Sooner or later, many amateurs and owners of UAZ cars are wondering about a do-it-yourself suspension lift? All this can also be done in the services where they are engaged in various kinds of refinement of jeeps, but at the same time you will need to pay not a small amount of money.
In this article, you will learn how to make a suspension lift in such cars as the UAZ Hunter, UAZ 469 and UAZ Patriot, all three of these cars are united by the fact that the suspension design is not much different.
Off-road UAZ road builders are primarily designed for driving over rough terrain and through the forest. With the factory suspension configuration, the UAZ has a height of 21 centimeters, which is quite a lot. As real experience shows, this is not always enough. That is why the owners of UAZ SUVs make a suspension lift.
With a suspension lift in a UAZ car, as with any revision, there are pluses and minuses.
Let's start with the pros:
- The cross-country ability of the vehicle increases. Because everything rises to the top, and the wheels remain in place besides the bridges.
- The body and all its parts later come into contact with the ground, or with a little noticeable hemp, which often stick out in the forest near the roads.
- The ability to install wheels with a larger diameter, which of course will improve the vehicle's cross-country ability.
There are still disadvantages with a suspension lift:
- The angles of the cardan increase, this phenomenon leads to the fact that the cardan will work at a break, and will lead to the fact that it breaks at the most inopportune moment.
There are several types of suspension lift.
1 Installation of a longer earring and springs, of course, if the design of the car provides for this. This also includes all sorts of pro rates, which are very popular among UAZ car owners.
It is important to remember that with all these manipulations with the suspension, one should not overdo it, since these improvements may have a bad effect on the robot's suspension and vehicle handling.
2 UAZ suspension lift with pro-rate installation.
Without changing the suspension configuration, setting the rates between the axle and the spring is not significant, but still you can make a small lift. Before making a bet, you should think carefully about how it will be fixed, and at the same time it is worth considering the length of the ladders so that they will be enough.
3 It is often found such as installing springs under the springs. First of all, springs are installed on the UAZ, so that the suspension finally starts working and acquires its softness. There are many reviews about this method, and the conclusion is so little that a traitor.
Do not forget that you will need everything because those that you now have rebound earlier, and will not give a lot of travel to the suspension.
Of course, there are ready-made suspension lift solutions from well-known companies where everything is included in the kit at once. But still, not everyone can afford this way of modifying the car.
When starting the refinement of your car, it is worth noting that with an increase in height, the center of mass will shift, namely, the tilt of the body on such a car will increase at turns, it is more dangerous to drive, but at the same time, the cross-country ability will increase and the risk of overturning will increase.
To prevent rollovers, it is worth using pro bets that will widen the track.
To solve the problem with the gimbal you will need:
- Install a long-running cardan. It can be picked up from other car brands.
- Install a pro-rate between the universal joint and the flange.
- Build up propeller shaft. With subsequent balancing.
I often use this engineering solution like installing double crosspieces. Cardan joints will only work fine when they are on the same plane.
As for the front suspension, everything is not at all unambiguous, but all because there are springs. But nevertheless, it is easier with the front suspension, we just buy ready-made elongated springs and install, it is worth remembering that the shock absorbers can also be replaced, you can put them from a sable. Who does not want to spend money on springs, you can establish about the rates, which are sold in bulk, but it is not difficult to make it yourself.
Which way to choose a suspension lift is still up to you, turn on your imagination and do everything yourself, or buy a ready-made kit. There are many options and configurations that can be set, but it is still worth remembering that you need to use only certified materials and parts, otherwise all this may lead to not very good consequences. No one does not know what load the calculated part, made by you, no one else, did not calculate it. When modifying your car, do not cross the fine line, think about the consequences in advance.
The UAZ Patriot SUV is designed primarily for overcoming not only road surfaces, but also off-road terrain. Operating a vehicle over rough terrain requires more than just having all-wheel drive, but also the presence of a large ground clearance, which will increase the vehicle's cross-country ability. The manufacturing plant reports that the standard clearance of the UAZ Patriot SUV is 21 cm. This is quite a lot, but as practice shows, even such a distance from the lowest point to the ground is sometimes not enough. Today, the term lift or suspension increase is gaining popularity. Today we will consider why this needs to be done, the features of the front and rear suspension, as well as what is included in the tuning kit.
Why you need a high suspension is actually understandable - to improve the Patriot's cross-country ability in harsh off-road conditions. In addition, by raising the suspension, there is less chance of vehicle parts coming into contact with various obstacles. Lift or suspension tuning helps to improve the "angle of arrival and departure", which contributes to less grazing of various thresholds, steps and other obstacles. The suspension lift also improves the ramp angle, which means that when driving on hills or sands, there will be less chance of putting the SUV on the "belly".
