Lada Kalina 2 station wagon tuning and modifications

When starting any tuning, trying to improve or redo something, first of all, you need to remember the principle of “do no harm.” The Lada Kalina-2 car is a modern AvtoVAZ model, released after the Lada Granta and in many ways similar to it. Nowadays, different configurations of station wagons and hatchbacks belonging to the “berry” family are offered, and any buyer can find a suitable option. But owners who are completely satisfied with the driving performance may be annoyed by small little things like short mudguards, lack of protection for the rear arches, etc. Let's look at how to deal with this problem below.

Protecting the body from dirt

We have already discussed the method of installing plastic lockers. Actually, by protecting the rear arches from dirt, the tuning can be completed. But some owners don’t stop there, continuing to improve the standard design by replacing mudguards. We are, of course, talking about front mudguards, which should stop dirt flying out from under the drive wheels. The standard rubber “barriers” mounted on the body of the “second Kalina” have a smaller area than was typical for cars of the first family. However, using mudguards of a larger area than those provided by the factory is not a solution to all problems. If you do this, dirt will begin to accumulate on the rubber surface, which will need to be cleaned very often.

Mudguards Kalina-1 and Kalina-2, comparison

If these arguments do not frighten you, read on. We look at how the “second Kalina” is being finalized today:

It will be easy to install front mudguards from Lada Grants, produced by Petroplast. They are attached with 4 self-tapping screws. In theory, you can agree with the dealer to have the specified part installed immediately (upon purchase). And retail prices for Petroplast mudguards are the highest;
The mount on the universal Elegant mudguards coincides with the VAZ mount at three points. The fourth screw will have to be screwed in by drilling a new hole, or try to hook onto the front locker. Here we were talking about the Elegant N1 model, available from spare parts sellers;
On the universal mudguard “SRTC” the mount fits perfectly, but with the design everything is a little worse... However, the tuning option in question has already been implemented by many;
Ultimately, you can use larger mudguards inherited from the “first Kalina”, but here you will have to work with a cutter (see photo above).

Conclusion: now you can buy either something universal, or, but at an inflated price (if not through a car dealer). Decide for yourself which is better. In addition to the four listed, there are probably other suitable options. We are waiting for your feedback about them in the comments to the review.

Useful modifications to the Lada Kalina 2

Hi all. This means that two years have passed since I owned this car, and as much as I remain satisfied with it, I have 5 life hacks for you that will help you when operating this car.

Well, I think that thanks to these life hacks, your car will also make you happy. Because the car, in this case, is mine for the sixth year, 2006, and there were some problems that it would be advisable to eliminate immediately.

Something is not a jamb, something, well, more has been done to improve it. Well, I still want to share with you, maybe this video will be useful to someone. So let's go.

Lifehack No. 1

This is Kalina's ECU, that is, almost all of Kalina's owners have probably encountered it; those who haven't, they already know about the drawback in the location of the ECU. Initially, Kalina's ECU is located here under the panel.

And there is a stove above the ECU, and Kalina’s stove tends to leak, but we’ll talk about this later, why and how. When the radiator leaks, the heater usually floods, which means the brains of the ECU.

That is, the ECU costs, I have a Boshev one, it costs about 7 - 8000. Like any other ECU, that is, approximately, that is, any other ECU in this area costs. Here, no matter what your situation is, that is.

Here's how I solved this problem? That is, immediately when I bought the car, I got it from there, screwed it on there with these covers and installed it here.

This is how I have it located here, here I have the lighting for the legs, that is, here, I placed it under the glove compartment, there it does not bother anyone, no one kicks it, as I initially thought that they would touch it with their feet, no one doesn't hurt, doesn't interfere with anything.

That is, I secured it with two bolts, the first, the second and that’s it. That is, this is enough. It stays here, nice, warm and dry. That is, I think this should be done first of all when buying Kalina.

Because if your brain is flooded, it’s a waste of money, which is unnecessary, so first of all, those who don’t know yet, be sure to do it. It literally takes 20 minutes and will save your wallet very well.

Suspension

So, then, the second thing I would like to talk about is the suspension. How did I encounter the suspension? That is, it didn’t leak, it didn’t knock or anything, but it kind of rattled, not just knocked, it sort of rattled and rattled, it was here, there were some knocks in the supports, that’s it, and so on.

In short, I read and realized that the Grant suspension, that is, it was better designed, the Kalinovsky jambs in the supports were removed, well, in short, without hesitation, I bought Grant struts assembled with supports, with springs, everything, both front and rear.

Here. I went to Avito, searched for Grant and found a broken Grant with 15,000 miles on it, so they were bought from it, I paid 3,000 rubles for all the racks. That is, the front, the back, everything is assembled, here.

