Purpose and design features of racks
The front struts are designed to reduce the impact of the road surface on the car while driving. If the road is full of uneven surfaces, then the operation of the struts in this driving mode is especially important. The front struts, as well as the rear ones, of the Lada Kalina allow you to smooth out the vibrations that occur in the body under the influence of inertia when driving on an uneven road surface. Even if the road has a smooth surface, the shock absorbers are still endowed with the function of holding the car steadily on a given trajectory.
Over time, the front struts become unusable, and then the owner, while driving, notices the appearance of difficulties in driving the car. He also begins to feel the smallest irregularities in the road surface, during which the body tends to sway and move from the set course. Efficient shock absorbers are designed to prevent this development of events.
Before starting repair procedures, you need to familiarize yourself in detail with the design aspects of these elements of the Lada Kalina chassis.
- The front oil struts have a two-pipe mechanism, the functioning of which is possible due to the internal movement of liquid, that is, oil. This design of the shock absorber is quite simple, but in operation a tendency to overheating has been revealed, which provokes the supports to deform. Selecting and replacing these product options is also easy.
- The front gas-oil struts operate under the influence of gas pressure. They are very effective and allow the Lada Kalina car to gain reliable protection from shock and rocking influences.
- Single-pipe structures. In most models, manufacturers use such versions of products in the stern suspension. Shock absorbers can please you with good heat transfer and fairly high efficiency. Disadvantages include low reliability and high sensitivity to shock loads.
The choice of product option is significantly influenced by the operating features. Primary replacement of struts in Lada Kalina is recommended after 100,000 mileage. Subsequent replacements must be carried out after approximately 80 thousand km, but we must not forget about the influence of the operational factor.
When do you need to change struts on a car and why?
First of all, a shock absorber (shock absorber strut or telescopic strut) is necessary in order to press the wheels as tightly as possible to the road when driving over uneven surfaces, and also to effectively absorb shocks, shocks, dampen vibrations, etc.
Naturally, when subjected to constant loads, shock absorbers inevitably fail. If you add to this the poor condition of the road surface, replacing struts can become a fairly frequent procedure.
As for VAZ owners, the racks on the Lada Kalina were no exception. In practice, this car has oil shock absorbers from the factory. To put it simply, the Kalina front strut is a solution where oil is pumped in as a working damper.
Although the stated service life is about 80-100 thousand km, after 40-60 thousand km. the rack often begins to “sweat”, which indicates an oil leak. If the stand was wet at first, and then traces of liquid disappeared, this indicates that there is almost no oil in it and it needs to be replaced.
Let's also add that gas shock absorbers have gas instead of oil. Of course, it is impossible to notice an oil leak, since it is not there and the racks will always be dry. There are also so-called gas-oil struts, which have both gas and oil inside.
- One way or another, regardless of the type of shock absorbers, if they malfunction, you can notice that the car holds the road worse, a buildup has appeared, and the body tilts in corners. Also, when driving over uneven surfaces, you can hear the pillar knocking; all road defects are transmitted to the body, etc.
To quickly determine the complete failure of the rack, just press on the body in the part where it is installed. If the car rocks more than once, the struts need to be replaced. It is important to take into account that shock absorbers are replaced in pairs on the same axis.
For an accurate diagnosis, it is recommended to visit a vibration stand (a special stand for testing shock absorbers), where you can conduct a comprehensive check, assess the degree of wear of the struts, their performance in percentage terms, etc.
To summarize, the struts of Kalina or another car must be replaced if problems arise with the stability of the car on the road, there is rocking or leakage of working fluid, or the struts begin to knock. Also, with faulty struts, the car brakes worse and the braking distance increases.
The only thing is that a slight knock on the Lada Kalina strut is allowed in the cold season if the shock absorbers are oil-based. This is normal, as cold oil must first warm up when driving, after which the shock absorber should begin to function normally.
Why is replacement necessary?
Over time, use tends to cause shock absorbers and springs to fail. Owners should resort to replacement when such characteristic signs of incorrect product operation appear, such as:
- unsatisfactory performance on the road, which is accompanied by a lack of stability, large swings and the appearance of knocking sounds;
- fact of leakage of working fluid (oil);
- increasing braking distance.
When the Kalina still has standard shock absorbers, the owner should be encouraged to carry out repair work (replacement) in the following situations:
- The rod seal lost its tightness, resulting in traces of oil leakage. This may be affected by severe operating conditions. The rubber cuff “gives up” under the influence of elevated temperature of the working fluid.
- Knock detected. This will require replacing the rack. Before repairing, you should carefully check the unit for malfunctions. Owners often confuse this factor with a knock in the steering rack. Tightening the adjusting element can help here. If the situation does not improve, then proceed to repair the steering unit. Also, due to incorrect installation of the racks, this characteristic knock may appear.
What to choose for Kalina?
Car owners are very concerned about the question, which racks are better?
- Standard shock absorbers (manufactured by SAAZ) are moderately expensive and will not cause much trouble during installation. However, they are not able to confidently hold the car on a bad road surface.
- Japanese analogues of "Kayaba". These products are more profitable because they are endowed with enviable reliability. These springs and shock absorbers are manufactured to high quality standards, which allows them to have significant efficiency on various types of road surfaces.
There are many more options for shock absorbers, including products from Acomi or options for the front chassis SS20, which gives the owner the opportunity to make his own choice, taking into account his own preferences and financial component. As for which shock absorbers are better, reviews from car owners vary.
Front struts Lada Kalina Cross
Since June 2015, the range of spare parts of the OAT Group has been supplemented by a range of struts and shock absorbers produced by SAAZ Komplekt LLC.
Item number
C strut front suspension right with gas filling
LADA Kalina Cross
Left front suspension strut with gas filling
Rear suspension shock absorber
The new items are designed specifically for vehicles with increased ground clearance LADA Kalina Cross, taking into account the increased wheelbase size.
The new products differ from the similar 21928 series in the geometry of the body, and a new set of foreign-made valves has also been used.
The products are developed in accordance with the design documentation of JSC AVTOVAZ and are delivered to the main conveyor.
Selling suspension (all components) Kalina Cross +15
mm produced by DEMFI company (Tolyatti, Russia). It is recommended to assemble the front struts on the ANVIS front suspension supports.
Prices: front struts Kalina Cross (left + right strut) - 5300 rub./set. rear shock absorbers Kalina Cross (2 pcs.) — RUB 3,000/set. front springs Kalina Cross (2 pcs.) — 2600 RUR/set. rear springs Kalina Cross (2 pcs.) — 1650 RUR/set.
Contact: PM or by phone: +7-9O2-33-969-OO Maxim.
Comments 18
Good afternoon everyone. We supply struts/shock absorbers only for LadaSport, we do not supply anything to the VAZ conveyor. We also do not deliver anything to the VAZ assembly line for Kalina Cross.
Kostya, thanks for the clarification! I had the wrong information. I'll correct the information.
not news - but a complete blatant lie)))
and the indices of struts and shock absorbers for a regular K-2. and they are “trade” from OAT. I need to write to them...
