Every car owner, no matter how much he loves his iron horse, periodically thinks about what modifications could improve it. A smoother and more confident ride, external gloss, excellent visibility, a powerful engine and reliable brakes, excellent acoustics - every motorist dreams of all this. And if all this can be done with your own hands, then such an “update” has no price at all. In this article we will try to touch on all the subtleties of what tuning is most often performed by owners of the Lada Kalina 2 station wagon.
What types of tuning are most common for the Lada Kalina 2 station wagon?
When deciding to do tuning with your own hands, a rare driver relies solely on the desire to create something with his own hands; most often he expects to save time and money in this way, which means that we are not talking about complete tuning, but only about partial improvement of the car.
At the moment, it is believed that the Lada Kalina 2 station wagon is the most popular passenger car in the Russian Federation. Before you start upgrading this car, we recommend that you look at the photos and video reviews that are available in large quantities on thematic websites. But first, decide on the part of the car that needs to be updated.
Price issue
A set of covers for both a sedan and a Lada Kalina hatchback costs at least 2.5 thousand rubles. But when purchasing, you should take into account not only the cost, but also customer reviews of a specific manufacturer, as well as the material’s ability to resist abrasion, form snags and folds, formatting, and the presence of separate elements for headrests and armrests.
The car interior will not look impressive without properly selected stylish covers. There is a large assortment of car seat coverings on sale, many photos in catalogs
But you should pay attention not only to the appearance, but also to the quality of the product
Selecting and installing seat covers for your car is not an easy task. This is due not only to the selection of the optimal material for the covers, but also to the quality of workmanship and the correct installation.
External tuning and modernization
External tuning of the Lada Kalina 2 station wagon can include several areas at once. We'll look at each of them briefly:
- deflector. The deflector is installed on the hood, and more specifically, on its front part. At the same time, no additional effort is required on the part of the driver installing it. A deflector is installed in order to preserve the hood and protect it from damage. It should protect the car from accidental impacts from stones and dust, and from debris. This happens due to the fact that it changes the direction of air flow. Before installing this unit, it is recommended to see what the station wagon will look like: the photos will help you navigate the choice of device model;
- improving the aerodynamic characteristics of the car. The deflector is not the only unit that changes the direction of the air that collides with the car. Body kits are also installed on the vehicle. They can be standard bumper and sill covers, body panels, roof runners, protection for headlights and other decorative items, as well as exclusive custom-made decoration sets. Body kits give the car individuality and style, a distinctly elegant or aggressively sporty look, and also provide it with excellent speed characteristics by reducing aerodynamic drag.
Variety of materials for cases
If you do a search, you can find a wide variety of types of covers for such a common car as the Lada Kalina. It’s difficult to make a choice right away. Therefore, before going to a car store, you should still study the general recommendations and familiarize yourself with the models offered.
One of the most popular types of covers for Kalina. Such cases have a number of advantages:
- external attractiveness;
- practicality and wear resistance;
- minimal care;
- providing body ventilation for the passenger and driver.
When purchasing such cases, you need to pay special attention to the quality of their manufacture. Velor covers are highly practical
They are not only pleasant to the touch, but also do not get so cold in winter, which allows you to feel comfortable when getting into the car.
Velor covers are highly practical. They are not only pleasant to the touch, but also do not get so cold in winter, which allows you to feel comfortable when getting into the car.
The upholstery is made of velor
However, over time, velor not only wears off, but also stretches. Therefore, after the first wrinkles appear, the covers will have to be replaced.
Covers for Lada Kalina, combining velor and eco-leather inserts, are in great demand. This combination allows not only to combine the advantages of materials, but also to extend their service life.
Time-tested material that allows you to choose any color and pattern. In addition, such covers not only retain their properties for a long time, but can also be easily washed if necessary.
The only drawback of fabric covers may be the inconvenience of use in hot weather. But if the car is equipped with air conditioning, there will be no problems.
Always up-to-date material that creates additional comfort in the cabin. This is due not only to its velvety structure, but also to its comfort of use even in cold weather. The material is quite resistant to wear, but due to the relatively high cost there are not many offers on the market.
This type of car seat trim will not only make the interior of your car look chic, but will also provide the necessary comfort in cold weather.
But such finishing collects a lot of dust and other contaminants; if used carelessly, it will require dry cleaning.
This material is accessible and will allow you to realize any fantasy. But vinyl covers offer minimal comfort because they easily change the temperature to match the outside temperature. Covers made of vinyl practically do not “breathe”.
Suspension and engine modifications
For many car enthusiasts, it often comes as an unpleasant surprise that the suspension of the Lada Kalina 2 station wagon is quite fragile and poorly controlled. If you also encounter this unpleasant feature, then it is better for you to start tuning by upgrading the suspension. This is a fairly labor-intensive process, but not so much that it cannot be done independently. We recommend replacing the main suspension elements:
- Shock absorbers.
- Springs.
- Racks.
- Support bearings.
How to take up trunk space
In Kalina-2, as in most other hatchbacks and station wagons, the trunk and interior are separated by a removable shelf. This shelf can be dismantled, or you can use it to install speakers. True, then there will be little space left for the subwoofer, especially if we are talking about a hatchback:
Everything looks great in the station wagon, especially if the shelf has been removed:
Homemade subwoofer housing in the trunk of a station wagon
The amplifier in both cases is mounted on the back of the rear seat. In fact, it is not recommended to do this - the cladding elements are not designed for significant loads.
