australian lada niva forum

VivaNiva · by **VivaNiva** on Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:25 pm

Hello , just a quick post to introduce myself .
I live on the Far North Coast of NSW ( Byron area) and have owned a Niva for about 10 months and I like it. Its an 1989 21212 rust bucket , i've put Suzuki 15 " rims on it. Just done back shocks last week and upper ball-joints . Going outside right now to do front shocks and maybe a bit o rust work. I got 2 new brake cylinders this morning but I got to get some one to help me with the brakes as I'm CLUELESS about drum brakes.

Eddy · by **Eddy** on Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:36 pm

welcome dude!

Everyone's hopeless with brakes first time, just do it :wink:

There's a linky somewhere to a manual ya can down load. I'll look around ...

VivaNiva · by **VivaNiva** on Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:48 pm

Thanks Eddy , just finished doing the front shocks , some FOOL had put different shocks on left and right , very different like different length shocks! Zipping around corners like a little sport car now LOL . Not to worried about the brakes who needs brakes any way :lol:

got plenty of mates that can help but a manual would be nice , I only have the original owners manual which is surprisingly comprehensive .

danno83 · by **danno83** on Tue Oct 14, 2008 8:46 pm

Welcome VivaNiva,

great to see your joining the select few here who are in the Aus/NZ scene. Is great to see there's more and more Niva Fanatics popping up on a more regular basis.

As to the rims that are no the niva, Mine are 6.00R16's straight from USSR..

But I found that if you look on the military tyres page on www.antiquetyres.com.au I found that Tyres "A", "C", or "F" will all fit, tyre "F" being the closest to original tred pattern. Personally I'm looking towards "A" or "C" though.

VivaNiva · by **VivaNiva** on Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:33 pm

My Niva rims are the 4.5x16 & all the tyre dealerships around here said they don't make them any more so seen its my daily the Zukes seemed the best option for reasonably priced tyres on or off road.
I did the front and back shocks and the little beast is still dipping to the right, i'm guessing maybe a sagging right front spring or possibly a back right spring ? But could a badly set up panhard cause it ? or front sway ? or both ?

danno83 · by **danno83** on Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:15 am

could also be the brakes...

Lada & Korean Parts · by **Lada & Korean Parts** on Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:59 am

over time they sag on the rhf corner......

when they make rhd all the weight is suddenly dumped on the rhs of the car,so puts them out of balance........

new springs is the only way around it...

VivaNiva · by **VivaNiva** on Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:50 am

Thanks for the advice about the springs. Could a product like polyair springs fix this or are new springs the only way ?

Lada & Korean Parts · by **Lada & Korean Parts** on Wed Oct 15, 2008 10:44 am

sorry,haven't heard of polyair?? springs

VivaNiva · by **VivaNiva** on Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:19 am

These are Polyair springs air bag suspension.

They have been around for donkeys . Website http://www.polyair.com.au/ And an Aussie product ( I think)

Lada & Korean Parts · by **Lada & Korean Parts** on Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:43 am

ahhhhhh,wondered if you meant airbag.........
would be MUCH cheaper to buy proper springs.......

no problem of getting a puncture off road then......

Eddy · by **Eddy** on Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:45 pm

Could just swap the fronts springs left to right & v/v
That'll put the saggy one on the left and the better one on the right.

VivaNiva · by **VivaNiva** on Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:47 am

Swap the springs eh ? Not a bad idea , thanks.

Got both brake circuits functioning again and full pedal however the master is on its way out.
I was wondering Andy (?) of LadaParts if there's a reco kit & approx$$'s or a new MC & $$'s ?

Eddy · by **Eddy** on Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:51 am

shoot'im a PM or email.

they got most of that stuff.

Lada & Korean Parts · by **Lada & Korean Parts** on Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:14 am

pm sent

really is a waste of time fitting seals into lada cylinders unless they are fairly new......
usally you find the cylinders are quite old,bore will be slightly worn,so pressure will bypass the seals & 99.9% of the time you end up haveing to buy the complete cylinder.

australian lada niva forum

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