Review of spacers to increase ground clearance on the VAZ-2114

The ground clearance of the VAZ 2114 or ground clearance , as for any other passenger car, is an important factor on our roads. It is the condition of the road surface or its complete absence that makes Russian motorists interested in the ground clearance of the Lada 2114 and the possibility of increasing ground clearance using spacers.

To begin with, it’s worth honestly saying that the real ground clearance of the VAZ 2114 may differ significantly from that declared by the manufacturer. The whole secret is in the method of measuring and where to measure ground clearance. Therefore, you can find out the real state of affairs only by arming yourself with a tape measure or ruler. The official ground clearance of the VAZ 2114 is 165 mm and the manufacturer indicates this figure in a “loaded” car.

Some manufacturers use a trick and declare the amount of ground clearance in an “empty” car, but in real life we ​​have a trunk full of all kinds of things, passengers and a driver. That is, in a loaded car the ground clearance will be completely different. Another factor that few people take into account is the age of the car and the wear and tear of the springs—their “sagging” due to age. The issue can be resolved by installing new springs or purchasing spacers for sagging VAZ 2114 springs . Spacers allow you to compensate for spring subsidence and add a couple of centimeters of ground clearance. Sometimes even an inch of curb parking makes a difference.

But you shouldn’t get carried away with “lifting” the ground clearance of the VAZ 2114, because spacers to increase ground clearance are focused only on springs. If you do not pay attention to the shock absorbers, the travel of which is often very limited, then independently upgrading the suspension can lead to loss of controllability and damage to the shock absorbers. From the point of view of cross-country ability, high ground clearance in our harsh conditions is good, but at high speeds on the highway and in corners, serious sway and additional body roll appear.

At the rear of the “fourteenth”, so-called “houses” or “heels” are traditionally used to increase ground clearance (pictured just above). Which simply lift the entire rack assembly. This method is suitable for almost all front-wheel drive Ladas. For example, we suggest watching a video of installing spacers to increase ground clearance on a VAZ 2114.

Any car manufacturer, when designing the suspension and choosing the ground clearance, looks for a middle ground between handling and cross-country ability. Perhaps the simplest, safest and most unpretentious way to increase clearance is to install wheels with “high” tires. Changing wheels makes it easy to increase the ground clearance by another centimeter. Do not forget that a serious change in ground clearance can lead to damage to the CV joints of the Lada 2114. After all, the “grenades” will have to work at a slightly different angle. But this only applies to the front axle.

How to properly increase a car's ground clearance

The vehicle's ground clearance is a parameter that does not happen much on our roads.
Although, if you look from the other side, it is not uncommon to come across a car on the street with a lowered suspension. Most often they decide to increase clearance due to the following cases:

1. A loaded car hits the fender liners with its rear wheels or the mudguards on the ground, so they want to lift the rear of the car .
2. It touches the bottom or crankcase protection on an uneven road, so they want to raise the front of the car .

In some cases, they decide to raise the rear and front suspension at the same time. It is no secret to many that after such actions some troubles may arise, wear of some components may increase, and the characteristics of the car may change. Let's try to find the answer to the question: how to increase ground clearance without negative consequences .

Materials used

Reviews from friends, online users and personal observations made it clear that it is extremely important what spacers you buy. When we install the first elements we come across, bought for pennies, we greatly risk our own health and the health of our car.

Go shopping, go to the same Aliexpress, look carefully at the drawing of the proposed spacers. But the most important thing is the material they are made from.

Today spacers are produced on the basis of three different materials.

• Aluminum. Aluminum spacers are quite reliable. By installing them, you will eliminate the process of deformation of the bushings, and also provide a fairly high level of comfort. Many spacers have a negative impact on the ride comfort and performance of the car. Aluminum, as a rule, affects these characteristics less than others.

• Polyurethane. Polyurethane analogues are deformed due to the impact of springs on them when you often drive on uneven roads. Therefore, over time, the risk of damage to the body by its own bushings increases.

