Difference between the front suspension modules of viburnum and grants

Every year AvtoVAZ saturates the domestic market with new Lada models. Some of these cars are budget cars, and often different models fall into the same price segment. So, in 2011, Grant came off the assembly line, the base for which was Kalina. After 1.5 years, AvtoVAZ updated the previous model Kalina, releasing the second generation of cars.

Both car models fall into the budget price segment, so most potential buyers cannot decide which one is better. Each car has its own advantages and disadvantages that you need to know about before making a purchase. This will help you choose a car that suits the needs of a particular car enthusiast.

Car appearance

By creating the design of both models, the plant's designers took a big step forward. For their category, the cars look quite modern; their external outlines show the influence of such European brands as Renault Logan and Renault Sandero. At the same time, they did not lose the characteristic features of Russian cars, standing out from their predecessors.

Kalina 2 is very similar to the previous generation model, but there are some nice changes. For example, the car body has been redesigned in such a way that the car now looks more like a sports car, and aggression has become felt in the design. Grant's appearance has several original solutions. The first thing that catches your eye is the shape of the front and rear headlights, as well as the overall fit of the body.

What's under the hood of cars?

Both cars have fairly similar 4-cylinder engines with the same volume - 1598 cm 3 . Three trim levels have maximum engine power, which is 87, 98 and 106 hp. With. At the same time, Granta has a basic configuration with an 82 hp engine. With. Car engines run on gasoline, their torque reaches 4200 rpm. at 148 N.m in the most expensive configuration. Fuel consumption is 8.5 liters in urban conditions, 7.3 liters in the combined cycle and 5.7 liters per 100 km outside the city.

The engine allows you to reach a maximum speed of 175 km/h for Granta and 171 km/h for Kalina. The higher speed of the first model is due to the optimized aerodynamic characteristics of the body. In general, both cars are equipped with engines that differ little from each other. According to the head of the Grant and Kalina projects, Oleg Grunenkov, the cars are equipped with an updated type of suspension, the development of which was focused on the suspension of budget cars produced in Russia. This means that both cars have an upgraded suspension with increased service life.

Speaking of transmission, it is worth mentioning that there is no clear leader in this issue either. The latest configurations of both models are equipped with a modern 5-speed manual transmission. Gears shift quite smoothly, and there is no unnecessary noise or rumble while driving. Each of the cars has special configurations with automatic 4-speed gearboxes from the Japanese manufacturer Jatco, which specializes in manufacturing automatics for foreign cars such as Nissan Tiida and Nissan March.

Under the hood of Kalina

It is necessary to dwell separately on the Granta generator, since it fails on almost all cars produced in the first half of 2012. Owners complain that the breakdown is detected after 3-5 thousand kilometers, and dealer service stations refuse to fix it, citing a lack of spare parts.

Support bearing faults

The main sign indicating that a bearing has become unusable is a characteristic knocking sound. It is expressed in the form of dull knocks coming from under the hood of the LADA Kalina, or more precisely, from the location of the pillars.

This soundtrack “tells” the driver about:

• presence of damage (rupture) or deformation (wrinkling) of the rubber gasket;
• failure of the working element of the support (bearing).

The reasons for bearing failure are as follows:

• complete resource exhaustion;
• penetration of dirt or moisture into the working area;
• exposure to extreme loads;
• mechanical destructive effects from a faulty shock absorber.

Body quality

After the release of the Grant, most owners began to measure the thickness of the body metal. It was discovered that the metal of the Granta body has become much thinner compared to the previous generation Kalina. AvtoVAZ engineers commented on this fact, noting the improvement of the alloy that is used to cast the body of the new model. According to them, new technologies have made it possible to equalize the body strength of the new model and the first Kalina model. But test drive results indicate the opposite.

The thin metal of the body is quite easy to bend; there is no modernization in the alloy. It is clear that the plant tried to save resources on the production of this model. The body of the new Kalina model is cast from the same metal that was used for the previous generation; there is no decrease in density.

