The five most common causes of suspension knocks

09 February 2016 Lada.Online 202 827 81

The front and rear suspension of Vesta differs significantly from the one that AVTOVAZ used on Grant, Priora, Kalina, etc. All the reviews tell us that the new chassis design is better than before. However, during the first months of operation, the owners began to notice extraneous noises (knocks, creaks, rattles, crunches) in the front and rear suspensions of Vesta, which occur when driving over speed bumps or other road irregularities...

The most common shortcomings of the Lada Vesta car suspension

Drivers' complaints are caused by extraneous noises, squeaks and crunching sounds from the car's chassis. Most often they occur in the front part of the car, but many also complain about knocking from the rear suspension elements. The most common causes of these sounds are:

1. Noise from front stabilizer struts.

Owners of the first Vesta cars began to notice extraneous sounds from the front suspension after several thousand kilometers. The reason for this turned out to be poor-quality stabilizer links. After considering consumer complaints, the manufacturer ordered that these parts be replaced free of charge in case of complaints.

1. Rear shock absorbers knocking.

The rear struts knock when driving on rough roads. This is due to the fact that there is no insulating gasket between the shock absorber and the upper support, and metal hits metal when hitting an obstacle. The official service does not undertake to eliminate this deficiency, since it does not affect the driving performance of the car.

Detected malfunctions in the suspension

Even during the release of the first batches of Vesta from the assembly line, buyers rightly noticed shortcomings in its work, which were corrected in subsequent batches. The sounds that the rear or front suspension can make are very varied - the design is very complex, consisting of many parts that can fail. However, the most common breakdowns among Lada Vesta owners stand out and are worth disassembling.

Creaking, crunching, knocking from the rear suspension of the Lada Vesta

Rear crunching is a fairly old problem for West. The knock of the rear chassis is corrected according to a special instruction from AvtoVAZ, according to which the design will have to be slightly supplemented. Between the upper support and the rear shock absorber strut you need to place a washer with a length of 130 mm, a distance between the holes of 100 mm (hole radii - 5 mm), a base radius of 34 mm, and finally a radius of the main hole of 25 mm.

The crunch will disappear, but only if the washer matches the dimensions, otherwise a gap will appear between the body and the support, into which dirt gets trapped. The cause of concern due to crunching or knocking may also be:

• worn trunk lid damper;
• stretched handbrake cable (it can be pulled from the passenger compartment);
• trunk lock;
• rear sofa backrest fasteners.

And just in case, check the contents of the trunk itself - there may just be tools rattling around there.

Bumping knocks and noises in the front suspension of Lada Vesta

1. The first, most popular reason for calling for service is the thumping (knocking) sound of the front suspension of the Lada Vesta, which comes from the stabilizer. Typically occurs when driving over artificial bumps. Stabilizer bushings, unfortunately, are not suitable for long-term use; even lubricant will not help - the only way to treat them is by replacing them. To solve the problem, you can install polyurethane bushings from Niva Chevrolet, its number is 17-012-680.
2. The second reason for knocking can be called play of the ball joint, when a large gap is created between the parts. Problems can be solved by changing the design with levers. A grinding noise can be heard due to wear on the stabilizer struts and can mean that the car is gradually “losing” confidence when cornering.
3. The creaking of the front suspension is caused by the hinges of the stabilizer struts. While driving, a knocking noise may occur due to insufficient tightening of the wheel bolts. When such a sound is heard, it is better to contact a service station as quickly as possible to prevent parts from breaking.
4. The reason why the suspension on the Lada Vesta rattles and creaks can be heard may be that one of the parts has worn down to a sufficient level and is now knocking against another. To notice damage in time, it is enough to periodically inspect your car. If something is rattling, the part can be identified by shaking the car.
5. If crunching or knocking noises in the front suspension are heard infrequently, the cause most likely may be a torn steering rod oil seal. This oil seal is in very close contact with the subframe of the vehicle (the distance between them at rest is 1 cm), and they collide at every bump. The oil seal breaks, and the connection of the rod to the rack hits the subframe.

