The design of the VAZ 2114 chassis - rear and front suspension

A complete set of VAZ 2114 chassis elements

The chassis of the car includes two suspensions - front and rear. During operation of the machine, most of the load falls on the chassis. The quality and comfort of the ride, as well as the safety of the driver and passengers, depend on the condition of the front and rear suspensions. The main function of each suspension is to eliminate vibrations and soften the ride. Also, the tasks of the chassis include reducing roll when turning, ensuring a smooth ride, and providing high information content for the driver in the city and on the highway.

On the roads of the CIS countries, the chassis is subject to excessive load, since the condition of the road surface leaves much to be desired. As a result, motorists often turn to car service centers. Things are better with the VAZ 2114, since it has more modern systems compared to previous Lada models. Many motorists choose to solve the problem on their own. But in order to understand what has gone wrong, you need to know the suspension structure.

What's included in the rear suspension?

The image below shows all the main elements of the rear suspension that can fail.

Rear suspension diagram of VAZ 2114

1. The first part is a rubber-metal hinge, which is the main attachment to the car body.
2. A bracket used to secure the rear suspension arm to the body.
3. Shock absorber housing.
4. A buffer that takes the load from the compression stroke.
5. Casing cover.
6. Main support washer.
7. Shock-absorbing cushion.
8. Spacer sleeve.
9. Strut (shock absorber).
10. Insulation gasket.
11. Solid spring.
12. Connecting element for levers.
13. Beam lever.
14. Bracket for fastening the rack structure.
15. Flange.
16. Lever bushing.

The beam structure includes a connector and two trailing arms; these elements are indicated in the diagram as numbers “12” and “13”. The parts are fastened together by welding. In the rear part, flanges (number “15”) and brackets for attaching struts (shock absorbers) are attached to the levers. The axles of the rear pair of wheels along with the brake elements are screwed to the flanges. Bushings (16) are installed on the rear suspension arms at the front. They are fastened using rubber-metal hinges - number “1”. One end of the spring rests on the support through a rubber gasket, and the other on the shock-absorbing cup.

Symptoms of ball failure

First of all, the problem begins with a torn boot. Because of this, dirt, water and sand get inside. Thus, they wash out the lubricant from the ball mechanism.

As a result, the element begins to work “dry”, and corrosion processes begin. In practice, this results in loud knocks and squeaks from the suspension. Next, the wheels will begin to spontaneously change their trajectory.

There will also be uneven wear on the tire tread. As you turn the steering wheel, the knocking noise intensifies. If you notice the problem in time, you can eliminate emergency consequences.

Disassembling and replacing the rear suspension: instructions

The main parts of the rear suspension are highlighted in color

A complete disassembly of the rear suspension is required if the motorist decides to lubricate all the parts or change them. Most often you need to get to a specific element and replace it. The parsing proceeds as follows:

1. The VAZ 2114 is installed under an inspection hole, or, as an option, on a lift. In the luggage compartment, the rear and side trims and the seat belt retractor are disconnected. Also in the luggage compartment there are fastenings for the racks to the car body. They need to be loosened; there is no need to unscrew them completely.
2. Next, the fastenings of the rear wheel pair are loosened. To do this, you need to remove the hubcaps and then completely dismantle the wheels. Reliable jacks should hold the car at this time; they are usually installed on each side.
3. Now it is necessary to dismantle the brake system cables. You need to get them assembled. To do this, the cable fastenings to the suspension arms and the body of the VAZ 2114 are disconnected. Afterwards, the brake drums are dismantled. The cable ends should be removed from the manual drive levers. You also need to disconnect the flanges from the brake flaps.
4. Before dismantling the hoses and pipes of the brake system, care must be taken to prevent leakage. Next, you need to dismantle the elastic drive lever, which is used to operate the brake pressure regulator. To remove the lever, you need to disconnect it from the bracket by removing the lock washer, then remove the shackle from the wheel axle.
5. The next step is to disconnect the struts (shock absorbers). To do this, remove the rubber cushions, nuts attaching to the body part and the washer. After this, you need to install additional stops for the front wheelset. The rear part should be raised. After this, you can remove the compression stroke buffers, springs and shock absorber covers.
6. If you disconnect the body mounting brackets, the entire beam can be detached. The rear suspension along with the struts will lie in front of the motorist. If necessary, you can disassemble the shock absorbers, which is no longer difficult.

   
   Components of the rear pillar of the VAZ 2114

IMPORTANT. The shock-absorbing spring must be removed using special ties. If they are not used, serious injury may occur as the iron spring is under high pressure.

