Information on adjustment was found in the book by V.K. Vakhlamov. Car "Niva" VAZ-2121: Textbook. allowance for vocational school students. -2nd ed., revised. and additional -M.: Transport, 1987
Attention. Devices for Niva on Sobolev disks, tires 235/60 R16, on other disks the sizes of devices can be changed.
Camber adjustment device:
A 20x40 mm profile pipe was also made, and a piece of electrode was welded on top to fix the plumb line. 1.5 mm steel plates are welded on the sides.
Tool for adjusting toe:
Made from a 20x20mm profile pipe, 8x100 bolts - 2 pcs., M8 nuts are welded to the pipe for the bolt. The M8 bolt should be at the level of the middle of the disk.
I set the deviation of the plumb line from the bracket to 1.5-2 mm (I could be wrong, I still need to recalculate through the tangent of the angle).
Adjusting wheel toe:
We set the toe to 2-4 mm.
After this, the car holds the road well and steers well.
From the book Repairing Niva VAZ-21213, -21214, publishing house Behind the Wheel:
Update dated 10/19/09, by Pilot.
You must remember to place the machine on a perfectly flat surface. You can try to place the car on thick channels, which must first be leveled to the building level.
Misadjusted wheel alignment on the Niva 2121, like other cars, results in consequences of varying severity: from premature tire wear to deterioration in directional stability and controllability. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to regularly check the wheel alignment angles, as well as adjust the wheel alignment yourself, taking into account the features of the model.
Adjusting the caster and camber angles
To correct the angles on the Niva 21214, the number of adjusting shims installed on the axis of the upper arm is changed. So, when using 0.75 mm metal washers, the values will vary according to the table:
To make the adjustment, open the hood and loosen the upper control arm nuts using a 19mm socket wrench.
Depending on the recorded deviation, by removing or adding, install the required number of gaskets, tighten the nuts to a torque of 70-80 N*m and measure again.
Toe adjustment
What is it regulated by? Special tool 67.7813.9504 and 13 mm wrench.
Loosen the tie rod nuts and tie rod clamps.
Set the required lengths of the steering linkages on the left and right.
After the adjustment is completed, the tie clamps are tightened in position with the slot towards the trunk, preventing the edges from touching and deviation from the longitudinal axis of more than 60º.
Do-it-yourself wheel alignment for VAZ 2121: 2 comments
Hello, please tell me how many washers should be on the upper arm of Niva 21214.
exactly what is needed for proper adjustment.
Checking the wheel alignment angles is mandatory if suspension parts have been replaced or repaired that could change the wheel alignment.
Monitor and adjust wheel alignment angles on a vehicle under a static load of 3140 N (320 kgf) (four people and 40 kg in the trunk).
Wheel alignment angles should have the following values:
— longitudinal angle of inclination of the turning axis 3° 30´ ± 30´
— toe -3 ± 1 mm.
Before adjusting wheel alignment, check:
— air pressure in tires;
axial clearance in the front wheel hub bearings;
— serviceability of shock absorbers (no rod jamming);
— radial and axial runout of tires;
— clearance in the ball joints of the suspension;
— free movement of the steering wheel.
Eliminate any detected faults and make the necessary adjustments.
After installing the car on the stand, immediately before checking the angles, it is necessary to “press” the car’s suspension, applying a force of 392-490 N (40-50 kgf) (directed from top to bottom) 2-3 times, first on the rear bumper, and then on the front .
The order of checking and adjusting the wheels should be as follows:
1. Angle of longitudinal inclination of the axis of rotation
Angle of longitudinal inclination of the axis of rotation. If, when checking, the angle does not correspond to the data given above, it is necessary to change the number of adjusting washers installed between the axis of the upper arm and the cross member bracket.
Changing the camber angles and longitudinal inclination of the steering axis when changing the number of 0.75 mm thick washers on the bolts securing the upper arm axis
What is it and why is it needed
Wheel alignment and camber are the basic techniques for adjusting or straightening wheels. Over time, depending on the operating conditions of the Chevrolet Niva, the wheels begin to bend in different directions, which negatively affects the chassis, steering and the tires themselves, but more on that later.
So, camber is the angle that shows the deviation of the central plane of the wheel from the perpendicular to the horizontal plane. In simple words, this is a parameter that indicates whether the wheels are skewed inward or outward. Camber can be negative or positive. Negative camber indicates that the wheels on a Chevrolet Niva are tilted inward, while positive camber, on the contrary, is tilted outward.
Toe-in is the angle between the plane of rotation of the wheel and the line of direction of movement. Toe can also be positive or negative. Positive toe means that the wheels are turned inward, that is, the distance between the front points is less than the rear, and negative, on the contrary, outward.
Consequences of broken camber and toe
Camber and alignment are the main procedures that are performed at any service station. In addition, this service is not very expensive, so every car owner can afford to perform it. But to make sure that the technicians at the service station have set everything correctly, you should understand the principle of adjustment. But first, let’s find out what suffers first of all if one of these indicators on the Chevrolet Niva is violated.
If the wheel camber on a Chevrolet Niva is disturbed, then this leads to uneven and rapid wear of the tire tread. In addition, the incorrect position of the wheels leads to problems with vehicle control.
If wheel alignment is disturbed, uneven tire wear also occurs. With positive toe-in, the outer part of the tire wears out quickly, and with negative toe-in, the inner side of the tread wears out.
Consequences of incorrect adjustment
When do you need wheel alignment?
Wheel alignment on a Chevrolet Niva, in fact, as on other cars, will need to be performed in the following situations:
- when the chassis was repaired or replaced;
- pendants;
- steering;
- after installing shock absorbers and springs;
- after repair of ball joints, silent blocks, etc..
