Chevrolet Niva front wheel bearing size

Car "Niva"

“Niva” is perhaps one of the most popular SUVs, not only in Russia, but also abroad. Since the late seventies, this car began to be produced. The very first model was named VAZ-2121.

It was almost impossible for an ordinary resident of the Soviet Union to get this car: almost eighty percent went for export, and the remaining twenty were released one by one. At the price at that time, this model was second only to the Volga, that is, the car that was used by the state apparatus as the main car. In the West, there were real legends about the new SUV - it was valued even where there was its own auto industry (for example, France, Germany or England).

In the mid-eighties, Niva cars with Soviet racers inside took all three prizes at the Australian rally raid. Sales of the car soared: in Australia itself - twofold, in Europe - fourfold or more, depending on the country.

Indeed, this was a new word in the annals of the development of light SUVs, and it was written precisely by Soviet designers.

First changes and Lada 4x4

Since the mid-nineties, or more precisely since 1995, changes began to be made to the design of the car. Firstly, if previously the car had a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder 73-horsepower gasoline engine, now the volume has been increased to 1.7. The manual transmission now had five steps instead of the previous four. Secondly, they changed the dashboard, installed more comfortable seats in the cabin, and replaced the taillights with more modern ones in order to externally try to get closer to the Western automobile industry.

In 2006, “Niva” was officially renamed “Lada” 4x4, and models exported were called “Lada Taiga” 4x4 - this is what the car is now called in European countries. Externally and internally, the car has changed, if at all, only slightly: new mirrors have appeared - larger ones, the indicators and instruments on the panel have been changed. The new car model released in 2020 called “Lada 4x4 Urban”, which is considered “luxury”, did not receive any major changes - except for new bumpers, electric windows and air conditioning in the cabin.

"Niva Chevrolet": creation and reviews

In general, AvtoVAZ tried to come up with a car to replace the Niva back in the late eighties. It was quite logical that the glory of a new SUV at that time would not last long, and in order not to “lose face,” a replacement was necessary. But at first the project remained only in paper form.

In 1998, a sample of the VAZ-2123 was presented, which was considered “the same replacement.” But until 2002, mass production was not established.

In 2002, the license for this model, and at the same time the Niva brand, were sold to the General Motors concern. The technicians of this company made about a thousand different changes to the appearance and “filling” of the SUV, which allowed the new car to be considered an independent and independent model from now on. In September 2002, a conveyor was launched, from which the Chevrolet Niva began to roll off.

In 2009, the car's design underwent changes.

According to the reviews of those who purchased this car, it was still the same AvtoVAZ, and even attempts to intervene and bring about changes for the better in terms of electronics and design did not bring good results. But, as noted by car owners, this did not affect the off-road qualities - the Niva is still passable in impassable conditions.

Front suspension Niva Chevrolet

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Front suspension device Niva Chevrolet

The front suspension of the Niva Chevrolet is independent, on two wishbones on each side, with coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar.

Niva Chevrolet front suspension diagram: 1 – cap; 2 – nut; 3 – centering sleeve; 4 – wheel hub; 5 – brake disc; 6 – oil seal; 7 – outer bearing; 8 – ring; 9 – internal bearing; 10 – ball joint; 11 – stabilizer bushing; 12 – lower spring cup; 13 – front suspension spring; 14 – lower suspension arm; 15 – upper spring cup; 16 – spring gasket; 17 – compression buffer; 18 – front suspension cross member; 19 – stretching; 20 – upper arm mounting bolt; 21 – adjusting washers; 22 – rebound buffer; 23 – stabilizer; 24 – upper lever; 25 – ball joint; 26 – bracket; 27 – steering knuckle; 28 – shock absorber; 29 – front brake protective cover.

Diagnostics of the front suspension of Niva Chevrolet

Check the technical condition of suspension parts and operation from below the car mounted on a lift or inspection ditch (with the front wheels hanging).

The following are not allowed on rubber suspension parts: signs of rubber aging and mechanical damage.

