Which racks to choose for the Lada Granta - install normal spare parts

August 11, 2021 Lada.Online 11 008 2

The main task of shock absorbers is to keep the wheel in constant contact with the road to avoid loss of control over the car. Currently, a large variety of shock absorbers from different manufacturers are offered for the Lada Granta/Kalina family. Let's figure out which shock absorbers are better to choose: original or analogue.

When is it time to change struts on a Lada Granta?

The service life of almost all parts in the suspension greatly depends on the operating conditions of the vehicle. In one case, struts and springs can last 150,000 km without problems or breakdowns. In another situation, after 20,000 km you will have to replace it. When operating a Lada Granta, you should not allow excessively careless driving, otherwise the struts will fail very quickly, since the quality of the parts is not always optimal.

The racks need to be replaced in the following cases:

• oil leaks are visible on the shock absorber body, which means that the device will soon stop working out irregularities;
• the car has become too hard or too soft, the behavior on the road has changed greatly;
• when rocking the car with your hands, the effect of inertial rocking is very noticeable - the racks do not work;
• more than 100,000 km have passed since the last replacement, as a rule, in Russian conditions this is the maximum service life of suspension struts;
• If the shock absorbers grind, knock, or make other unpleasant sounds, they should be replaced.

When diagnosing, you also need to pay attention to the condition of the springs, ball joint, as well as the upper shock absorber support, in particular the support bearing. Typically, these elements are installed in a complex so that in the future the owner does not face the sequential failure of all these elements. But if the other parts are in perfect order, you can replace only the racks by choosing a good option on the market.

Helical adjustable suspension

A shock absorber in a car suspension is used as a damping element that reduces the amplitude of vibrations. There are many suspension options, and one of them is shown in the photo.

Each of the elements, spring and shock absorber, being components of the suspension, serve for specific purposes. But in some cases, they are structurally performed in the form of a single unit. This combination is known as a screw suspension, one of the variants of such a device is shown in the photo.

It has already been mentioned that this combination is called adjustable suspension. One of the options for its manufacture is to cut a thread directly on the shock absorber and attach support washers to it, between which the spring is located. This results in a new single rack that replaces the existing one.

Oil or gas-oil - the first question that needs to be resolved

If you take inexpensive racks that are made in Russia or China, then there are virtually no differences between oil and gas-oil. But when you buy products from a great brand, you can notice a very noticeable difference. In particular, gas-oil will be a very tough sports solution. Oil shock absorbers offer customers a number of specific advantages that will be important in the operation of vehicles:

• quite high ride comfort, which can be called significant progress for the Lada Granta, overcoming most potholes without noticeable effects in the car interior;
• low level of penetration, that is, you will not catch unpleasant sounds when the rack shows its long free stroke, there is no risk of breakage;
• the rod stroke is quite long, it is possible to hang the wheels almost like an SUV, this helps on large bumps and dirt roads;
• your Lada Granta will not only become softer, but will also be able to transmit information about the road more energy-intensively, there is no intrusive data, only the necessary details;
• The cost of oil shock absorbers is often slightly lower than gas-oil shock absorbers, which is why the vast majority of domestic car owners buy them.

Of course, it all depends on the brand. You can buy an excellent Japanese version of the insert and get simply wonderful operating possibilities. There is the option of purchasing a cheap Chinese rack and being completely disappointed in its use. But for now, let's limit ourselves to making a decision on the type of shock absorber. It can be a soft oil or a sports gas-oil type.

BELMAG

Best hydraulic strut Country: Russia

Until recently, a young enterprise from Magnitogorsk rented space for the production of auto parts. Today BelMag occupies a leading position in the country, operating at its own industrial site. The assortment includes a wide range of suspension parts, steering gear, transmission, and brake systems. Deliveries are made to domestic car plants VAZ, GAZ, and are also exported. Front and rear hydraulic struts for passenger cars are reliable and durable. Thanks to an extensive dealer network, the products of this company can be purchased in the most remote regions of the country.

Consumers note the good performance of shock absorbers on unpaved roads; the car rides smoothly over uneven roads and potholes. Excessive softness appears on the asphalt surface, which causes swaying at speeds of more than 90 km/h.

