LuAZ: do-it-yourself remake. Interesting ideas and recommendations

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

The Soviet car LuAZ, which you can actually do on your own, is a light SUV, the production of which began in the late sixties of the last century. The car turned out to be compact, passable and maneuverable, perfect for rural areas. Despite the specific interior, the car was in demand, as it was unpretentious in maintenance and operation, while it had good driving performance. Now the original domestic jeep of this brand is unlikely to be found on the roads, but the tuned versions still delight their owners. Consider the possibilities of improving this vehicle, but first we will study its standard characteristics.

Powertrain

Despite the fact that domestic cars are difficult to attribute to the elite category of the automotive industry, small alterations of LuAZ will allow you to get a completely decent vehicle both in terms of running parameters and in terms of comfort. The main changes concern the power plant, chassis and interior equipment.

The standard SUV engine has a good “appetite”. It consumes about 14 liters of fuel per hundred kilometers. Moreover, the engine capacity is only 1.2 liters. Other features of the power plant of the car in question are given below:

• Atmospheric cooling, which causes high noise and unstable operation at high speeds, maintained when overcoming difficult obstacles. If handled carelessly, the unit may overheat.
• Low power. For such a volume and fuel consumption, 40 horsepower is clearly not enough.
• Imperfect design of the carburetor, which often floods the cylinders with fuel. This negatively affects the operation and start-up of the motor, especially in a cold state.
• The resource of the unit before overhaul does not exceed 80 thousand kilometers.

Chassis

Alteration of LuAZ will also be required in terms of steering and running gear. In the standard version, the car is equipped with high-profile rubber, which contributes to swaying and deterioration of handling on the road. The width of the tires is also insufficient (only 165 mm). Large snowdrifts or deep mud will be very problematic to overcome on such wheels. The discs are 15 inches in diameter, which is acceptable in uneven areas, but interferes with active overclocking. The disadvantages also include small wheel arches and low travel linkage suspension.

The steering wheel has a significant backlash, it works through the action of a worm gear. Its design leaves much to be desired. There is also a problem with steering control. Alteration of LuAZ in this direction - replacementavailable parts for high-quality analogues or the manufacture of new ball bearings independently in a turning workshop. The fact is that this unit has 8 rods, each of which is equipped with a pair of ball tips. As a result, there is a huge backlash and the need for constant maintenance of the element.

Interior fittings

In the cabin of the car in question, there are miniature and low seats that make it impossible to see the road next to the car if the driver is less than two meters tall. The ceiling is low, the heater is a gasoline type. Noise and thermal insulation of the car is reduced to almost zero. Otherwise, the interior of the SUV is characterized by minimalism, typical for cars of this class.

LuAZ: engine modifications

As a rule, the power unit is improved in two ways: by finalizing the standard motor and installing a model from the VAZ. Consider both options.

Modernization of the power unit of the car is aimed at improving the reliability of the engine and reducing fuel consumption. A certain list of manipulations will help optimize the operation of not only this power unit, but also many other analogues.

Stages of work:

1. Mounting another carburetor. Using an adapter, install the DAAZ-2105 model, which will increase the reliability of starting at idle and reduce fuel consumption. Spare parts for this unit are not in short supply.
2. Replacing the air filter with a more modern version.
3. Carrying out grinding of the cylinder head. Because thethe motor has a V-shape, manipulations must be performed with both elements. To do this, they grind the landing plate by a couple of millimeters, which will reduce the volume of the combustion chambers and increase compression. This will affect the decrease in the "appetite" of the car.

Final work on tuning the standard motor

When reworking LuAZ in terms of the motor, you don’t need to be especially zealous when grinding the heads. Practice shows that grinding over 2.5 mm leads to the breakdown of the studs. The standard compression ratio is 7.4, and after turning it increases to 9. Exceeding this indicator leads to deformation of the power plant and burnout of the pistons.

