Replacing the rear springs of a VAZ 2107: how to remove and install, which ones are better, instructions with photos and videos

Purpose of rear springs on VAZ 2107

Rear springs are essential for a comfortable ride. They are the most important part of the suspension and successfully dampen the shaking that occurs when driving on uneven roads. The springs also prevent the car from tipping over when entering a very sharp turn. And finally, when driving on a flat road, the springs keep the car body at a constant height.

The rear spring on the VAZ 2107 is located far behind the wheel

Externally, the spring is a rod made of structural steel and twisted into a spiral. The suspensions of the very first cars were equipped with springs. But now almost all cars have springs, because they take up less space in the body and are easier to maintain. In addition to springs, the VAZ 2107 also has shock absorbers, the main task of which is to dampen vibrations resulting from the operation of the spring.

About the stiffness of car springs

Speaking about the purpose of springs, one cannot help but dwell on such an important characteristic as rigidity. Car enthusiasts usually divide suspensions into “hard” and “soft”. The VAZ 2107 uses both types of suspensions. And their use is determined by the purpose of the machine.

Spring stiffness depends on many different parameters

If the owner of the “Seven” loves speed and prefers an aggressive driving style, he installs a stiffer suspension, which makes the car as stable as possible on sharp turns. And if the driver is not used to rushing, then he should install a soft suspension that provides maximum comfort when driving on uneven roads. The stiffness of the “seven” springs depends on the following parameters:

diameter of the spring rod. As the diameter of the rod increases, the stiffness of the spring also increases;
diameter of the spring itself. Spring diameter refers to the diameter of the cylinder formed by a twisted spring rod. The larger this diameter, the softer the spring will be;
number of turns. The more turns in the spring, the softer it is;
form. Springs can be cylindrical, barrel-shaped or conical. Cylindrical ones are considered the hardest, barrel-shaped ones are the softest, and conical ones occupy an intermediate position between cylindrical and barrel-shaped ones.

Conditions for replacement, tool

You can change the rear springs yourself even in the absence of an inspection hole (only a jack is sufficient). You can find out the dimensions of the socket heads and spanners required to unscrew the upper or lower shock absorber mountings in the repair and operating manual for your car model. In some cases, having two jacks will make the process much easier.

Replacing rear suspension springs will be much easier if you use special ties. For example, on a VAZ 2101, 2102, 2106, 2107, you can remove the old spring and install a new one using conventional installation, but the design of the rear suspension of many other cars will not allow such a trick. We will show you how to change rear springs without zip ties, but we recommend using this method only if absolutely necessary. The price of screeds is not so high as to sacrifice your own safety.

DIY Replacement Guide

We will demonstrate the replacement procedure using the example of a VAZ 2101-2107. After reading the instructions, you can easily carry out this procedure on another car, since the basic provisions apply to all types of rear suspension.

Loosen the wheel bolts.
Raise and secure the rear part of the car on the supports. Be sure to install the wheel chocks diagonally (if the rear right side is raised, the chocks are installed under the front left wheel).
Unscrew the lower shock absorber mounting. If for any reason problems arise with the bottom bracket, you can unscrew the top mount. The shock absorber will limit the travel of the beam (on cars with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive - the rear axle), so we need to disconnect one of its fasteners from the car body.
Using a pry bar, pry the lower end of the spring by the coil to release it from the mounting groove. There is no need for such manipulations if the spring is slightly tightened with ties.

When tightening, be sure to ensure that the coils are tightly secured by the claws of the ties. If the spring jumps out, it can cause serious injury!

How to properly install new springs

On many cars, there are special grooves in the upper and lower cups for fixing the outer turns. During installation, it is important not only to clean the seats from dirt, but also to ensure that the outer turns are positioned correctly.

Just on the VAZ 2101-2107, the upper rubber spacer, like the metal ring, have a special groove. In order not to guess the location of the spacer, before installation, secure it with adhesive tape to the upper turn, and then install it in its assembled place. During the operation of the car, the rubber damper often sticks to the body, so to remove it you will need a large impact screwdriver or a crowbar. We recommend watching the video, which clearly shows the process of self-replacement.

Springs must be changed in pairs - on both sides of the axle at once.

