Lada Granta is one of the cheapest and most affordable cars on the Russian market. The machine is built on a common platform with Kalina and has similar technical characteristics. However, with regard to the suspension, the “Lada Grant” was slightly modified. About how the chassis on the VAZ 2190 is arranged , and what its malfunctions are, are further in our article.
Appointment
Any suspension is part of the chassis of the car. Its main purpose is to provide an elastic connection between the body and wheels due to the damping of vibrations. In the Lada Granta car, the suspension is slightly different in front and rear. Therefore, below we will examine in detail each element.
Front suspension "Frets Grants"
It has an independent suspension with wishbones and anti-roll bar. Vibration damping is performed by hydraulic shock absorbers. The main structural element is the rack. It includes a slewing bearing, a shock absorber and a spring. The latter uses turns of variable diameter. The spring itself is made of a metal rod with a circular cross section. May have variable and constant rigidity.
The front suspension of the Lada Grants is designed so that the strut rests with its lower part on the
steering knuckle. When turning the wheels, the spring and shock absorber rotate with it. The stand itself remains motionless. Thus, the engineers achieved an increase in the service life of the elastic element while maintaining the inlet in the shock absorber housing.
The strut support is also improved. The creak of the suspension at Lada Grants appears much less frequently than on Kalina and Priory. To reduce tilt, a stabilizer bar is provided in the structure. It is made of spring steel. The stabilizer is installed with the ends to the lower suspension arms. Its middle part is fixed to the body.
What else has been changed in the Grants suspension?
The steering angle was also increased. The caster angle is now 2 ° 45 '. Such a move significantly increased the directional stability of the car at high speeds. However, the steering wheel has become more "heavy." This is especially noticeable on models without an electric amplifier. By the way, the steering uses a short rack.
Rear suspension
Unlike the front, she practically did not undergo changes. Here, just as in the first Soviet "eights", a semi-independent beam is used. It is attached to the body with hinges (fortunately, there are no "crabs" in the design). A coil spring with constant stiffness is used as an elastic element. Two dampers are used to damp vibrations and prevent buildup.
From the factory are oil type elements. The spring is fixed with a shock absorber. This greatly simplifies maintenance work, but is negatively displayed on manageability. Often the rear axle enters cornering. But despite the archaic design, the owners respond positively to this suspension and highlight a number of advantages:
- High reliability. The design does not have additional levers, which in addition can bend when hit in a large pit.
- Energy intensity. “Lada Granta” perfectly swallows all irregularities, especially if oil shock absorbers are installed at the rear.
- Cheap service. Due to the simple design, this suspension can be sorted out even with your own hands. And the cost of new rubber-metal elements is unlikely to empty the pockets of even the most avaricious car owner.
The main difference between the "grant" suspension is the angles of the wheels.
They have a positive camber - about 0.1 °). At Prior, for example, this figure is -1 degrees. Next, we consider the main malfunctions of the chassis on the Lada Grant.
Shock absorber
This element is a quenching device. The shock absorber serves to reduce the vibration range of the car body. In other words, the element prevents spontaneous buildup. The shock absorber is based on hydraulic resistance. Inside it there is a liquid of a certain viscosity. She moves through a special valve. Thus, the device dampens sharp blows, while maintaining vulnerable suspension parts. Therefore, the shock absorber is one of the most critical components in the chassis. On our roads, this element serves as a lock of 60-80 thousand kilometers. But this period can be shorter, even with an accurate driving style. It is enough to damage the protective boot, and all the dirt will accumulate in the stem seal.
Rear shock absorbers are subject to the most wear because they have a much longer stroke. When driving quickly through holes, the
hydraulic fluid can simply boil. This is one of the reasons why the shock absorber fails. But most often it flows - the valve loses its tightness due to a strong breakdown or shock. As a result, the outside of the cylinder is coated with an oily liquid. How to determine that this element is out of order? Very simple - you will hear a characteristic knock in the suspension of the “Frets Grants”. Moreover, it is clearly visible in the cabin. Outside, a punched shock absorber can hardly be heard. This knock is so strong that even good music cannot kill it. You will hear the punched shock absorber right away.
Also note that the blanking element changes in pairs. That is, in the event of a breakdown of the rear left, the rear right shock absorber also changes. As for the front struts, they are more "tenacious". Often they change already assembled with a spring, because they fail no earlier than after 150-200 thousand kilometers.
Silent blocks
To 100 thousand silent blocks of a cross-section and the lower levers fail. Symptoms are a dull thud of the Lada Grants front axle. Motorists recommend changing these elements to polyurethane.
They are distinguished by higher strength and a good resource. At the factory, rubber silent blocks are installed that do not withstand the impact of our roads. To replace, we need to extrude the old element. First, a bead is cut from it, and then with the help of a mandrel or chisel it is knocked out. Pressing in is made by a vice. It is important to maintain alignment and not to confuse the installation side. For easier insertion, grease is recommended.
The silent blocks of the anti-roll bar also fail. These bushings also change to polyurethane.
Ball bearings
These elements are installed in the upper and lower parts of the front suspension arms. Ball are used to turn the steered wheels and move in the right direction. The item consists of:
- Housings.
- Plastic liner.
- Control hole.
- Protective cover (anther).
Cause of malfunction
The main cause of the element malfunction is a violation of the anther seal. As soon as it starts to crack, dirt and dust will get inside. They act on the ball as an abrasive. As a result, backlash appears and the support begins to break by itself. Is it possible to repair it? Suspension "Frets Grants" is designed in such a way that the ball are not subject to recovery and are replaced entirely with new ones.
These elements are changed by a set. The price of two ball - about 700 rubles. At the service station, they will take about 600 for installation. Although they can be replaced with your own hands. All you need: a jack, a hole, a set of heads and a special key under the asterisk. But note that the bolts in this place can sour. When replacing, there is a high risk of licking the face of the sprocket. Loosen all the bolts very carefully - do not press through the force. The resource of the original ball bearings is about 40 thousand kilometers.
Wheel bearing
This element serves for uniform rotation of the wheels of the car. There are 4 such bearings on the Grant. On average, their resource is 100 thousand kilometers. What are the symptoms of a malfunction? The main symptom is the characteristic hum during movement. It can be amplified if the car enters a turn. A hum can occur on either side of the car, depending on which bearing has crumbled. It changes assembly to a new one, and it doesn’t matter if the Lada Grants rear suspension is front or rear. It is pressed out using a puller with special paws. Pressing occurs on a vice. It is important to maintain alignment when fitting. If the bearing is crookedly mounted, it will be subjected to high loads and may disintegrate after a thousand kilometers.
The main enemy of the bearing is moisture. Therefore, during installation it is so important to ensure the tightness of the element. Some manufacturers close it with a special cap (it is put on a fixing nut), which will prevent the ingress of salt, water and other reagents inside. But as soon as dust enters the bearing, the latter begins to work not in its temperature range. As a result, the grease is washed away and the dirt acts as an abrasive. Untimely replacement of this element can provoke a sudden wedge of the wheel, which is fraught with consequences.