But for this you can simply replace wheels with a large diameter? Of course, it is possible to replace the wheels with a diameter of R16 or even more, but it is only worth considering that the gear ratio will change. And for alignment gear ratios replacement of axle gearboxes and alteration will be required transfer case... All this can be done, but only one should take into account the considerable cost of all materials.
Therefore, if it were not for another drawback of the UAZ Patriot SUV, which we will now consider, it would be possible to simply replace the wheels and raise the body. But this will not solve the problem, which is weak suspension... When loading a machine weighing more than 500 kg, problems arise with the springs - they begin to bend and break. Therefore, tuning the suspension of the body allows you to compensate for the subsidence of the car under load.
Replacement standard wheels for others with a large diameter, alteration of the transfer case, replacement of the main pairs in the bridges, as well as raising the body and suspension - all this, in a word, is called an elevator or tuning. But today we will pay attention to the suspension lift, as this is the easiest and most optimal way to increase ground clearance and thus make the SUV more passable without unnecessary costs.
The suspension lift is the lifting of the frame over the bridges. But since front axle of the UAZ Patriot SUV on springs, and the rear one has springs, then the methods of increasing the suspension are accordingly different.
Suspension lift methods
There are three ways to lift the suspension on the UAZ Patriot SUV:
- Place spacers under the elastic elements. For this, special gaskets are placed under the springs and springs, allowing the suspension to be raised.
- But this option is acceptable for those who have considerable finances. In addition, the air suspension will not last long if the SUV is used harshly over rough terrain.
- Replacement of standard elastic elements with reinforced and enlarged ones. This option is more acceptable, as there is no need to add spacers, thus breaking the strength of the springs and springs.
Front suspension lift features
The front suspension is also heavily weighted. Firstly, it is an engine, which weighs almost one ton. In addition, fans of powerful cars equip an SUV reinforced bumper, a kenguryatnik and a winch, the weight of which can reach 100 kg and more. The result is a decent load on the front suspension, which needs to be compensated for by the lift. The front suspension lift of the UAZ Patriot provides for the replacement of standard springs with rigid ones. For this, it is recommended to opt for KYBRD 5081 + 50mm. There are a sufficient number of analogs, so you can stop at any product. For example, springs from Toch Dag + 50mm. It is imperative to increase the suspension, it is necessary to purchase reinforced springs, the thickness of the bar of which must be at least 16 mm. And, of course, do not forget about the length, but it is not recommended to install springs over +50 mm, as the load on the axle will increase.
But replacing the springs is not enough, because the length of the standard production shock absorbers is poor. After installing reinforced suspension elements, strokes standard shock absorbers will be missed. Therefore, tuning the front suspension on the UAZ Patriot also provides for the installation of new shock absorbers. To do this, you can use products of the Tociko model, the dimensions of which are 34.5 -57 cm.
Spring spacer
If you nevertheless decided to go the first way and chose to install spacers in order to save money, then you should know:
- Spacers must be installed between the spring and the body, no more than 3 cm;
- Use special polyurethane spacers;
- You need to make sure of the reliability of the design.
Thus, having carried out a lift or tuning the front suspension, do not forget about the following points:
- Replace the brake hoses with longer ones.
- If the lift was significant (over 10 cm), then the installation of transverse rods will be required.
- Castor restoration.
- After all the rework is necessary.
Rear suspension lift features
The rear suspension also requires a lift, which is done by replacing the standard three-leaf springs with four-leaf springs. Under the springs, you can install polyurethane spacers that will raise the car by 5 cm.If you install springs with four sheets, and in addition install spacers, then the car will rise up to 10 cm.
We will not consider the process of replacing the springs, as you can learn about this from the article. Four-leaf springs are installed on the rear suspension and, in addition to them, 6 cm spacers are mounted on the frame. The photo below shows what the elevator will look like after installing springs with 4 sheets and a 6 cm polyurethane cushion.
Such tuning of an SUV will be noticeable not only from the outside, but also from the interior. Rear suspension tuning is also achieved through the use of elongated spring earrings. In this case, pay attention to the thickness of the steel sheets of the spring, because it must be at least 3 mm.
In order not to collect materials in parts, a ready-made kit for the suspension lift of the UAZ Patriot SUV is already on sale. This kit allows you to tune the suspension at home. Consider what the kit is.
Elevator kit
The kit, which allows tuning the suspension and its lift, is manufactured by a lot of the well-known RIF company. First, it should be noted that this kit is not cheap pleasure, since its price is over 50 thousand rubles.