How does the ball joint change?

To do this, you need to remove the front wheel mounting bolts and hang part of the car on a jack. Next, the nut securing the ball element is unscrewed. The support pin is pressed out of the lever.

Similar to the previous case, this is done using a puller. If there is none, do not unscrew the nut completely. We press the lever with a pry bar and apply light blows with a hammer along the axis of the lever.

Use a wooden block as a buffer. The next step is to unscrew the two bolts that secure the ball joint to the steering knuckle.

After this, the lever is moved to the side (with a pry bar), and the support is successfully pulled out. A working finger should not move with more than 0.8 millimeters of play in the support. Otherwise, it needs to be replaced, since there is a large output here.

Before installing the dirt boot, it is recommended to coat the surface of the support with sealant. This way we will eliminate its premature delamination and deformation. It would also be a good idea to check the presence of lubricant in the ball.

Some manufacturers save money and use very little lubricant. In this case, we purchase a specialized product and coat the entire perimeter of the element with it.

Front suspension device

The main element of the front chassis of the VAZ 2114 is the shock absorber strut, which is designated as number “9”. It is attached to the steering knuckle with two bolts. Compared to the rear system, the front suspension has a more complex design, which can be understood by the number of parts. Number “11” indicates a bolt that passes through the holes of the rack bracket; it has an eccentric washer and an eccentric collar. When the steering gear turns, the top bolt turns. The result is that the car turns. Most often, shock absorber struts fail, since they do the main job.

Diagram and explanations for it

conclusions

The installation and repair of the front suspension of the VAZ-2114 is quite difficult and not every motorist can do it. This article examined the design and repair of the front suspension.

As you can see, there is a main group of parts that change when worn out and broken, and there are also a number of parts that are considered consumables and are replaced when the main components are repaired.

It is worth noting that suspension repair has a significant degree of danger, because the fall of one of the elements can lead to injury and even death. Therefore, when performing repair operations you must be extremely careful. Also, many suspension elements are quite heavy, so you need to have an assistant on hand.

Disassembling and replacing the front suspension: instructions

1. The VAZ 2114 is installed on a viewing hole or raised on a lift. The car must be set to the parking brake. It is necessary to remove the wheel caps, loosen the mounting bolts and unscrew the hub nut. Having secured the front of the car, you can remove the front wheels.
2. Next, you need to remove the ball joint pin, which is located in the swing arm of the front strut. The next step is to remove the front stabilizer link (number “24”) from the front suspension arm (number “22”). Next, the stretch marks from the body (30) are removed. Next, you need to completely disconnect the ball joint that is attached to the steering knuckle.
3. Now you can remove the front suspension arm. To do this, you need to disconnect it from the body bracket (28). Afterwards the lever is removed along with the bracket and the extension (29, 30). It is also necessary to remove the bolts that secure the pads to the steering knuckle.
4. In front of the driver there will be a caliper assembly. To avoid problems with it, you do not need to completely remove it; you need to hang the caliper on a hook in such a way that there is no load on the main hose. The next step is to press the spline shank out of the front wheel hub.
5. From the side of the engine compartment, you need to remove the protective fist (“41”). To do this, unscrew the telescopic strut nuts and then remove the solid front suspension strut. It should be together with the wheel hub and steering knuckle. The other front suspension strut is removed in the same way. Next, the racks are removed from the rod.

   
   Removing springs using zip ties

When removing the bolts that secure the ball joint to the steering knuckle, you must use a socket wrench. Otherwise, the protective cover of the hinge may be seriously damaged, resulting in additional costs.

In the case of the front suspension, its assembly proceeds in the reverse order, with the exception of a few features. When installing the mounting bracket to the VAZ 2114 body, you need to make sure that the threads of the bushings are not damaged. To do this, you must perform operations carefully. Also, longitudinal displacement of the cushions on the bar must not be allowed. This can happen during installation of the anti-roll bar.

How to replace?

Usually the racks are replaced in pairs or as a whole. To do this, jack up the front of the car and remove the wheels. Next, release the rack from its mounting with the steering tip.

Then unscrew the two nuts that secure the shock absorber to the suspension arms. The bolts are removed by hand from the reverse side. If they are rusty, you can use a hammer and attach a wooden block.

In this case, you should hold the stand from below so that it does not fall. After this, the suspension module is removed entirely. A new element is installed in its place.

Assembly is carried out in reverse order.

Which racks to choose?

