Which rear struts are better to put on a VAZ 2115

Shock absorbers in a car provide controllability and comfortable movement, smoothing out the impact of the suspension on uneven roads. There are a lot of products on the market from a variety of manufacturers of racks that can be installed on domestic VAZ models.

The huge assortment is divided into naturally formed categories based on price and product quality, and for the convenience of the reader, our review repeats this gradation. The rating of models is based not only on the manufacturer’s characteristics, but also on practical operating experience, which owners kindly share in their reviews.

Bilstein

Bilstein is a well-known foreign manufacturer in the mid-price category. Previously, it was considered premium, but today the brand’s factories have appeared in Spain and China, where the products are not famous for their quality. It’s not worth buying such products, so it’s always important to check the country of production. It is noteworthy that spare parts of this brand are popular not only in Russia, but also in many other countries of the world.

The shock absorbers are incredibly durable and have balanced characteristics, making them suitable for different types of drivers and different needs. There are modifications for almost all car models. The brand has two product lines: standard and sports. The latter provides more confident handling and has a record-breaking service life. Such racks can easily withstand significant loads, but even standard parts have a very long service life. It often exceeds 300,000 kilometers. They are suitable for both regular roads and off-road use. And sports products are even suitable for participation in competitions. Spare parts of this brand cost from 2100 rubles. Products from Chinese and Spanish factories may have a lower price. Some car enthusiasts consider these shock absorbers to be too expensive, but this is not at all true. After all, you shouldn’t skimp on quality! In addition, you can find fakes on sale.

KAYABA/KYB

KAYABA / KYB is a relatively young company from Japan, but it has already earned international recognition. Its products are used in the mass production of Japanese cars of many famous brands. Therefore, you can choose products of this brand without any doubt. The line also includes modifications for most other models of the Russian automaker. According to many domestic and foreign car enthusiasts and experts, these are the best racks in the premium segment. They are incredibly reliable, wear-resistant and durable. At the same time, their cost with such high quality is considered affordable.

You can buy such spare parts for 2,500 rubles and more, depending on the place of purchase and modification. The manufacturer produces several lines of shock absorbers designed for various needs. For example, common products for ordinary drivers come in three types: Exel-G (standard gas-oil, the cheapest), Premium (hydraulic shock absorbers of increased comfort), Gas-A-Just (gas for the rear wheels, recommended for cars regularly exposed to significant loads) . The sports line includes the Ultra SR, AGX (adjustable) and MonoMax series (suitable for professional motorsport competitions). It is noteworthy that owners of all VAZ models can choose suitable parts from almost any line. The brand is very popular in Russia, and therefore the number of fakes is very high. Because of this, you can only buy such spare parts from trusted physical and online stores.

Work I have done

Taking out the stand itself, I began to disassemble it. For this I:

1. Installed the tension device on the spring.
2. I compressed three coils of the spring.
3. I unscrewed the nut in the shock absorber rod with a 17 wrench.
4. Well, I removed the spring, rubber bands, support bearing.

Having correctly assessed the situation, I came to the conclusion that: serviceable struts are the key to comfort, personal safety and the integrity of the load-bearing body of the car. And since I didn’t want to spend a couple more evenings in the garage and save on myself, it became obvious to me that the most effective choice was to buy new racks assembled from the store and forget about this problem. The question arises - which racks are better buy?

Required Tools

You can remove faulty racks and install new ones in their place yourself. To do this you will need the following set of tools and accessories:

• Socket head for 17 and 19.
• Mount.
• Socket wrench.
• Jack.
• Pliers.
• Ratchet handle.
• Collar.
• Wrenches for 17 and 19.
• Penetrating lubricant.
• A key to keep the shock absorber rod from accidentally turning.

A special wrench prevents the nut from turning while unscrewing

Fenox

Fenox is a well-known Belarusian manufacturer. His products were previously installed on VAZ “classics” and some other models. It produces inexpensive oil shock absorbers, the cost of which starts at approximately 1,200 rubles. It depends on the car model. The struts provide the car with confident behavior on the road and improve handling. They can withstand even very severe frosts well. The products are not designed for significant off-road use, but they perform well on relatively uneven roads and when accidentally falling into a pothole. The parts are practically not counterfeited, and you can buy them in many spare parts stores. It’s difficult to call them durable, but for careful drivers they can sometimes last quite a long time. Shock absorbers are available for all VAZ models.

Main principles of the operation

The technology for changing the front shock absorbers on the “nine” looks simplified like this:

• hang up the body and remove the wheel;
• Unscrew the nut securing the strut to the body;
• disconnect the steering joint;
• remove the two screws securing the strut to the rotating knuckle;
• loosen the three nuts securing the upper support relative to the body;
• remove the stand;
• compress the spring;
• remove the rod nut, upper support, cup, compressed spring, boot, compression buffer;
• Perform preliminary assembly and installation of the shock absorber in the reverse order.

