On Chevrolet Niva SUVs, all-wheel drive of the rear wheels is implemented by using a rear axle in the transmission design. Axle shafts are installed in it, which drive the wheels through splined joints.
To ensure fixation and smooth axial rotation, support single or double row bearings are installed in the drive design.
Device
Structurally, the rear axle axle shafts are identical and interchangeable. In Figure 1 you can see that the axle shaft number 22 engages internally through the splined hole of the semi-axial gear; a single row ball bearing 8 is pressed onto the outer part of the shaft.
The axle bearing on a Chevrolet Niva is pressed into the beam seating belt from the inside by a self-clamping reversible oil seal 11, and from the outside by a rubber ring.
Replacement of the Niva Chevrolet rear axle gearbox oil seal. Simple repair
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Sooner or later, your car will need to replace the Niva Chevrolet rear axle gear oil seal. The reason is the technical features of this vehicle unit. The rubber-metal cuff located in this part of the machine tends to wear out quickly, which is affected by aggressive environmental conditions, as well as the insufficiently high quality of the part. Therefore, any driver should be prepared to work to eliminate this problem. You should not delay the solution; a lubricant leak may lead to the need to completely repair the bridge, which is not only more difficult, but also more expensive. Replacing the Niva Chevrolet rear axle gear oil seal is a simple job. Even a beginner can handle it. But you should still carefully follow the technology. This will reduce the likelihood of problems in the future.
Basic parameters of factory parts for repair
Main technical indicators of the unit: diameter and length of the axle, number and length of the spline belt, type of bearings and sealing seals. These indicators are determined by the design features of the system and the calculated traction forces under comparable operating conditions at the time of design and production.
Often, under the influence of large loads, deformation of the axle shafts occurs, premature wear and jamming of the support ball bearings occurs, deformation and fatigue wear of the sealing seals, followed by leakage of transmission oil from the axle.
Factories producing spare parts for the domestic automotive industry are constantly striving to improve manufactured vehicle components and assemblies. They regularly offer consumers a newer, more reliable, more modern product.
Let's consider the technical parameters of the drive elements of the rear axle of an SUV.
Half shaft
Main characteristics:
- Catalog number: 21230-2403069-00, 21230240306900, 2123-2403069.
- Length: 760 mm.
- Diameter for oil seal: 35 mm
- Weight: 8.4 kg.
- Manufacturer: AvtoVAZ
- Average market prices: 6900 rubles.
Existing analogues:
- axle shaft, standard size for VAZ 2121 Chevrolet Niva, average price 3,400 rubles;
- Russian, the average price is 3900 rubles.
Rolling ball bearings
- Catalog number: 2121-2403080. Designation - GPZ - V76-180508AK2US9.
- Manufacturing index: 180508, 62208-2RS
- Manufacturer: AVTOVAZ
- Average market prices: 400 rubles;
- Inner diameter - 40 mm;
- Outer diameter - 80 mm;
- Width - 23 mm;
- Weight - 440g;
- Rated rotation speed - 5600 rpm.
Foreign bearing manufacturers - NSK, SKF, SNR. Average price from 600 rubles.
Oil seals
- Catalog number: 21100-2301034-00-0 - left and 21100-2301035-00-0 - right.
- Overall dimensions: 35x57x9 mm.
- Manufacturer: AVTOVAZ.
- Average market prices: 45-60 rubles.
Existing alternatives:
- CV joint drive oil seal 2110.08 “RT” universal, manufacturer RUZINOTEHNIKA;
- axle drive seal VAZ-2110-2112, 2123 right/left (35x57x9), manufacturer General Motors.
It is also worth noting the German manufacturer Corteco. This company produces a wide range of oil seals for the VAZ-2123.
Ready-made repair kits
On the spare parts market you can also purchase a ready-made repair kit for servicing the rear axle shafts of the VAZ-2123.
The repair kit for the rear axle shaft of the VAZ 2123 Chevy Niva from ESPRA consists of bearing 2121-2403080, sealing oil seal 2110-2301034 and locking ring 2123-2403084. The average price of such a set is 690 - 890 rubles.
Interesting! Some Niva owners prefer to purchase ready-made kits from one manufacturer, considering this to be a kind of guarantee of the compatibility of the parts being replaced.
Enhanced modifications
Why are reinforced collapsible axle shafts of the unloaded type better than standard ones:
- The double-row bearing from the Priora front hub can withstand much greater loads and is more durable.
- Alloy steel that has undergone special heat treatment is used in the manufacture of the shaft, due to this it has more torsional strength (steel 35KhGSA and heat treatment hardness 55-56). Manufacturers of reinforced axle shafts are able to increase the torsion limit using stronger materials from the required standard 250 to 350 kg.
- The design of the unit with 24 splines reduces the likelihood of failure of the most dangerous part of the connection;
- Removable hub design;
- Self-locking hub nut;
- Does not require mandatory reinforcement of the rear axle;
- Does not exceed the weight of a standard axle shaft;
- Allows the use of larger diameter wheels;
- This part is completely interchangeable with the standard factory modification.
Disassembly
To get to the failed seal, you will need to remove from your Chevrolet Niva all the parts that make up the right or left rear hub assembly. Only then will it be possible to remove the axle shaft.