Under the hood of Grants

Grant's lock mechanism is also not of high quality. At first, the doors close quite simply, but the locks wear out quickly, as they are made of cheap plastic. The 2nd generation Kalina has no problems in this regard, since it has a silicone locking mechanism installed.

Model options

The new Kalina is equipped as standard with electric power steering, a shortened steering rack, an airbag, sun-reflective glass, electric windows on the front doors and 14-inch wheels. All these improvements are missing on the Granta.

It is not advisable to compare the most expensive car configurations, since they have a large difference in price. It makes sense to compare the top version of the Granta and the mid-range version of the Kalina, since they fall into the same price segment.

In addition to the above improvements, both models have the following equipment:

• heated, electrically adjustable exterior mirrors;
• fog lighting;
• power windows on the rear doors;
• exterior mirrors;
• door handles are painted in body color;
• built-in on-board computer;
• alarm on the control panel;
• heated front seats;
• cabin air filter and air conditioning;
• ABS+BAS;
• touchscreen multimedia system with LCD display.

In addition, Kalina 2 is equipped with a windshield heating system, which Granta does not have.

Cabin interior and noise insulation

The instrument panel on both models has similar characteristics and contours. The only difference is in the design of the ventilation devices, which have a different shape on each car. The new Kalina model is equipped with seats that adapt to the anatomical features of passengers, as was the case on the previous model. Grant's seats are made of cheap material, they look plain and are not very comfortable.

A test drive on different road surfaces showed that noise insulation in Granta is performed at an extremely low level. Kalina 2 has average performance in this regard. In general, the sound insulation of both cars leaves much to be desired.

The interiors of both cars have impressive volumes both in the rear and in the front. The legs of the driver and passengers are positioned quite freely. It is no secret that in order to reduce the cost of the car, AvtoVAZ installed low-quality cladding in the Grant, which quickly wears out and looks unattractive. Both generations of Kalina are equipped with good quality plastic casing, which does not cause any complaints.

We are finalizing the system

Such a tuning event aims to achieve the following qualities:

• create a durable suspension that at the same time provides sufficient comfort;
• increase ground clearance, which means installing special spacers or replacing (stretching) springs with the installation of extended struts;
• replace the “original” racks with collapsible analogues.

Faulty shock absorber struts can cause the ABS system to not function correctly. LADA Kalina is initially equipped with racks that do not require their repair.

To avoid the need to systematically replace the entire rack due to a failed shock-absorbing element, we produce collapsible versions of the products.

For this:

1. We dismantle the standard rack and free it from the support and spring.
2. We clamp the product in a vice and saw off the top part.
3. Next, we weld a glass with a threaded part for a special nut to this place.
4. We purchase liners (shock absorbers).
5. Pour a sufficient portion of oil inside the rack and install the liner. Screw the indicated nut on top. It is advisable to seal it to prevent the risk of spontaneous unscrewing. If the length of the liner turns out to be less than the size of the modernized rack, then we grind out rings of the required thickness, which we immerse in the rack after installing the liner.
6. We install the new product on the LADA Kalina car. The main thing is to decide in advance which shock absorbers to install in the car.

Differences in body types

Wheelbase width

When considering whether to buy a Lada Kalina or a Lada Granta, you definitely need to pay attention to the body type of each car. The new generation Kalina is offered in station wagon and hatchback versions. Granta has only one body type - sedan. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

For example, the sedan is equipped with a spacious luggage compartment of 480 liters. When opened, it does not let air inside the cabin, which creates comfortable conditions in winter. In the Kalina hatchback and station wagon there is no partition behind the rear seat; in addition, the trunk volume is 260 l and 361 l. But car enthusiasts prefer these particular body types, as they have more comfortable dimensions and a rear hinged door.