Manufacturer is one of the most difficult questions for the buyer

Buying unusual, expensive shock absorbers is becoming a necessity today. In conditions of very tough competition and the global crisis in the automotive market, cheap companies are starting to produce worse and worse spare parts. Therefore, the products of some corporations have long ceased to be reliable and of high quality. It is worth highlighting the following brands as an ideal solution for Lada Granta when purchasing racks:

• KYB - you can combine separate liners with a stock strut and you will get an almost full-fledged Kayaba, the shock absorbers are very durable and high quality;
• Acomi is a fairly affordable brand, but much better than Chinese solutions, a completely acceptable solution if you choose an expensive series like Comfort PRO;
• SS20 - the company makes special racks for the Granta, so they fit perfectly, quite adequate quality, but there are many fakes and a number of shortcomings in movement;
• Demfi - not so durable, but quite affordable racks, which are also ideal for the Lada Granta, quite high-quality performance, but you need a choice;
• Plaza is one of the cheapest options of more or less decent quality, but only some kits from the manufacturer are pleased with their reliability and durability.

So there are not many chances to choose from brands. Of course, you can try Monroe struts or buy some racing solutions from France and Germany. But this will be too expensive. The same as Kayaba, but this solution is classic, and is simply perfect for the Lada Granta. If you have enough money for a Japanese manufacturer, buy their offers for your car.

The cost and place of purchase of the shock absorber are important points

If you decide to install Koni shock absorbers on your VAZ 2110 - one of the world's most famous manufacturers of automobile spare parts for suspension, it is better to give preference to official dealers. However, even Asomi stands are counterfeited quite actively. China is very boldly entering the Russian car parts market. The Chinese offer the names Asomi, KBY, Delfi and Demphi, copying well-known global brands. Ultimately, parts sellers use such features to show a non-existent connection between the Chinese manufacturer and the real brand. When buying shock absorbers at a car store, try to check the following features of the part:

• the presence of official accompanying documents that must be present for each part, they indicate the features and place of production of the product being sold;
• technical specifications and certification certificates indicating the serial number of the shock absorber model are factory documents that are generated during production;
• all the necessary logos are stamped on the case in the usual manner for the manufacturer - it will be useful to obtain and examine obviously original brand spare parts before going to the store;
• the store is quite large, is a dealer of many brands and offers only original spare parts from manufacturers without fakes or copies;
• The company's assortment does not contain low-quality spare parts that cost several times cheaper than factory equipment; such parts are not offered to you.

It’s a good idea for the store you choose to be a dealer of the brand whose products you want to purchase. However, this is not necessary. In most situations, high-quality automotive stores with a fairly large assortment of factory parts for sale are a completely reliable place to purchase spare parts. If the place where you buy the shock absorber is famous for Chinese counterfeits that pass off as normal shock absorbers, you will not be able to buy adequate parts there. So sometimes it’s better to overpay and order delivery of shock absorbers from an official dealer. We invite you to watch a video on the topic of replacing shock absorbers on a car of the tenth family:

Springs and strut supports for Lada Granta - choose the best

It is better to install original springs. No manufacturer offers the same accuracy as VAZ in this case. There is only one reason for this - no one wants a manufacturer of springs specifically for Grants to do it efficiently and cheaply. Therefore, you have to give preference to stock solutions. As for the upper and ball joints of the Lada Granta struts, it is worth paying attention to the following features:

• the upper supports of the front struts are most often installed in Russian SS20, there are options for using more expensive solutions, but this purchase takes a long time;
• but the rear upper supports for shock absorbers are not easy to find, the Acomi company will help you here, but it is better to contact the officials and buy what was originally in your car;
• VAZ ball joints are no good and cost 20-30 thousand, so it’s better to buy Belmag or Forward, which are made in Russia and cost very affordable money;
• you can also choose German Kraft ball joints, but here you should beware of fakes, so always choose parts based on price and quality with a specialist;
• It is better to buy any small details such as fasteners, bolts, nuts and washers from the factory, as otherwise you may simply not reassemble the car properly after disassembly.

There is an opinion that factory spare parts are always better than analog ones. But in the case of the Lada Granta this is not at all the case. Sometimes you can find quite adequate spare parts that fit Granta from German and Japanese brands. And then you can buy really wonderful additions and parts that last for years. However, any part has its own service life, and this also needs to be remembered.

General information about the suspension

To better understand what a coilover is, you must first turn to the most common shock absorber. Its device is shown in the photo below.

Any shock absorber is a cylinder filled with liquid (usually oil) in which a piston moves. The principle of operation of the device is the flow of liquid from one volume to another when the piston moves in one direction or another under the influence of a changing load.