That is, the suspension was changed about six months after the purchase, that is, a year and a half later, I did not regret at all that I installed it.

Now, since it has proven itself only from the best side, no noise, very soft, pleasant. Exactly, that is, the main thing is that there is a drain, that’s it. That is, I really liked the pendant, so I kind of recommend it.

The stove doesn't heat well

The second thing I encountered when owning this car is that the heater does not heat up enough. That is, well, sometimes it seemed like there wasn’t enough heat, that’s it. Plus airing the system and so on.

I also read it and realized that this was also done better on Grant than on Kalina. Well, as it were, Granta is the same Kalina, that is, with the jambs eliminated. That's why many people installed a Granta thermostat.

I installed it too, but you won’t be able to see it here. I installed, here, a Grant thermostat. That is, what are the advantages? It has much less, it has much less pipe of any kind.

That is, it is generally simpler. I'll leave you a link under the video to my DriveDvorra, where I have everything chewed up. So, what’s the point, that is, who is interested in Grant’s soda and in general in what I’m talking about, in general in all the alterations, that is, go in and read there.

What can I note, then, after the rework? Now, the main advantage here is that the contour is small, when I sit in the car, the wind is blowing - it’s inconvenient to talk about.

A small cooling circuit on the Grant thermostat, it goes, that is, the engine and the heater radiator, that is, what do we get? We start the car, as soon as the engine warms up, it immediately releases heat into the interior onto the radiator.

That is, before, if I was driving to work in winter, that is, I literally had to get to work so that it would become more or less warm in the car, now, that is, it’s enough to drive, well, warm up a little and drive a couple of kilometers .

And that’s it, it’s already kind of warm in the car, that’s it. That is, this is the main advantage. There’s no airing, there’s none of that. But, that is, the point is airing, you will have air in the stove, well, the stove there is, in general, a honeycomb, but alteration will not help.

You also need to monitor the condition of the cap on the expansion tank. For myself, I found such caps, which means they are, well, a cap for the expansion tank, it’s called “Avtopribor”, in a blue box it says “Avtopribor”, these are good caps.

But once a year I still try to change them. Well, here the opinion of potassium growers is generally divided, that is, into two types. Some say that it’s better not to mess with your native system, it’s just that you have a handicap there, that’s not the point, there are those who seem to change and are happy.

How to remove fastener marks

Some companies offer aerodynamic body parts for purchase, attached with double-sided tape. It should be noted that there is no noticeable benefit from using most of these kits (the aerodynamics of the body do not change as a result). As you know, a sports hatchback is standardly equipped with a single spoiler, and nothing else seems to be required. Well, when mounting parts on tape, you need to remember the following: sooner or later, each additional part will have to be removed. And then, you have to do something with the marks that the tape will leave on the paint.

External tuning of Kalina-2 hatchback and station wagon

Remember: the paintwork of the Kalina-2 car does not tolerate contact with solvents intended to change the consistency of varnishes and paints. You need to use a well-known chemical, invented in the USA back in 1953 (WD-40). You can use its more affordable analogue, designated RW-40. According to reviews, it turns out well:

We saturate the remains of the double-sided tape with the preparation itself and wait a little;
We wipe off all excess with thick gauze, pouring a chemical on the surface of the metal;
Finally, you need to wash off any remaining product with soapy water.

In general, paintwork can only be touched at home with soap or water. The main thing is that all operations must be carried out measuredly, without haste and without fanaticism. And at the final stage of processing it makes sense to use polish.

Interior tuning of Lada Kalina station wagon

The primary measure in the Lada Kalina station wagon is to increase the sound insulation properties of the body. If we compare it with the fashionable Priora model, the “culprit” of our review is significantly inferior to it in this discipline. Most likely due to the lack of linings in the area of the wheel arches. Some owners of station wagons do not “stress” over such a troublesome procedure as sound insulation and resort to installing more powerful audio systems. Here the owner will need to first decide on his own priorities, and then begin modernization.

Let's touch on the interior trim. AvtoVAZ provided its buyer with a relatively good solution, since the elements are upholstered in durable and inexpensive synthetics. Those who are not satisfied with the standard seat material can be upholstered in leather, which is very expensive (about 30 thousand rubles).

Also, when tuning is carried out, the owners of the Lada Kalina station wagon replace the instrument panel. The manufacturer foresaw this development of the situation and met its buyer halfway, ensuring the possibility of complete dismantling of the panel.

What budget can the owner count on if he “dared” to perform tuning of the interior space of the Lada Kalina station wagon? In ordinary cases, it is not at all more expensive in comparison with similar measures in other AvtoVAZ models.