• Polymer or plastic. Plastic products are the most reliable and high quality. But only on condition that you buy spacers from truly proven and well-established manufacturers.

Types of spacers

In order to increase the ground clearance of the car, you will need spacers for the VAZ 2114. They can differ both in the material from which they are made and in the location of their installation.

• aluminum spacers. They are the most reliable, most often used for installation under rear shock absorbers;

• spacers made of polyurethane. Convenient and versatile - can be used both under the front and rear pillars;
• spacers made of plastic. Affordable and just as versatile as polyurethane ones.

According to the type of installation, all spacers can be divided into:

• interturn. As you might guess, they are installed between the coils of springs. They are easy to install and low cost;

• spring-loaded Mounted between the body and the spring. Due to the installation method and large contact area, they are highly reliable;

• adjustable. They are similar to spring-loaded ones with the only difference that they allow you to reduce or increase the clearance of the VAZ 2114 at any time without any complex manipulations.

Speaking about spacers, it is worth noting that the interturn method of fastening, although simpler, is less reliable. It does not provide uniform distribution of load and mass, and therefore preference should be given to the spring-loaded type of spacers.

Body geometry

Many owners of the 14th model, driving a car for many years, do not even suspect how important the correct body geometry can be. But, in reality, this is the most important factor on which the performance and driving characteristics of the car depend. Without knowing what the overall body geometry is, there will be no way to check it. In addition, it will be useful to know what affects the violation of geometry dimensions, in what cases it changes, etc.

Geometry and what it is

In the automotive industry, geometry is usually called the “integrity” of dimensions between the main points of the body, standardly installed by the manufacturer. This is the most perfect position of all elements. If any discrepancy is observed, the operation of the components and mechanisms will no longer move in the right direction, since they are attached directly to various body parts. Needless to say, this will have an extremely negative impact on security.

The word body geometry on hatchbacks usually means the following distances:

• Between certain points of doorways (diagonals, height and width);
• Between the points of the hood and engine compartment.

On sedans, these indicators are supplemented by the standard trunk dimensions for the VAZ 2114.

Experts call the most important distances between control points of body parts associated with components and mechanisms of the chassis system. For example, these are the distances between the spars or glasses.

Replacing springs to increase ground clearance

The car body hangs on springs, so they have a direct impact on ground clearance.

Springs 2108 are installed on the front suspension of the VAZ 2110 car as standard. “Tens” with 16 liter internal combustion engines are equipped with reinforced springs 2112. In addition, suspension springs are divided into two classes “A” and “B”.

If you prefer to load your car to capacity, then perhaps you should choose class A springs (yellow), because... They hold a little more load.

The rear springs of cars of the tenth family are also different. For example, springs 2112 are lower, but more elastic, and 2111 are higher, but softer. Anyone interested can check out the selection of rear springs on the forum or in the topic “which springs are best to choose.”

Do not forget that if the spring is very strong, then the rebound stroke of the shock absorber decreases (the shock absorber does not work, the suspension does not function), and there is a lack of ride comfort (the car is “goat”). As a result, rapid failure of the shock absorber.

What is it for?

There are two reasons for raising the vehicle's ground clearance:

1. off-road driving;
2. sagging of springs over time.

To restore the spring to its original position, special spacers are used. The ideal option would be to replace old springs with new ones at a service station; however, car owners widely practice installing spacers to increase ground clearance with their own hands. If previously, increasing ground clearance was achieved by introducing tennis balls into the springs, now car dealerships sell special spacers of various thicknesses.

Replacing springs to increase ground clearance

The car body hangs on springs, so they have a direct impact on ground clearance.

Springs 2108 are installed on the front suspension of the VAZ 2110 car as standard. “Tens” with 16 liter internal combustion engines are equipped with reinforced springs 2112. In addition, suspension springs are divided into two classes “A” and “B”.

If you prefer to load your car to capacity, then perhaps you should choose class A springs (yellow), because... They hold a little more load.

