1982 Lada Niva

[GoceKU]

Today i spent my spare time driving to the main city to buy me new shock absorbers for the little niva, i bought me a set for all 4 sides. The shocks are made in germany, much better quality than the OEM russian units and at least 20-40 years newer, i'm pretty sure front ones are factory.

 

[GoceKU]

Last few days i've been very busy at work, but finally i had an evening off and got to work on the little niva. Driver upper a arm was already off, but the passenger has seized bolts, some penetrating oil a bit of back and forward with my new impact driver it come out. I'm keeping all the shims in order to keep the alinement. The big problem come at the bottom A arms. The long bolt that hold them thru the sub frame was sized, the drivers one was seized in the rear suspension bush, tried keeping it with pipe wrench and hitting it with the big impact driver but won't move. So i heated it and still no go, then i cut open the suspension bush and welded a bar to stop it from spinning, the heat for welding and the 220v impact got it loose, with the drivers arm removed, the passenger was rusted even worse, so i stuck a map gas torch and heated the subframe, the big impact, got a good work out but it also got that bolt loose. Then come the big task of knocking the old suspension bushes out. I tried pressing them out but they won't budge. No surprise they've been in there for 39 years, so i had to beet them out, also had to cut them, push them and finally they are out, i also removed the old shock absorbers, spring plates. Now all the components need a good cleaning before they get new bushes and reassembled. Perhaps a coat of flat black paint.

 

[silverhawk]

I keep liking these posts, and not because of causes of the work, just the work that is being put in. I humbly bow to your patience.

Sent from my SM-T500 using Tapatalk

 

[GoceKU]

Yeah, i know this and most of the things i'm showing are boring, but it helps me keep track of things i've done and when. I do like the interaction here, on most car forums everyone's an expert and most of the advice is unrealistic or simply wrong, here it's very pleasant. I do show only very little that i do in my day here, i do work 2 full jobs and most of i show is just hobby, and recently i've been remodeling so i'm doing the tiles and flooring.

 

[BGHansen]

I do show only very little that i do in my day here, i do work 2 full jobs and most of i show is just hobby, and recently i've been remodeling so i'm doing the tiles and flooring.

Ah, remodeling in your spare time! You must either only sleep 3 hours a night or somehow have 30-hour days.

Bruce

 

[GoceKU]

Bruce, i'm average only 1,5-2 hours a day of sleep during the work days, and 3-4 hours weekends and holidays. Few years ago when i injured my back i had to lay in bad for hours, it was pure torture.

 

[GoceKU]

last few days i've been very busy but few minutes now and there, i've managed to clean off the front suspension and spray them down with anti rust acid. I'm planning to engineer a lift kit because of the bigger tires i'll rather be safe than having to take apart the entire suspension agan.

 

[GoceKU]

Today i spent few hours i had to spare on finishing the engine for the little niva, i installed all the timing components, oil pan, timing cover front pulley, i still need to dial in the valve timing but i left the oil pan sealant to cure.

 

[GoceKU]

Today i had some time to spare, so i take couple of jobs on the little niva, first was to drill out the spot welds on the lower spring pockets for the front suspension as i've mentioned i'm going to be lifting it a bit so i need to install a spacer in between them and to have the anti roll bar, at the same location to have good road manners. Then i install and torque the flywheel install the clutch and torque the pressure plate, i used a spare input shaft to line the clutch disk, i've also done couple of little small jobs on it as well but at this point i'm ready to lower the engine on the ground and i need to call reinforcements for that.

 

[GoceKU]

It's been a month since the last update on the little niva. I've made very little progress, many because of my injured back. But secretly i was hoping it will put itself together, yeah that did not happen. I managed to make couple of spacers so i can raise the front end. Also i've ordered and received lots of OEM parts from Russia and Bulgaria. I'll be starting to put in some work.