The technique for replacing the rear suspension struts of a VAZ 2109 is formed by the following transitions:

• unscrew the nut securing the strut to the body from the passenger compartment and remove the rubber “donut” and washers;
• Unscrew the bolt securing the shock absorber to the beam;
• remove the telescopic element and the rubber spacer;
• install the boot, compression buffer, spring and spacer on the new strut;
• install the unit in reverse order.

Kinds

There are two main types of racks used for the VAZ 2109:

• Oily;
• Gas.

Let's talk about each of the types and their features separately.

Oily

They are also called hydraulic because they use fluid. Key features of oil struts include:

• Almost all domestic passenger cars are equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. Before this, there were belt or friction ones;
• Modern variations of hydraulic struts are a double-acting unit. They are able to reduce suspension vibrations and dampen amplitude during relaxation or full compression. This became possible thanks to the oil, which moves from one part of the rack to another, taking on the resistance of the springs, helping to dampen the force;
• A hydraulic shock absorber includes in its design a cylinder, a rod with a piston, compensation chambers, guide bushings and the damping fluid itself - oil;
• The main disadvantage of this option is the presence of an air mixture in the compensation chambers. If the air level is low or completely absent in the chamber, the efficiency of the racks is equal to zero;
• If there is too much air, the shock absorber also cannot perform its functions and begins to fail;
• Another disadvantage is poor heat transfer performance. During long trips, ineffective cooling of the struts is especially affected, since the fluid overheats and loses its properties, so the struts do not work properly;
• When driving on bad roads, overheated shock absorbers cause the car to sway. This cannot be called a dangerous phenomenon, but the comfort of the driver and passengers is clearly reduced;
• If you regularly drive on bad roads, it is strictly not recommended to equip the VAZ 2109 with hydraulic struts. The piston will move frequently, causing a tense field to appear on the working surface. This leads to the appearance of cavitation bubbles, that is, the oil will simply foam. The oil loses viscosity, shock absorbers do not do their job or simply fail.

The most important advantage of a hydraulic strut is its cost and resistance to fairly harsh climates. But just because of these advantages it is not worth buying them.

Gas

Gas shock absorbers have appeared quite recently, and they have managed to profitably replace soft hydraulic systems. Gas struts work more rigidly, but at the same time ensure long-term, reliable, stable operation of the suspension.

1. Unlike oil struts, gas-filled struts contain gas rather than air in the compensation chambers. It is pumped there under a pressure of about 28 atmospheres.
2. A special membrane, provided by the design of the gas shock absorber, serves to separate and isolate gas from oil. This minimized the likelihood of liquid foaming.
3. Due to the high pressure, the piston is always pressed. This way the car reacts faster and more adequately to unevenness, potholes, and bumps. There are more than enough shortcomings on our domestic roads, and gas-filled struts allow us to at least somehow cope with them.
4. Single-pipe gas units cope with their tasks more efficiently than double-pipe oil units. This is achieved through better cooling. Therefore, the device works more stable and performs its assigned functions.
5. If we compare the level of rigidity of the two types of struts, hydraulic ones are inferior to gas ones. Therefore, gas shock absorbers are mainly used by fans of fast driving and participants in sports competitions.
6. An important advantage of gas shock absorbers is the ability to install them in different directions: horizontally, vertically, at an angle. Under no circumstances should hydraulics be installed this way.
7. The main disadvantages of gas-filled units include high price, complexity of manufacturing, reduced driving comfort and large loads placed on the car body. Due to the last minus, the body of your VAZ 2109 may suffer and lose strength.

Gas unit
When using gas struts, be prepared for the fact that you will have to change ball joints and bearings more often than expected.

What to choose?

Your choice in favor of one type of shock absorber or another is influenced by several factors:

• Driving experience;
• Current condition of the car;
• Quality of machine service;
• The condition of the roads you primarily travel on.

Here are some basic thoughts that may help you make your choice.

1. When changing shock absorbers, every driver strives to improve comfort and controllability. But these are mutually exclusive indicators. If you increase comfort, handling deteriorates, and vice versa.
2. Gas units demonstrate their true advantages during high-speed driving and at sports competitions. How often can you see “charged” VAZ 2109? Not good.
3. Hydraulics are the optimal solution for ordinary drivers. Especially considering the state of our roads.
4. Oil struts are available, much cheaper than gas struts.
5. But safety, braking distance and handling efficiency speak in favor of gas ones.

You just have to decide what is more important to you.

Tokiko

You can safely give preference to the products of the Japanese brand Tokico. The manufacturer produces products for many popular Japanese automakers. His products are widely known in many countries around the world. The shock absorbers are incredibly high quality and durable. They provide excellent handling and confident car behavior even on very rough roads. Help prevent skidding and similar dangerous situations even when cornering at very high speeds. The parts have a huge resource even in Russian conditions. They are able to adapt to the characteristics of the road surface. Shock absorbers installed on SUVs provide confidence and excellent handling even on significant off-road conditions. But such use may reduce their resource. This brand is not very popular in our country. Many motorists consider its spare parts to be expensive, although this is not entirely true. Their cost starts from approximately 2100 rubles. There is an excellent selection for most VAZ models. The products are practically not counterfeited, but sometimes it is quite difficult to find them on sale.