The rear springs of cars of the tenth family are also different. For example, springs 2112 are lower, but more elastic, and 2111 are higher, but softer. Anyone interested can check out the selection of rear springs on the forum or in the topic “which springs are best to choose.”

Do not forget that if the spring is very strong, then the rebound stroke of the shock absorber decreases (the shock absorber does not work, the suspension does not function), and there is a lack of ride comfort (the car is “goat”). As a result, rapid failure of the shock absorber.

What is it about

Before you figure out what spacers are to increase ground clearance, you need to figure out what ground clearance is. clearance, in other words ground clearance , is the distance between the lowest point of the car body and the road.

Actually, why does a motorist need to increase the ground clearance? As already mentioned, various situations can lead to the fact that the ground clearance is reduced (damage to springs and fasteners, for example), or the factory one was not high enough. A car is, first and foremost, a means of transportation. A vehicle that sits tightly to the ground will not be able to drive without damaging the underbody. This can have a serious impact and make the car unsuitable for driving, which is why the question arises of increasing the distance to the road. Also, increasing the ground clearance is of interest to people who like to drive off-road.

So, increasing ground clearance is often done using special spacers. This is especially common in the case of subsidence of “native” springs. These spacers are spring mechanisms or additional fasteners. They cope with the task of increasing the clearance very well. Moreover, the procedure for attaching such magnifiers is the most accessible, since they themselves are not expensive - one spacer can be purchased for a price of 1000 rubles .

Air cylinders also cope just as well as spacers . It turns out even cheaper, and a “healthy” car with working springs does not suffer.

However, to decide whether such a modification is necessary, risk factors must also be taken into account. Of course, this idea has plenty of advantages, but it is not without its disadvantages - one way or another, any change in the “native” design always lies on the conscience of the motorist, and no one gives guarantees for its effectiveness. Before deciding to modify to increase ground clearance, weigh the pros and cons.

Installing rear spacers

Installation of spacers under the rear shock absorbers is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Unscrew the fasteners of the lower part of the shock absorber.

1. Install the spring spacer.

1. Screw the lower part of the spacer to the beam using bolts.
2. Secure the shock absorber in the central hole (lower or upper, depending on the desired amount of lift) of the spacer. The fastening bolt should be tightened with a force of no less than 70 and no more than 85 nm.

1. Perform a similar procedure with the second spring.

By carrying out such a simple operation, you can significantly increase the vehicle's ground clearance in just a couple of hours compared to the factory version.

Before installing spacers on the VAZ 2114, it is worth remembering that an increase in ground clearance will lead to a change in three important parameters at once: the direction of the headlight beams; brake pressure regulator position; the angle of inclination of the front wheel axis. Considering that the last parameter affects the stability and controllability of the car on the road, after changing the clearance value, it is recommended to visit a car service center to set it up.

It should also be noted that after the changes have been made, the car should have the following toe-in/camber angles (with a load of 4 adults in the cabin and 40 kg of payload in the trunk):

• camber - 0°±30';
• toe - 0°00'±10' (0±1 mm);
• castor (rotation axis angle) - 1°30'±30'.

Precautions when tuning the “fourteenth”

When increasing the ground clearance of the VAZ 2114, moderation should be observed. It is still possible to increase the clearance by 5 centimeters, but by 10 it is no longer worth it. The fact is that by carrying out such tuning, you make noticeable changes to the design of the car. This is due to the raising of the vehicle's center of gravity (CG).

The standard height of the CG of a car without tuning above the road surface is 56 cm. The weight of the car is about 50 kg. Calculations show that raising the car by 5 cm is similar to placing a load of approximately 40 kilograms on the roof of your “fourteenth”. So imagine that you are entering a turn at a speed of 90 km/h with a couple of heavy bags of potatoes on the roof rack. You will closely simulate the behavior of a car with increased ground clearance in a high-speed turn.

