Which clutch is better to put on a Priora?

Lada Priora

The basic “Norma” package includes a driver’s airbag, ESD, central locking, electric front windows, immobilizer, on-board computer and headlight range control. The “Lux” variation is significantly richer. It includes air conditioning, electric windows on all doors, and an airbag for the front passenger. The main advantage of the luxury package is the presence of ABS and EBD. In addition, it received front fog lights, alloy wheels and parking sensors. Initially, the Lada Priora was produced only with a sedan body, in 2008 a hatchback was released, and a year later a station wagon also went on sale. Finally, last year the plant presented a coupe. By the way, any type of body is given a 6-year guarantee against through corrosion.

VAZ clutch rating

Existing offers on the market can be divided into several groups. The best manufacturers and modifications of VAZ clutches are presented below.

7th place: STARCO

The ranking of the best market offers opens with a company that is a product that combines the developments of engineers from the USA and Turkey.
In principle, the company is represented on the Russian market as a Turkish brand, but technological developments have been collected from all over the world. Such a symbiosis ensures sufficient reliability, high quality indicators and reasonable cost, which attracts a large number of domestic motorists. Initially, the company was organized in 2005 as a result of the signing of an agreement between several brands located in Germany, Turkey and the USA. At the beginning of its work, the company produced a rather meager range of parts, which scared off buyers. As of 2022, the brand’s range has expanded to 7,000 items. Among other things, the brand has 2,000 models of clutch kits ready for installation.

The manufacturer is focused more on trucks. The choice of passenger modifications is scant, but you can buy a clutch at a VAZ.

Advantages:

• sufficiently strong clutch baskets can withstand inept operation;
• moderate cost;
• sufficient quality of packaging;
• The friction pads are protected against counterfeiting.

Flaws:

• The clutch disc wears out quickly;
• friction linings quickly become loose or fly off the rivets;
• damper springs of insufficient quality quickly sag or break;
• The release bearing begins to whistle almost immediately after installation.

6th place: AMD

The next representative of the ranking comes from Asia.
The brand is organized by Japanese corporations to create consumables for their own cars. Thanks to a competent approach, the organization managed to achieve wide distribution of products far beyond the continent. After updating the assortment, parts for domestic cars appeared here - clutch kits, bearings, filters, etc. The main advantage of the company is that its work is as simple and clear as possible - the buyer can order parts through an online store without waiting for an order in physical retail outlets. Among the disadvantages, the possibility of running into a low-quality product is considered a significant drawback. The manufacturer has several production sites in South Korea, China and Taiwan. The most negative thing is that in the package the motorist can receive a low-grade product from the Middle Kingdom with the poorest durability. However, on the other hand, the part may also come from Japan - the kit will serve for a long time and will be worth the money invested. As a result, this gives rise to many conflicting reviews among domestic buyers.

Advantages:

• gears are easily engaged;
• there are no extraneous sounds during operation;
• excellent disc geometry;
• optimal cost;
• available on the Internet.

Flaws:

• Some production sites are located in China;
• a lot of conflicting reviews.

5th place: SACHS

You can also choose the best clutch for a VAZ from a German manufacturer.
The company is a real old-timer; its history began back in 1987. Initially, the company acted as the main supplier of consumables for Formula 1 competitions around the world. The next important step was the change in production rights. The ZF brand bought the organization and since then parts have been supplied to 80% of serial German-made machines, which guarantees a high level of quality and reliability. The manufacturer claims that the moment the car takes off is adjusted to racing cars. In other words, the car starts moving earlier than usual. Consequently, there is no need to keep the pedal clamped, which reduces wear on the friction linings.

Users praise the excellent geometry of the disc and basket. Thanks to this, they do not need to be ground in - normal operation begins immediately after installation.

The company was included in the rating due to its high degree of protection against counterfeiting. At the factory, parts are packaged in a branded box, where the serial number of the part is duplicated. There is also a special tape with a holographic coating. The company’s work exclusively with official dealers stands out separately. Strict control of points of sale and prices guarantees sufficient copy protection. Thanks to the incoming parameters, the buyer can quickly identify a factory part and determine that it has not been used previously.