The following are not allowed on rubber-metal hinges: signs of aging, cracks, one-sided bulging of the rubber mass and separation of the rubber mass from the reinforcement. Replace defective parts.

Check the condition of the protective covers of the ball joints and ball joints. If the covers are damaged, replace the hinge assembly

Inspect the rubber cushions of the upper hinges and the rubber bushings of the lower hinges of the shock absorbers

Inspect the rubber bushings of the upper and lower control arms

Check the condition of the rubber bushings of the anti-roll bar and the reliability of fastening of the stabilizer brackets to the lower arms and body side members

Checking and adjusting the clearance in the front wheel hub bearings of Niva Chevrolet

With increased clearance in the front wheel hub bearings, vibration in the steering wheel is observed in a certain speed range. At the same time, the tires wear out unevenly (in patches), and the service life of the bearings themselves sharply decreases.

The complete absence of clearance, at which tight rotation of the hub is observed, also leads to a decrease in service life. The clearance in the front wheel hub bearings should be no more than 0.15 mm.

To adjust the front bearings on a Chevrolet Niva you will need a wheel bolt wrench, a 27 wrench and a hammer.

Rock the hanging wheel in a vertical plane. If you feel any play, the bearing clearance may need to be adjusted.

To make a final check of the bearing, have an assistant press and hold the brake pedal. Rock the wheel again in a vertical plane.

The disappearance of wheel play during such a check confirms the need to adjust the clearance in the bearings.

Remove the decorative cap, loosen the hub nut and, holding the hub from turning with a suitable wrench, unscrew the nut.

When adjusting the Niva Chevrolet hub, be sure to replace the hub nuts with new ones, since after adjustment the nut may take its previous position and it will not be possible to securely lock it, since the collar in the right place will already be damaged by the previous locking. As a last resort, if possible, use a nut from another car.

Install and tighten the new hub nut to 19.6 Nm (2 kgfm) while rotating the hub approximately 90° in both directions 2 to 3 times to self-align the bearings.

Loosen the adjusting nut and tighten it again to 6.8 Nm (0.7 kgf m) and loosen the adjusting nut approximately 25°

Lock the hub nut (by jamming the collar of the nut into two grooves on the front wheel drive outer joint housing trunnion) and install the removed parts in the reverse order of removal.

After adjusting the clearance in the Niva Chevrolet hub bearings, make sure that the wheel rotates easily. Perform a final check of the correctness of the adjustment by assessing the degree of heating of the hubs after driving the car for about 1 km without using the brakes.

Replacing the grease in the front wheel hub bearings of Niva Chevrolet

Replace the grease in the bearings at the intervals specified in the service book. If the lubricant is insufficient or contaminated, the bearings will quickly fail. To replace, you will need 13" keys (two), a torque wrench, a wrench for wheel nuts, pliers, a screwdriver, a hammer, clean Litol-24 lubricant, and a container for washing parts. Remove the wheel and brake pads.

Remove the caliper without disconnecting the hydraulic brake hose, and, moving the caliper to the side, secure it (for example, with wire) so that the caliper does not hang on the hydraulic hose. Remove the rubber holder along with the hose from the bracket.

Unsplit the pin nut of the outer joint of the side link, unscrew the nut and install a puller, press the steering joint pin out of the swing arm boss

Unscrew three nuts each of the bolts securing the ball joint and ball joint to the arms and unscrew the hub nut

Remove the bolts and the steering knuckle assembly with hinges. Using a suitable mandrel, press the hub out of the inner bearing races.

Using a screwdriver, remove the oil seal from the hub. After pressing out, the Chevy Niva front hub oil seal is unsuitable for further use. Replace it with a new one

Remove the spacer and inner race of the bearing. Wash all parts with kerosene and fill the inner cavity of the steering knuckle with lubricant, apply lubricant to the outer and inner rings of the bearings

Install the bearing inner race and spacer into the steering knuckle and press the oil seal into the steering knuckle socket. Install the Niva Chevrolet steering knuckle in the reverse order of removal. Adjust the clearance in the hub bearings.