Before you start tuning, evaluate again how often you have to climb curbs exactly 19 centimeters high and drive through cutting areas between stumps exactly 18 to 22 centimeters high. Maybe you shouldn’t fence your garden... Be careful, take care of yourself.

There is less danger in lowering the car due to the use of shorter shock-absorbing elements, but even in this case it is necessary to take care of the compatibility of the tuning elements with the basic design. Low springs can be dangerous when hitting an obstacle.

Install houses on the rear suspension of the car

We approached the issue of installing spacers (houses) between the lower end of the rear shock absorber and the eyes of the rear suspension beam of the VAZ 2110. The convenience of this method of raising the car is that the houses, due to special holes, allow you to choose the height of the increase in ground clearance.

There are a lot of disputes about the advisability of installing “houses”; some claim that this is a good way to raise the rear if the springs have sagged, others cite a number of negative statements. Only one thing is clear: if you decide to install shock absorber spacers, then do not forget that three important parameters will change along with this:

• position of the brake force regulator (“sorcerer”);
• headlight adjustment;
• the longitudinal inclination angle of the steering axis of the front wheels (caster).

These parameters are directly related to the safety of the car on the road, so it is important not to forget to adjust them.

Summarize

I cannot advise or dissuade you from installing spacers. Much depends on the specific car, its condition, driving style, operating conditions, and so on.

The reason to refuse spacers may be the fact that after their installation the levers are lowered and are constantly in this state. As a result, the geometry is disrupted, the suspension system works differently, and changes for the worse, the previous sensitivity of the steering is lost, and the car can skid at high speeds.

Spacers also increase the load on the suspension itself; silent blocks, shock absorbers, and steering rods wear out.

It's up to you to decide. Think about where to buy spacers and whether it is worth buying them specifically in your case. It may be easier to change the wheels or the springs themselves. It's more expensive, but safer.

Share your impressions if you have used spacers. Don't forget to leave comments, invite your friends and tell everyone you know about us. This is not difficult for you, but we are incredibly pleased!

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20 ratings, average: 4.50 out of 5)

Step-by-step instructions for adjusting headlights on a VAZ 2114

Individual setup is done in stages:

• determine the location of the work - flat surface, length 10 m, smooth vertical wall;
• mark the wall;
• prepare lamps;
• adjust low beam.

Attention! Be sure to set the VAZ 2114 headlight hydraulic corrector to the zero position.

Individual adjustment of headlights on a VAZ 2114 is done in stages

Step by step instructions:

• prepare the site;
• place the car at a distance of 5 meters from the wall;
• turn off the engine;
• lines “1”, “2”, “O” were drawn on the wall, recording the results of the adjustment;
• place a load of 80 kg on the driver’s seat;
• move back 2.5 m;
• on straight line “1” mark the centers of the lanterns;
• draw lines “A”, “B” through the intersection points;
• set the hydraulic headlight range control to “0”;
• open the hood;
• turn on low beam;
• cover the non-correctable optical device with an opaque material;
• We adjust the headlights using the adjusting screws one by one. Screw “1” – vertical plane, “2” – horizontal;
• achieve the light beam directions accordingly

Adjusting the headlights of the VAZ 2114 is completed when the boundaries of the light beam spots and lines coincide. The left coincides with line “2”. Vertical “A”, “B” pass through points “E1”, “E2” - the intersections of inclined and horizontal sections of the contour of light spots.

Adjusting the headlights of the VAZ 2115 is carried out similarly to the adjustment instructions for the VAZ 2114.

