A car like the Niva is a fairly good, durable and high-quality SUV. This car has a fairly large number of positive qualities, but most owners of this car strive to improve it after purchase.
Most likely, not a single domestic car can compare with the Niva in terms of cross-country ability.
DIY tuning of Niva 2121 for off-road
Initially, the Niva 2121 was created as a universal all-terrain vehicle that feels comfortable off-road and in the city. Therefore, it is logical that off-road tuning of the Niva 2121 is especially popular.
This is due to its relative simplicity. To create, or rather, enhance the image of an SUV, you need to install on your car:
- Larger diameter wheels with tires designed for extreme off-road use. It should be recalled that low-profile tires are not relevant in this case. It is also necessary to take into account that installing large-diameter disks requires impressive torque figures. Ignoring this rule will lead to premature wear of the power unit
- Installing arch extensions on a Niva will solve several problems at once: get rid of splashes of dirt on the wings and doors, expand the possibilities in terms of choosing the diameter of the disks, and complement the tuning composition
- Power kit. It consists of a powerful kenguryatnik. It is easy to make it yourself from pipes. A structure is installed on the rear door, onto which the spare tire is attached. It will also perform a protection function. A winch must be installed. It will help off-road and give the car an aggressive, masculine look.
This is all that is needed to create a car designed for participation in sports competitions or outdoor activities. This external tuning of the Niva 2121 combines aesthetic and practical functions. Therefore, the efforts and resources invested in it will quickly pay off.
You can do an easy tuning of the Niva 2121 - install new wheels and tires and apply stylish airbrushing with a 3D effect. To carry out the last operation, it is necessary to attract specialists.
Mechanical modification of the Niva engine
For a 4x4 class car, which is the Niva, mechanical tuning is mandatory. The reason is the low performance of standard components in terms of geometry and wear resistance.
Engine tuning should begin with improving the carburetor. Here you should replace:
- Jets. Instead of 1 camera (t110 in ZD150), 2 cameras are installed (t125 in ZD135);
- Accelerator pump nozzle.
Be sure to clean the carburetor from carbon deposits. This can be done manually using a rag, gasoline and physical force, high-pressure washers designed for home car washing or specialized baths for cleaning parts. All of the above will allow you to debug the fuel supply mechanism to the timing belt (gas distribution mechanism).
The second stage is tuning the timing belt and other mechanical components of the engine. You should immediately start correcting the geometry of the power unit. To do this, it is necessary to increase the diameter of the valves. It should be noted that sealing them increases motor power by up to 10%.
The same operation is carried out with the pusher wells of the intake and exhaust channels. This entails replacing the pusher itself. It is recommended that its diameter be at least 1 mm. This upgrade is very important for the 4x4 layout. The next step is to replace the injectors and control unit.
You can increase engine power by replacing the standard crankshaft with an advanced modification, as well as installing new piston rings. Installing a new crankshaft will give increased stroke to the pistons. In this case, they must be bored. Although many experts argue that this significantly increases fuel consumption, this operation cannot be avoided when replacing the crankshaft. All of the above operations also add power to the motor.
All of the above will significantly improve the technical performance of the Niva and reduce the wear of spare parts. The smoothness of the ride is also improved.
Engine improvement
As in the case of the suspension, a radical improvement of the engine can only be achieved by changing the unit itself. The family of VAZ engines installed on the Niva is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, sufficient reliability and relatively moderate appetite.
Carburetor models also consume low-octane gasoline without much difficulty.
The engine tuning available for the Niva 2121 should begin with replacing the ignition system with a modern electronic version. This will simplify starting the car and improve its performance, especially in cold weather.
A good option for tuning carburetor versions is also to install a modified carburetor with a larger diffuser, which will give a slight increase in power. In addition, it is justified to replace the manifolds with more modern options, and especially to improve the sealing of the cylinders.
The camshaft is also often replaced with an option that provides more power. True, such tuning should be carried out simultaneously with the installation of a new, more efficient cooling radiator and a fan with more blades. Such measures will avoid engine overheating.
If you have the means, you can also try installing an atmospheric supercharger. However, it is worth considering that on the VAZ-2121, due to the design features of the car, such measures do not seem justified.
Instead of the factory carburetor, you can install a modification of it with an enlarged diffuser called a throttle. You can also install an injection model. It is worth considering installing a new electronic ignition system.