Models

Now let's name several of the most popular, popular models of shock absorbers that are in demand among VAZ 2109 owners. This, perhaps, will allow you to decide which struts are best for you.

Peculiarities

A hybrid stand with many positive reviews. Moderately hard, the ride is quite soft. With active use they will last 1-1.5 years. With rare use the car will last for years

Warranty - 2 years Price is per set

Shock absorbers of any car, be it a domestic VAZ or a foreign car, are the most significant suspension elements in ensuring comfort and controllability. Shock absorber settings largely determine how a car behaves on the road, how safe and comfortable it is. When leaving the assembly line, cars have average characteristics. Accordingly, a large number of drivers are dissatisfied and seek to improve the suspension in order to improve the driving performance of their car.

Delphi

Products from the British brand Delphi are the best racks for economy class VAZs. Their cost starts from 900 rubles, depending on the place of purchase and the model of the car. The shock absorbers are rigid and very reliable. The products of this brand are used by the famous automaker General Motors. And, according to some reports, AvtoVAZ recently started buying it too. It is not surprising that its quality is incredibly high. Shock absorbers give the car confident and predictable behavior on the road, even when taking sharp turns at high speed. They can easily withstand significant loads and temperature changes. Parts from this manufacturer are practically not counterfeited, and you can buy them in almost any auto store in the country. Despite all the advantages, the racks do not make movement very comfortable, as they are characterized by significant rigidity.

Causes of shock absorber failure

If the struts unexpectedly fail, this indicates that its main elements - the oil seal and the valve system - have collapsed. The main reasons for the failure of any shock absorber:

1. Accumulation of dirt and dust.
2. Presence of corrosion.
3. Damage to the protective boot.
4. The presence of burrs and scratches on the rod.
5. Breakdowns, leakage.
6. Deformation.

You can also add the initially low quality of the shock absorber. If it is operated under harsh conditions - large temperature changes, driving on bad roads, traffic jams - this will lead to premature failure of the structure.

Therefore, when replacing the front struts of a VAZ-2109, you need to carefully select spare parts and check them for any, even the smallest, defects.

The lower shock absorber is mounted using two bolts to the wheel hub. And from above it is attached to the body by means of a support bearing. The entire load falls on this element, so they need to be changed more often than the shock absorbers themselves.

Before replacing struts, make sure the support bearings are in good condition. They can become deformed, and the rubber part often crumbles.

Sometimes the reason for the knocking lies in the weakening of the fastening. Monitoring the condition of suspension elements is the best way to delay expensive repairs. Carry out a thorough inspection and look for:

1. Body swaying and poor vehicle controllability. The shock absorber rod moves without resistance - either the oil has completely leaked out or the liner is destroyed.
2. Low stability when cornering and skidding.
3. Excessive sagging during braking and acceleration.
4. Excessive sensitivity when hitting potholes and holes.
5. Shaking and increased vibration.
6. Uneven and severe tire wear.

If one shock absorber malfunctions, you will have to replace two (on the same axis). It is imperative to install new support bearings - in this case, it will be possible to achieve high reliability of the suspension and increase the service life of the new shock absorbers. You will also feel that the car will become safer and more comfortable.

Replacement of rear and front parts

To repair your car, you can contact a car service center or replace the front struts yourself. It all depends on desire, financial capabilities and free time. So, for independent work you will need the following tools:

• jack;
• special key for the rod and a set of keys;
• spring tie.

First we remove the old stand. To do this, we jack up the car and install supports for safety. When securing the car, put it on the parking brake. After this, remove the wheel, then unscrew the two bolts that secure the strut to the steering knuckle (axle), as well as the nut securing the steering rod. We take out the stand from the fist. We free the bowl from the nuts. Now pull the shock strut out through the wheel arch. After this, you can begin assembling the shock-absorbing element, performing all the steps in reverse order.

Now let's consider a situation where it is necessary to repair the rear pillars of a VAZ 21099.

To repair rear shock absorbers, a pit or overpass is required. If there are no such conditions, you will have to put the car on a jack to remove the wheel and prevent the spring from being released. Now let's free the lower part of the strut by unscrewing the bolt connecting the shock absorber and the bridge. You need to remove both the bolt and the bushing. The next step is to remove the nut that connects the shock absorber to the body. After this, carefully remove the stand. Once the new rear strut is in place, it needs to be adjusted in height.

Replacing the rear struts on a VAZ 21099 requires one condition to be met: parts must be replaced in pairs. Otherwise, the car will become unbalanced while driving, which will lead to rapid wear of the axle and suspension. Therefore, it is better not to save money and change both racks at once. After all, good and high-quality elements will serve you for a long time!

No matter what perfect modern cars of domestic or foreign production are offered to car enthusiasts, there will always be a demand for time-tested inexpensive models, such as the VAZ 21099.

Over time, every car owner is faced with the need to replace old racks that have lost their efficiency and performance with new ones. But here a logical question arises: which ones are better and what to choose among this variety? Let's try to figure it out.