If the boundaries of the spots of the light beam coincide, the adjustment of the headlights of the VAZ 2114 is completed

Let's improve the VAZ 2110

To raise the rear suspension on a VAZ 2110 you need to:

1. Put the car on the handbrake.
2. Using a jack, raise the rear of the car so that the wheels are in the air and rotate freely.
3. Remove the wheel.
4. Unscrew the shock absorber mounting bolt. To do this you will need a key “19”.
5. Get the bolt. Perform a similar operation with the opposite shock absorber.
6. Take the spacer and determine on which side the distance from the base to the first hole is greater. The side where it is larger should be directed inward. The same spacer can be installed on both the right and left shock absorbers, since these devices are mirror symmetrical.
7. Install the spacer so that a line is drawn from the center of its lower hole to the upper hole, which falls into the vertical of the rack. You can install the spacer so that it is not adjustable in height by screwing the shock absorber into a single hole.
8. By unfolding the spacer, you can adjust the suspension height by screwing the strut into the upper or lower hole, but the device will then need to be placed on the opposite rear shock absorber.
9. When installing a spacer on an eye, it is important to install a bolt spacer so that the mechanism does not break during operation. You don't need to tighten the bolt too much, just make sure it fits snugly and doesn't wobble.
10. Install the strut mounting bolt into the holes in the spacer and shock absorber. The height can be adjusted by selecting the top or bottom holes.
11. Also install a spacer on the opposite shock absorber.
12. Adjust the rear brake pressure regulator by unscrewing its mounting bolt. Next, you need to move the bracket with something until the distance between the lever and the spring becomes 2 millimeters.
13. Check the functionality of the brake system. When braking hard at low speed, the rear axle should lock a little later than the front. If the rear wheels brake much later, then you need to reduce the distance from the lever to the mounting spring, and if it is too early, increase it.

Interior

As for the interior decoration of the VAZ-2114, it has inexpensive but high-quality materials. The hard plastic of the front panel creaks a lot when driving. From the point of view of our drivers, the interior can even be considered “luxury”, since it has an on-board computer, a seat heating function, two power windows and fog lights.

The on-board computer displays information about the remaining gasoline in the tank, the number of kilometers that can still be driven, average consumption and time. The steering wheel is comfortable and can be easily adjusted to suit you. It’s very nice that the steering wheel does not interfere with a full view of the instruments on the panel. The interior of the updated VAZ-2114 also has a heater with an updated structure. The doors are equipped with central locks.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the new Europanel. It has two liquid crystal displays. The left corner of the “instrument board” is occupied by a temperature sensor, which informs the driver about the current engine temperature in order to prevent overheating of the power unit. This sensor is designed in the form of a scale. Next comes the tachometer, which has a round design.

The central upper part has indicators in the form of arrows. Near the engine speed sensor there is a scale that displays the speed of the machine. The maximum value on the speedometer is 200 kilometers per hour. Finally, the upper right part shows the level of gasoline in the tank. Under this sensor there were indicators for turning on the side lights and high beams, as well as a message about a malfunction of the brake system.

Not without an overboard thermometer. The driver's seat is not the most comfortable. It simply cannot be adjusted. When landing, the notch puts pressure on the lower back, and most car owners are guilty of this. The central part has emergency signs, which during normal operation of the vehicle look like an ordinary dark stripe.

Due to the new panel structure, interior ventilation has increased. We managed to eliminate the problem of air supply to the deflectors on the sides. The upholstery of the chairs has a fabric structure, which over time becomes covered with very noticeable abrasions. Many elements of the interior decoration have a lot of play and creaking, which can be heard even with the slightest movement. But it’s nice that such a defect can be easily eliminated.

Also, the restyled Lada 2114 model is equipped with seat belt fasteners from the “ten”. The ceiling received a customizable interior lighting flashlight. Lada 2114 does not have a lot of free space for passengers. The rear-mounted sofa is uncomfortable and uncomfortable on long trips. Although the rear seats can be folded down, in their normal state they take up a lot of space.

| Auto Review VAZ 2114 | fourteenth & fourteenth | for 70K, cheap pontoon cutter

It will not be so comfortable for a tall person to sit in the back. In principle, even an ordinary person with average height will feel uncomfortable. The rear windows are manual. A lot of owners of the fourteenth model struggle with extraneous noise in the cabin using sound and vibration insulation. However, due to such improvements, the weight of the vehicle increases significantly.

