Off-road tuning of the UAZ "Hunter" allows you to improve the driving and other characteristics of the car. This machine made on the basis of the military series 469. The off-road vehicle is distinguished by its high cross-country ability due to its versatility, specific wheel arrangement and special body geometry. This technique is a real treasure for modernization lovers.
Improving wheels
At the first stage of tuning the UAZ "Hunter" for off-road, it is reasonable to replace the wheels. This operation is not cheap, but without it, further modifications do not make much sense. As an alternative to native wheels, they take enlarged mud counterparts. In the standard version, the car in question is equipped with "shoes" of the 235/70 R-16 type. In addition, a larger wheel diameter will increase the ground clearance and an indicator of passability, which makes it possible to safely overcome the most difficult sections. It is best to use 35 "(315/75) tires.
The modification of the rubber and the tread pattern completely depend on the intended field of operation of the future all-terrain vehicle. It is advisable to install discs of a smaller size (for example, 15 inches), due to their availability and low cost. The cost of this step depends on the tire and wheel manufacturer.
Body and suspension unit
It is logical that the off-road tuning of the UAZ "Hunter" continues with the preparation of arches for the updated wheels. First you need to raise the body above the frame. At this stage, it is planned to install special interlayers between the body and frame parts. If necessary, the wing arches are trimmed. Carrying out such a backlash helps to overcome areas with boulders and other significant obstacles.
You will also need to upgrade the car's suspension. The updated assembly helps improve the interaction between the larger wheels and the raised body, further improving flotation. The standard elements are replaced with shock absorbers increased along the way and additional spring sheets are added.
Installation of the winch
This design will allow your ATV to get out of the most difficult situations. Therefore, when tuning your UAZ "Hunter" off-road with your own hands, do not ignore this element. And if you make two options, in front and in the back, then it will be possible to force areas that are beyond the power of a tank.
For attachment to an off-road vehicle, a hydraulic or electric winch is suitable. The choice must be approached responsibly and seriously. Electric lifter models are more common as they fit all jeeps. They are easy to install and maintain, have good power, reasonable cost, and operate autonomously. The disadvantages of such modifications include high energy consumption, which requires the installation of an additional battery.
Power body kit
Further tuning of the UAZ "Hunter" off-road continues by installing an updated body kit. A powerful bumper is mounted, it can be purchased in a store or welded on your own. In the second case, the element will turn out to be more powerful and cheaper, and after contact with an obstacle, it will not be difficult to repair it.
The off-road vehicle is protected from side impacts by means of power sills, which at the same time serve as an emphasis for the hi-jack. They also put protection on fuel tanks. To overcome off-road conditions, it is necessary to protect the engine part, steering rods. From the blows of the branches, the body, windshield and lighting elements will be saved by special bumpers.
Bridge blocking, ELMO system, snorkel, sealing
We continue to further tuning the UAZ "Hunter" off-road with our own hands. The photo below displays almost all of the previously mentioned operations. Next steps look something like this:
Additional tuning of UAZ "Hunter" for off-road
The photo at the beginning of the article demonstrates what a handsome man you can make with your own hands from the standard version of "Hunter". Improvement will be important in redesigning a car for an all-terrain vehicle. brake system... It is advisable to also install disc elements in front, which will make it possible to improve movement not only off-road, but also on a regular road. In addition, the discs are self-cleaning, unlike the drum counterparts.
An additional trunk, although it does not affect the cross-country rate, nevertheless, will allow you to transport all the necessary cargo and equipment. Also, additional spotlights are often located on it. It should be borne in mind that the installation of a ladder will be required to get to the specified element.
Minor improvements
How to make tuning of the UAZ "Hunter" for off-road conditions is discussed above. Additionally, you can upgrade the exterior, interior and accessories, which will add comfort and originality. In this direction, the following works are being carried out:
Outcome
Modernization of the UAZ "Hunter" car to improve cross-country ability requires compliance with three main stages: wheel replacement, body transformation and suspension reinforcement. If all operations are performed correctly, the parameters of the car will significantly improve. However, if you want to make a real and unique all-terrain vehicle, you will need to carry out a number of additional manipulations. In any case, tuning with your own hands is more profitable than purchasing an expensive imported SUV.
The UAZ prepared for serious off-roading is not only a good rogue, but also beautiful, stylish SUV, which attracts attention, makes passers-by turn around. Compared to preparation, prepared UAZ requires significantly less money for tuning. In Russia, the selection of spare parts for preparing a UAZ vehicle is increasing every year.
Here are some photos of the prepared UAZ vehicles ...
