Tuning Niva – do it yourself

Lada Niva is a car that does not lose popularity in our country. These SUVs are characterized by simplicity, reliability and great potential for upgrading various elements of the interior and engine. That is why the owners of these cars often carry out high-quality tuning with their own hands.

1 The appearance of the car – where to start?

Competent tuning of the Niva should begin with the installation of a body kit, which you can also do yourself. To increase the cross-country ability, the front and rear bumpers are changed, instead of the regular ones, reinforced ones are installed. The front bumper can be with or without a dedicated winch mount, as portable winches have become popular recently. In addition, special thresholds and shields are installed on the crankcase and transmission.

To improve not only the off-road capability but also the style, you can paint the car in a different color, install a front bumper protector or add additional stylish accessories. However, the installation of a kenguryatnik is more suitable for an SUV chassis, but Lada Niva is not. To improve the appearance of the car and improve its performance off-road or on long trips, we recommend installing a winch with a lifting capacity of up to 2.5 tons, additional optics and a roof rack.

These tuning details will make the car more practical and driving more comfortable. With certain skills and knowledge, you can install these parts yourself. If the tuning is intended for driving on city streets, then instead of an electric body kit, you can install an aerodynamic body kit using plastic or steel parts. These include spoilers, side sills, hood and side windows, muffler trim, etc.

2 Interior tuning – you can’t do without it!

The interior of the Lada Niva car looks outdated and non-functional. Therefore, without changing some internal elements and installing additional equipment and accessories, tuning can be considered incomplete. First of all, it is worth making additional soundproofing. To do this, you can use the plates of the model – for this you will have to disassemble some internal components, including the door trim and dashboard. After that, it is recommended to install an additional heater, since in the cold season there are problems with a standard Niva stove.

For self-installation of additional sound insulation, you will need a standard set of tools: screwdrivers, knives, keys of different sizes, as well as a hairdryer and insulating material. If we are talking about complete soundproofing, then you will have to disassemble the entire interior of the car, except for the dashboard and console. We remove the seats, flooring, fasteners. Next, you should glue the first layer of insulation (visomat, bitoplast, modelin) using a building hair dryer. Then, with a second layer, these same places are covered with insulation (stizol).

The whole complexity of the procedure lies in removing the skin and reinstalling it, however, in specialized workshops, this requires a lot of money, so it is better to arm yourself with instructions or take the help of friends.

As for the dashboard, you can change the dashboard lighting, install additional lighting in the cabin, a new audio system, an on-board computer with a monitor, drag the side panels with leather or other material, as well as change the color of the center console and install various accessories for the steering wheel, seats, etc. e. In this case, it all depends on the imagination and budget of the owner. Some Niva that can be found on the roads of our country are almost unrecognizable. In addition, you can completely change the standard torpedo, for example by installing the Opel Vectra panel, which adapts to the size.

3 Modernization of the engine and chassis of the Niva

If we are talking about off-road tuning, then it is necessary to carry out a special body lift. The lift is an integral part of Niva’s off-road tuning, when the ground clearance of the car is significantly increased, larger wheels and steel protectors for the crankcase and other particularly “vulnerable" structural elements are installed. This procedure can be done in two ways.

• Installation of spacers for standard suspension springs;
• Replacing the front springs and shock absorbers with longer ones.

The first method is simpler and less expensive, such a lift can be done by hand with a special pit and semi-automatic welding, as well as certain knowledge. In the second case, it is necessary to purchase new sets of springs and shock absorbers (preferably gas ones) or install elongated analogues of the Volga or GAZelle models. In any case, it is recommended to entrust the increase in the game to the masters, since with poor-quality installation there is a risk of damage to individual parts and suspension mechanisms.

Let’s take an example of how to raise the front suspension with your own hands. First you need to arm yourself with two jacks and a Niva lift kit, which can be purchased at a specialized store. First of all, remove the wheel and lower the silent blocks. Next, a jack is installed under the ball joint, while it must be installed in such a way that the spring is compressed. Special ties are put on the compressed spring. Next, you need to remove the shock absorber stabilizer and spring by lowering the lever.

When lowering the lever and moving the wheel hub sideways, it is important not to damage the brake hoses. Further, for the convenience of work, it is necessary to fold the bump stop and replace the extreme “cup” bolts with longer ones from the kit. Also at this stage, rubberized spacers are installed on the springs. Then assemble the top and bottom balls and screw on the shock absorber. This method of lifting shifts the vehicle’s center of gravity, which means a reduction in the life of various parts of the frame.

To improve the strength characteristics of the Niva frame, it is also necessary to strengthen the front beam and rear axle. In addition, it is necessary to install a new anti-roll bar, new hubs and bearings. In addition, it will not be superfluous to install a power steering and replace rubber mounts – silent blocks, bushings and limiters. After such design changes, the Niva will easily overcome the most difficult off-road sections, but for this it is necessary to work on increasing engine power.

To increase the power of a regular engine, it is possible to completely replace the unit with a more powerful foreign-made engine, or to drill cylinders and increase the diameter of the pistons.

better to install new forged pistons. In addition, experts recommend improving the ventilation of the combustion chamber and replacing the valves with new ones with a larger diameter. It is difficult to “bore” the engine with your own hands, since this procedure requires special equipment and certain locksmith skills. However, if we are talking about newer engine models, such as the Chevrolet Niva, then it is possible to carry out high-quality chip tuning of the engine ECU and improve various engine performance indicators.