Beam with silent blocks

This type of beam is installed on Daewoo Lanos, Opel Astra F, Vectra A and many other foreign cars. In order not to tear the silent blocks, it is advisable to unscrew their fastenings. If defects in rubber products are detected, we recommend replacing the silent blocks of the rear beam at the same time. Please note that replacement must be done one at a time, since the beam is attached to the body only with silent block fastenings and shock absorbers.

As practice shows, the rear springs can be changed without unscrewing the silent blocks. To increase the beam travel, it is enough to jack up the lower part of the beam on the opposite side. To do this, lift the body with a jack and secure it on the supports. Remove the wheels, then place the jack as close to the end of the beam as possible. Raising in this place will provoke lowering of the beam on the replacement side.

How to change springs without ties

If on a VAZ classic you can do without tightening, then on many other cars, removing old springs and installing new springs without tightening is simply impossible. In the absence of a puller, you can get out of the situation as follows:

jack up the beam on the replacement side;
Twist the spring with thick wire from two opposite sides. Remember that the effort is serious and you need to approach the matter responsibly;
lower the beam and pull out the spring;
compress the new spring using a stop and a lever in the form of a beam of sufficient length or a metal channel. Secure it in a compressed state with strong wire;
install a new spring element;
lift the beam until the spring contacts the pads;
loosen the wire.

You should resort to this replacement method only if it is impossible to use safe repair methods!

Do I need to change springs when replacing struts and shock absorbers?

If they have not sagged and all the coils are in place, then it is not necessary to change the springs when replacing shock absorber struts.

Replacing rear springs on a Classic!

First point. What do you need to replace the rear springs? Of course, these are the springs themselves. From the assortment presented on the markets of Kharkov, in particular on the Losk market, we can advise you to purchase springs from the Perm Spring and Spring Plant or as a more expensive version of the spring. In addition to the springs, you need to buy rubber spacers with metal clips. You can find three types of spacers on sale: standard, medium and high.

The article describes the installation of standard springs with medium spacers (photo 1). You can also experiment with the option - springs with high spacers, but only if you install simple springs (2101), and not reinforced 2102. Since the springs are 2102 and so much higher than standard ones, then together with high and even medium rubber spacers, they can lift the car very much. As a result, the travel of standard VAZ shock absorbers will not be enough, which will entail replacing the shock absorbers themselves (for example, with longer Moskvich ones) or you will have to visit the nearest welder so that he welds additional rings on the shock absorber. But installing a cargo version of springs on the VAZ 2101, VAZ 2105, VAZ 2106, VAZ 2107 models is necessary only in extreme cases, unless your “penny” or “seven” serves you every day as a small Gazelle.

Now, let's talk about the tool that we will need during work. You need two jacks (for example, a “frog” jack paired with a “trapezoid” jack, photo 2), a pair of 19mm wrenches, a wheel wrench and a large screwdriver. It is better to carry out the work in the inspection hole, since replacing the springs from the “ground” will be very inconvenient.

The procedure for replacing rear springs on VAZ-2101, VAZ-2104, VAZ-2105, VAZ-2106, VAZ-2107, Classic cars:

1. Loosen the wheel bolts (photo 3) and unscrew them from below. We take out the lower bolt of the rear shock absorber (photo 4), then unscrew it, and remove the short torque rod bolt (photo 5). 2. After this, use a jack to lift the car body (photo 6) (the wheel will remain on the ground, since the shock absorber has been removed), then install a trapezoidal jack under the rear axle stocking (photo 7) and lift the wheel. 3. When the wheel is removed, we begin to lower the rear axle with a trapezoidal jack, carefully observing the condition of the spring (you will see it when it weakens and comes out of its seat) and the brake hose, since it can be torn (photo 8). 4. Remove the spring and take out the old spacers or what’s left of them. We check the condition of the rear spring seats (photos 9a and 9c). 5. Before installing the springs, it is advisable to tie the rubber spacers to the springs using electrical tape, tape or wire. 6. When installing the spring, we direct its lower end strictly into the recess in the cup on the rear axle (photo 10). 7. When the spring is in place, you can lift the edge of the rear axle with a trapezoid jack and install the wheel. After which the car can be lowered to the ground and the rear shock absorber and short torque rod can be secured.