Replacing the camshaft will increase the car's power, but will also increase the likelihood of overheating. To prevent this from happening, you can install a radiator with a larger working surface.
You can also increase the diameter of the valves and strengthen the sealing, which will give an additional 10% of power. Installing a turbine further increases the power of the power unit. Take the time to replace the standard intake and exhaust manifolds with advanced modifications.
Thus, with the help of modifications and tuning, a Niva can be made into a car that fully meets the requirements of its owner.
Traditionally, upgrading the power unit of a domestic SUV should begin with reworking the carburetor. A simple solution would be to install an advanced modification with an enlarged diffuser, also called a throttle. This spare part can also be replaced on a standard injector model. If you completely change this unit, it is recommended to install an electronic ignition system.
Tuning the Niva 2121 carburetor will be most effective together with replacing the camshaft. This gives an impressive increase in power. And here, to avoid overheating, it is necessary to install a radiator with a larger surface area.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH99pQLDECA
Tuning the Niva 2121 engine also includes correcting the engine geometry. This is done by increasing the diameter of the valves. About 10% of the power comes from sealing them. It wouldn't hurt to do the same with the intake and exhaust manifold pushers. To increase the power of the power unit at high speeds, a turbine should be installed. At the same time, it is advisable to replace the intake and exhaust manifolds with advanced modifications.
Helpful advice
If the car will be used in extreme off-road conditions, it is necessary to install a snorkel. It will allow you to overcome water obstacles without consequences for the engine.
Chip tuning of the Niva 2121 is ineffective, since the car is equipped with an atmospheric engine. There is no need to waste money on purchasing equipment or time on re-flashing. This will only give small improvements to the driving characteristics of the SUV.
New interior design
What is important in tuning the Niva’s interior with your own hands? That's right - this is installing sound insulation. To do this, you should buy special material (luckily you won’t have to search for a long time) and carefully cut the shape to the size of the bottom.
Such know-how will make it impossible to listen to the car’s camshaft, which loves to “sing” loudly while driving on the asphalt.
Replacing the decor inside the car should start with standard things. Of course, the door and seat trim should be reviewed first.
To do this, you can travel to shops and markets to choose the best option. In a more radical case, the old seats can be replaced with more modern types of seats (for example, a sports type).
You can, of course, upgrade the old version, but it will be more expensive financially and will take quite a long time.
And finally, you can replace the steering wheel. In addition, now you can find any model, even a Ferrari.
Torpedo
For those for whom installing a VAZ 2106 trauma panel is not enough, you can offer another option for tuning the Niva’s interior - replacing the car’s standard “beard”. This part of the instrument panel is located between the driver and front passenger seats. This design feature of the car interior is very convenient, because there is a special lining on it. It is designed so that the driver can put various small things on it - they will always be at hand.
However, everything will remain in place only until the car passes the first turn. Due to the lack of sides on the trim, all things will fly around the cabin of the VAZ 2121, which will spoil the mood of both the driver and passengers. Solving this problem is very simple. To do this, we will need to purchase a tunnel cover from a VAZ 21213, as well as a heating “beard” from the same car. The total cost of all elements for modernization fluctuates around 150–200 rubles.
Next, we proceed to tuning the interior. To begin with, we screw the trim into place, having previously installed the cigarette lighter on it. After this, we begin work with the “beard” for the VAZ 2121. We saw off all the unnecessary parts from it in the area of the lower wall of the recess. Next, cut off the protruding corners. We bend the resulting protrusions inward by 90˚.
Not so often, but still among Niv owners there are those who do not ignore such “noticeable parts of the interior” - such as the instrument panel, dashboard and the instruments themselves. Which, in turn, can either be slightly modified (for example, changing the color of the scales or the backlight of standard sensors), or completely replaced with others, both from domestic cars and parts from foreign cars.
How to make a dashboard with your own hands?
The process of making a homemade dashboard from plywood is literally “on the knee”.
This instrument panel can be purchased from sellers of tuning parts and accessories. It seems that the choice of alternative plastic dashboards for the VAZ-21214 in online and online stores is relatively large. And if you search, you can find some pretty decent panels.
