VAZ 2114: DIY steering rack repair, symptoms

No one will deny the fact that proper steering in any car guarantees not only the safety of the driver and passengers, but also trouble-free operation in principle. Regardless of the type of steering gear, be it worm gear, power rack or pinion steering, they all require periodic maintenance. VAZ-2114 and all second-generation Samaras received a fairly reliable and easy-to-repair and adjust steering mechanism. It does not have a hydraulic booster, which makes its maintenance and adjustment easier.

Symptoms of malfunction

1. Knock on rough roads . When hitting bumps, you will hear dull or ringing metallic sounds from the front of the car. This does not always happen due to wear on the steering rack; sounds can also arise from other components: ball joint, tip, wheel bearing.
2. Large steering play. As the mechanism wears out, the gaps between the teeth increase, causing free play to increase. Play can also appear when the steering tips and ball joints are worn out.

Backlash should definitely be eliminated at the initial stages of its appearance, since delaying repairs can lead to complete failure and the replacement of the element.

1. Steering wheel jamming . Most likely the cause of the problem will be the steering rack. Most often this occurs due to damage to the anthers. Water and dirt begin to enter the mechanism body. The lubricant washes out or thickens, causing the teeth to cling to each other unevenly.

A similar problem also occurs when the element is incorrectly adjusted.

Useful : How much does a new steering rack cost for a VAZ 2114?

Required Tools

To service the mechanism we need the following set of tools:

• Open-end wrenches. It would be good if there was a complete set, but usually the sizes required are: 8, 10, 13, 22.
• Set of heads;
• Flat and Phillips screwdrivers;
• Pliers or round nose pliers;
• Hexagon 17 (better set);
• Jack and wheel wrench;
• Chisel and hammer;
• It would be great to have a special puller for tie rods;
• WD-40 or Liquid Wrench for thread processing.
• Special key for adjusting the rack

Also, for safety, it is necessary to prepare supports for the wheels of the car.

Steering rack repair kit for VAZ 2114

When starting to overhaul the mechanism, you need to consider the market for repair kits. There are several types:

• The first consists only of rubber bands, gaskets and dampers. It is suitable for changing the lubricant inside the mechanism and for light maintenance. The price for a set is about 200 rubles.
• The second is complemented by two bearings, which is also suitable for easy maintenance of the mechanism. The cost of the set is about 500 rubles.
• The latest repair kit has almost all internal mechanisms and implies a complete replacement of units. The price is about 2000 rubles.

Before purchasing a kit, check which rack is installed on your car and write down its number. This will help you avoid making mistakes when purchasing.

We repair it ourselves

To get started, you will need a set of tools and repair kits.

Replacement kit

Be sure to include the following in your list of tools and materials:

• Repair kit for one of three configurations (more about them below);
• Bearings;
• Lubrication;
• Set of keys and screwdrivers.

Selecting a repair kit

Spare parts
As for repair kits, the standard minimum set includes four elements:

• Washers;
• Nuts;
• Bearings;
• Bushings made of fluoroplastic.

But is it enough for your specific steering rack situation? Let's try to understand the purpose and configuration of each of the three types of repair kits.

1. The cheapest repair kit, the contents of which you are already familiar with, allows you to solve the most minor problems that have arisen with your slats.
2. The middle kit additionally includes other bearings and shafts. Designed for more serious repair work.
3. The most expensive repair kit may consist of whole new slats, that is, it involves not a repair, but a simple replacement of units.

Removing the steering rack

When starting to repair the VAZ 2114 steering rack, first of all we need to remove it. We do this using the following technology:

1. We park the car on a level surface. For safety, we put supports under the wheels to prevent them from rolling back.
2. Raise the car with a jack, loosen the wheel nuts and remove it. Similar work needs to be done on the other side.
3. There is a hole in the arch on the right side that is closed with a plug. Let's take it off.
4. When the absorber is installed, it is necessary to loosen the clamp and, without disconnecting the hoses, move it to the side.
5. Using a hammer and chisel, we bend the antennae onto the plates that hold the tie rod nuts.

6. We unscrew the bolts and pull them out along with the plate. We move the pulls to the side.
7. We find the junction of the column shaft with the gear shaft of the mechanism. It is located at the front panel from the passenger compartment. Let's separate them.

8. Using a socket or a 13mm wrench, unscrew the brackets that hold the steering rack. They often become very rusty and unscrewing them becomes problematic, so it is advisable to first treat them with WD-40 and wait a few minutes.

9. We move the mechanism towards the engine to free the shaft and remove it.
10. We pull it out through the hole described in the third paragraph.

After this, the dismantling is completed and you can begin to repair or replace the mechanism.

What you need for repairs

Before starting repairs, purchase a repair kit. It can be small and include only bushings, oil seals, boots, etc. There is also a large repair kit, which also includes a rack. There are a lot of companies that produce such repair kits, so which one to choose is up to the owner to decide. But it’s better to choose a manufacturer who is an official supplier of spare parts to the car plant.

