Replacing stabilizer struts for Lada Vesta - when, how and which ones to install

The stabilizer links are under constant load, even if you ride exclusively on a flat race track. What can we say about ordinary roads, where holes and potholes occur with enviable regularity? According to the technical documentation, the struts of a Lada Vesta car should last a service life of 70,000 kilometers. In reality, this figure may be several times less. This is why it is so important to choose high-quality, reliable parts. The purpose of the racks does not matter here, the main thing is that their length matches the design of the car. For Lada Vesta in the standard assembly it is 275, 285 and 295 millimeters. Let us clarify that cars with modified suspension are not taken into account.

As for brands, experts recommend discarding original AvtoVAZ parts right away. Fortunately, there are many manufacturers on the market that can boast of high quality and reasonable prices. The main thing is not to fall for a fake, of which there are a lot now. Each brand has its own copy protection methods, and they are easy to find on the Internet. It also matters where exactly the part is produced. Many companies have several factories and the quality of products from different factories can vary greatly. In our article we will definitely talk about such nuances.

Stabilizer struts Lada Vesta: signs and causes of malfunction

There are plenty of reasons for extraneous sounds emanating from the front suspension. This could be a loose steering rack on Vesta, worn shock absorber struts, ball joints, silent blocks of levers, or worn stabilizer bushings.

At a mileage of 40-50 thousand km, sometimes less, the stabilizer struts may knock and this is easy to check. The stand knocks only in two cases:

• increased wear of the strut ball joints and the resulting play;
• ball joint jamming.

Design of the Lada Vesta anti-roll bar
It is rare, but a break in the strut hinge occurs; in this case, the stabilizer loses one of its attachment points, which affects directional stability, handling and the operation of the front suspension as a whole.

The reasons for the failure of the rack are obvious:

• lack of lubrication in ball ends;
• boot damage;
• mechanical damage to the rack;
• defective or low-quality racks originally installed on the car, which is also not uncommon.

New stabilizer struts for Vesta
To check the condition of the strut, it is enough to shake the ball joints by hand in an unloaded state (the car is standing on a flat area without lateral roll). The backlash will be visible immediately, if there is any. You can more accurately determine the condition of the ball ends if you remove them from their mounting points, which, in fact, is equivalent to replacing the stabilizer struts.

Replacement resource. Consequences of untimely prevention

Lada Vesta stabilizer struts are replaced under warranty after 50,000 km. In practice, the interval is shorter by 5–10 thousand km. If the machine is actively used on rough terrain, the “update” interval is reduced by a third.

The duration of use largely depends on:

• quality of road surface;
• driving style and manners;
• speed and temperature conditions.

When the first knocks appear in the front-wheel drive area, you need to visit a service station and order diagnostics using digital equipment.

Ignoring the vehicle’s “signals” contributes to a decrease in control efficiency. When cornering, the car rolls on its side, making it difficult to control the vehicle at speeds over 90 km/h. At higher speeds, emergency situations cannot be ruled out.

Which stabilizer struts are best to buy on Vesta

When choosing a replacement for the original, you must consider the length of the stand. It is measured between the centers of the ball pins and for a standard (not lowered or lifted) suspension it is 275 mm. The length must be strictly observed, since if the distance between the centers of the fingers does not match, the stabilizer will not work correctly.

For example, by installing a strut just 10 mm longer, we will regularly hear the sound of the strut hitting the lever when driving over bumps. In addition, it will fail within a maximum of 15-20 thousand km.

Old original stabilizer link and new one from RAV4, difference 10 mm

If the suspension parameters have been changed, the ground clearance has been lowered or increased, the strut should be selected taking into account the changed ground clearance. It is highly not recommended to buy racks from little-known manufacturers, and judging by the reviews, users are not too fond of Belmag racks. Also, for the reasons mentioned above, you should not install racks from Toyota RAV4 with a length of 285 mm, neither the original Toyota ones ( 48820-42020 ), nor their analogues.

The article number of the original VAZ stub rack is 8450006750 , the price is about $10-11. However, their quality is questioned by many owners.

Based on public feedback, racks from the following manufacturers are most often purchased:

• STR CLMZ 19 , tolerable quality, price within the original;
• full analogue of Renault 8200 669 065 ;
• SASIC 4005146;
• LEMFORDER 28334 01;
• SIDEM , article 19061 , price about $15;
• Trek , part number SL70-198 , $10 each;
• FEBI 12768;
• MONROE L15600.