It is better to install more durable sports analogues.
If we talk about engine tuning, the first thing you need to do is replace the spark plugs. It is best to install BOSH WR 78 X spark plugs. They have two main advantages: easy engine starting in the cold season and quieter operation. Of course, you can go for a more radical modernization: replace the factory engine with a more powerful unit. It could be an engine of the same volume, only with sixteen valves. Also, engine power increases when replacing the filter with an analogue with zero resistance.
IF WE WERE CONDUCTING THE RECALL CAMPAIGN
Back in the February issue (pp. 112–114) , when we were able to see “Grant” for the first time, as they say, under a magnifying glass, we talked about the most significant shortcomings. For example, at the entrance to the engine compartment there is a plastic case dangling - protecting the fuel line pipes and adsorber. The lower radiator hose, which rubs against adjacent parts, obviously lacks fastenings. The middle clamps on the engine ventilation pipes do not provide tight connections: after a year of operation, the engine will become covered with an oil coating. And this is only part of the shortcomings. We will certainly tell you about others in the near future - expect constant reports on the editorial “Grant”.
Returning to the recall campaign: it is a pity that forces and means were used ineffectively. Perhaps eliminating the shortcomings we have identified would cost the manufacturer more, but in the future it will pay off faster. After all, AVTOVAZ does not currently have enough serious investments in reliability to build a high-quality car.
Salon
The updated interior of the Kalina has fewer shortcomings than in previous versions, but there is still something to work on.
- The missing elbow pad significantly complicates the ability to overcome huge distances. You can solve the problem by installing an armrest that can fit into the gap between the chairs.
- You can remove the sound of the rear parcel shelf clanking by gluing foam rubber in the places where the parcel shelf adheres to the car body.
- By installing a trim on the rear bumper in the trunk area, you can reduce the number of scratches on its surface.
- If your configuration does not include rear electric windows, you can install them yourself.
- The lack of sound insulation can be compensated by installing additional or replacing the existing sound insulation with the best quality one.
IN PICTURES
Remove possible contact of the power system tubes with the clutch cable.
How to fix it.
Corrugated linings must be installed on the fuel and steam pipes (factory part number 2190–1104286).
Note.
It is better to secure electrical installation corrugations with plastic clamps. In general, the corrugations will also quickly wear out when in contact with the cable. To ensure that this defect is eliminated, it is necessary to install additional fastenings for the fuel line. This is the most expensive, so the manufacturer limited itself to an economical option.
Modify the body in the place where the washer reservoir is installed.
How to fix it.
Glue tapes in the designated places so that the tank does not rub against the alloy.
Note.
The alteration is necessary: after a couple of years of operation, on almost all cars it is necessary to replace the tank, which has been worn out from vibrations. We have another fundamental remark: it would be better to tape the tide on the tank, which also serves for attachment to the body. For gaskets, any soft (preferably self-adhesive) material a couple of mm wide will do.
Check the position of the harness at the brake water level sensor.
How to fix it.
Slightly unscrew the reservoir cap and unfold the sensor so that it does not touch either the battery or the engine shield.
Note.
Inspect the placement of the tourniquet after changing the water. But you may not be able to do this: the mentioned parts do not move relative to each other and are unlikely to ever wear out.
Check the tightness of the wiring harness 2190–3724026 (water should not enter the interior along the internal corrugated walls).
How to fix it.
We wrap with electrical tape the section of the harness from the branch to the crankshaft sensor to the entrance to the body, as well as the areas on the engine panel located next to the entrance of the wires to the passenger compartment.
Note. It's worth creating. It happened that water penetrated inside using this particular method and harmed the electrical system.
Check the position of the diagnostic (second) oxygen sensor harness.
How to fix it.
It is not enough to pull the harness out of the body, thereby eliminating the tension on the wires.
Note.
True in theory, but in practice... The force is not so great as to tear the wire out of the sensor. It is much more likely that the latter will fall victim to low-quality gasoline.
Check that the brake pipes do not touch the battery pad.
How to fix it.
Take a thicker screwdriver and carefully remove the tubes.
Note.
It’s worth paying attention to the tubes, although again, just because of them, there is no need to run as fast as you can to the dealer: if they come into contact, the line (let’s not even mention the site) will leak in more than one thousand km.
Seal the technological holes in the floor in the front part of the body.
How to fix it.
Remove the 30 mm plugs (2108–5112090), apply Auto-7-94 mastic to them and insert them into the original space.
Note.
Instead of the rarest mastic, any sealant will do. Or leave the plugs alone. After all, even if moisture, dirt or reagents enter the cabin through them, their quantity cannot be compared with what splashes out onto the carpet from the mats.
Change the placement of the control (first) oxygen concentration sensor harness.
How to fix it.
Avoid contact of wires with the sharp edge of the catalytic collector screen. Disconnect the harness and bring it to the other side (to the right in the direction of travel) of the screen - now the wiring lies on the rounded edge.
Note.
On the previous “Kalinas” and “Priors” the wire was laid literally the same way, supposedly along a sharp edge. But on all the typewriters we recognize, including editorial ones, it never frays. If you still want to follow the factory's advice, do the operation on a cool engine so as not to get burned.
Thank you
for assistance in preparing the material.
Source: www.zr.ru