Advantages:

• reliable design does not break quickly;
• torque is transmitted as smoothly as possible;
• there is no need to overpress the pedal - it is designed for racing mode;
• smooth linings do not require grinding in;
• high-quality packaging prevents parts from rusting during long-term storage.

Flaws:

• the complete set is quite expensive;
• Despite the efforts of the manufacturer, there are a large number of fakes.

4th place: LUK

If you have a question about what kind of clutch to install on a VAZ, you can contact a renowned company that is widespread throughout the CIS countries.
The wide popularity of the brand is due to several technological solutions and sufficient production quality. A special feature of clutch kits is the presence of narrow petals on the basket, which makes it much easier to press the pedal. A similar plus is relevant for classics and some modern versions. Therefore, if you have a question about which clutch is better to install on the VAZ 2109 and older models, you can safely buy products from the specified brand. The reinforced design of the friction clutch springs also stands out, which extends the life of the disc and minimizes the grinding-in time. Separately, we should highlight the presence of a large amount of lubricant in the bearings - after purchase, the device can be immediately mounted without worrying about lubricants. At the same time, the guaranteed operating time reaches 125,000 kilometers, which is unattainable for cheaper analogues.

The logical conclusion is that the high quality is praised by some automakers and installed on their cars on the assembly line.

Advantages:

• smooth launch at the start;
• increased design reliability;
• wide range of modifications;
• gears shift clearly and quickly;
• installed on some cars from the factory.

Flaws:

• abundance of counterfeit products on the market;
• the cost of the kit is higher than that of competitors;
• there are plastic parts;
• Some items may be quickly discontinued.

3rd place: Kraft

Next in the ranking is a young Turkish manufacturer, Kraft Tech.
A relatively new company quickly gained momentum in the CIS countries due to its moderate cost and good quality. The blocks are supplied to the market in sets and packed in strong cardboard boxes, which ensures high safety of the equipment during careless transportation. The manufacturer's usual range includes 70 clutch models for different cars. An important fact is that in Russia the company has been certified by Gosstandart, therefore, the equipment can be installed on machines of state-owned enterprises and participate in tender procedures.

Each disc model has an individual marking indicating that all necessary tests and inspection procedures have been passed. At the same time, a young company is rarely counterfeited. Cheap units are not profitable to copy.

The last positive factor is widespread distribution. Parts can be purchased in all cities or online stores without worrying about the quality of the product. Thus, when asked which clutch is better to install on a VAZ 2114, you can pay attention to Kraft products.

Advantages:

• high-quality packaging withstands careless transportation;
• fairly soft clutch operation;
• availability of a mandatory factory warranty;
• sufficient choice of models;
• wide use.

Flaws:

• On some models slippage is observed;
• slight vibration may occur.

2nd place: VALEO

The following company comes to mind when asked what clutch to install on a VAZ 2114 or other similar cars.
The high cost of the equipment is fully compensated by its durability. Normally, the kits last up to 120,000 kilometers. At the same time, there are cases when disks survived up to 200,000 km, which is unattainable for most analogues. The equipment’s resistance to overheating and overexposure to the depressed pedal is also highlighted. According to user reviews, the disks are able to withstand critical heat, which is important for the southern regions. The manufacturer rose high in the ranking thanks to an excellent safety margin - a standard kit designed for a speed of 6000 rpm will work stably at 9000 rpm. Such a margin is relevant when asking which clutch is better to install on a VAZ 2112 or tuned cars. What also stands out is the mechanism’s ability to operate stably when driving at high speeds or sharp acceleration.

Advantages:

• improved reliability under critical overloads;
• large margin of safety;
• excellent selection of modifications;
• Quite soft pedal operation.

Flaws:

• high price;
• difficult to install on the car yourself;
• There are a large number of counterfeit products on the market.

1st place: HOLA

If you have a Chevrolet Niva, which clutch is better to install, you can understand by contacting the Dutch young brand.
The company's products are manufactured in 15 factories around the world, taking into account the requirements of ISO standards. Thanks to a competent approach to the production process, the company managed to achieve good results in Eastern Europe and the CIS. A design feature is considered to be sufficient protection of the clutch from impacts and the absence of a pressure ring.

