant.
What can users get as a result by purchasing a tuned version of the SUV? The increased power of the power unit, the elasticity of its operation over the entire range of gears, stable dynamics, economy - in the asset, and in the passive - poor sound insulation (especially the transfer case) and vibration on the “bottoms”.