Beautifully prepared UAZ Hunter
With the installed power kit from OJeep and arch extensions Bushwaker... The winch is not enough for off-road terrain ...
Prepared by UAZ 31519 on military bridges
The owner of this car approached its preparation with soul. The body is fully welded and processed, painted in black matte paint under varnish, military axles with disc brakes and locks, 35-inch Nokian Vatiiva MT tires, a power kit all around, two winches, a kind of power outer roll cage and much more.
Prepared by UAZ Hunter
UAZ from Omsk, fully prepared for hunting, fishing, off-road ...
The bridges are reinforced, the "LUK" clutch is installed, the main brake cylinder from the gazelle, locks front and rear - pneumatic "SPRUT", steering damper - "RANCHO", air suspension - adjustable to any stiffness and height from the car interior (a-ride.ru), rubber CL-18 (36 / 12.5 / 16) , Japanese forged collapsible discs "EPSILON" with an internal badlock made of HDPE pipe, off-road wheels can be deflated to 0 atmospheres, a VINCH winch (6 tons) with a Kevlar cable, power bumpers front and rear, as well as a power trunk and a ladder to the roof - "RIF", the headlights are diode, on the roof and on the sides there are diode chandeliers, a snorkel, 2 new batteries of increased capacity are connected through the "URA" decoupling system, the front seats have been replaced with more comfortable ones, the GURA "ZF" pump, the main stove " US ", additional under passenger seat, frontal and rear windows, and side mirrors heated.
It's even a pity to drive such a UAZ off-road. But to have one just for the sake of beauty and show-off is stupid. UAZ should drive where others cannot.
Carburetor UAZ 31519 on military bridges
UAZ from Bryansk on warriors, with F-Bel 160m wheels, and a high-quality power kit from Ojeep.ru.
Prepared by UAZ 31519 Bryansk partisan on military bridges Salon finished corrugated aluminum... The rear row of seats has been removed, instead of it, folding seats from the UAZ Patriot are made (additional ones installed in the Patriot's luggage compartment).
UAZ Bryansk partisan - organizer for weapons UAZ Ratibor - prepared as a snow-swamp vehicle
Completely redesigned UAZ by Soliton. It was developed as a snow-swamp vehicle with high cross-country ability, on K-58 wheels from an armored personnel carrier with bridges from the legendary GAZ-66. The bridges are equipped with disc brakes... The high gear ratio of the main axle pairs provides unloading of the vehicle's transmission elements.
To obtain a smooth ride in the suspension of each wheel, double spring-damping blocks are used.
The vehicle's high stability is ensured by a low center of gravity. The tipping angle of the vehicle is 47 °.
The high seating position of the driver and passengers provides excellent visibility on the road and a very high passive safety... The car body is covered with four powerful wheels.
Zero overhangs provide phenomenal geometric off-road capability.
When driving on the roads and in the city, cars naturally keep in the stream, without creating the slightest discomfort for the driver. The dynamics of cars is quite acceptable for urban and suburban traffic.
Budget prepared UAZ Dragon
This UAZ has covered many hundreds of kilometers off-road, participated in competitions, but not professionally. A body and suspension lift was made, self-made bumpers and a trunk, a ComeUp winch, 35 maxxiss mudzilla wheels were installed. The UAZ initially had military bridges. With them, 35 wheels are much easier to turn than on other UAZ bridges.
Budget-prepared UAZ 31519 on military bridges with 35 Maxxiss Mudzilla tires 
Green UAZ prepared for Trophy UAZ Loaf on military bridges with 35 Simex tires 
UAZ bridges were replaced with military ones, 35 Simex Extreme Trekker tires were installed, the suspension, interior were redesigned, a power kit, an autonomous heater, an inverter and much more were installed. The car is completely ready to travel in comfort.
Domestic car UAZ is actually a constructor that makes it possible to make a unique, functional off-road vehicle out of it.
Depending on the skills of the owner and the availability of finance, you can prepare a UAZ for absolutely any task, be it a forester's car or an expeditionary for long-distance and long-term autonomous travel.
Although the UAZ "loaf" and in the standard is distinguished by good maneuverability and capacity, it still leaves much to be desired in the performance of the interior and comfort in general. Fortunately, it costs (a loaf) not so expensive and in itself is "brutally" maintainable. If your goal is to drive a car where there is impassable wilderness everywhere, get ready to upgrade your car, as a result of which you can get a real "tank", ready to go everywhere and everywhere. So, let's figure it out together, does the UAZ loaf need tuning for off-road?