Replacing Lada Granta struts and supports - several important features

If the rear suspension is more or less clear, then the front suspension always hides more mysteries. It is the front struts and supports that most often fail. Unless you constantly pull a trailer or tow careless friends. The load on the front of the car is always increased, so you often have to work with the front suspension parts. Changing the front struts on a Grant is not so easy:

• first you need to completely remove the rack and disassemble the lower parts of the chassis for subsequent installation on a new mechanism for damping road irregularities;
• if the rack is installed as a new assembly, then there will be much fewer problems, you just need to install a new one in place of the old mechanism and reassemble it in the reverse order;
• if only the liner is changed, it is worth completely disassembling the strut, removing the spring and taking out the shock absorber, checking the degree of wear of all parts and the need to replace them;
• Next, you should replace the strut liner, carry out technical checks right at the assembly site and reassemble the shock absorber to its original position;
• Next will be the installation of the rack in place, assembly and rough diagnostics of all the components that you repaired, this will give complete confidence in the quality of the work.

You need to acquire tools such as a set of wrenches and sockets, a spring puller, a pry bar, pliers, screwdrivers and other available tools. Otherwise, you will not be able to completely disassemble the part and carry out its normal restoration. Of course, there are certain difficulties in carrying out this process, so it is better to take your Lada Granta for service and complete all the work in just over an hour. We invite you to watch the video of the process of replacing the strut on front-wheel drive VAZ vehicles:

What are coilovers

Coilover installation kit.

Coilovers are a traditional element of sports car suspension. The name of this part is formed by the English words coil and over, which literally means “spring around”.

A coilover is a shock absorber that allows you to adjust the spring stiffness and ground clearance of the car by compressing or decompressing it. Essentially, this is a rod-stand on which a spring is placed, moving relative to it.

On sports cars, helical suspension appeared due to the need to quickly change the stiffness and height of the suspension. The ability to quickly change these parameters and improve the car’s handling has become an integral feature of such a discipline as rallying, where before each start the technical team carries out almost jewelry calibration of the car.

In sports tuning, coilovers are installed on cars to adjust the clearance, stiffness and damping characteristics. The convenience is that to change the height of the suspension you do not need to disassemble it - the shock absorber struts are simply twisted a little, and you're done.

Let's sum it up

There are a number of features of operating the Lada Granta on Russian roads. For some reason, a domestic car is not very suitable for our roads; it crashes and fails instantly. Sometimes you come across a well-built car that doesn’t show any character after 100,000 kilometers. But in most cases, the Garnet justifies the title of the cheapest car in the Lada line. And when it comes to racks, the manufacturer saves a lot on these elements. The installation of low-quality suspension elements leads to the fact that more and more people, after purchasing Grants, repair it under warranty.

However, sometimes it is better to cancel the warranty and install normal racks, supports and other parts. In this case, you will ensure the normal service of your car’s suspension and will be able to establish normal operation of each unit. This will take a certain budget, but can provide you with comfortable movement without any particular difficulties or problems. Of course, even the best quality rack will eventually fail. But it can travel far beyond 100 thousand kilometers. What brands of spare parts do you choose to repair the suspension of your Lada Granta?

Advantages of coilover suspension

• These suspension elements are designed taking into account various workloads and are therefore made from high quality materials.
• Inexpensive coilovers for adjusting suspension stiffness and ground clearance do not require special skills or equipment for installation.
• The car's suspension can be quickly adjusted literally before every trip.
• It is possible to retrofit existing racks, and, if necessary, switch back to a standard suspension.
• When used carefully, coilovers retain their performance characteristics for a long time and do not break.

Disadvantages of adjustable shock absorbers

• To guarantee quality and performance, it is necessary to buy models from trusted manufacturers. And the cost of even moderately functional products in this case is comparable to high-quality analogues for a standard suspension.
• When adjusting coilovers, it is often necessary to additionally work with the wheel alignment.
• Adjusting the suspension can negatively affect maneuverability, handling, and behavior on uneven, wet or slippery roads. All this additionally affects fuel consumption and wear of other components and parts of the car.
• When installed on standard suspension struts, the latter wear out quickly.

Thus, with reasonable installation and thoughtful tuning, coilover suspension makes driving more comfortable, easier and more confident, and also allows you to give it the necessary sporty look. The main thing is to choose the right part for installation, not to skimp on quality and to ensure that its operation does not actually deteriorate the driving performance of the car.

Required tools for DIY replacement

In order for the replacement of the front shock absorber struts to be successful with your own hands, it is recommended that you first prepare the following list of tools.

Table - Tools required to replace the front strut