DIY Replacement Guide

Loosen the wheel bolts.
Raise and secure the rear part of the car on the supports. Be sure to install the wheel chocks diagonally (if the rear right side is raised, the chocks are installed under the front left wheel).
Unscrew the lower shock absorber mounting. If for any reason problems arise with the bottom bracket, you can unscrew the top mount. The shock absorber will limit the travel of the beam (on cars with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive - the rear axle), so we need to disconnect one of its fasteners from the car body.
Using a pry bar, pry the lower end of the spring by the coil to release it from the mounting groove. There is no need for such manipulations if the spring is slightly tightened with ties.

When tightening, be sure to ensure that the coils are tightly secured by the claws of the ties. If the spring jumps out, it can cause serious injury!

How to properly install new springs

Springs must be changed in pairs - on both sides of the axle at once.

Beam with silent blocks

How to change springs without ties

jack up the beam on the replacement side;
Twist the spring with thick wire from two opposite sides. Remember that the effort is serious and you need to approach the matter responsibly;
lower the beam and pull out the spring;
compress the new spring using a stop and a lever in the form of a beam of sufficient length or a metal channel. Secure it in a compressed state with strong wire;
install a new spring element;
lift the beam until the spring contacts the pads;
loosen the wire.

You should resort to this replacement method only if it is impossible to use safe repair methods!

Do I need to change springs when replacing struts and shock absorbers?

If they have not sagged and all the coils are in place, then it is not necessary to change the springs when replacing shock absorber struts.

While the car is “on wheels”, tear off the wheel mounting bolts with a “balloon”.
Jack up the car with a screw jack on the side where you are going to change the suspension spring.
Next, you need to hang the wheel and completely remove it from the car.

After this, remove the shock absorber, this is done as follows:

To do this, use the key at "6, 13, 17 and 19".
The rod must be kept from turning with a key.
Next, loosen the nut and remove it.
Also remove the cushion washer, spring washer and upper shock absorber mounting pad.

8. Unscrew the two fastening nuts of the bracket to the lever and remove the spring washers.

9. Remove the shock absorber from the bottom using the mounting hole in the arm.

10. Loosen the mounting nuts that secure the lower arm to the axle, but do not rush to remove them.

Now it’s the turn of the second jack (hydraulic)

11. Place it under the lower control arm, then raise it slightly to load the suspension and level the lower control arm.

12. Remove the stabilizer bar.

13. Unscrew the nuts of the stabilizer bracket and remove the bracket with the rubber cushion.

14. Unscrew the nut that holds the pin in the ear of the steering knuckle, but now you can remove the lower ball joint.

15. Lower the jack and knock out the support pin with a hammer; to do this, hit the lower ear of the steering knuckle several times.

16. With the lower ball joint removed, reinstall the jack under the lower control arm, but there is now no need to load the suspension.

17. After this, you can unscrew the ball joint pin nut completely, slowly, and carefully lower the lower arm down. Help yourself with a mounting spatula by moving the stabilizer to the side so that it does not catch the bracket mounting studs.

18. Now completely unload the suspension and move the jack to the side.

19. Prepare a strong rope or wire, with its help you need to pull the upper arm as high as possible in order to provide yourself with access to the front suspension spring.

20. Take a pry bar and use it to pry the lower end of the spring, then carefully remove it from the lower arm support cup.

21. Remove the suspension spring, remove the spring gasket from the upper support cup.

Now that nothing is in the way, the front suspension spring can be replaced.

To replace the front spring, do the following:

1. Take a new spring, attach a gasket to it (use regular electrical tape for this) and install it in place.

2. Install the mounting blade into the hole for the shock absorber and, holding the spring with it, fix the lower coil. By looking at the surface of the lower arm, you can see a helical surface indicating the correct position of the spring. Helping yourself with mounting, you need to adjust the correct position of the spring in relation to the screw surface.

3. Having set the correct position of the lower coil, install the jack under the lever and create a load on the spring, then use a mounting blade to finally seat the spring on the screw surface.

4. Increase the load on the spring and, using a mounting tool, install the stabilizer bar into a position between the two mounting studs of the stabilizer bracket.

Assembly is carried out in reverse order.

Now we can say that the replacement of the front suspension springs of the VAZ 2106 has been completed.

