What size of stamped wheels and tires should I install on the NIVU (LADA 4×4)?

The legendary first all-wheel drive domestic SUV "Niva" won the hearts of fans of outdoor activities, and just car enthusiasts who often encounter problems on Russian roads, back in 1970. The monocoque body and comfortable interior, all-wheel drive, and independent suspension were a breakthrough not only in the domestic automobile industry. At that time, only the Jeep Wagoneer and Range Rover had such parameters - cars of a different class and for a completely different price. Subsequent modifications only increased the popularity of the model. Unpretentiousness in repair and operation distinguishes Niva favorably in the modern Russian car market, with an abundance of SUVs of other brands.

In the beginning, to reduce the cost of production, a prerequisite for putting a car on the assembly line was the use of units from VAZ passenger cars and, accordingly, VAZ wheels. With good cross-country ability on soggy loam and a relatively low price, this equipment has serious disadvantages:

• Poor handling on asphalt, even sideways drifts, which is inconvenient when operating in the city;
• Average cross-country ability for rough roads

Without any modifications, the Niva can be fitted with 27-28-inch tires with an offset of 35-48 mm. But even in this case, it is possible for the wheels to touch the fender liners up to the point of pinching the wheel in the arch in the following cases:

• Off-road driving with strong rolls;
• Overloading the car.

As a method of combating this phenomenon, VAZ offers special lifting kits that allow the wheel axle to be lowered to 40 mm. The kit includes:

• Reinforced longitudinal and transverse rods;
• Upgraded spring cups and spring spacers;
• Spacers for ball joint.

A radical method of significantly improving cross-country ability, saving fuel, and what to hide, raising the prestige of a car and specific “aggressive” tuning is the transition to 29-inch tires.

This method requires reworking the arches and, in some cases, lifting the suspension.

Let's take a closer look at the description of this process.

Lifting for Niva for 29 tires. Is it worth doing?

With the development of tuning, the opinion has become established that to install 29 tires on a Niva, it is enough to only trim the arches. The rationale for this decision is the fact that lifting has a negative impact on the main components of the car and reduces their service life, namely:

• Car drive – due to changes in the bend angle;
• Front suspension – due to the small stroke inherent in the design, the upper arm rests against the bump stop and limits the downward stroke of the suspension, which indirectly affects the camber of the wheels. A spacer for the upper ball joint further distorts the suspension geometry
• Rear suspension - due to the fact that spacers or larger springs change the position of the front axle.

Whether it is worth lifting, thereby reducing the life of the car, you have to decide for yourself. The reason for carrying out such an operation is the ground clearance, which is critical for operating conditions; lifting will give an additional 3 cm, for example, for the Niva Urban or Niva Chevrolet with a ground clearance of 190 and 205 mm, respectively.

In addition to mechanical changes, in order to achieve improved dynamics, especially during acceleration, it is advisable to raise the gear ratio from the standard 3.9 to 4.44. This is possible as a result of replacing gearboxes. The procedure is not mandatory, but desirable, as it will also reduce the load on the engine and clutch

Recommended size of Niva 4x4 wheels and tires

Tire size with load capacity and speed indexes*

185/75 R16 92Q 95T

Allowed to be installed in operation

195/70 R15 92Q, T

205/70 R15 95Q, S, T

• * Speed ​​indices: Q – up to 160 km/h, S – up to 180 km/h, T – up to 190 km/h. Load capacity indices: 85 – 515 kg, 88 – 560 kg, 92 – 630 kg, 95 – 690 kg.
• **Rim offset (ET) is the distance from the mating plane of the disc to the middle of the rim.
• In operation, it is allowed to install wheels with a rim width of 5 1/2J and a rim offset of 48-58 mm.
• R is not a radius, but a designation of the radius of the tire, and the number is the diameter of the rim in inches.

Advantages and disadvantages of Niva as a result of installing 29 tires

Undoubtedly, the majority of car owners, in their desire to tune the Niva, want to achieve increased cross-country ability, because most often these are people who lead an active lifestyle, are fond of hunting or fishing, or simply live in a completely off-road situation, for example, farmers or rural residents.

The main parameters for assessing cross-country ability are:

• Clearance value;
• Overhang angles;
• Angles of roll and longitudinal passability;
• Angle of transverse static stability.

Installing 29-inch wheels will increase the ground clearance from the existing 228 mm to 232 mm, which is especially important for the Niva Urban with a low ground clearance of 190 mm. This is especially noticeable if you compare the location of the bumper

The difference in ground clearance is a result of switching to 29 tires.

The overhang angle is the maximum slope angle at which a car can move or drive on its own without the body touching. For Niva this is 32° on the way up and 37° on the way out. A larger wheel diameter improves the lift angle to 35, but due to a shift in the center of gravity, it reduces the departure angle to 33°. And the losses and achievements are not so significant as to seriously increase the level of cross-country ability.