It is worth noting that the Grant’s body is made with an emphasis on aerodynamic qualities, the car has a spacious trunk, but when compared with the Kalina, it is significantly inferior to the latter. This is primarily due to the cost of the car, which has increased significantly over the past six months. Kalina is additionally equipped with such devices as hydraulic headlight adjustment, door switches and a torsion spring mechanism for opening the trunk. Moreover, both the first generation Kalina and the Lada Kalina 2 are equipped with these elements. There are no differences in warranty services; both models are serviced free of charge for 36 months or until reaching 50 thousand km.

Of course, the reduction in the cost of production of the Grant made it possible to significantly reduce the price of the car in comparison with the Kalina. Both cars have the same power and comfort, but the Granta has its minor drawbacks. Considering all the positive and negative aspects, buy a car that suits your personal requirements.

The idea crept in to assemble a front suspension from Granta for Kalina since the left factory strut was already wet and the right one was on the way. I spent a very long time digging through forums, Google and catalogs to recreate everything as it was in the original and where to dig.

And so everything is true for cars with electric power steering: Support for telescopic strut VAZ-2190 (Anvis) 2190-2902821-10 (axis offset -12 mm) 2 pcs Spring cup VAZ-2170 upper front suspension 21700-2902760-00 2 pcs Compression stroke buffer 21100-2902816-01 2 pcs Compression stroke limiter 21700-2902834-00 4 pcs Strut support bearing 1118 Kalina 11180-2902840-00 2 pcs Upper spring insulating gasket 21700-2902723-00 Front suspension spring (barrel-shaped) 111 96-2902712-00 ( or equivalent) Protective casing for pillars 21700-2902814-00 Telescopic pillar VAZ-2190 2190-2905402(right)/2190-2905403(left) Also required for installation together with the supports are the pillar support amplifiers 1118-2902850-87 (this is a set of 2 pieces ) can be replaced with an analogue from the same technician, for example.

Price of support bearings

The cost of a bearing “starts” from 300 rubles. The assembled support is more expensive: from 1.2 to 3.0 thousand rubles. Saving is not recommended: you should choose either original products or imported analogues from famous brands (FENOX, TRACK, ASOMI, SS-20). Which is better, everyone determines for himself.

The replacement is not difficult, but if the owner is inclined to service his Lada Kalina purely at the station, then the technician will ask about 500 rubles for the service. Approximately this amount will have to be “sacrificed” for subsequent adjustment of the wheel angles.

Design of Granta and Kalina 2 cars

A whole group of engineers worked on the design of both cars, and this time they did a much better job. The cars turned out to be quite modern, similar to some foreign cars, but have their own recognizable features.

The Granta's design was created from scratch and is not similar to previous AvtoVAZ cars, and the second Kalina is not very different from the first, but looks much more modern and aggressive.

Engines Grants and Kalinas 2

AvtoVAZ practices using one engine model on several models at once. The difference is small - if on the Grant in the “standard” configuration the heart of the car is the “old” 8-valve with 81 hp, then such an engine is not installed on the Kalina 2 at all. 16-valve engine 21126 with 98 hp. installed on luxury Grants and Kalinas (including the second generation Kalina), an 8-valve 1.6-liter engine with a capacity of 87 horses is available in the “norm” configuration on both Kalina and Grant. The engines installed on the Grant are almost no different from the Kalina engines.

Transmission

Again, it is not clear who is better here... The latest releases of Grant's car receive a new manual gearbox with a cable mechanism, the same ones are planned to be installed on Kalina 2. The new gearbox is distinguished by good selectivity, absence of vibrations and ease of switching. Don't forget the fact that Kalina 2 and Granta will have the same Japanese automatic transmission. The automatic transmission from Jatco (a subsidiary of Nissan), although not the latest development, receives only positive reviews. Nissan Tiida cars are still supplied with this automatic transmission. Again it's a draw - our cars have the same gearbox.

Rear suspension

The rear suspension is semi-independent, built on an “elastic” beam with trailing arms, coil springs and double-sided telescopic shock absorbers.