Kalina exterior tuning

When tuning the appearance, the owner of a universal model has much more freedom in choosing solutions and taking actions to implement them. Here you can replace almost any of the body components. In this aspect, the plant also meets fans of modernization halfway and produces modified body panels and linings, although not of the best quality. Also, the market space in this segment is represented by a wide variety of companies specializing in the production of accessories for external tuning.

So, during the work, when modifications are being made with one’s own hands on the exterior of the station wagon, the owner can replace or use the following components:

front: bumper and radiator grille;
there are sills on the sides;
change the wheels into fashionable alloy wheels;
install lighting on the bottom (special platforms are provided for regular installation);
install deflectors, which include not only real components, but also imitators, although they also allow the car to acquire an individual appearance.

You should also pay due attention to lighting. The manufacturer offers, along with halogen lamps, the purchase and installation of LED analogues. There are cars equipped with “spotlights”, but their operation is not permitted on Russian territory.

External tuning of the Lada Kalina station wagon in the second generation is almost identical to the list of activities implemented on the first generation of the model. Here the manufacturer also made it possible to replace the standard exhaust pipe.

The entire remaining list of tuning activities concerns transformations in the mechanical part of the station wagon, including the engine and suspension.

Tuning the mechanics of the Lada Kalina

Owners pay significant attention to Kalina's universal suspension, which is caused by the desire to achieve a higher degree of comfort while driving. As a rule, transformations involve replacing the following chassis elements:

shock absorbers along with support bearings and springs;
levers for more reinforced analogues;
installation of additional braces between body cups;
installation of rear transverse stabilizer, etc.

In order to achieve savings in fuel consumption, you can install LPG. Such a do-it-yourself modification will allow you to ensure a minimum consumption of 5-6 liters on the highway for every 100 km of distance traveled. The complex of modern gas equipment has the ability to regulate the functioning of the motor using an on-board computer.

Tuning of chassis and brakes

The Kalina's chassis underwent major modifications at the design stage. So it is rarely subjected to deep tuning. Basically, drivers are limited to these measures:

Additional fasteners and support “sports” bearings of the SS20 brand are installed on the steering rack of the front suspension;
The standard front struts are replaced with more reliable ones. Most often, racks from Plaza are installed;
Springs with reduced pitch are installed on the suspension. This allows you to improve the car's handling;
Kalina's standard brake discs are replaced with sports ones, the diameter of which is larger. Usually drivers install wheels from LGR or Brembo. They are more than enough to ensure safe driving in an aggressive style;

Brembo discs are best suited for those who prefer an aggressive driving style.
The standard synchronizers in the gearbox are replaced with reinforced sports synchronizers. This increases the reliability of the box and extends its service life;
a new clutch is installed. Preference is given to units with carbon, ceramic or Kevlar discs. Their wear resistance is much higher, and such a clutch can withstand enormous loads from a “pumped” engine.

Let's sum it up

Do-it-yourself modification of the domestic LADA Kalina station wagon in any of its manifestations, as expected, brings enviable “fruits”, this can be assessed from the photo. For some types of transformations, the manufacturer has prepared a “base” in advance so that it is not too difficult for the owner to implement this or that modernization plan. If there is no limitation in financial resources, then you can resort to comprehensive tuning, when not only the body or interior, but also the mechanical component of the car and its electronic equipment are subject to modifications.

Before you begin work on upgrading your machine, you need to have an idea of the end result of your creativity. And even taking into account the fact that creativity is a little predictable process, you still need to outline directions for movement. What specific tasks will your car be configured for: off-road, drift, rally, or a cozy car for daily use. The chosen direction will determine where we need to start and where we should ultimately arrive. For the Lada Kalina 2 hatchback, there is no point in doing tuning and modifications that require serious financial investments, since having a large amount of funds, it would be more expedient to purchase a car of a higher class, or of the same class, but with additional options installed. For a car like Kalina 2, tuning is best done using inexpensive materials and mostly with your own hands. Therefore, when choosing a direction for modernization, it is necessary to take into account your capabilities, both financial and technical. You should also keep in mind that tuning the Lada Kalina 2 is not a quick process, especially when you have to do most of the work yourself. Another important point that should be taken into account before upgrading your car is that you will not be able to cover all the costs invested in it by selling the car. If you are ready for this, you can start.

Mechanical tuning

In this situation, the car will consume only 5-6 liters of fuel per 100 km along the highway. In addition, it is possible to adjust the operation of the gas engine using the on-board computer (as always, the concern uses common firmware on its cars).

Quite good results can be achieved using chip tuning (on gasoline). This is an upgrade of the firmware, which is responsible for the operation of the motor (the amount of supplied air and the moment of opening/closing of the valves increases).

The main thing is that it is performed without any intervention in the mechanics of the vehicle. That is, it is the computer settings that change, nothing more. But it must be borne in mind that such a modification can only be performed on a fully operational vehicle.