How to identify the cause of the noise yourself?

If the machine is under warranty, if you suspect any malfunction, you must contact your nearest service center. If the warranty has expired or this is not possible, you can try to determine the cause of the unpleasant noise yourself.

To do this, you need to hang the car wheels and move them in different directions. When conducting diagnostics, the following conclusions can be drawn:

• If there is play when the brake pedal is not pressed, then the wheel bearing needs to be replaced;
• If there is something wrong with the suspension, the play will not go away when you press the brake pedal;
• A ball joint defect can be suspected if the play occurs in the vertical plane. This sensation can also occur if the stand is poorly secured;
• Wobbling in the horizontal plane most often indicates a faulty tie rod end.

Having identified the causes of a creaking or rattling noise, it is necessary to eliminate it as soon as possible by replacing damaged parts. It is better to do this at a service station, where specialists will carry out reliable diagnostics and carry out repair work.

Support bearing knock

Often, car enthusiasts perceive the shock of the shock absorber rod as the knock of the wheel bearing. This can be explained by the design of the rack: two cylinders and a metal rod.

During systematic use, the bypass valves wear out and the strut does not dampen vibrations. With a sharp push, a blow occurs, which is perceived as a knock of the support bearing.

To guarantee that the latter is faulty, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis. It’s not difficult to do this yourself; in the transport position of the car, it’s enough to bleed the strut with a few presses on the car’s fender. After sharp pressure, the car must stabilize on its own, otherwise the shock absorber strut is faulty.

If there are no complaints about the shock absorber, then you are guaranteed to replace the support joint. The process is quite complex and requires minimal knowledge in servicing equipment. Unprofessional intervention does not guarantee full functionality of the mechanisms.

In order to carry out comprehensive diagnostics and replace worn-out equipment, contact a certified service station for help.

Front suspension. What might be a concern?

1. Wheel bearings.

Wheel bearing noise can be detected by ear even by a less experienced driver. It howls and rustles when moving and, gradually increasing, begins to drown out all other noises in the cabin. To make sure that it is the bearing that is making noise, you need to turn the steering wheel a little when driving at speeds above 60 km/h. If the rumble appears in one steering position and stops in another, it means the bearing has definitely failed. You can also check this by lifting the car wheel and spinning it. If you hear a characteristic rustling sound, it means the bearing needs to be replaced.

1. Stabilizer's pole.

Stabilizer links are the most vulnerable part of the suspension. Due to the poor quality of roads, they often fail and begin to produce a slight but constant noise from under the bottom of the car. You can determine if the struts are broken by resting the lever on the subframe and shaking the stabilizer. If during these actions a knock is heard and play is felt, it means that the stabilizer links are out of order.

These parts are usually replaced in pairs, and you can do it yourself. To do this, you need to hang the front wheels of the car, and using a 16 wrench, unscrew the hinge nuts, while holding them with a 5 hex wrench on the back side so that the hinges do not turn.

1. Spherical bearing

The sound of a broken ball joint can be difficult to distinguish from other suspension noises. You can check the play of this unit by moving the suspended wheel in a horizontal plane. If the fault cannot be determined, you can insert a pry bar between the subframe and the lever and press on the resulting stop. This is the easiest way to identify a loose ball pore.

At the service center, the ball joint is replaced along with the lever and silent blocks. But these parts also exist for sale as a separate unit.

Replacing a ball is not an easy operation, so you can tackle it yourself only if you have the necessary tools and metalworking skills.

1. Shock absorber.

Many drivers complain about the knocking of Lada Vesta shock absorbers, but their design itself eliminates this possibility. The telescopic strut consists of two cylinders that dampen vibrations while moving on uneven roads. When they break down, the car begins to “sit down”, the road holding is poor, all the unevenness and bumps become clearly noticeable, and the steering deteriorates. In this case, the outflow of liquid or gas from one cylinder to another is disrupted, and the shock absorber rod begins to make characteristic sounds that resemble knocking.