Replacing front wheel hub bearings Niva Chevrolet

External signs of the need to remove Niva Chevrolet bearings for troubleshooting are increased noise when the wheel rotates and the inability to achieve the nominal clearance in the bearings by adjustment.

To remove and install the front wheel bearings, you will need a wrench for wheel nuts, a hammer, a screwdriver, keys “13”, “17”, a torque wrench, firmware (bit), a mandrel for pressing the oil seal, kerosene, Litol-24 lubricant, a container for washing parts.

Remove the steering knuckle, remove the hub, oil seal, spacer ring and inner rings of the bearings and wash all parts with kerosene. Inspect the raceways of the inner and outer rings of the bearings, as well as the running surfaces of the rollers.

Pitting, visible wear of cages, rollers and rings, as well as cavities and chips on rollers and rings are not allowed. Be sure to replace defective bearings together with the outer rings.

Change the outer and inner bearings on a Niva Chevrolet at the same time.

What is a hub

The front hub is the part of the suspension that holds the car's wheels. Bearings are installed inside this part to ensure the car runs smoothly. The strength of the hub itself, and therefore the reliability of the wheel fastening, depends on the diameter of the so-called hub disk. Typically, manufacturers make the size of such a disk slightly larger than the diameter of the installation hole, so that distortion does not occur.

The pads and flanges of the axle shafts are attached to the front hub. This allows you to securely fasten the wheel rim and ensure smooth rotation of the wheel. All parts of this design are made from cast iron or other alloys on machine tools. The front hubs are attached to the car using parts such as bearings. Like any part, they wear out, which leads to breakdowns. Having tried to fundamentally solve this problem, manufacturers of various brands of cars are installing non-adjustable wheel bearings. "Niva Chevrolet" is one of these brands. Now let's take a closer look.

Replacing the wheel bearing on Niva. Sequencing "

Replacing the wheel bearing on Niva. Sequencing

As a rule, the bearings or driveshaft most often make themselves felt in rear-wheel drive models. At first, the situation is not so critical and the driver can safely endure the inconvenience, but over time the cup overflows and being in the cabin is simply unbearable. And then, willy-nilly, you go to the repair shop and change spare parts.

Replacing a wheel bearing on a Niva is slightly different from its “sisters”, this is due to all-wheel drive, since the wheels must be designed to rotate from the gearbox. Those wishing to carry out repairs should immediately carefully read the requirements of the operating instructions from the manufacturer, otherwise you will waste a lot of time.

The quality of roads, driving style, originality of spare parts, this is not a complete list, which directly or indirectly affects the service life of the wheel bearing. Structurally, the car wheel and the axle shaft are connected to each other by a hub.

The shape of the bearings resembles cones, hence the name - conical.

Non-adjustable hubs for Niva

Every car has weaknesses. In this case, these are the front hubs, which previously required periodic adjustment for normal operation, which, of course, could not but affect the reviews of car owners. That is why the designers created a non-adjustable hub for the Chevrolet Niva in order to avoid unnecessary fuss in terms of repairing the car.

In general, independent adjustment of bearings is almost impossible, due to the very complex design. Also, do not tighten the bearings all the way. And, besides this, there is a whole bunch of difficulties that are difficult to solve without the intervention of experts. It was precisely in order to make life easier for motorists that non-adjustable hubs were installed on the Niva. Reviews from those who purchased a car already with this innovation can be summarized into a specific list:

there is no need to engage in constant minor repairs and maintenance of this part, be it lubrication or adjustment;
the bearing will not turn on the hub;
there is no need to constantly lubricate the hub, and even suffer, choosing a better quality lubricant;
no friction occurs;
there will be no need to replace the bearing.

There are a whole bunch of advantages if your car has this mechanism. But now the Niva is producing a reinforced non-adjustable hub. But if the car owner is confident in his abilities, then everything can be done with his own hands.