It is also necessary to go to a service station to check and adjust the wheel alignment when there is a good hole in the road. Of course, after getting into a hole, it’s impossible to fix the problem by adjusting the camber and toe, but this is the very first thing that needs to be done
This is especially important for cars that travel on roads in off-road conditions. Although the suspension on such cars is designed for aggressive conditions, nothing lasts forever.
Also, according to the mechanics at the service station, cars require wheel adjustment every 5-10 thousand km, but it all depends on the nature of the operation.
Lada Granta
The most popular version of the Grant today is the sedan. The liftback has also become a good seller, but it is still far from being a sedan. The VAZ 2190 is designed for 4 passengers, according to the documents it looks like a B-class car, but after considering the dimensions, you can safely classify it as a C-class.
Being a successor of the “Kalina” traditions, the sedan was even assembled on its platform and borrowed a lot of things from Kalina: body, chassis, interior. On the other hand, it is a different car with a different character, larger cargo compartment, redesigned design, etc. The trunk has been increased to 500 liters.
Here are the standard body dimensions of the Lada Grant.
Lada Granta body dimensions
As you can see, the dimensions of this VAZ model are 22 cm longer than those of the Kalina, but 7 cm shorter than the “Samarov” modifications.
Now other characteristics in more detail:
- The radiator grille has received a new corporate style, now resembling a Volga rook, which is held in place by a powerful molding. This grille cools the engine compartment more effectively, as it is equipped with large “nostrils”;
- The bumper is much softer than the VAZ ones and is painted in body color on some car trim levels;
- The general lines of the hood and trunk roof are slightly raised;
- The front optics have received more enlarged outlines, and in the basic version the cars are also equipped with daytime side light.
As for the trim levels, the new sedan can be purchased in 3 versions. The coolest is the Lux, equipped with a 98-horsepower engine and featuring a completely different level of interior equipment.
Among the features of the Granta body, one can highlight the good quality of the assembly and good quality of materials. The body parts are connected to each other using high-tech automated German welding. This allowed domestic producers to reach a completely different level.
We also highlight the good quality of painting and resistance to anti-corrosion treatment. Both of these processes are also carried out on German-made automated lines with excellent precision.
The modified body geometry gave the new Russian car a stylish, aspirational lines. This had a beneficial effect not only on the exterior, but also made it possible to significantly reduce the AED resistance. Now this coefficient is 0.36, which is more than 6 percent less than the base model. In addition, the pointed hood is less harmful to pedestrians, experts say.
Important functions are performed by overhangs:
- The Granta's rear overhang has been extended by 15 cm. In turn, this makes the interior even more spacious than before;
- The front overhang is designed in such a way as to reduce the thermal load on the engine and its environment.
As for other body differences:
- The underbody was specially designed for the new Russian car. Special metal sheets with special hardening and double-sided galvanization are a good solution that significantly increases service life;
- As for quality of life, in this particular case the indicator is increased by 12 percent when compared with Kalina;
- The weight of the car was reduced by as much as 40 kg, which could not but affect the handling. Now it has become much easier to maneuver in city tight rows, it is more convenient to take turns;
- It has become easier to install an additional roof rack, since the manufacturer has provided good, strong fastenings on top of the door seals.
Unfortunately, Granta did not lose the traditional VAZ “sores”:
- It is inconvenient to adjust the side mirrors. But this is not necessary, since they provide quite good visibility;
- On the other hand, short drivers will have poor visibility of the road due to the raised lines of the hood and trunk.
The essence of the procedure
Wheel alignment or wheel alignment is usually called a procedure that includes two stages of adjusting the position of car wheels.
The adjustment is made relative to the body. It is divided into camber and toe.
Such an operation is necessary so as not to provoke problems with the steering of the vehicle. After all, this is directly related to traffic safety. Quite often, it is because of incorrect settings that situations arise when the steering wheel pulls to the side, or when the car shakes while driving in a straight line on a fairly flat surface. As you can see, the topic is quite serious.
If your vehicle's wheels are found to be incorrectly aligned, it will negatively impact your vehicle's ability to corner and respond to steering wheel inputs.
In addition, motorists often encounter premature wear of tires, uneven wear of tires, damage to suspension elements, and problems with the steering.
There are examples when the wheel life was literally 500 km, after which the tires became unusable.
It is optimal to carry out adjustments on specialized equipment within the framework of a car service equipped with the necessary tools. Modern services use stands with optical sensors. In parallel, diagnostics are carried out on a computer, reading and processing information. This allows you to set the most correct wheel alignment values. Previously, even at service stations they used ordinary plumb lines. This is now outdated technology.
Yes, you can use plumb bobs to try to get a good balance in a garage environment. But this can be debated for a long time.
What operations can you do yourself?
The only operation that cannot be done correctly on your own is fine adjustment of the castor. If the accident has not changed the geometry of the body, then symptomatic adjustment of the castor can be done. When the car does not listen well to the steering wheel, turns unsteadily and with a delay, you just need to increase the caster for 20–40 minutes. If, during sharp acceleration, the steering wheel begins to be pulled out of your hands, the castor needs to be reduced. It must be remembered that an increase in castor leads to an increase in wheel camber. You can also adjust the wheel alignment yourself. If the body is damaged as a result of an accident, which led to a violation of its geometry, then any adjustment of the suspension is pointless. You will spend a lot of time, and the result will be extremely doubtful. Therefore, after even a minor accident, be sure to check the body geometry on a special stand.