Visually, a breakdown of the oil shock absorber can be determined by drips on the casing, in the presence of which the part must be replaced immediately. You can also rock the car, focusing on the hood. Under normal conditions, after the impact ceases, the machine should swing once and stop moving. If this does not happen, the racks do not absorb as expected.

1. Upper rack support

The upper mount of the front shock absorber contains a support bearing that can knock and howl when driving. You can identify a malfunction of this unit in the following way: swing the car in a vertical plane and put your hand on the support. If a part malfunctions, rattling and humming will be felt.

Another method requires completely dismantling the rack. This check can be done simultaneously with replacing the front shock absorbers. After removing the steering knuckle, you need to rotate the strut together with the spring in a circle. The crunching and grinding sound in the upper part of the assembly that occurs during this indicates that the support is faulty.

Like shock absorbers, it is advisable to change the upper supports at the station, since the process of dismantling and installing them is quite complicated.

Wear of stabilizer bushings

If, when driving over a speed bump, a dull knock or squeak is heard from the front, there is a high probability that the reason for this is premature wear, due to the poor quality of the material, of the standard anti-roll bar bushings of the Lada Vesta - a malfunction typical of the VAZ sedan. In this case, other signs corresponding to the assumption should be present:

• knocking of the chassis when the car rolls while moving;
• beating in the steering wheel when driving on a flat surface at speeds above 60 km/h;
• increased play in the steering mechanism during intensive maneuvering;
• involuntary deviation of the car from straight-line movement.

The final conclusion will be made by inspecting the car on a car lift - if the bushings are swollen, have lost their geometry and elasticity, then they need to be replaced.

Replacing anti-roll bar bushings

If the dealer service center is remote and standard spare parts are available (catalog number: 8450006748), you can do this work yourself, with minimal risk of subsequent detection of independent intervention. After the warranty period has expired, or at the dealer, it is better to replace these parts with higher quality analogues, for example, polyurethane bushings from Lada Chevrolet Niva (article No. 17012680) or products from other manufacturers according to the dimensions indicated in the pictures.

To do the job you will need the following tool:

• TORX 40 angle wrench;

• ring wrenches “13” and “16”;
• 10" head with extension and wrench.

The bushings are replaced on an overpass, inspection pit or car lift. It is not allowed to change parts by jacking up the front axle shafts one by one.

Work order:

1. Using a 10mm socket with an extension, remove the protective cover of the steering mechanism;
2. Using a 13mm spanner, remove the two rear bolts securing the steel brackets of the bushings;
3. Using a T40 wrench, unscrew the front bolt securing one of the two brackets and remove the bracket;
4. remove the old bushing from the stabilizer, clean and lubricate the hole in it with silicone grease, install a new bushing through the cut on it and first fix the steel bracket with the front bolt;
5. replace the second bushing in the same way;
6. tighten the 4 bracket fastening bolts with a force of 2.0-2.4 kgf m;
7. Install the steering gear protective cover.

Polyurethane bushings have a service life that is 2-4 times greater than the potential of rubber products.

Rear suspension knocking and noise

Unpleasant knocks from the rear suspension occur less often than from the front, but sometimes they also bother owners of Vesta cars.

The most common phenomena that can cause noise are:

• Rear beam silent blocks;
• Faulty rear shock absorber mounts or shock absorbers themselves;
• Lack of soundproofing gasket between the shock absorber and the upper support.

The first two problems are eliminated by replacing failed components. The knock of the strut on the support does not affect the driving performance and is not a breakdown, but a factory defect of Vesta. You can eliminate it by placing a purchased or self-made gasket between the parts that are closing and emitting an irritating sound.

Owner reviews about the Lada Vesta suspension

Reviews

Conclusion

• The suspension of the Lada Vesta car is of good quality, but has some shortcomings.
• One of the most common reasons for contacting warranty service is knocking and noise from the front and rear suspension.
• Most often, the front stabilizers fail, as well as the rear shock absorbers, which begin to work noisily over time.
• It is possible to make a diagnosis yourself, but the result will not always be unambiguous. If this is possible, it is better to contact a service station to professionally diagnose and, if necessary, repair the car.