It is very important to remember that it is highly recommended to replace the racks in pairs, while the nuts also necessarily require replacement, since they are not intended for reuse.

How to increase the service life of racks

Experienced drivers have developed their own procedure for extending the life of car suspension parts.

1. Completely eliminate high-speed driving on bumpy roads. The main factor that causes shock absorbers to fail is the presence of shocks to the suspension. This is especially painful at high speeds.
2. Maintains correct tire pressure. Car tires also participate in shock absorption, as do damper inserts. It is optimal to monitor the indicators inside the wheels every 500 - 700 kilometers. The bottom line is that the built-in puncture sensors may not work or display data incorrectly.
3. Timely prevention and diagnostic procedures. Actions will help prevent serious problems with the chassis of the car. When play forms inside hinges or joints, uncontrolled destruction of parts occurs.
4. No overload. The machine is not designed to transport heavy loads. If you consistently overload the suspension, you can quickly kill it.
5. Installation of high-quality consumables. Some users are trying to save money by purchasing original parts or high-quality analogues, preferring cheap components. It should be understood that a penny saving on parts can result in an expensive, comprehensive suspension repair.

Do-it-yourself replacement of stabilizer struts for Lada Vesta

To change struts on Vesta, as on most modern cars, you do not need to have any special knowledge or skills. The work will go quickly and without problems if you apply a penetrating lubricant, for example, WD-40, to the threaded connections ahead of time, after first cleaning the threads and the nut itself from dirt and dust. The only tools you will need are a 16 mm spanner and a Torx T30 bit, as well as new stands.

Mounting the anti-roll bar strut for Lada Vesta: 1-Shock absorber strut; 2-Upper and lower hinges for attaching the stabilizer link; 3-Stabilizer link; 4-Anti-roll bar.

Replacement is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. We put the car on the handbrake on a level surface, loosen the wheel bolts.
2. Raise the car, remove the wheel and place a stand under the steering knuckle.

3. We do the same on the other side, and the height of the stand should be the same on one side and the other . This is necessary in order to relieve the load on the anti-roll bar .
4. Holding the ball pin with a T30 wrench, unscrew the nut with a 16 wrench. We do the same at the other mounting point of the strut and on the other side of the car.
5. Remove the old stand and clean the mounting holes for the fingers.
6. Installation of the racks is carried out in the reverse order. At the same time, the racks on Vesta have neither a right nor a left side, neither a top nor a bottom. Tighten the new nuts with a force of 40-50 Nm .

After installing the correct racks, they are guaranteed to last 40-50 thousand km. Good luck to everyone!

• Stabilizer's pole;
• Oil shock absorbers;
• Springs;
• Silent blocks;
• Suspension arms;
• Stretcher;
• Rubber boots, bushings.

During the operation of the machine, parts wear out, become deformed, and break into pieces. The simplicity of the suspension design allows you to carry out repairs yourself. We contact the service station in case of major repairs of the unit.

VAZ cars: repair, maintenance, tuning

A knock in the front suspension of the Lada Vesta may indicate several chassis malfunctions at once. However, stabilizer struts are different, they have a characteristic sound when worn, and their malfunction has a significant impact on handling. How to change stabilizer struts on Vesta, which ones are better to choose and which ones to avoid, we’ll figure it out together.

Originals, analogues, article number, price of stabilizer struts for Lada Vesta

Technical data: length 275 x width 30 mm x diameter 10 mm.

Stand structure: tip, metal base, rubber boot, retaining ring. The nuts are supplied complete with the original stands.

To the surprise of most Lada Vesta car owners, the model can be equipped with stabilizer bars from RAV 4 (TOYOTA RAV4), article number 48820-42020. The diameter is identical, completely matches. The same cannot be said about the length of the rod - 285 mm. In fact, 10.0 mm longer than standard size. However, this does not prevent the front suspension from working properly.

Before purchasing spare parts, do not forget to check the catalog number against the data in the operating instructions. Manufacturer's warranty is 80,000 km.

Lada Vesta suspension diagnostics

Before starting repairs, be sure to carry out diagnostics. This is necessary to assess the condition of the machine, identify breakdowns, and correctly calculate spare parts and consumables.

The process is not at all complicated, you can do it on your own. If you encounter any difficulties with installation, please read the instructions and watch video tutorials on the Internet.