Some VAZ-2114 owners complain that the rear doors are jammed, making them difficult to open. Also, the loud and unpleasant sound of doors closing has not gone away. If the back row is folded and the shelf is removed, the usable space inside the Russian hatchback will become larger – 600 liters. In the normal position, the luggage compartment does not have a large volume - 330 liters.

It’s also unpleasant that the factory shelf, which we talked about a little higher, constantly rattles. This is why many people advise buying an acoustic shelf that will dampen such unpleasant sounds. In general, the update had a positive impact mainly on the interior, although there are some controversial issues. For example, the stove has become more powerful, but because of this the noise level has increased.

Video: How to Improve the Suspension of a VAZ 2115

He settled on the spring version from Prado. Not much more difficult. One and a half times. We decided not to limit ourselves to half the measures.

Cut them with a meat grinder to a suitable length. In other words, they narrowed the coil. The length of the standard spring 2108 is 370 millimeters. I cut these 345 millimeters. Further arithmetic is as follows. In the VAZ 2109 strut, the length of the compressed spring (without overload the strut is stretched to its maximum) is 280 millimeters. In other words, a standard spring compresses 370-280 = 90 millimeters. Ours are 345-280 = 65 millimeters. This is approximately 1.4 times less. The spring rate (already trimmed) is approximately 1.6 times higher, the pre-compression force is slightly higher than the standard version.

After that, I thought for a long time which side to put them on. I decided to end it. They were put on with sandpaper beforehand. I put it on the stand, looked at it and started sharpening further. The plot of land is about 0.6 turns from the end. It's like cutting a wedge (from 4 millimeters at the end to 0 millimeters and 0.6 turns). It appears that the spring, more or less in shape when assembled, presses on the caliper as a whole, without distortion, as it did on a machined spring.

Gasoline purchased. Finwhale oil shock absorbers. Took apart a couple of old oil struts and laid them out.

I decided to install VAZ 2109 upper supports rather than 2110. The 2110 supports are naturally better, but they are incompatible with the 2108 spring cups. And these cups are better than the 2110 for anomalous sources.

I assembled the struts and decided that there were a lot of oblique springs. Still aggravated. But not from the bottom, but from the outside of the coil, I cut off a segment. Somewhere in the region there is a half turn from the beginning along the length, somewhere a third turn and a depth of 2.5 millimeters.

Finally, the racks are fully assembled and installed. As expected, it became much tougher. Not a stool, as some advisers said.

But the stiffness of the shock absorbers is now not enough, that is, there is a slight increase in large irregularities. It disappears quickly and with a small amplitude, but it is still there. However, we need stiffer racks. But these fins seem to be the heaviest of the non-sports fins. And the sport is not cheap, and I have some doubts about their resource.

And the face of the VAZ 2109 rose greatly. Sort of like spacers, I expected it to rise up a bit. But not really. Maybe I'll go a little further and lower the suspension 2cm, replacing the spring cups with 2110 ones.

In general, the suspension now does not move up (releases) from the rated overload position enough. At rest, the racks unfasten almost to the maximum. And considering that I did not install spacers, there is room for increasing the gap.

• Suspension tuning in VAZ 2101-2107 models
• Suspension settings for VAZ 2108-2109
• Tuning VAZ 2110-2112 cars
• Tuning VAZ 2113-2115 cars
• Conclusion

Very often, VAZ car owners try to make various improvements to their design in order to improve their performance. These are various changes in the design of the engine, brake system, gearbox, bumper, wheels and much more.

To improve your suspension, you can seek help from car service professionals or do all the work yourself. This will help you reduce your financial expenses and do what you think is necessary. Let's look at some possibilities for improving various VAZ car models.

Options

Now let's talk about the main parameters of the VAZ 2114 model.
Let's say frankly that the fourteenth was lucky due to the manufacturer's policy. The fact is that the first-born in the series was the VAZ 2115 model, which turned out to be the very first pancake lumpy.

Based on the mistakes made, developed for the fifteenth innovation and using the time-tested features of the nine, it was possible to create a complete and one of the most successful cars in the history of AvtoVAZ - VAZ 2114.