For the first time on the Lada Granta, the rear suspension received a negative camber angle (-1 °). Positive rear toe-in (+10 feet) is also expected. This allowed manufacturers to improve the vehicle's handling and road stability.

Body and paint

After the release of Granta, many began to measure the thickness of the body and were surprised: the new AvtoVAZ product had a very thin layer of metal body! The manufacturer explained this by saying that for the Granta a completely different metal is used, with better qualities and, in general, equal in characteristics to the first Kalina. We beg to differ with this and assure you that bending the body of a Granta is not that difficult; the body is really made of thin metal. They even saved on the plastic bumper - the thickness is no more than 2-3mm. At the time of writing, it is not yet known about the thickness of the body of the updated Kalina 2, but if compared with the first Kalina, the Grant is inferior here.

Here we also note the quality of door locking. If everything is still fine on the new Grant, then over time, closing/opening the doors (especially) the rear ones becomes difficult, you need to make an effort. There is no such defect observed on Kalina.

Support bearing design

The front strut support bearing itself is enclosed in a rubber separator of a specific diameter. The inner race is directly connected to the shock absorber rod. The working element of the product is metal balls arranged in one row around the circumference. The part is protected on the top and bottom sides by thick rubber gaskets.

Options

If we don’t go into prices and just compare the options available in cars by trim level, we get the following.

Lada Kalina 2 cars in the “standard” configuration, unlike the standard Grants, have electric power steering, driver airbags, a short steering rack, athermal windows, top handrails, a cigarette lighter, an ashtray, power windows for the front doors, 14” wheels, bumpers in body color.

In the “norm” and “luxury” trim levels there is such a range of additional equipment that it’s impossible to say for sure, so let’s compare the “norm” Kalina 2 and the “luxury” Grant since they are approximately the same in price.

Lada Granta in almost the most expensive version (369 thousand rubles) in contrast to Norma Kalina 2 (about the same cost - still unknown):

• - fog lights
• - electric windows for rear doors
• — electric drive and heated exterior mirrors
• — exterior mirrors and door handles painted in body color

Kalina 2, unlike Granta, has only a heated windshield.

In addition to these options, the luxury Granta and norm Kalina 2 have the following general options:

• — Security alarm function with remote control
• - On-board computer
• — Heated front seats
• — Athermal glass
• — Air filter entering the cabin
• — Power windows for front doors
• — Climate system (air conditioning)
• — Anti-lock braking system with emergency brake assist (ABS + BAS)
• — Multimedia system with 1 DIN control unit (without CD drive, FM, USB-Flash, stereo, SD card, Bluetooth, Hands Free, 7” LCD touch display)

Salon – interior, sound insulation

As you know, the instrument panel on Grant and Kalina 2 is almost the same - the only exception is the different shape of the air vents. It is impossible to determine the winner with the most successful torpedo - it is difficult to compare the same...

But there are differences in the seats of the cars - the Lada Granta has cheaper seats and cannot boast of comfort. Kalina 2, like the first, has so-called anatomical seats (replicating the shape of a person) and is more comfortable to sit on. The interior of both cars is wide - it will not be cramped, both in front and in the back.

The Granta cannot be called quiet - when driving on gravel, the impacts of stones on the body are heard as if it happened right in front of your nose. Kalina 2, like the first, is not ideal in terms of sound insulation, but there is a difference - it’s quieter in the cabin.

There is already a lot of talk about the materials used in Grant - in pursuit of reducing the cost of the car, it was necessary to install low-quality plastic, which scratches very easily, looks cheap and is in no way comparable to what is used in Kalina.

Sergey MEDINETS, chief designer of the Lada-Granta project

In the middle of last year, the first prototypes of the future Granta appeared, on which the nuances associated with the original body were checked, and the first comprehensive tests of the car as a whole were carried out. In the second quarter of this year, a pilot batch was produced, and at the end of summer - an installation batch made using serial production technologies. Now it remains to eliminate minor defects. Now “Granta” is undergoing certification tests at the NITSIAMT test site, which we plan to complete by mid-autumn.