About the choice of springs

As mentioned above, the choice of springs should be based on the purpose of the vehicle. Those who drive fast install hard springs, and those who love comfort install soft ones. There is another situation in which replacement is indispensable: the springs may get tired. It's simple: over the years, the elasticity of any spring decreases. If this happens with the rear springs of the "seven", then the rear of the car begins to sag greatly, and the wheels, falling into a particularly deep hole, begin to touch the fender liners with a characteristic grinding sound. After this, the driver is simply obliged to install new hard springs. Which ones to choose?

VAZ springs

If the springs wear out, the best option would be to install a set of standard rear springs for the VAZ 2107. If for some reason it was not possible to purchase “original” springs, there is a second option: springs from the VAZ 2104. They are slightly stiffer than the “original” springs, and drivers who prefer aggressive driving style, you will probably notice an improvement in the car's handling. Also, springs from the “four” are installed by those who decided to transfer their “seven” to gas fuel. Gas cylinders are heavy, therefore the rear springs must be stiffer and their free travel must be shorter. Finally, there is a third option: springs from a VAZ 2101. Today, it is not always possible to purchase new springs from a “kopek”, since the “kopek” has long been discontinued. But if you still managed to get such springs, the suspension of the “seven” will become softer after installing them.

About springs from foreign cars

It is not recommended to install rear springs from foreign cars on the VAZ 2107. The fact is that the parameters of these springs do not even come close to the standard VAZ springs. Springs on foreign cars are designed for a different car weight, a different body type, different shock absorbers, etc.

Installing springs from foreign cars on a VAZ 2107 is impractical

If the driver decides to install them, he will have to seriously modify the 7's suspension and will almost certainly have to change the rear shock absorbers, which will lead to additional costs. But even such measures do not guarantee normal operation of the suspension. Therefore, drivers who are tuning their “sevens” prefer not to mess with springs from foreign cars, getting along just fine with the VAZ springs mentioned above.

Replacing the front suspension springs of a VAZ 2106

We are preparing the necessary tools that we will need to replace the front suspension springs. We will need wrenches for "22" and "13", two jacks, one of which must be either screw or hydraulic, a wrench for the wheel bolts, a metal brush for cleaning dirt and a hammer. Now you can start repairing the VAZ 2106, for this:

Remove the wheel from the car and then remove the shock absorber.
Loosen the nuts securing the lower arm to the axle, but do not remove them.
Next, we place a hydraulic jack under the lower arm and raise it slightly in order to lightly load the suspension and level the lower arm and remove the anti-roll bar.
Unscrew the nuts securing the stabilizer bracket, remove the bracket and the rubber cushion.

Now we need to disconnect the lower ball joint; to do this, we do not completely unscrew the nut securing the pin to the steering knuckle ear, remove the jack and use a hammer to apply sharp and strong blows to the surface of the lower steering knuckle ear until the support pin pops out of the eye.

After we have disconnected the lower ball joint, we again place a jack under the lower arm, only this time we do not load the suspension.
Now you can completely unscrew the ball joint pin nut and carefully lower the lower arm down, while using a mounting blade to move the stabilizer to the side so that it does not cling to the bracket mounting studs. We completely unload the suspension and move the jack to the side.
Now we need to prepare a metal hook or some strong wire, with which we secure the upper arm in the highest position and thereby provide ourselves with convenient access to the front suspension spring.
Next, we take the mounting blade in our hands and, by prying the lower end of the spring, carefully remove it from the support cup of the lower arm and remove the suspension spring. Remove the spring gasket from the upper support cup on the car body.

This completes the process of removing the old suspension spring. We take a new spring, secure a gasket on it, for example with ordinary electrical tape, and install the spring back. Insert a mounting spatula into the hole for the shock absorber and, holding the spring, secure the lower coil with the spatula. If we look at the surface of the lower arm, we will see a screw surface, which shows us how the spring should sit correctly, so use a mounting blade to orient the correct position of the spring relative to the screw surface. Having oriented the lower coil, place a jack under the lever and lightly load the spring, then use the mounting tool to finally seat the spring on the screw surface. Next, load the spring a little more with the jack and with a mounting blade, move the stabilizer bar between the two studs securing the stabilizer bracket. Produce all other removed parts in the reverse order of removal.