This kit provides full compensation for the weight of the equipment installed on the vehicle: sills, bumpers, winches, etc. What is included in the kit?
So, the kit that allows tuning the UAZ Patriot suspension consists of:
- Rear four-leaf springs.
- Spring stepladder.
- Front springs +50 mm.
- Spring bushings.
- Reinforced rear shock absorbers.
- Reinforced front shock absorbers.
- Rear spring earrings.
Set from the RIF company
This kit, which allows tuning the front and rear suspension, fits the standard mountings, so there will be no need to invent or drill new holes on the fly. The only drawback that comes with this kit is its cost. But those who have experienced the miraculous effect of such tuning on themselves are satisfied. It should be noted that such tuning of the UAZ Patriot will not only improve the cross-country ability of the car, but also change the appearance of the car for the better.
You can check your MBM and reduce it if needed!
Classic "loaf"
Many car owners are interested in the question of how to lift the UAZ "loaf". Most of these cars are produced from the factory on wheels 225/75 R16 or 235/70 R16. In order not to carry out a body lift, you can stop at installing tires on wheels with a radius of at least 15 inches, having a height of 29 to 30 inches.
But tires bigger size they will no longer be able to fit in here, so it will be necessary to carry out work on raising the body. If the idea to create an all-terrain vehicle out of a “loaf” has stuck in my mind, then a body lift is inevitable.
How to lift the UAZ body
To make a UAZ 469 lifting with your own hands, it is preferable to start with the body. To do this, you will need to prepare a set of nuts, bolts and washers, 12 spacers. Now you can start lifting the body. You will need to remove the terminals from the battery and put supports under the wheels. Disconnect earth in the area of the starter.
Then you should unscrew 12 nuts from the bolts that connect the body and frame. Now you can jack up the body to the height of the prepared spacers (while making sure that the equipment remains in place). After that, spacers are installed, which must be fastened with bolts, lightly screwing them onto the nuts. Now you can carefully and evenly lower the body into place, then tighten the nuts. The equipment is returned to its place, all pipes and wires are connected.
Most car owners, performing the UAZ "loaf" lift with their own hands, cut the fenders and arch and install the extenders. This is done so that dirt flying out from under the wheels does not fall on the glass.
The work is distinguished by relative simplicity and the fact that the center of gravity of the machine practically does not rise. This allows you to maintain stability when the vehicle is turning or rolling. The body lift will help to increase the distance from the frame by 4-8 cm.
UAZ lift: characteristics, options
In order to increase the cross-country ability of the car, the right solution is to install wheels with a larger diameter. At the same time, the clearance increases. And the greater the distance between the road and the lowest point of the car, the better the driving qualities of the car.
In order to carry out a significant increase in the diameter of the wheels, the car will need to be refined. Otherwise, the wheels either will not fit into the arches, or at the moment of turning and at certain irregularities they will cling to the body. To avoid these problems, it is necessary to lift the UAZ.
UAZ lifting involves a set of changes that must be made to the design of the machine in order to make it possible to install wheels of a larger diameter. Many argue that the elevator is able to increase the car's clearance. But this opinion is wrong. It is necessary to clearly understand that an increase in ground clearance is possible only with the installation of wheels of a larger diameter, and the UAZ lift is an aid in this event.
Set of stands for body lift "loaf"
The UAZ lift can be of two options.
- Bodylift. Possible for frame cars. In this case, the body is lifted over the frame using spacers. This is the simplest type of lifting. In this case, the car will not need further modifications.
- Suspension lift. It is done both on frame (possibly a combination with a body lift) and frameless cars. In this case, longer springs are installed or spacers for standard springs. The advantage of this method is that parts that are located at the bottom of the car are raised above the road. This reduces the risk of possible damage.
Lifting UAZ Patriot and Hunter
The standard travel ensures ride comfort only on urban roads. But a trip on rough terrain will be deprived of its attractiveness and comfort, since it can lead to breakdown of the main elements of the suspension and transmission. At the moment of a high-speed collision, even a minor obstacle may cause a breakdown of the suspension. To avoid this, the UAZ Patriot needs a suspension lift. Most car owners recommend carrying out a UAZ lift in any case, whether it is driving in an urban setting or out of town.
Every car enthusiast associates the UAZ car with an all-terrain vehicle that has significant power and maneuverability. I must say that the UAZ Patriot is no exception, while the model has an attractive appearance and comfortable enough.
But it should not be surprising that the owners of this car are striving to improve its capabilities - to install wheels with a larger diameter, to modify the suspension travel. The configuration of the UAZ Patriot allows you to install wheels that do not differ much from the standard ones. Before thinking about wheels, it is worth carrying out a body and suspension lift for the UAZ Patriot.