The longitudinal flotation angle is the maximum possible angle that a car can overcome when moving from a slope to a horizontal surface. The roll angle reflects the opposite situation, leaving a horizontal plane with a downward slope. These figures are mainly affected by the wheelbase distance. But Niva drivers noted an improvement in driving down an inclined plane due to an increase in ground clearance as a result of replacing it with 29 tires.

The angle of lateral static stability determines the maximum trim of the vehicle from the central axis, which will be followed by a rollover on its side.

For Niva, this angle is 6.5°. The wheel diameter increased to 29 inches, on the one hand, should theoretically worsen stability indicators due to a shift in the center of gravity of the car; on the other hand, a larger wheel offset and wider tires compensate for this, especially on straight sections. In areas with a large curvature of the trajectory, the Niva loses its dynamics. Reduces the dynamics and deterioration of the parameters of the body's streamlining by wind flows when driving, by increasing the ground clearance.

The negative consequences of installing 29-gauge tires also include an increase in the load on the hub units due to spacers to increase the offset of the wheel rims. In order to slightly relieve the unit, double-row bearings are used in the steering knuckle. Such modernization increases the cost of the entire tuning.

The improved exterior of the body, increased cross-country ability with a general improvement in driving performance, exceeds the negative aspects of increasing the wheel diameter to 29 inches. Installing 31-inch wheels is undesirable, as it will require mandatory modifications to the suspension components.

Trimming the arches of a Chevrolet Niva has a similar algorithm.

We put the Niva on 29-inch wheels and send it for diagnostics and prevention

Before the first long-distance test run, we decided to take the Niva for diagnostics and maintenance, and at the same time give it a slight lift and install 29-inch wheels

Although VAZ equipment is absolutely repairable in the yard even without a lift, it still requires time and experience. Both were not enough. And I wanted to see how things are going with servicing domestic brands in the era of global import substitution.

One terrible day, right in the very heat of June, the Niva stopped starting. I stopped and that’s it! Even the starter relay didn't click. Diagnostics using the Chinese ELM327 did not clarify the situation. With each turn of the key to the “start” position, the car silently, one volt at a time, digested the battery. This is where it’s time to wander through the nivovod forums, studying the “service stations” section with the hope of finding the best service. I won't say it was difficult. Three out of four online communities recommended the specialized center Niva777, which is headed by Viktor Glu Gluzdovsky, widely known in nivodnikov circles. In general, if you have a Chevy Niva and have not heard anything about the Glu-mobile, consider that you have not heard anything at all. The proportion of positive to negative reviews and the general delight of respondents from visiting the above-mentioned station aroused my professional interest, and here our Niva started up as if nothing had happened. Even on the eighteenth attempt. Taking a fancy elevator kit and a list of complaints, I went to Lyublinskaya Street.

After the elevator, it is useful to drive the car on a lift

THE ETERNAL QUESTION

For any driver who has decided to off-road car tuning, the question of “lift or cut” is the most painful. As a rule, tourists like us are limited to 29-inch wheels, more often choosing 235/75 R15, of which there are a lot on the market. Both domestic and imported. Some prefer 225/75 R16, remembering that wider is not always better; others are looking for exotic 205/80 R16. We settled on 225/75 R16. There were no problems with the brand and model either. I've been eyeing the very interesting Contyre Expedition tires for a long time - partly, of course, because of the name, but more because of the interesting tread pattern and rave reviews from users. Price, of course, was no less important! As for the choice between an elevator and cutting arches, it was decided to start with a reversible, that is, a moderate elevator. To do this, with the help of the Lada-Master online store, a lift kit was ordered from Trophy Trade, an increasingly popular manufacturer from Nizhny Novgorod. By the way, I would like to express my respect to the store management. I have not seen such clear and friendly work for a long time! The set attracted interest because of its originality and relative cheapness - eleven thousand versus the standard fifteen. The front suspension was lifted by the usual raising of the support pads and spacers for the balls. But the rear one has cunning linings on the axle, which act as amplifiers, change the angle of the levers and raise the springs. In theory, all this gives a lift of 40 mm. In reality, taking into account tired springs, it turns out to be about 30. The use of standard springs is another advantage of the kit. By the way, this is an advantage only if you have not decided to hang the Niva with iron and winches, otherwise the springs will also have to be changed. Although, according to Viktor Gluzdovsky, a touring car does not need wheels larger than the standard ones (provided that they are muddy). And if you still need an elevator, then the minimum possible. Our kit caused him distrust due to the complexity of installation and adjustment, and, unfortunately, his fears were later confirmed. The upper longitudinal rods turned out to be so long that when the bridge was lowered, it turned the cardan cross to a completely non-working angle. I had to replace some of the parts with already tested ones.

The rear suspension lift is made traditionally - with spacers and replacement of levers

The Contyre Expedition pattern is moderately aggressive and perfect for touring.

TOOTHED EXPEDITION

Contyre tires are produced at the Kirov Tire Plant, and their line includes several standard sizes suitable for domestic vehicles.