After grinding work, it is necessary to use AI-92 fuel, after replacing the piston rings with more durable modifications. After the process, the temperature mode of operation will increase, and therefore it is necessary to worry about the forced cooling system.

Some craftsmen manage to bore cylinders for a 79 mm piston, which makes it possible to increase power to 60 "horses". The exhaust assembly is recommended to be divided into two pipes, which will make it possible to more accurately adjust the operation of the power unit by improving the ventilation of the cylinders. On this, we can consider the completion of the standard LuAZ engine completed.

VAZ engine

The installation of the power unit from the "classic" must be carried out strictly horizontally, otherwise the gearbox will not fit into the seat, and the input shaft will be subjected tosnacking. Experts advise to mount an “engine” with a volume of 1.7 liters (from Niva). Power at the same time reaches 80 horses, but the weight increases to 150 kg.

As an option, you can introduce a motor from model 21083 (1.5 l). This version is smaller and lighter. When operating the unit, it is necessary to pay attention to the timing belt, as it will be subjected to additional stress. Paired with the "Zhiguli" motor, the gearbox from the "eight" is perfect, which aggregates well with the LuAZ razdatka. An additional plus is a small motor crankcase, which provides an improvement in the cross-country ability.

Alteration of the LuAZ steering rack

As this node, you can use an analogue from Volkswagen. Before mounting the rail, spacers are mounted under the front beam 4 cm high, which are shifted forward by 50 mm. This is necessary in order to be able to use R15 size wheels.

The steering rack on the LuAZ 969M, the alteration of which is carried out by replacing it with an analogue of the Volkswagen Golf 2, is welded to the front suspension beam. This operation is carried out through a bracket made of a square profile 4060 mm and a corner. A three-millimeter bracket is welded directly to the frame, which serves as a mount for the bevel gear. On the reverse side, a similar element is bolted to the body. After the completion of the work, it remains to remove the backlash in the rear beam. As a result, the steering wheel turns easily, there are no gaps and rattling.

Interior Improvement

Interior liningit is necessary to remove completely, lay new insulation, process the joints with mastic. Uncomfortable seats can be changed to any analogues, having previously welded suitable fasteners. It does not hurt to raise the seats by 100-150 millimeters, which optimizes the fit in the car.

When reworking LuAZ with your own hands, it is imperative to strengthen the roof guides, otherwise there is a risk of body deformation when driving over bumps. In addition, it is advisable to install a new steering wheel, since the standard version has a thin rim that slips between the fingers. If a VAZ engine is mounted, the situation with the stove will change radically. This is due to the fact that the new motor is water-cooled, which means that the heater can be taken out into the cabin, and a fan can be fitted nearby.

The panel can really be updated by mounting parts from the “classics. This solution will make it possible to install a tachometer and a temperature sensor.

Suspension unit

The existing suspension of the vehicle in question is an independent type with limited travel. This problem can be radically solved by installing continuous bridges. You will have to work hard, but the result will be quite noticeable after improvement. Alterations of LuAZ in this part should not be carried out with the transfer of the main drive back, since the cross-country ability is much higher with the leading front axle. Some craftsmen make a suspension lift, but this is superfluous, since the ground clearance is already quite impressive - 280 millimeters, and even more with the 21083 engine.

Appearance

A simple and angular exterior is rarely decided to radically change. If desired, you can use special programs for 3D tuning. Alternatively, the top of the body is completely cut off, and another modification is put in its place, for example, from Zaporozhets. Complementing the exterior with chrome running boards, skid plates and a new grille gives the small SUV a more aggressive look.

Summarize

To improve the performance and give a second life to the car in question will allow the alteration of LuAZ. VAZ is one of the most popular donors in terms of the power unit. After tuning the suspension and the rest of the main components, you will get a fairly tolerable light SUV. Modernization of the interior and exterior will add external aggressiveness and internal comfort. Given that the cost of modernization is not so cosmic, having an old car of this brand, do not rush to scrap it. Restoration will help to get a real working rarity.