Chevrolet Niva engine protection: do-it-yourself selection and installation

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

The operating conditions of the Niva Chevrolet and the model's belonging to the SUV category determine the need to protect the chassis and engine of the car. Off-road driving and damage to the bottom accelerate the wear of the main mechanisms. It is advisable for the owner of a Niva Chevrolet to take care of engine and gearbox protection before purchasing an SUV.

Regular protection

Top configurations are equipped with regular crankcase and bottom protection, made of sheet steel 2-3 mm thick. The ribbed design provides engine cooling, but due to the presence of holes, it leads to a quick contamination of the bottom and the need for regular dismantling of the element for cleaning. The effectiveness of standard protection is sufficient for the measured operation of the car in the city.

When operating the Niva Chevrolet as an SUV, it is necessary to install engine protection of greater strength and reliability, since a standard element cannotcope with serious underbody damage when driving off-road. Protective plates are divided into several types according to the type of material used.

Types of protection

Chevrolet Niva engine protection can be of three types:

1. Metal. Regular crankcase protection, installed on top-end configurations or purchased separately in a car dealership. The cost is from 3 thousand rubles. Not very efficient, sufficient for standard operation of a car in an urban area.
2. Aluminum (duralumin). Twice as thick as metal engine protection. It is lighter than steel. Resistant to moisture and corrosion. Provides reliable crankcase protection and engine cooling. The disadvantage is the high cost.
3. Composite. Crankcase protection with high resistance to mechanical damage. It has greater strength, provides better engine protection. Surpasses duralumin analogues in weight. The minimum cost is from 8 thousand rubles.

Motor protection selection

A survey of car owners and monitoring of the main offers reveal four main brands of Chevrolet Niva engine protection: Alfa-Karter, Technomaster, Solid Protective Structures and Sheriff. The last two are the most popular for several reasons:

• Made from metal sheets with a thickness of threemillimeters.
• Simple design and shape of elements.
• Elaborate fastening system - high-strength steel beams.
• Embeds with galvanized washers.
• Slight reduction in ground clearance.

The only drawback is that the nuts of the front suspension axles do not close due to the small width of the protection. The advantage of this design is engine cooling and ease of cleaning from dirt.

Protection "Sheriff"

The protection design was developed taking into account the features of the Niva Chevrolet body, car engine size, ground clearance, cross-country ability and other parameters. The optimal ratio of price and quality ensures popularity among SUV owners. The cost of protecting the Chevrolet Niva engine is from 2 thousand rubles and more, depending on the configuration, material and type of fasteners.

The advantages of the Sheriff protection

• Reliable protection of the car's engine compartment from damage.
• Resistant to moisture and dirt. Metal construction fenders keep dust out of the crankcase.
• The ribbed surface and openings in the guard provide additional engine cooling and maintain a stable engine compartment temperature.
• Powder painting method increases the resistance of the metal to corrosion and damage.
• Rubber dampers at the edges of the guard minimize noise and vibration when the SUV is moving.
• Reducing vehicle maintenance costs and eliminatingthe need for regular dismantling of the protection due to the presence of holes for draining used engine oil and replacing filters.
• The aerodynamic properties of the design provide better grip of the car with the track.
• When developing the protection of the engine "Niva Chevrolet" "Sheriff" take into account the design features of the off-road vehicle. The element is installed using reliable fasteners on standard holes.
• High strength is guaranteed by the use of stamping technology in the manufacture of protection.

Installation of protection

Do-it-yourself work on installing Chevrolet Niva engine protection is carried out at the viewing hole. Before installation, the bottom and engine compartment of the SUV are cleaned of dirt and dust, which makes it easier to access the mounts.

Installation is carried out in several stages:

1. Preparation. The bottom, engine compartment and standard engine protection of the Chevrolet Niva - if any - are cleaned of dirt. The best option is to use a Karcher sink. To install, you will need a set of keys and a screwdriver.
2. Measurements. The protection is tried on to the bottom of the car, the conformity of the standard fasteners and the holes of the element is checked. The design consists of two parts: the main one for the engine, and the additional one for the transmission.
3. Installation. Rigidity of protection is provided by fastening on six bolts.
4. Check. Fixing reliability diagnostics.

Recommendations

Engine protection"Chevrolet Niva" is classified according to the type of material of manufacture, the method of fastening and design features. When choosing a design, they are primarily based on the operating conditions of the SUV. The effectiveness of regular protection is only enough for driving in the city.

Complete protection of the engine compartment and crankcase is provided by duralumin or armored steel construction. The maintenance of the installed element consists in its regular cleaning of dirt.

The nuances of choosing protection

• Installation instructions are supplied with the Chevrolet Niva engine protection. It is advisable to make sure that the manufacturer fulfills the warranty obligations, since mandatory certification does not apply to security elements, respectively, the certificate may not be attached to the product.
• Thickness, properties, technical characteristics of the material, the number and depth of the stiffening ribs determine the rigidity of the protection.
• Plastic protection fasteners must be equipped with steel bushings. When choosing a design, you need to make sure that it is made of the declared carbon or Kevlar. The verification is carried out by erasing the black paint applied to the surface and determining the color of the fibers: white is typical for fiberglass, black for carbon fiber, greenish-gold for Kevlar.
• Chevrolet Niva engine protection must be installed on the load-bearing elements of the body intended for this. For this purpose, technological holes are used insuspension cross member, spars, subframe and other structures.
• The thickness of the steel tabs and brackets of the protection fasteners should be 3-5 millimeters.
• Coating of fasteners must be galvanized - it provides reliable protection against corrosion. The need for this is due to the regular dismantling of the protection in order to clean it from dirt. Spring washers or nuts with nylon rings prevent the fasteners from self-loosening.

Protection operation

The probability of damage to the gearbox and engine crankcase is not excluded by installing protection - it only reduces the risk of deformation of the bottom. For this reason, the driving style must be adapted to the road conditions:

• When leaving the highway on country and dirt roads in poor lighting conditions, it is necessary to reduce the speed.
• Braking before obstacles is done in advance.
• Water barriers, curbs and railroad crossings are overcome carefully and at low speed.
• Ride on uncut grass with care, as it can hide stones, stumps, metal parts, deep furrows and other obstacles. For this reason, it is advisable to walk the proposed route.
• Objects lying on the track must be bypassed and not passed between the wheels, as their size is difficult to determine at a great distance at the entrance.

The main requirements for crankcase and engine protection arestrength and rigidity - the resistance of the structure to shock loads depends on them. The mechanical properties of the elements should be aimed at damping the impact force in the event of a collision with an obstacle and maintaining the original shape without its deformation. The optimal rigidity of the protection corresponds to the deformation occurring within the gap between the crankcase and the structure - its value does not exceed 20-30 millimeters. A larger value may lead to a decrease in the clearance of the Niva Chevrolet.