Wheels
So, the first thing you can't do without on a serious off-road is good wheels and rubber. First, you need wheel disks a larger radius, in this case, the vehicle's ground clearance will increase by several centimeters just like that, without reworking the suspension. Secondly, it would be nice to "put on" some wide mud rubber on these discs, because the wider the tire, the more evenly each wheel presses on the ground, preventing the car from "burrowing" in mud or sand. An even greater effect can be achieved simply by slightly lowering the tire pressure, so we recommend buying a compressor for inflating tires, so as not to do it manually.
Initially, the loaf has a rather high center of gravity, if you plan to frequently travel on highways, for example on long journeys, we recommend expanding the track by installing a bridge from the UAZ-3159 (aka "Bars"). Such a bridge will be 15 centimeters longer, which will have a positive effect on the stability of the car in corners. Also, it would be nice to put a limited slip differential in order to avoid situations when the car slips with one wheel (or one side). In addition, such a differential will save your car's drivetrain by distributing engine torque evenly across all four wheels.
Just look at how wider the track became after such alterations. Body lift
And now a little about the difficulties that you will face with such tuning. If you plan to put wheels with a height of 33-35 inches inclusive (for example, Forward Safari or Simex Extreme tires), you will have to slightly raise (make a lift) the body relative to the wheels, otherwise it will be necessary to cut the wheel arches. It can be lifted in three ways: by using spacers between the spring and the axle, by using spacers between the body and the frame, and by increasing the number of sheets in the springs. Several options can be combined. With the latter method, be prepared for the fact that the ride smoothness will become somewhat worse, while the carrying capacity and reliability, on the contrary, will increase.
As spacers, you can use ordinary hockey pucks (each about 2.5 cm thick), when you put them together, 4 pieces for each attachment of the body to the frame, you can raise the car by as much as 10 centimeters! This alone may be enough to prevent the new wheels from hitting the car body. Such washers run for 5-6 years, no more, then they begin to crack, so if you have money, it is better to buy a special set of spacers. In addition, it will be necessary to lengthen the rods of the gearbox and transfer case, as well as the brake booster tubes.
It is not recommended to lift the body without increasing the track, as the likelihood of the car overturning sharply increases Suspension
Serious off-road conditions dictate its own conditions, which the car must meet, for example, front and rear shock absorbers must be replaced with more rigid ones in order to exclude suspension breakdowns and reduce the chances of a car rollover. The main thing here is not to "overdo it", if the vertical travels of the wheels become too small, the cross-country ability of the car may drop dramatically. Up front, Gabriel gas-oil shock absorbers with VST valve can be fitted. Advantages of the VST valve: Increased shock absorber efficiency at high compression strokes - just right for good off-road... It is better to put something like OLD MAN EMU N53 in the back.
UAZ cars of the "loaf" type have a problem that many do not know about - weak front springs. And here springs from classic vases will come in handy, and for their installation it will be necessary to make special platforms in two places: on the bridge and on the frame. To do this, you will need: electric welding, a pipe with a diameter of 76 mm, a sheet of metal 5–6 mm thick. As a result, you should get something like the one in the photo. The same can be done with the rear springs, although this is not necessary. For reliability, replace all rubber bushings in the suspension with polyurethane ones.
Engine
If you own an UAZ 452 - in the common people there is a "loaf", most likely there is a ZMZ-402 or ZMZ-409 engine there. The latter is undoubtedly better in all respects, it has more torque and more power. Both engines consume 92 gasoline as fuel. It is noteworthy that although the 409 engine has a larger volume (2.7 versus 2.5), its consumption per “hundred” does not greatly exceed the ZMZ-402. In any case, the loaf has enough of its own motor to overcome deep mud and various obstacles.
If desired, foreign counterparts appear in the engine compartment after some alterations, even diesel engine variations can be installed here. Of course, if you choose between gasoline and diesel engine, the latter will be the most correct option, because diesel engines have much better thrust in the lower operating speed range. Here are just some of those that can definitely be installed instead of the native unit: TD27 (Nissan, 2.7 L), OM616 (Mercedes, 2.4 L), 1KZ (Toyota, 3.0 L).
But do not forget that too much (in comparison with the factory) engine power, the gearbox, razdatka, cardan, as well as bridges may simply not be able to withstand, because they are not designed for such loads. Therefore, the question of the advisability of such alterations remains open, and many motorists leave their native engine for this very reason.
Protection
Protective equipment includes: power bumpers, body kits. Body kits for UAZ can be bought at car dealerships, or you can make it yourself, if you have the appropriate skills in welding and painting. Of course, a hand-made bumper will come out for the money much cheaper, however appearance and user performance tends to be slightly worse than the store version. One of the most common products on the market is the products of the RIF company, on such bumpers there is a special mount for a mechanical or electric winch, which can be very useful in conditions of a long outing, especially when you are traveling alone and there is nowhere to wait for help.