Often, fans of tuning a domestic SUV decide to completely replace the dashboard or instrument panel with appropriately sized panels from foreign cars. And more often than not, such a replacement is completely justified. Since, in addition to a clear improvement in the visual perception of the interior, comfort and ergonomics are significantly improved.
Also interesting: Why does the check light on the Niva VAZ-2131 2012 light up?
Considering the relative austerity and simplicity of the standard seats, the idea of replacing them with seats from a foreign car comes to mind for many VAZ-2121 owners. Of course, taking into account the two-door layout, it is necessary to focus on the appropriate type of donor. But most often, it is possible to make a reclining mechanism with your own hands and on the front seats, which were not originally designed for this. You will also have to tinker with the back of the rear sofa (given the characteristic shape of the plastic trim on the wheel arches).
Installing seats from a foreign car instead of standard ones is one of the best options for significantly increasing the level of comfort. At the same time, the complexity of the work is often at a relatively low level, and the price of used seats is also often relatively low, and the result can exceed the best expectations. In addition to frankly budget options (donors are inexpensive Japanese or Europeans), sometimes the VAZ 2121 is even equipped with leather seats from luxury foreign cars (Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, etc.). You can see similar installations in the photographs below.
The first thing you should do in your car so that daily trips in it within the city (and not only) do not lead you into a sad state of a squeezed lemon is to carry out comprehensive sound insulation of the interior.
Before disassembling the entire interior, find the front seats from a foreign car. Seats from Japanese cars have proven themselves well in domestic SUVs. The fact that you need to find rather rare seats from a coupe car should not confuse you.
Any front seats from a foreign car can be easily converted into folding angle grinders with a slight movement - you just need to cut off the stop that limits the forward movement of the backrest.
For safety, we strongly recommend that you do not weld new seats into the body of the Niva, but redesign the slide of the seat itself in order to integrate the lower rails from the original ones. Then the new comfortable chairs will become standard installation locations.
For high-quality sound insulation, you will also need to remove the front panel. Here you will find another key point included in high-quality tuning for Niva 21213 - the dashboard. It can be replaced with a more modern version. A radical solution to changing the appearance of the interior would be to completely replace the front panel with another one.
There is a “comfort” version of the front panel on sale. Its advantages are that there is no need to redo the fasteners, adjust them to size, etc. It has space for both an on-board computer and a tape recorder. The new dashboard and steering wheel will create the complete feeling that you are driving another car. Moreover, every car enthusiast can do such tuning of Niva 21213 with his own hands (photo above).
Any car can be not only refreshed through tuning, but also radically changed, achieving a significant improvement in technical performance. Niva is no exception in this regard. Thus, tuning a VAZ 2121 with your own hands allows you to transform the legendary SUV into any form.
Today we will talk about how to get a car from a VAZ 2121 that is ready for the toughest off-road conditions. As a result of the tuning, the Niva became an excellent companion for trips to the mountains and for hunting and fishing. To achieve this, a considerable amount of work was carried out.
Not so often, but still among Niv owners there are those who do not ignore such “noticeable parts of the interior” - such as the instrument panel, dashboard and the instruments themselves. Which, in turn, can either be slightly modified (for example, changing the color of the scales or the backlight of standard sensors), or completely replaced with others, both from domestic cars and parts from foreign cars.
This instrument panel can be purchased from sellers of tuning parts and accessories. It seems that the choice of alternative plastic dashboards for the VAZ-21214 in online and online stores is relatively large. And if you search, you can find some pretty decent panels.
Often, fans of tuning a domestic SUV decide to completely replace the dashboard or instrument panel with appropriately sized panels from foreign cars. And more often than not, such a replacement is completely justified. Since, in addition to a clear improvement in the visual perception of the interior, comfort and ergonomics are significantly improved.
Perfectly installed in place of the standard Nivov dashboard panel from Opel Vectra A with original instruments.
Considering the relative austerity and simplicity of the standard seats, the idea of replacing them with seats from a foreign car comes to mind for many VAZ-2121 owners. Of course, taking into account the two-door layout, it is necessary to focus on the appropriate type of donor. But most often, it is possible to make a reclining mechanism with your own hands and on the front seats, which were not originally designed for this. You will also have to tinker with the back of the rear sofa (given the characteristic shape of the plastic trim on the wheel arches).
Also interesting: Buy winter tires for Chevrolet Niva in Balashikha in the online store with delivery