You shouldn’t delay repairing the breakdown, because... This rear suspension unit of the vehicle ensures body stability. There are many options in spare parts stores from different companies. Leaking liquid means a complete failure of the element, but in some cases it is possible to pump old parts. For better results, you need to install new spare parts.

For those who like to save on spare parts, there is an option from Patron with article number PSA341824. The price of the stand from Patron is only 1300 rubles. There is no need to talk about the quality of the product. There are a lot of reviews that say that they can withstand no more than 10,000 kilometers.

Design features of the VAZ 2114 chassis

Fundamentally, the chassis designs of front-wheel drive VAZ cars of various models are similar to each other, however, there are differences. It will be useful for car enthusiasts to understand the question of what the VAZ 2114 suspension consists of, to know the causes and types of malfunctions, and to be able to eliminate them.

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Front suspension device

Suspension type: independent, telescopic. Let's take a closer look at the main components and elements that make up the front suspension of the VAZ 2114.

1. The basis is the main rotating support element - the front pillar. Assembled into a single unit with a cylindrical spring, a swivel bearing, and upper and lower support cups. The strut is attached to the steering knuckle of the hub with the lower bracket, secured to the body with three bolts at the top and rests against the glass with the upper cup. Has a steering knuckle for attaching a tie rod pin.
2. Front hub assembly with ball joint, double row bearing, brake disc and caliper. The ball joint is fixedly screwed to the lower suspension arm, the support pin is inserted into the seat at the bottom of the hub and screwed with a nut.
3. The lower suspension arm is attached to a brace, which is attached at both ends to the body side member using two brackets. On one side of the brace there is an attachment point for the anti-roll bar, in which one end is fixed. The second end of the stabilizer is fixed to the suspension extension of the second front wheel, thus connecting them together.

Front suspension diagram for VAZ 2114

The front suspension diagram is shown in Fig. 1. The front chassis works according to the following principle: a strut with a spring plays the role of a supporting and at the same time shock-absorbing element for the front wheel. The stretcher and the lower arm support the entire assembly from below and prevent it from moving along the axis of the car.

The wheel is turned by a steering rod, which pulls the eye on the stand and turns the entire assembly, while at the top it turns on a support bearing, and at the bottom on a ball joint. The anti-roll bar ties the suspension on both sides together and makes it work in sync.

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Rear element design

Suspension type: dependent, on a rigid transverse continuous beam. The structural elements of the rear suspension and the methods of their connection in the VAZ 2114 are as follows.

1. The base is a cross beam. The structure is welded, in the shape of the letter “H”, only with a long cross member. The two front ends of the beam are secured to brackets bolted to the rear side members of the vehicle. The method of connection to the brackets is hinged, on rubber-metal bushings. The rear ends of the beam have mounting flanges for wheel hubs. The hubs are bolted to the flange; a protective casing, brake cylinder and pads are mounted on them. Inside the hub there is a double row radial bearing. The brake drum is mounted on top of the pads and secured to the hub with guide pins.
2. The lower end of the strut with a cylindrical spring is attached to the rear ends of the beam on the other side of the hubs. The upper end of the shock absorber rests against a glass welded to the body through a rubber spacer.

Rear suspension diagram for VAZ 2114

The rear suspension diagram is shown in Fig. 2. The rear chassis of the VAZ 2114 car operates as follows: the transverse beam works like a swinging pendulum, the attachments to the side members do not allow it to move along the axis of the car. Racks with springs attached to the opposite end of the pendulum limit its up-and-down movement and serve as a shock-absorbing and partially supporting element for the wheels.

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Brief description of faults

In most cases, chassis repairs can be done yourself. The main malfunctions, as a rule, are associated with the failure of the shock-absorbing front and rear struts, since they are the most loaded structural element. The racks absorb dynamic loads from the car body, from the wheels when overcoming uneven road surfaces and lateral loads from the influence of steering rods, which increases at low speeds.

Two tools are required to remove and install the stands. The remaining tools are in every car enthusiast's garage:

• spring ties;
• a puller for pushing the steering rod pin out of the lever; it can also be used to press out the ball joint if necessary.

Smaller suspension malfunctions occur due to wear of the rubber seals and rubber-metal bushings (silent blocks). They are much easier to replace than a stand, although sometimes a device is also needed to press out silent blocks.

After repairing the front suspension, it is recommended to visit the nearest service station and perform an operation to correct the wheel alignment of the car. The chassis of the Lada 2114 has a fairly reliable and time-tested design, which is well adapted to our roads.