Still, one of the options for protecting a car on the off-road is to cover the sides of the car with an aluminum profile - to protect the body from various branches and stones. The photo shows a "sparing" option of protection, in which only the most vulnerable parts of the body are covered, but there are often cases when aluminum sheets cover everything right up to the very middle, right up to the handle of the driver's door. This design of the car goes especially well with the camouflage livery.
The trunk is an integral part of a true SUV. But not the one that even an ordinary passenger car has, we are talking about a roof rack of a car. Here the situation is exactly the same as in the case of bumpers (body kits). However, special expedition trunks on the roof, bought in a car shop, are absolutely capable of withstanding a load of 200-300 kg without breaking, plus they are provided with special brackets for installing additional light sources.
It would not hurt to make a ladder upstairs, so that it is convenient to climb in and out (and not jump) from the car. In such a trunk, you can fold a spare tire, fuel cans, a shovel. And also, it will protect the roof of the car from scratches, they will inevitably be left by tree branches through which you will drive. In the salon, it is better to equip a comfortable sleeping bag, in case of long journeys, because it is not always possible to put up a tent. And in winter, in severe frost, you can sleep comfortably by turning on the stove.
Everyone wants to have a "cool" jeep, but not everyone can earn money for it. A good way out of this situation can be tuning the famous domestic "army" - UAZ-459. A used car is comparatively inexpensive, and the Soviet quality of manufacture guarantees a long service life. All that remains is to take the tools in hand and turn one of the legends of the Soviet automobile industry into an "envy car for everyone" with your own hands.
Where to start tuning UAZ 469
Installing 35-inch tires on 15-inch wheels instead of standard ones is guaranteed to add "off-road" solidity to your car. Replacement of wheels will cost about 12 thousand rubles apiece. Choose a tread pattern depending on the conditions of further operation. The enlarged wheels will need to be hidden under the fenders, so the wheel arches will have to be widened. Experts also recommend replacing shock absorbers and supplying more energy-intensive ones - this will allow the car to react more gently to unevenness of the road in comparison with the serial version.
Improving car safety
Disc brakes are more suitable for a car designed for driving in mud. If you plan to create a full-fledged SUV that will be able to overcome a deep ford, then make a good waterproofing of the engine and other elements of the car's structure. First of all, you should raise all electrical equipment higher and bring the engine air intake to the roof. Then seal the gearbox and transfer case... Well-done work will allow you to calmly overcome deep enough water obstacles without fear of stalling in the middle of the road.
Driving on "dry" off-road requires additional reinforcement of the body and the bottom of the car. Strengthening the bumper and sills will not damage the body by branches and other roadless "debris". Installing roll bars will help protect you from serious injury in the event of a rollover car. And if these arcs are also chrome-plated, then you are generally out of competition.
Improving the comfort and controllability of the machine
An active traveler is simply obliged to equip his all-terrain vehicle with a self-recovery winch, a tire inflation compressor (as in army trucks and armored personnel carriers) and a jack (although a self-respecting driver will not even leave the garage without him). With all this equipment, you can easily emerge victorious from any off-road situation. Lovers of comfort can mount air conditioning and power windows in the UAZ. A sunroof will become a superfluous element. And after all this it will be possible to take care of the salon. It is absolutely necessary to replace the factory seats as they are uncomfortable, to say the least, and are only slightly more comfortable than a regular stool.
Video how to make tuning UAZ 469 for off-road
The interior heater comes in handy cold winter... And the damping device will greatly facilitate driving.
Equipping the driver's workplace with a navigator will come in handy on long journeys. Well, where is it without good light. A jeep without a few pairs of powerful headlights and not a jeep at all, so invest in xenon lighting.
On this, tuning the UAZ-459 with your own hands can be considered complete. Now you have a real monster at your disposal, on which it is not scary to go even on the most dangerous journey.
“UAZ-Patriot”, no matter how hard marketers try to present it as a city, is a real peasant. Of course, if you replace front axle independent suspension, as in "Disco-4" or the new "Patrol", you can comfortably rush along Kutuzovsky, but where is the off-road? By the way, the named foreign cars, having lost their masculinity, can only amuse themselves with memories of past victories on the road, an intelligent person will not stick on them even in a rut from MAZ. The maximum they can do is cheekily shove along the side of the road: here, they say, how cool I am!