How good this car is in terms of technical characteristics is up to you to judge. Everyone has their own idea of ​​a good car. We tried to tell in detail what the VAZ 2114 is.

Many believe that the time of the fourteenth model is already behind us, and its successor in the person of Priora clearly proves this. But is this really so? If we compare these two models, will the Priora really be able to surpass its predecessor? A large number of experts will objectively prove that no.

Yes, Priora is a more modern, improved car. But is it enough? We think the domestic auto industry has room for improvement.

The first sales copy of the VAZ 2114 appeared in 2002. This car is a restyled “nine” and attracts Russian car enthusiasts with its modern appearance and technical capabilities for self-expression through professional tuning.

Let's improve the VAZ 2110

To raise the rear suspension on a VAZ 2110 you need to:

1. Put the car on the handbrake.
2. Using a jack, raise the rear of the car so that the wheels are in the air and rotate freely.
3. Remove the wheel.
4. Unscrew the shock absorber mounting bolt. To do this you will need a key “19”.
5. Get the bolt. Perform a similar operation with the opposite shock absorber.
6. Take the spacer and determine on which side the distance from the base to the first hole is greater. The side where it is larger should be directed inward. The same spacer can be installed on both the right and left shock absorbers, since these devices are mirror symmetrical.
7. Install the spacer so that a line is drawn from the center of its lower hole to the upper hole, which falls into the vertical of the rack. You can install the spacer so that it is not adjustable in height by screwing the shock absorber into a single hole.
8. By unfolding the spacer, you can adjust the suspension height by screwing the strut into the upper or lower hole, but the device will then need to be placed on the opposite rear shock absorber.
9. When installing a spacer on an eye, it is important to install a bolt spacer so that the mechanism does not break during operation. You don't need to tighten the bolt too much, just make sure it fits snugly and doesn't wobble.
10. Install the strut mounting bolt into the holes in the spacer and shock absorber. The height can be adjusted by selecting the top or bottom holes.
11. Also install a spacer on the opposite shock absorber.
12. Adjust the rear brake pressure regulator by unscrewing its mounting bolt. Next, you need to move the bracket with something until the distance between the lever and the spring becomes 2 millimeters.
13. Check the functionality of the brake system. When braking hard at low speed, the rear axle should lock a little later than the front. If the rear wheels brake much later, then you need to reduce the distance from the lever to the mounting spring, and if it is too early, increase it.

Actual fuel tank capacity. Experiment results - Autocentre.ua

Fuel

We decided to conduct this experiment because of periodic complaints from car owners about gas stations, which allegedly do not add fuel to the tank and write on social networks that the gas station filled more than the capacity of the tank.

The rationale for this is to fill an almost empty tank with more fuel than indicated in the vehicle's operating manual.

We delved into the design of the car and found technological prerequisites that explain the different real and documentary (in the performance characteristics of the car) fuel tank volumes. Now we decided to confirm our arguments and went with five different cars to the gas station of one of the major fuel market operators.

The test involved two cars with diesel engines – Citroen Grand C4 Picasso and Renault Duster and three petrol cars – Volkswagen Bora, Skoda Octavia A5 and Ford Mondeo. All five cars arrived at the experiment site with minimal fuel remaining in the tank.

Preparing for the test

Before starting refueling, we asked the gas station workers to check the accuracy of the gas pump. To do this, all gas stations have a special 20-liter measuring container with a high-precision graduation of the neck, which allows you to determine underfilling or overfilling with an accuracy of 20 ml.

After “wetting” the measuring container (a mandatory procedure), 20 liters of fuel were poured into it. Mernik confirmed that the column was pouring accurately, after which we began refueling our cars.

Refueling result

The main condition for refueling the above-mentioned cars was to pour fuel into the tank right up to the neck, i.e. we have already seen that the fuel is at the very top of the neck. Looking ahead, we note that in fact, more fuel is placed in the tanks of all 5 cars than indicated in the technical characteristics (in one case - by as much as 17 liters!).