Disassembly is carried out in this order:
- park the car on a level place;
- secure the front wheels with stoppers;
- turn off the handbrake;
- slightly loosen the nuts securing the wheel;
- lift the car with a jack;
- remove the wheel;
- clean the end of the axle shaft, which protrudes slightly beyond the dimensions of the brake disc, from dirt and rust;
- spray it with WD-40;
- unscrew a couple of bolts holding the drum (you need a 12 mm wrench);
- Move the above brake element with light hammer blows.
Please note that there are two main methods used to remove the drum. In the first case, it is squeezed out of place by screwing the above-mentioned bolts into the free holes. In the second, they use the same hammer, but using a stump of a block as a protective pad. Without this preventative measure, it is easy to damage the edge of the brake disc.
After dismantling the drum, it is advisable to once again thoroughly clean its seat from dirt and corrosion - this will make it easier to install it back.
Next, you need to remove the axle shaft. On a Chevrolet it is held in place by four bolts - they also secure the shock absorber in parallel. When the fasteners are unscrewed, the rear axle falls down, as the spring simply squeezes it out. You need to put a support under it, otherwise all the oil will spill out.
Please note that in classic Niva models (21213 or 21214) the shock absorber is fixed to the spring cup, while in Chevrolet it is fixed directly to the hub. Accordingly, in older cars there is simply no need to remove it, which means there is no need for a stand.
To unscrew the bolts securing the axle shaft, a 17 mm wrench is required. Be careful not to drop the spring lock washers into the brake mechanism. If growers remain there, sooner or later they will end up in the space separating the block from the drum, and this leads to a potentially dangerous failure such as a jammed wheel.
Having pulled out the bolts, with a sharp jerk towards yourself, pull out the axle shaft along with the bearing. If the node does not give in, then:
- put the wheel back;
- screw 3 nuts onto the studs;
- wiggle it a little and try to pull it off again.
The surest way is to use an inertial puller, but the vast majority of car owners simply do not have this tool.
Replacing the drive, oil seal and bearing
The need to replace the axle shaft and its components may be caused by increased extraneous noise in the rear axle, wear of both the spline joint, and fatigue failure of the support bearings.
Deformation of the sealing gland also often occurs. As a result, the transmission oil level decreases, which can lead to failure of the entire system. Regular inspection and diagnostics of the rear axle will help you avoid complex, expensive repairs in the future.
To replace rear drive parts, you will need the following tools and materials:
- box and socket wrenches in a set;
- flat screwdriver;
- wheel wrench;
- hammer;
- Bulgarian;
- blowtorch or gas torch;
- chisel;
- bench vise;
- jack;
- additional wooden support;
- a mandrel equal to the diameter of the axle shaft seal;
- reverse hammer.
The process of disassembling and replacing the axle shaft:
- Place the car on a lift or on an overpass. Work should be carried out with the handbrake turned off.
- Remove the rear wheels by unscrewing the mounting nuts. Replacement
- The rear brake drum is attached to the hub with 2 bolts. To remove, use a 12mm wrench and a hammer (preferably with a plastic striking part) to tap the casing around the perimeter.
- After removal, it is necessary to clean its inner surface with a metal brush and remove the outer shoulder using a grinding wheel and a grinder. This will provide you with faster and easier assembly of the brake mechanism in reverse order.
- To avoid having to reassemble the rear brake mechanism, tie it together with a binding wire or rope to the rear spring.
- Unscrew the 4 mounting nuts from the support bearing plate bolts.
- To prevent the rear axle from lowering, support it with a block of timber or fix it on a jack. Place a wide container on the floor to collect leaking transmission oil.
- Remove the shock absorber bracket.
- Using sharp movements, pull the axle shaft out of its seat using a reverse hammer.
Oil seal replacement process:
- Remove the rubber plug from the bridge flange.
- Using pliers with a slotted screwdriver, carefully remove the old seal. Be careful not to leave marks on the oil seal seat mirror in the rear axle housing. Otherwise, the transmission will regularly leak through risks in the metal.
- Before installing a new oil seal, its outer seat must be lightly lubricated with WD-40 or axle oil. For pressing, use an old oil seal or a mandrel of suitable diameter and a hammer. When installing, ensure that the seal housing is aligned evenly and coaxially with respect to the axis.
Installing a New Seal
After removing the axle shaft, the metal shield where the brake pads are attached will remain hanging on the copper pipe with the fluid, so it should be fixed by inserting the 2 upper bolts back into the holes. Then follow the instructions:
- Remove the thick rubber gasket from the rear axle flange.
- Pull out the old oil seal by prying it with a screwdriver or pliers. Clean the seat and wipe with a rag.
- Lightly lubricate the new seal with transmission oil and insert it into the socket of the Niva rear axle as evenly as possible.
- Using a round pipe adapter, press the oil seal into the socket with light blows of a hammer. You can use an old seal as an additional attachment.
At the end of the procedure, you must thoroughly wipe all parts free of oil - the brake cylinder, pads, drum and metal shield. Before reassembling, it would be a good idea to check the axle bearing for wear and grease. Wear is indicated by difficulty turning, binding, or slight noise. If you discover a malfunction, take the axle shaft to the nearest car service center; you will not be able to replace the bearing without special equipment.
To check the grease inside the bearing, you need to pry the plastic covering the rollers with an awl and remove it. Then add thick Litol-type lubricant inside and put the plastic in place, and then begin assembly.
At the end, it is important to check the oil level in the rear axle gearbox of the Chevrolet Niva. The test is carried out on a fully assembled car, standing on a level area. The filler plug is unscrewed from the gearbox housing, after which the oil level is determined visually or using a thin wooden stick.
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