To make repairs, you won’t need much:

• Set of open-end wrenches;
• Screwdrivers;
• Rags;
• Lubrication;
• Repair kit;

Disassembly

If you decide to carry out maintenance yourself, then you should disassemble it in order:

1. We cut off or bite through the plastic clamps that are located on the sides of the protective casing. We remove it and inspect it for breaks or cracks.
2. The side protective caps are also attached to the clamps. We carry out a similar procedure and remove them.
3. Unscrew the adjusting screw with a 17 octagonal wrench.
4. Then we take out the sealing and retaining ring, the spring and the stop. We check the emphasis for scuffs and other damage, since its condition directly affects its performance.

5. Now we need to remove the steering gear boot. It sits tightly on the body and does not have any special fastenings.
6. We take out the lock washer and unscrew the bearing nut. Then remove the o-rings. After the steering shaft.
7. We check the condition of the bearing. In case of wear, we knock it down using an extension or a gentle blow with a hammer. We press in the new bearing using a yew or a press.
8. Then we check the condition of the needle bearing. We take it out with a screwdriver, carefully lifting it up.
9. We take the rail itself out of the body. We clean off the old grease and inspect the condition.
10. The last step is to remove the bushing. To do this, use a screwdriver to move it from its seat and after that it can be easily removed.

At this point, the disassembly and inspection of elements for damage is completed and you can begin reassembling the mechanism. The video shows a do-it-yourself repair of a VAZ 2114 steering rack:

Steering rack repair

Do-it-yourself repair of the VAZ 2114 steering rack involves installing new parts into the mechanism body. But it is worth paying attention to the lubrication of parts. The manufacturer recommends using FIOL-1.

• First, lubricate the rack and the internal cavity of the housing.
• Then apply a generous amount of plastic bushing and place the needle bearing in place.
• The rail can be installed in the housing.
• Lubricate the steering gear shaft.
• Next, we hammer the material into the bearing.
• Afterwards the stop is lubricated, screws and stoppers are installed, as well as the casing and anthers.

The detailed process is described in the previous paragraph.

Advantages and disadvantages of DIY assembly

At first glance, there is nothing complicated in such work:

You can save money by purchasing only a repair kit and lubricant, the cost of which is quite reasonable. And at the service you will have to pay for the services of the master. And if the contractor is not entirely honest, then the parts may not be completely new, which will quickly necessitate a second repair. But there are also disadvantages that can affect the operation of the machine immediately or after a short operating period. To avoid mistakes in operation, you should carefully watch the video on how to properly repair the steering rack.

Adjusting the steering rack on a VAZ 2114

To make the adjustment we need a special key. It looks like a hexagon on one side, and on the other side a key for tightening the timing belt.

Next, we need to drive into a hole or overpass to gain full access to the adjusting bolt. If this is not possible, you can jack up the car and crawl under it. Afterwards we need to look under the car on the left side. On the rail we will see a special recess in which the adjustment mechanism is installed. It's better to spray it with WD-40 right away. This will help clean the threads from rust. If the adjustment occurs for the first time, the bolt will be very difficult to turn, since it is cored at the factory so that it does not unscrew due to vibration.

After tightening, you need to conduct a small test, turn the steering wheel in motion. If it turns too tightly, then you have overtightened the nut; you need to loosen it a little. When the work is done correctly, vibration during movement, play and knocking should go away.

Steering ends: signs of malfunction

Steering ends are replaced when the following symptoms are observed: when driving over uneven surfaces, when accelerating or braking, a knock is felt, the steering wheel begins to vibrate and shake, play is noticed in the steering rod, and kickback is observed in the gas pedal. You can fully check the serviceability of the tips by checking the integrity of the anthers, etc.

Since these parts affect wheel alignment, they must be replaced on time so that the rubber does not start to wear unevenly.

The steering tips are changed on both sides at once (if one breaks, then after a while the other will break too).

When performing repair work to replace VAZ 2114 tips, the following tools are used:

• The key is “19”, the key is “24”, the key is “27”.
• Calipers.
• Press-out puller or mounting tool.
• Hammer.
• Brake fluid or chemical WD-40.

The cost of this repair at a car service

In car services, the average price for repairs depends on the complexity of the repair. Approximate cost of work:

• Steering diagnostics - about 300 rubles;
• Adjusting the mechanism costs about 500 rubles;
• Replacing the steering rack costs about 3,000 rubles.

Most services will not undertake to rebuild your rack. If you contact services that do this, prices start from 500 rubles, depending on what you need to replace. The cost, of course, is indicated without withdrawal. Repairing the steering rack on a VAZ 2114 is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, especially if you are guided by the information from the article. This will help you save half of your budget from spending on repairs at car services.

Why do the adjustments?

The force on the front wheels of the VAZ 2109 is transmitted through a gear, which, in turn, interacts with a rack. To eliminate any gaps that arise in the engagement, pressure springs are used.

The rack adjustment is carried out in order to eliminate the resulting backlash, as well as to improve the clarity and obedience of the steering.

If the rack is not tightened correctly, the steering wheel will turn too tightly. This phenomenon occurs due to the fact that the adjusting screw has been overtightened. The task of adjustment is to find the golden mean.

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