Skillful hands of the master will always be able to turn the UAZ Hunter into an SUV that will not see any obstacles in front of him. For many car owners, a UAZ Hunter lift with their own hands is not something incredible, so improving the quality of the car's cross-country ability will not pose any problems. Installation of large-diameter wheels on the UAZ Hunter will give the car additional ease to overcome obstacles of different nature... This result is achieved by increasing the ground clearance under the frame and axle. UAZ lift can be done in two ways:
- raise the body above the wheels and free up as much space for them as possible;
- omit somewhat below.
Do not forget that improving off-road qualities machine, other characteristics can be impaired. In particular, the maximum increase in ground clearance results in an upward displacement of the center of gravity. There is a risk of toppling over if the side tilt is too strong. Sometimes, when carrying out a body lift, they somewhat loosen its attachment to the frame. In this case, the height of the lift makes it possible to fall off the frame, which will lead to breakage of the tall spacers that have a large lever.
Hunter Lift with Improved Suspension
Yes, if you lift the UAZ, you can achieve improved geometric cross-country ability. This indicator is important when driving on uneven terrain. Undoubtedly, it is preferable to combine the suspension and body lift, this will save many units during operation.
The UAZ lift can be carried out independently. Let this work be laborious, but it is not difficult, and the result obtained will allow the driver to be proud of himself and his iron friend.
The famous loaf quite often undergoes various upgrades, since it has significant potential for this, and also costs the owner not so much. Tuning the UAZ 452 with your own hands is quite possible if you approach this responsibly and competently. This is exactly what we’ll talk about: we’ll learn a few tips to help you do the right lifting.
The basics of the basics
Before telling how to raise an UAZ loaf, let us understand that there are only two types of car lifting (depending on how exactly the intervention in the car's structure is carried out):
- body lifting;
The first option is more simple and at the same time much more secure. What does safety have to do with it? The fact is that the body lifting practically does not change the center of gravity of the car, therefore, the stable behavior of the loaf remains on the corners, off-road.
As for the suspension lift, there is a certain risk due to the increase in the center of gravity, but this method significantly improves the cross-country performance.
Let's talk about each of these methods in more detail.
Body lift
The body lift of the UAZ loaf is carried out using spacers that are located between the frame of the car and its body. When choosing specific spacers, keep in mind that aluminum spacers are the most appropriate for the price-performance ratio. They are durable and provide a rigid attachment of the body to the frame; moreover, they are presented on the market in a fairly rich assortment. Note:
The vast majority of spacers that are produced by foreign companies are perfect for the UAZ 452.
When installing spacers, the owner of the loaf will have to cut the arches and wings anyway. Once this is done, it is recommended that you install side mudguards to keep the glass free from dirt.
There is different kinds spacers, thanks to some of which the UAZ loaf frame moves away from the body at a distance of up to 80 mm. And together with big wheels this increases the ground clearance by as much as 15 cm.
Suspension lift
The UAZ loaf lift, carried out by raising the suspension, as already mentioned, significantly increases the center of gravity of the car. Therefore, when choosing to what height to raise the suspension, you need to consider:
- a reasonable balance between increased flotation and serious danger of overturning;
- the limiting inclined angle of the cardan shafts, when exceeded, they will lose their performance.
A high risk of overturning can be eliminated in the following way:
- initially, the track should be widened by wheel spacers;
- then you need to install wide tires and discs with negative offset;
- it will also not be superfluous to replace the bridges with the Bars or Spicer models.
Track widening can be achieved, among other things, by installing disc brakes, and the problem with cardan shafts can be easily solved by installing extended shafts and spacers between cardan and bridge flanges.
Suspension lifting methods
There are several specific ways to raise the harness. Each method depends on the final lift height:
1. Light lift
If the preferred height is small, then the UAZ loaf lift kit will consist of only additional sheets for the springs. Alternative springs can be fitted instead, with a larger number of sheets, or a longer spring earring can be fitted.
2. Medium lift and high lift
When there is a need for lifting by 30 millimeters, then you just need to install a gasket between the spring and the bridge, this is very effective. If this option does not suit you, then you can make spacers in the spring mounting brackets. These methods are good because they save everything original parts, and also allow you to independently lift to different heights.
Important: lifting must be done correctly, otherwise the suspension may become significantly stiffer.
Outcomes
As you can see, it is quite possible to make a UAZ loaf lifting: with your own hands or not, but still it is possible. You just need to be able to correctly combine the body lift and the suspension lift. It is very good if the separate elements of these two options are combined. As a result, it will be possible to achieve a significant change in indicators.