Let's pay attention to tuning the Kalina Universal with your own hands. https://www.youtube.com/embed/woHK_zhI2sA

If a person has financial limitations, but wants to get the “maximum” out of his car, then he can install a supercharger.

This will not be very expensive, but will significantly increase the permissible engine power. In addition, the Lada engine has a very good performance reserve.

There are combinations when a more productive generator is installed in the VAZ-1117. However, such a modification will only be required if the car owner plans to install a considerable amount of additional equipment (electrical).

By default, the “station” is designed for a maximum load of 175 W, but this will not be enough, for example, when using a refrigerator and air conditioner at the same time. Accordingly, you should install a generator with at least 300 W, but when it operates at full power, the amount of fuel consumed also increases (by 15-20%).

But tuning the Lada Kalina-2 Universal in terms of mechanics will not be so effective. Here, right from the factory, engineers have provided a large number of improvements both in the operation of the engine and the chassis (transmission).

Changes in the technical part

Everyone sets their own priorities for making changes. We will start with changes in the technical part of the car.

Engine

The VAZ power plant does not have sufficient torque and power. There are many ways to unlock the full potential of the motor. We are interested in what we can do with our own hands, and which will not require serious financial investments.

Tuning Lada Kalina 2 can be started by installing a zero-resistance air filter.
Grinding the inside of the intake manifold in combination with a zero-resistance filter element will increase the filling of the cylinders, which will give a small increase in power.
Replacing the standard exhaust system with a direct-flow exhaust has a not very pronounced, but still positive effect.
Replacing standard valve springs with more powerful ones will increase the tightness of the combustion chamber, which will give additional power to the power plant.

Appearance

Changes in appearance are more noticeable to the average person than modernization of the technical part, so most car enthusiasts focus on them.

You can install the spoiler yourself, you just need to choose the shape that suits you.
Replacing standard bumpers with tuning ones that have a different shape. This also includes the installation of door sills and wheel arches.
Changing the color of the body by painting or pasting with film. When carrying out this work with your own hands, it is necessary to take into account the fact that in this case not only the painting (or pasting) process itself is important, but also the preparatory work. The better the surface is prepared, the better the final result will be.

Salon

The interior is largely designed for the driver. Because he spends most of his time in it.

The seats play a big role in driver fatigue and overall comfort. In the second generation Kalina, the seats are very uncomfortable; driving fatigue is felt after the first hours of the trip. To minimize driving fatigue, you need to either upgrade the existing version or install it from another car.
Installing an additional soundproofing coating will be a huge plus for a comfortable stay in the cabin, especially on long trips.
After installing the protection from extraneous noise, you can begin editing high-quality music. This includes replacing the standard radio, laying new (better) wires, and installing additional speakers.
Individual parts of the torpedo can be covered with vinyl film. This work is simple, but it gives the dashboard an unusual look that will become a distinctive feature of your car.

There is no need to be afraid to change the appearance of your car. The main thing is to understand why this is being done and what ultimately needs to be achieved. Tuning of the Lada Kalina 2 ends when the car is sold, so there is always room for improvement.

Interior tuning

Car owners also make a lot of changes to the Kalina’s interior.

Replacement of upholstery. The standard interior trim in Kalina is a combination of plastic inserts and leatherette. Many tuning enthusiasts remove the tabs and replace them with leatherette. Connoisseurs of comfort also get rid of leatherette, replacing it with velor or carpet. These materials can transform the interior, but they cannot be called durable. Genuine leather is also used for finishing. But this option is only available to very wealthy drivers, so it is extremely rare.

Replacing seats. When a car undergoes deep tuning, it rarely happens without replacing the standard seats with sports ones. They are more suitable for the aggressive driving style for which the car is being prepared. Anatomical Kalina-Sport seats with high headrests and back support are in great demand. The cost of one such seat is from 7 thousand rubles.

Tuning enthusiasts often install sports seats on Kalina, making aggressive driving easier.

Dashboard and steering wheel trim. To add individuality to the dashboard, Kalina owners usually use vinyl film. Film painted to look like carbon is in particular demand. It looks very stylish on the dashboard. But there is also a minus - after 5 years, even the highest quality vinyl film becomes unusable. As for the steering braid, you can purchase it at any specialized store. The range of braids is now very wide.

Additional interior lighting. For illumination, various LED strips are used, connected to the vehicle’s on-board network. The cost of one such tape is from 400 rubles. Most often, additional lighting is installed on the floor of the car. Its purpose is not only aesthetic, but also practical: if the driver drops some small item on the floor of the cabin, it will not be difficult to find it. Drivers also illuminate the door handles inside the cabin using the same diode strips. This is a relatively new direction in tuning, which is quickly gaining popularity.

They started lighting door handles in the Kalina cabin just a couple of years ago