The design provides for everything so that the car does not drive and does not skid, however, only constant attention to the nodes that affect stability is a necessary measure to ensure traffic safety. Hydraulic dampers 2 (see fig. 39), anti-roll bar, coil springs 4 of the front suspension primarily affect the stability of the car, damping rhythmic vibrations and smoothness.
The same tasks are performed on the rear suspension (pic. 41) torque rods 3, 4, 6, shock absorbers 7 and springs 1. In order for the car not to warp, the forces of all four springs must be equal. It is acceptable if the rear springs are somewhat more powerful than the front ones. All springs are calibrated during their manufacture, marked with green or yellow paint, and specially selected when assembling the car.
It should be remembered that a variety of rubber and rubber-metal bushings 8 and 2 are used as connecting elements in suspensions. Due to the natural wear of these elastic elements, backlash occurs, as a result of which components or parts cease to reliably perform their functions.
Imagine the conditions under which the anti-roll bar or longitudinal torque rods 3 and 4 work, which are compressed when transmitting various pushing forces and stretched when the braking torque is applied, seeking to tear the rear axle 5 away from the body. In similar conditions, the transverse bar 6 also works, which, counteracting the lateral forces that occur on the wheels when cornering and driving on rough roads, keeps the rear axle from moving across the body. Naturally, rubber parts wear out first of all under such loads. They should be given special attention. This must be done at every maintenance.
Loose fasteners may require 13mm, 17mm, and 19mm wrenches. It is most convenient to check the presence of backlash in the suspension joints by touch, shaking the part with one hand, and catching a possible backlash with the other.. Being under the car (in a manhole or under a flyover), do not forget to also check if there are fluid leaks from the shock absorbers.
Shock absorbers of both domestic and foreign production are installed on VAZ cars, and if a leaking domestic shock absorber can be repaired, then the imported one is simply replaced with a new one, since its design is non-separable. To check how the shock absorber works, press the fender a few times (just find a hard place on the wing, otherwise leave prints on it) and let him go. A good shock absorber will prevent useless vibrations.
Torque arms should also be inspected and if they are found to be twisted or bent, they need to be repaired or replaced with new ones.
As noted above, hinges and ball joints affect traffic safety, so there is no need to explain their importance. It is also significant that the steering rod joints and ball bearings of the front suspension installed on VAZ vehicles are of a non-separable design. Assembled and filled with grease at the factory, they should reliably serve over 100,000 km. The main thing is that the hinges and supports are very effectively sealed. This allows them to always be clean and not lose lubrication. It is enough to slightly deform the protective cover, and the hinge, at best, will work for 10 thousand km.
Hinges and ball joints 6 (see fig. 39) consist of steel ball pins installed in bearing shells and springs that provide the necessary tightness in the connection and select the gaps formed due to the natural wear of the pins. None of the parts can be replaced. You can only update the protective cover if it is deformed. Considering such design nuances. check only protective covers, putting the car on a viewing ditch or overpass. Each cover is carefully wiped from dirt and carefully examined for tears, cracks, warping, etc. Covers should fit snugly around the protruding (cylindrical) part of the ball pin. Of course, the main task of the operation is to check the condition of the protective covers. However, it is equally important to know the condition of the ball joints of the steering rods and swivel struts themselves. It is advisable to do this work together. One slightly rotates the steering wheel, and the other from the bottom to the touch checks for play in the hinges.
For monitoring the condition of the lower ball bearings 6 (see fig. 39) it is necessary to remove the wheel and rest the hub 11 in a stand with a height of 280-300 mm.
Supports have conical plugs (which, by the way, it is advisable to replace with grease fittings for later use). The plug cleaned from dirt should be unscrewed and, inserting a caliper into the hole, determine the distance from the body to the end of the ball pin. A size greater than 11.8 mm indicates the need to replace the assembly.
It should be remembered that sometimes it is difficult to figure out which of the suspension units «guilty» in the occurrence of increased backlash. In such a situation, check for play with the brake pedal depressed. In this case, only play in the ball joints will be felt on the wheel.
When examining the nodes and parts of the suspension, you should make sure that the levers 3 and 5 (see fig. 39) the pendants are devoid of cracks that arose either from impact or from metal fatigue. The serviceability of parts and assemblies of the front and rear suspensions also affects the condition of the rubber wheels.
Each car wheel wears differently. There are many factors that affect their various wear: the quality of rubber and tire pressure, the presence of disc runout and increased play in the hinge joints of the suspension, the driver's driving style and the intensity of use of the brakes. Even under the most ideal operating conditions, time takes its toll and there is no escape from rubber wear. However, in all cases it is advisable that the wheels wear evenly. This will significantly extend their service life. One of the ways to ensure uniform tire wear is the operation of rearranging the wheels according to a certain pattern given in the vehicle's operating instructions.
For this operation, the following tools and devices are required: a combination wrench for removing wheels, a mounting blade, a jack and special stops for wheels. The main thing in this operation is to take all possible precautions, ensuring the reliable stability of the car. In order not to carry the wheels from place to place in vain, use the following recommendations: remove the spare wheel from the trunk and put it near the right rear wheel; loosen the bolts of this wheel and place a jack in the socket closest to it (remember that the stop should in this case be under the front wheel); put the unscrewed bolts into the inverted wheel cap; remove the wheel and install the spare.
Particular attention should be paid to the operation of tightening the wheel bolts. Some motorists, when tightening, stand on the wrench, jump on it, apparently wanting to permanently attach the wheel to the drum or hub. The tightening torque of the bolts must not exceed 70 Nm. Tightening with great effort leads to disk deformation, vibration at a certain speed and, as a result, to intensive rubber wear.
All other permutations are performed in the same way. You just need to know which wheel to put where.
One of the most important operations that ensure traffic safety and the safety of rubber is setting the angles of the front wheels. There are many tips on how to do it yourself. However, this work can be done with the desired effect only on special stands, which are also regularly checked (taring).
Experience suggests another recommendation: monitor the condition of the rubber.
If you do not notice the unnatural (intense or uneven) wear, there is nothing to check the angles of the wheels.