The do-it-yourself body lift must be performed by the owner of the UAZ Hunter in order to increase the cross-country ability own car... As you know, UAZ SUVs are considered not very reliable. vehicles although this is offset to some extent by inexpensive spare parts.
The device of such a car is simple and maintainable. Its permeability largely depends on how the wheels are designed. It turns out that if a car rides well through slush on medium tires, then on high-quality tires it will behave just fine. Therefore, it makes sense to install on the "correct" foreign wheels. But in order for them to fit in the arches, it is necessary to lift the body of the UAZ Hunter, namely to raise the body base above the frame - according to automotive terminology, to perform a "body lift", that is, "lift".
It should be noted that if you do a UAZ suspension lift with your own hands, this will lead to some negative aspects, in particular, its center of gravity will increase.
This lift weakens the SUV's body attachment to the frame, which increases the likelihood of a malfunction in a tall spacer with a large lever.
Of the positive aspects of such tuning, the following can be distinguished:
- an increase in the off-road vehicle's off-road performance due to the fact that the height of the body frame increases;
- it becomes possible to install large diameter wheels;
- it becomes possible to combine an overhead lift and cutting arches, which makes various UAZ Hunter units reliable;
- has a positive effect on vehicle handling;
- prevents damage to the propeller shaft;
- creates a more beautiful exterior look for an SUV.
In order to make a UAZ body lift with your own hands, you will need materials and tools such as:
- profile;
- steel sheet;
- welding machine;
- bolts.
The car owner initially needs to set the size of the future device and the distance at which the frame will be located from the body. This parameter should be in the range of 50 - 100 millimeters.
After that, you need to make a spacer, taking into account the selected elevator height, for which a special profile with a square section is used. The dimensions of its sides should be equal to one hundred millimeters.
Carrying out the UAZ Hunter lift with your own hands, you will need to cut twelve blanks from the profile. The height of each of them is 120 millimeters. Twenty-four squares of one hundred by one hundred millimeters are cut out of a steel sheet with a thickness of two to three millimeters. In the future, they are welded onto the profile sections. As a result, cubes of the wrong configuration come out. All spacers have holes at the ends of ten millimeters in diameter. The SUV frame is the main component of the device that is being manufactured. Washers, nuts and bolts are used to fix the parts.
To prepare the bodywork for future work, you will need to turn off the battery and place special stops under the wheels. The fixing bolts of the radiator are also unscrewed. To lift the SUV, you need a jack and stands made of wood.
Thus, the car body is raised to a specific height. To do this, it is necessary to evenly and alternately raise the parts of the UAZ Hunter located at the back and front.
The most important thing here is that there is no displacement of the body base relative to the frame. Otherwise, it will become difficult to align the fixing holes of the SUV to the frame.
Each spacer is placed with my own hands, for which you will need to remove the manufacturer's pillows by attaching the body base directly to the frame using bolts and spacers. Fastener components are not tightened fully. The SUV is then lowered directly onto the frame. In the course of the next stage of work, it will be necessary to finally tighten the bolts and tighten the locknuts. All components are installed in the opposite order. If necessary, the required hoses are lengthened, as well as the cables of the SUV.
With the help of a grinder, cutting into two parts of the attachment of the steering column to the body base of the UAZ Hunter is performed. Electrical wiring along the steering column protects against sparks. Then the fixation of the steering column is transferred to another place, after which it is welded to the torpedo. Such a UAZ lift with your own hands can be carried out not only on the Hunter, but also on all other car models.
An alternative way to increase the height of the body
This method is based on the use of a puck in the form of a spacer, which is played in hockey. You can easily get them in sports goods. Although the cost of washers is slightly higher than the price of steel sheets. Although car service specialists do not advise using washers, as they can burst. Therefore, it is better to use monoblock devices: polyurethane and caprolon.
Some people buy ready-made kits that are specifically designed to do the body-lift of an SUV.
First, unscrew the twelve bolts that fix the body base to the frame. If necessary, such components are cut off. When purchasing new bolts, you need to pay attention to their length, which should be greater than the length of the native bolts on the height of the spacer.
Interested in tuning UAZ Hunter? Read on. How to make tuning UAZ Patriot? Useful information in this article .
This tuning method involves the need to raise it with a jack, as well as perform a new screwing with spacers. As a result, the steering column shaft changes the inclined angle. It rests on the engine shield, so a special place is cut out for it. The steering column is displaced simultaneously with the bodywork of the SUV. Experts advise to loosen the fixation of the cross so that the shaft lengthens a little.