Advantages:

• increased equipment strength;
• good corrosion resistance;
• The kit includes a guide for installation.

Flaws:

• requires long grinding in;
• Rarely, but marriage does occur.

Lada Priora

As for the frequency of maintenance, the service interval is 15 thousand km. However, the first maintenance visit should be made already at 2-3 thousand. During routine maintenance, the main attention is paid to checking and broaching various units and components. Naturally, each scheduled maintenance will require changing the engine oil and filters - both oil and air. At each maintenance, mandatory adjustment of the gaps in the gas distribution mechanism of an 8-valve engine is prescribed. The 16-valve engine is not so whimsical.

Diagnostics of the release bearing on a Priora

There are no special devices or tools for troubleshooting. The main signs of possible defects or malfunctions:

• extraneous noise when changing gears (knocking, crunching, specific howling, creaking);
• Difficulty when switching.

If any of the listed symptoms appears when switching, pressing the clutch pedal and changing speed, it is recommended to dismantle the box and inspect, and in case of malfunction, replace the Priora release bearing

It is important to note that it is not always necessary to replace the product with a new, similar one. Sometimes the cause of extraneous noise from the gearbox and incorrect operation of the release unit is contamination, insufficient lubrication of the product and (or) the guide bushing along which constant, working rotation of the bearing occurs. Therefore, sometimes it is enough to clean or thoroughly lubricate the bushing and the part itself. Obvious signs indicating a malfunction are:

• significant play of the part;
• physical deformations (cracks, abrasions, chips);
• uneven or difficult rotation.

When diagnosing breakdowns or damage, dismantling and installation of a new part will be required.

Lada Priora

A mileage of 60 thousand km is critical for the generator drive belt, all engine filter elements and spark plugs. Most likely, at this mileage you will have to flush the throttle pipe and idle air control. Typical symptoms of a malfunction are floating idle speed and jerking of the car during acceleration.

75 thousand kilometers - time to replace the timing belt on an 8-valve engine. In addition, according to the service regulations, such a mileage will become critical for the oxygen sensor, and will also require replacing the fluid in the engine cooling system.

Lada Priora

According to the maintenance card, the gearbox oil needs to be changed every 75 thousand km or after 5 years. There is no reason to shorten the service interval. One piece of advice: for TO-1 it is better to change the factory oil to synthetic or semi-synthetic. Believe me, it won't hurt.

In general, the transmission is quite tenacious. The service life of the clutch largely depends on operating conditions and driving style. On average it is 60–100 thousand km. The clutch assembly is replaced - disc, basket, release bearing. In special cases, the flywheel may also require replacement. But this is rather an exception to the rule.

What is this element?

The clutch is externally a metal disc. However, in reality it is a very complex system hidden under the shell. Hidden inside are the following components:

• Pressure diaphragm spring.
• Pressure disk.
• Connecting plate.
• Balancing weights and much more.

The main task of this unit is to connect and disconnect the engine from the gearbox . It all works as follows. When the driver turns the key in the ignition, the starter begins to spin, which in turn transmits rotation to the flywheel. After this, he begins to spin the crankshaft, and with it the camshaft. This way the engine starts.

But the car will not move if only one engine is spinning. In order for the wheels to start rotating, it is necessary to somehow connect them to the power unit. The solution is the gearbox.

CHASSIS

The car received front and rear shock absorbers with improved characteristics. This had a positive effect not only on driving performance, but also on the life of the suspension. Nevertheless, no one, of course, canceled the regulations. Scheduled maintenance comes down to diagnosing the condition of suspension components and assemblies, periodically adjusting the angles of the front wheels (every 30 thousand km), regularly checking the condition of the brake system and scanner diagnostics of the electric power steering. Every 45 thousand kilometers, or every 3 years, the fluid in the brake system must be changed. Of course, there are some negative points here too. So, most likely, even before the first hundred thousand kilometers, ball joints, steering tips and wheel bearings will remind you of themselves. Their resource, as a rule, is limited to 60 thousand km.