The first to be filled was the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso. With a 55-liter tank (according to the performance characteristics) and the remaining one division of the electronic fuel level sensor, 51 liters of diesel fuel were poured into the tank. Excess – 2-4 l.

The Renault Duster contained 62 liters of fuel in its almost empty tank, while the factory data was only 50 liters. Excess – 15-17* l.

The actual tank volume of the Skoda Octavia A5 significantly exceeded the data stated in the performance characteristics. 62 liters were poured into it when the norm was 55 liters. Excess – 12-14* l

The 70-liter Ford Mondeo tank with a remaining range of 26 km holds almost 71 liters of gasoline. Those. the actual excess volume is 8-9* liters.

The results of this test confirmed our theoretical conclusions: the actual volume of the fuel tank differs from that specified by the automaker within significant limits (from one to 10 or more liters).

So drivers should keep in mind: if you were filled with several liters more than you expected at a gas station, this is not yet a reason for a scandal. This is most likely a feature of your fuel tank.

*Taking into account the unaccounted 4-5 liters of fuel below the gas tank float

How to replace the “Crab” with a VAZ 2115 yourself

Specialized fastenings in the VAZ 2115 car, more popularly known as “crab”, quite often require replacement or repair in cars of this brand. The mechanism is a kind of bracket for fastening the extension. The original name comes from its shape. The product consists of a bracket with holes for bolts, which is why this mount looks like a crab.

Today, such a mechanism can only be found in cars of several brands. Quite often, various situations happen with VAZ 2115 cars, resulting in deformation or breakage of the element. Experienced professionals who repeatedly deal with the repair of these car brands recommend that owners treat the car with care so as not to damage the specialized bracket. However, given the state of our roads, this is quite difficult to do.

Emergency situations and their solutions

Quite often, quite experienced owners of a VAZ 2115 car install a “crab” made of titanium alloys. This solution is highly durable and guarantees a high level of safety at various speeds under conditions of high loads. If damage or cracks occur, it is recommended to move slowly or call a tow truck to deliver the vehicle to a service center.

If the crab is completely torn off, it is necessary to call a tow truck and go directly to the service station so that experienced professionals can weld or completely replace such a spare part. An important condition for operating a vehicle in various situations is the level of damage that determines the ability of the vehicle to move independently.

Features of performing repairs and self-replacement of the crab on a VAZ 2115

In order to begin independently replacing this part or repairing it, you must have the following tools and materials:

1. Standard set of sockets or spanners;
2. Specialized liquid VD-40;
3. A reinforced pipe, which may become necessary if the fasteners, that is, the bolts on the bracket, are too oxidized.

If the owner wants to carry out independent repairs, then it is necessary to have a specialized welding machine and some experience in using such a unit.

Step-by-step instruction

Experienced service center professionals have created successive steps that will help the owner of a VAZ 2115 independently replace the “crab”:

• place the vehicle on the pit;
• turn on the handbrake;
• install wheel chocks;
• use a jack to raise the front of the car;
• dismantle the protection;
• remove the front bumper;
• unscrew the rod nut;

• unscrew several mounting bolts;

• dismantle the mechanism;
• install a new element (or a restored old one);
• tighten the bolts;

• carry out installation according to the previous principle, but in reverse order.

Tow bar kit for Lada Kalina station wagon

Nowadays, such products, which can be purchased in specialized stores, are classified as collapsible devices. This option has a number of advantages over competitors, namely:

• easy transportation;
• simple installation;
• convenient storage.

The set of towed products for the hatchback includes:

• technical certificate;
• protective cap;
• fasteners;
• wires;
• socket with seven contacts.

Towbar kit for Lada Kalina 2 station wagon
Important to know! It is quite easy to purchase similar parts for Kalina station wagon, since they are sold in almost every car store. But, device models may differ significantly from each other in design and price terms.

The cost of trailed products ranges from $25 to $30.