• We drive the car into the inspection hole, fix the rear row of wheels with boots to avoid any arbitrary rollback;
• Jack up the side and remove the wheel;
• From under the bottom we press on the stabilizer bar, check for play, deformation, cracks;
• Additionally, we inspect the condition of adjacent parts, levers, and mechanisms.

To check the tightness of the fit, we use a metal pry bar. We summarize, analyze the received data, and calculate the number of necessary spare parts.

Finally, we check the brake pads, disc, and cylinder. If the actual thickness of the pads is less than 17.0 mm, they must be replaced with new ones. Subsequent operation of the vehicle is unsafe.

Replacing stabilizer struts on Lada Vesta

We replace suspension elements in pairs; it is unsafe to leave worn parts in their original places. Repeated repairs will be required soon.

• We drive the Lada Vesta into the inspection channel and ensure safety measures during the work;
• Jack up the side, unscrew the bolts, remove the wheel;
• Alternately unscrew the upper and lower mounts of the stabilizer bar;
• We carry out troubleshooting of the mounting socket, if there are no defects, we install a new stand and screw the nuts.

If the silent blocks need to be replaced, additionally unscrew the fastening of the ball joint and remove the suspension arm. We fix it in a stationary vice and press out the worn silent blocks. We troubleshoot the lugs, clean the surface of rubber residues, and press in new polyurethane bushings. We assemble the structure in reverse order.

Motorists claim that polyurethane bushings are interchangeable with Lada Kalina. It is not yet known what they are suitable for.

Sometimes the source of the knock is worn out cross member bushings. To replace consumables, additionally unscrew the beam mount, remove the rubber bushings, and install new ones. We screw the mechanisms back on.

Preparation of the workplace

• TORX wrench, socket set;
• rags;
• additional lighting;
• new “bones”;
• liquid for removing rust and deposits;
• related consumables that need to be replaced.

Sequencing:

1. We install the machine on a flat platform. We fix the rear row of wheels with wheel chocks.
2. Unscrew the bolts, jack up the left side, and remove the wheel.
3. Raise the car with a jack until the pressure on the bone decreases and it becomes easier to rotate.
4. Using a key set to “16”, unscrew the upper and lower fastenings. Gently tap with a hammer and remove the tips from the seat. We use WD-40 as needed.

1. We clean the eyes, remove dirt, deposits, and rust.
2. We press in the ends of the new stabilizer link.

1. Tighten the nuts with a torque wrench to a force of 5 Nm.

By analogy, we replace the racks on the right side.

What you need to know about the rear suspension elements of the Lada Vesta

In the rear part, the suspension function is performed by a torsion beam, shock absorbers, springs, silent blocks pressed into the beam.

As the machine is used, parts wear out, backlash is formed, and free play increases. To eliminate the defect, it is necessary to replace the rear suspension elements.

• After removing the wheel, unscrew the upper and lower fastenings of the shock absorber strut assembly with the spring. Next, we unscrew the beam fastening, press out the silent blocks, inspect the mounting socket, and press in new bushings.
• Sometimes sagging rear springs make a metallic knock. Inexperienced motorists mistake this for a knocking sound from the stabilizer bar. To replace the spring, first remove the rear shock absorber and spring assembly.
• Using a crab-shaped puller, we compress several turns of the spring and disassemble the module. We install a new spring and assemble the structure.
• At the same time, we carry out troubleshooting of the brake circuit, pads, disc, and working cylinder. If the actual thickness of the pads is less than 19.0 mm, replace them with new ones. Subsequent operation of the machine is unsafe.

Tips for caring for Lada Vesta suspension

• We adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the interval of scheduled technical inspection - every 15,000 km;
• The average service life of the suspension is 60 – 65 thousand km. Mandatory preventive maintenance after 15,000 km;
• Purchase components from official points, representative offices, dealers;
• Order paid car repair services only from those service stations that provide a quality guarantee for the work performed;
• Always check the compatibility of parts according to the catalog numbers specified in the operating instructions;
• After carrying out repair work at the service center, check that the technicians have entered maintenance data into the service book.

[pp_youtube src=»https://www.youtube.com/embed/cRt5mE6qxNI?feature=oembed» ] Driver, remember that a moderate driving style and original parts increase the service life of Lada Vesta parts by 7 - 10%.

Which stabilizer struts are best to install? Obviously, new ones and with factory catalog numbers. Installing parts from other models is a temporary solution to the problem, not always effective or correct.

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Side mirrors of Lada Vesta.