“GRANT” IS NOT WORKING ON THE MISTAKES MADE DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF “KALINA”. THIS CAR IS CLOSER TO ALL OTHER VAZ MODELS TO FOREIGN ANALOGUES IN LEVEL AND DESIGN Elaboration.

Do you want a sedan, hatchback or station wagon?

When choosing between the Lada Granta and Kalina 2 cars, you will have to make a choice between body types, since the Granta is currently available only in a sedan, and the Kalina 2 is a hatchback and station wagon. If you open the trunk in a hatchback or station wagon in winter, the cold will seep into the cabin, but in a sedan the rear seats are blocked. But most drivers like hatchback bodies, and station wagons are loved for their spaciousness and ease of luggage storage. But Granta can boast of its trunk - its volume is as much as 480 liters!

Unfortunately, on Kalina 2, especially the hatchback, the trunk is small and amounts to 260 liters, and on the station wagon - 361 liters.

Which struts to take: oil or gas?

To know which racks are best to put on a viburnum, you need to understand their types.

There are two types of automotive shock absorbers commonly used: oil (twin-tube) shock absorbers and oil and gas (mono-tube) shock absorbers.

Oil shock absorbers consist of two tubes located one inside the other. The outer pipe acts as a housing and, in addition to the inner pipe, also contains hydraulic oil. This oil is a factor that dampens the vibrations that occur when the wheels move over the surface and reaches the inner pipe thanks to special valves. The inner tube of the oil shock absorber contains the piston, and it is there that all the work is done to dampen vibrations.

Oil shock absorbers are valued for their simple design, low price (due to their simple design) and high durability. Unfortunately, they also have some disadvantages, such as, for example, insufficiently short (under certain circumstances) response time and linear damping strength.

The monotube shock absorber, also called a high-pressure or gas shock absorber, was patented in 1953 by Christian Boursier de Carbone. The monotube shock absorber consists of an expansion tank, a working cylinder, a piston, a piston rod, a piston rod guide and a foot valve. For proper operation of the entire system, the shock absorber is not completely filled with oil, but in the lower part there is additional compressed gas. The movable piston prevents gas from mixing with liquid in the shock absorber. This solution also made it possible to increase the gas pressure to 20-30 MPa, thanks to which the monotube shock absorbers are characterized by very good vibration damping, quiet operation and low dead weight.

The rest is no less interesting...

Owners of the Lada Granta can boast of the aerodynamic characteristics of their cars - sedans (the Lada Granta is currently available only as a sedan, and the Kalina 2 is only available as a hatchback and station wagon) traditionally have the best performance.

If we judge the little things, then there are little things like hydraulic headlight adjustment, limit switches on the doors, which are not present on the Grant. And the trunk opening mechanism on the budget car is like on the old VAZ 21099, with a torsion spring.

Both cars have high ground clearance, comfortable seating, easy operation and a warranty of 36 months or 50 thousand km (whichever comes first).

Selecting front struts, springs and supports with bearings

I think that most Lada Kalina owners are very dissatisfied with the factory suspension, namely the performance of the front struts. At first, when I first bought the car, I thought that knocking on the rebound was a temporary phenomenon that would go away after a short mileage. But everything turned out quite the opposite, with every thousand kilometers traveled, the knocking began to become stronger and appeared more often. I already thought that this was an isolated problem and only affected me, but when I read the forum thread on the official club, I realized that there are at least 80% of “losers” like me. And everyone unanimously complained about excessive rigidity and terrible sounds during operation, especially when driving over a speed bump or other sudden failure of the wheel.

What’s most interesting is that the factory struts produced by SAAZ, even now after a run of 50,000 km, are still alive, without signs of oil leakage, but frankly speaking, I’m already pretty tired of driving with such a roar, and I decided to do a complete revision and modernization of the front suspension of my Kalina.