We independently repair the front beam on the VAZ 2107

The front suspension of a car is one of the most loaded devices. It is she who takes on all the blows, she "eats" small bumps in the road surface, she also keeps the car from tipping over on sharp turns. One of the most critical elements of the suspension is the front beam, which, despite the massive structure, can also fail. Can you repair it yourself? Yes. Let's figure out how it's done.

Beam purpose

The main task of the cross beam is to prevent the “seven” from tipping over into a ditch when passing the next turn at high speed. When the car passes the turn, centrifugal force begins to act on it, tending to throw the car off the road.

It is the beam that prevents the car from tipping over into a ditch on a sharp turn.

There is an elastic torsion element in the beam, which, in the event of a centrifugal force, “twists” the wheels of the “seven” and thereby counteracts the centrifugal force. In addition, the cross beam provides additional support to the VAZ 2107 engine. That is why, when it is dismantled, the engine is always hung on a special block.

Description and fastening of the beam

Structurally, the beam is a massive c-shaped structure made of two stamped steel sheets welded together. At the ends of the beam there are four studs to which the suspension arms are attached. The pins are pressed into the recesses. Above the studs are eyelets with several holes. Bolts are screwed into these holes, with which the beam is screwed directly to the body of the VAZ 2107.

The main malfunctions of the beam

At first glance, the beam seems to be a very reliable element that is difficult to damage. In practice, the situation is different, and the owners of the "sevens" have to change the beams more often than we would like. Here are the main reasons:

• beam deformation. Since the beam is located under the bottom of the car, a stone can get into it. The driver can also hit the beam on the road if the front wheels suddenly fall into a particularly deep hole that the driver did not notice in time. Finally, the camber and toe may not be properly adjusted on the machine. The result of all this will be the same: the deformation of the beam. And it doesn't have to be big. Even if the beam bends only a few millimeters, this will inevitably affect the handling of the car, and hence the safety of the driver;
• beam cracking. Since the beam is a device subjected to alternating loads, it is subject to fatigue failure. This type of destruction begins with the appearance of a crack on the surface of the beam. This defect cannot be seen with the naked eye. A beam can work with a crack for years, and the driver will not even suspect that something is wrong with the beam. But at some point, a fatigue crack begins to propagate deep into the structure, and it propagates at the speed of sound. And after such a breakdown, the beam can no longer be operated;
  

  Cross beams on the VAZ 2107 are often subjected to fatigue failure
• pulling out the beam. The weakest point of the transverse beam is the mounting bolts and studs of the suspension arms. At the moment of a strong impact on the beam, these bolts and studs are simply cut off by the lugs of the beam. The fact is that the lugs undergo a special heat treatment, after which their hardness is several times greater than the hardness of the fasteners. As a result, the beam simply breaks off. It usually only happens on one side. But in some (very rare) cases, the beam is pulled out on both sides.
  

  Bolt that was cut in the middle by the lug of the crossbeam

Replacing the cross beam on the VAZ 2107

Before proceeding to the description of the process, a couple of explanations should be made:

• firstly, replacing the transverse beam on the “seven” is a very time-consuming task, so the help of a partner will be very helpful;
• secondly, to remove the beam, you will need to hang out the engine. Therefore, the driver needs to have either a hoist or a simple hand block in the garage. Without these devices, the beam cannot be removed;
• thirdly, the only acceptable option for repairing a beam in a garage is to replace it. The following details why this is so.

Now to the tools. Here's what you need to get it working:

• new cross beam for VAZ 2107;
• set of socket heads and knobs;
• 2 jacks;
• torch;
• set of spanner keys;
• flat screwdriver.

Sequence of work

For work, you will have to use a viewing hole, and only that. Work on a street overpass is not possible, since there is nowhere to fix the block for hanging the motor.

1. The car is installed on a viewing hole. The front wheels are jacked up and removed. Supports are installed under the body (several wooden blocks stacked on top of each other are usually used as supports).
2. With the help of open-end wrenches, the bolts holding the lower protective casing of the engine are unscrewed, after which the casing is removed (at the same stage, the front mudguards can also be unscrewed, as they may interfere with further work).
3. The hood is now removed from the car. After that, a lifting device with a cable is installed above the engine. The cable is wound into special lugs on the engine and stretched so as to prevent the engine from falling after the beam is removed.
   

   The car engine is hung on a special block with chains
4. Suspension arms are unscrewed and removed from both sides. Then the lower springs of the shock absorbers are removed (before removing it, you must make sure that they are completely relaxed, that is, they are in their lowest position).
   

   To extract the spring with an open-end wrench, the stand is unscrewed against which the spring rests.
5. Now there is access to the beam. The nuts that secure the beam to the motor mounts are unscrewed. After unscrewing these nuts, the beam should be supported from below with something in order to completely exclude its displacement after it is completely disconnected from the side members.
   

   To unscrew the nuts on the motor mounts, only a spanner wrench is used
6. The main fixing bolts of the beam holding it on the side members are unscrewed. And first, those that are located horizontally are unscrewed, then those that are located vertically. Then the beam is carefully disconnected from the body and removed.
   

   The beam can only be removed by unscrewing all fasteners and securely hanging the engine
7. A new beam is installed in place of the old beam, after which the front suspension is reassembled.

Video: remove the transverse front beam on the "classic"

How to remove a beam on a VAZ Zhiguli with your own hands. Replacing the beam of a Zhiguli vase.

About welding and straightening a damaged beam

A beginner who decides to weld fatigue cracks in a garage does not have the proper equipment or skills to do so. The same applies to the process of straightening a deformed beam: by trying to straighten this part in the garage, as they say, “on the knee”, a novice motorist can only deform the beam even more. And in the service center there is a special device for straightening beams, which allows you to restore the original shape of the beam literally down to a millimeter. One more important point should not be forgotten: after the repair of the transverse beam, the driver will again have to adjust the camber and toe-in. That is, you will have to go to the service center to the stand in any case.

Given all of the above, the only rational repair option for a novice driver is to replace the transverse beam. And only specialists with the appropriate skills and equipment should be engaged in the restoration of a damaged beam.

So, you can replace the cross beam in a garage. The main thing is to correctly carry out all the preparatory operations and in no case remove the beam without first hanging the engine. It is this mistake that novice drivers who are new to the design of the "seven" often make. Well, for the restoration and refinement of the beam, the driver will have to turn to specialists.