UAZ IS NOT SUCH
At the "Patriot" off-road qualities no worse than that of real all-terrain vehicles - "Land Rover Defender", "Jeep-Wrangler" or "Toyota" of the 70th series. But it's better not to drive the Patriot into the real jungle. Its main disadvantage is design flaws and poor quality of units. They break ... But how else! For example, the clutch without changes migrated from a 1.5-ton 75-horsepower car to a 130-horsepower weighing 2.5 tons! True, from 2003 to 2009, the LuK clutch was installed. But in the crisis they returned the "proven".
Axle stockings are welded to gearbox housings at several points. Badly welded - stockings fly out. And it happens that they bend: the old supports are poorly located. Shock absorbers do not hold, the distributor is falling apart, the engine is boiling due to the poor layout and design of the radiator. Engine pistons burn out or fall apart due to poor material quality. Fan drive fluid coupling is unreliable.
Do you think the UAZ does not know about this? According to rumors, they have collected 300 proposals for fine-tuning the machine, the introduction of hundreds of the most urgent requires 30 million rubles. But "Sollers" cares about the peasants until the lantern. He has tasks of a global scale, and therefore will not spend money on nonsense - after all, they take it anyway.
LET'S TAKE FORCE
Let's bring the Patriot ourselves. It’s not difficult and also very enjoyable. At the exit, a real pioneer awaits us.
First of all, we increase the ground clearance by 25 mm, replacing standard tires 225 / 75R16 Best Off-Road Tire BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T / A KM2 LT235 / 85R16. At the same time, the ride is smoother. What are the side lugs and the reinforced frame of the sidewalls. Even the sharp stones of mountains or deserts are not afraid of such people.
The drive axles receive pneumatically controlled locking differentials. We attach a mini-compressor with a receiver in the trunk or, like ours, in the back. Management - on the torpedo. The axles of the "tank" are blocked instantly!
In gearboxes, we boil in a circle the places where the stockings are embedded - and reinforce them with amplifiers: rear axle- a simple box, front - left and right with kerchiefs.
Instead of pivot assemblies with liquid plastic liners, which require replacement almost at every service center, we install modernized Ulyanovsk ones - with tapered journal bearings. The design is durable, reliable and simple.
Which winch to choose? Inexpensive Chinese we brush aside: unreliable. The American ones are designed for a very high current, for which the UAZ generator is rather weak. Therefore, we put the Ulyanovsk 4-ton winch "Sprut" with low current and high gear ratio together with a safety-certified bumper (otherwise the inspection will not pass).
In the suspension, we change the shock absorbers to imported ones. Jeepers appreciate European products: Koni, Ohlins - and American Rancho. With comparable characteristics, overseas are cheaper. We have selected them. V rear suspension changed the mountings of the shock absorbers and put them two on the side, vertically. The suspension travel and energy consumption have increased. In front, we raised the stroke to a record 22 cm. We put soft long rear springs from "Niva" and Rancho shock absorbers. Instead of rubber bumpers at the front and rear, there are hydraulic ones. Now the car and jumping are not scary.
In the ZMZ-409 engine, weak pistons with recesses for valves were replaced with forged ones with a flat bottom. In the photo: as soon as the engine strained in the heavy sand, the standard pistons fell apart.
Modified units - modern oil... We pour synthetic Castrol Edge Sport 10W-60 into the engine, Castrol Syntrans Multivehicle 75W-90 in the box and transfer case, and Castrol Syntrax Limited Slip 75W-140 axles. In the units there is Castrol LMX Li-Komрlexfett 2 grease and molybdenum Castrol Moly Grease. According to trophy raiders, Castrol products are best suited for tough conditions. Even water that gets into the oil does not turn it into an emulsion that needs to be replaced. The units do not jam, they continue to work.
On the little things: reinforced with a corner of the transverse steering rod, strengthened the suspension power unit, returned, as on a "goat", a pair of pillows for attaching the body to the frame. We installed an efficient copper radiator instead of an aluminum one. And they did not forget about the front and rear eyelets for the jeep "hi-jack". Without such a jack, there is nothing to do off-road.
An important detail in the cabin is the household fan: we rely on it in the heat. The air conditioner was excluded: it takes on a lot.
IT'S WORTH IT
Off-road tests have shown that now the Patriot can handle a heavy track, loose sand, and a ford on the windshield frame! Of course, foreign cars, if properly equipped, will be no worse. But how much money will it cost? The preparation of our UAZ took about 230 thousand rubles, a foreign car would have required several times more. At the same time, if you select only the most necessary from the list of our alterations, and do something with your own hands, the costs will significantly decrease. In general, the Patriot deserves to invest in it - and then jump into a rally-raid!