Replacing the wheel bearing on Niva. Sequencing

High-quality work and timely replacement of the wheel bearing on Niva are the key to long-term operation of the machine.
Every driver wants his ride to be quiet and calm. But it happens (this is not a new thing for the domestic auto industry) that the silence in the cabin is periodically interrupted by third-party noises and hums. As a rule, the bearings or driveshaft most often make themselves felt in rear-wheel drive models. At first, the situation is not so critical and the driver can safely endure the inconvenience, but over time the cup overflows and being in the cabin is simply unbearable. And then, willy-nilly, you go to the repair shop and change spare parts.

Non-adjustable hubs for Niva: homemade

Externally, the difference looks like this:

This is if everything is turned on a machine, with the help of craftsmen. This “thickening” is more reliable.

The article provides drawings according to which you can make non-adjustable hubs for the Niva with your own hands.

To do this, you need such things as a double-row bearing from the Moskvich 2141 car and retaining rings (two pieces) from the same car.

We take the drawings and go with them to the craftsmen, whose task is to bore the hub to fit new bearings, grind the steering knuckles and make all the parts according to these diagrams.

After making all the parts, you need to press in the double-row bearing and assemble everything in the reverse order.

The hub nut is tightened as much as possible, because there will be no need to adjust it - you have a non-adjustable front hub (Niva) ready.

If you strictly follow all the recommendations, then your Niva will run, no longer requiring you to “climb in and move it.”

And the final diagram is an illustration of the final assembly of the non-adjustable hub.

Is it possible to replace the front wheel bearing of a Niva Chevrolet with your own hands?

Have you ever encountered a similar modification to the Niva hub? Leave recommendations and reviews about your options for upgrading the VAZ 2121, 2131. Let us remind you that the domestic SUV has other shortcomings, which are also eliminated by modifications. You can also find information about the car you are interested in by its content.

Key words: 4x4 front suspension

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And if you buy

Of course, you don’t have to worry, don’t look for parts from Moskvich, but just go to the store and buy what you need to install non-adjustable hubs on the Niva.

This hub assembly, if purchased, should consist of knuckles with pressed bearings, hubs and anthers - there should be two of each item. You need to know how many splines the hub on your car has, so that you don’t make a mistake when buying new ones. Specifically for the Niva, there are kits that come with twenty-two and twenty-four splines.

It is best, of course, to install non-adjustable hubs on the Niva at any service center. But if you have enough knowledge and experience, the driver can handle it himself. It is advisable to use new nuts and studs when installing new parts. And also - lubricate all elements of the mechanism to prevent them from souring. Before you install the caliper, it is better to clean it, because it affects the movement of your car's pads.

What may put you off from this option is the price. For a hub assembly, it is very high, even in car markets, where prices are always slightly lower than in stores, for example, in AvtoVAZ stores, where they also have parts for the Niva Chevrolet car. A non-adjustable front hub costs about three thousand rubles and more.

Operating principle and diagnostics

The shape of the bearings resembles cones, hence the name - conical.

Remember, too much tightening will cause the wheel to jam, and too little tightening will cause it to break. It is necessary to clamp with a dynamometer with certain readings.

As a result

The non-adjustable hub on the Chevrolet Niva is a very important detail. It makes car trips more comfortable. Nevertheless, the hub unit, which is factory-installed, especially from older models, is not to the liking of many who own a Chevrolet Niva car. A non-adjustable hub means the absence of unnecessary noise, hum and the ability to concentrate all your attention on the road.

This is interesting

And as a conclusion, here are some interesting facts about Niva:

in 1998, this car climbed under its own power to the base camp at the foot of Everest - which is 5200 meters above sea level; in 1999 - on a plateau in the Himalayas, to an altitude of 5726. This is a record to this day.
“Niva” even visited the North Pole, as part of the world “Day of Parachutists” - the car was dropped by parachute, and after a successful landing the car started up and drove off. This happened in April 1998.

At the Russian polar station "Bellingshausen" this brand of car worked without sparing its horsepower for twelve years.