Our choice fell on the most toothy tire in the Expedition series, measuring, as we said, 225/75 R16. To be honest, if we had a short-wheelbase car, I might have limited myself to the standard size or 215/65 R16. In principle, the clearance under the axle and suspension is enough for me. But the long wheelbase and the constant clinging of the bottom to the kinks of the relief were quite boring. The elevator was precisely intended to improve matters a little, but together with the wheels, it did nothing at all. Kirov rubber turned out to be relatively soft and not at all heavy. Weight without a disk is 14.7 kg, with a Chinese cast iFree - a little more than 22 kg. Not bad, considering that the standard Kama-232 weighs a little less when stamped. A small mass indirectly indicates that the tire will flatten perfectly, and at the same time that you will have to pay special attention to the sidewalls - there is clearly no excess thickness there. The tread width and diameter exactly match the 225 and 728 mm dimensions. The tread depth in the center is almost 15 mm. I liked the fact that the central blocks of the treadmill are strongly rotated in the longitudinal direction - this means less noise and better braking. And they should also be cleaned better. At the tire fitting, the tires showed themselves to be excellent. The “worst” wheel required 70 and 105 grams when balancing, the rest were within 50-70. By the way, take care in advance about the nuts for alloy wheels and be careful when choosing them - they should be longer than the standard ones, and the thread, don’t forget, is 12x1.25. As it turns out, not all sellers know about this.

DOCTOR SAID

I arrived at Niva777 with two-line complaints, and left with a three-page list of “completed work.” By the way, I had to change the starter, and later the battery, which had shorted out. These were the reasons for the reluctance to start. Steering rods and lever bushings, clutch master cylinder and upper ball cylinders, pendulum and handbrake, shaft and rear universal joint with outboard, brakes completely along with the “sorcerer”... Not cheap, but necessary! Some operations I could easily do myself. Same brakes... But time is more valuable! In general, he agreed to work on all identified deficiencies. And, you know, I was not mistaken. After all, masters are masters! Some unforeseen items were added to the list, such as rear shock absorbers from the Gazelle, and as a bonus - chip tuning. I’ve been skeptical about the latter, since Euro-3, but this time I have to admit: I was wrong - it works! And before, the Niva wasn’t too disappointing with its dynamics, but here it just, as they say, flew! And don't laugh, it's just a long Niva, not a Grand Cherokee SRT. I will say more - there is no need to install other main pairs, which is usually offered to everyone who bought 29-inch wheels, they say, they will not cope. It pulls great! Particularly good in the operating range, from approximately 1800 to 3500 rpm. Of course, you have to move the gear lever much more actively. And in general, for the first time I became completely satisfied with the car. I really can’t wait to go somewhere to the mountains, and closer to the sea. To Adygea, for example!

EXPERT OPINION NIVA777

Victor told us what problems “field lifters” inevitably face. CV joints suffer the most, especially internal ones. The hinge balls roll out new tracks for themselves, and for some time the “grenades” can crunch. If the elevator is not too large, the operation is gentle and they are not worn out initially, then it is worth waiting five to six thousand kilometers. Usually the crunching stops, and then the chassis works normally. You should not install the once popular tripod joints, which are not designed to work at large angles. If you install wheels with a diameter of 29 inches, then on a classic Niva you will have to cut the arches or at least trim the front corner of the wing. There is enough elevator at Shniva. In general, for initial off-road tuning of a non-sports type, the recommendations are as follows: a light lift, knuckles with non-adjustable double-row bearings, a winch, a snorkel if there is a possibility of fords and very dusty roads, a trunk. It is advisable to do chip tuning. Even better is to install a turbine, which, in terms of dynamics, will turn the Niva into a normal modern car with virtually no increase in fuel consumption. By the way, then it will be possible to painlessly install an air conditioner, which will add a little comfort when traveling, especially in a southern direction. It would be a good idea to change the main pairs and install self-blocks, or “forced locks”. If funds allow, you can paint the car “Raptor” or another similar composition so as not to be afraid of scratches.

In my opinion, among autotourists driving around Russia and neighboring countries, more than half drive Nivas and Chevy Nivas. And, judging by the signs of recent years, this trend will only increase...

Thank you for your help in preparing the material: www.niva777.ru www.ladamaster.ru www.contyre.ru

Standard wheels for Niva

If you don’t do a lift, then the Niva will have standard arches, so only standard wheels with standard tires will fit here. Initially, the factory installs wheels with VLI-5 R16 175/80 tires. Basic tires are not a particularly good option; they have the following disadvantages:

• if the car drives on a hard road at a speed of more than 60 km/h, then the noise from the tires will be normally audible;
• in winter, rubber becomes less elastic;
• the base tires are tube tires, which can also be considered a disadvantage;
• Handling on a flat road leaves much to be desired.

But this tire also has its advantages: it rides well on wet off-road conditions, especially on clay. And the most important advantage is the low price of these tires for Niva. But for those who have the money and the desire to install more serious tires on the Niva, there are many interesting alternative options.