The Soviet-made UAZ-469 car was prepared by the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant almost according to specifications. to the country's order. It was planned that a similar SUV would be used in army military units and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There were also plans to bypass the American Wrangler, which the United States used at home.
In general, the SUV turned out to be a success - the clear, chopped lines of the UAZ attracted the attention of ordinary people, and those who were not friends with the law were forced to flee. The cross-country ability of the “goat,” as it is still popularly called, was at a high level; ordinary passenger cars could not keep up with it off-road.
Soon the car went to work in the designated departments, the country went through reforms and transformations, but the UAZ-469 remained the same, without a chance for a natural and desired restyling. Many families were able to afford to buy a car for personal use, and many owners thought about how to make the car even more attractive, passable and functional. It was here that the craze for off-roading, rides and car modifications began.
It’s worth considering right away - if you decide to modify the standard UAZ-469, there will be no end to these modifications. Personally, I don’t know those “Peredelkins” who abandoned this idea. On the contrary, I know many who bought a UAZ, modified it, sold it and bought a new one. A completely naked car, and started restyling it again. Preparing a vehicle for off-roading is a way of life that is addictive and never lets go. Don't despair, this is an exciting activity that even some ladies welcome. So, let's start preparing the car for the first time. Go!
Classification of tuning or what to pay attention to first
Tuning is the modification of a car in order to improve its consumer qualities. To begin with, it is worth determining for yourself what exactly the owner wants to improve and where he is preparing his car. There are two types of tuning SUVs, the first is modifying the car and creating an expedition vehicle, the second is getting a car to participate in competitions. There are fundamental differences here: the first tuning is easier, owners of expedition vehicles prefer not to destroy their car, but those who go to competitions understand that they have to get everything out of the car, otherwise they won’t even get third place in the overall standings. Accordingly, a monster in the full sense of the word from UAZ is being prepared to participate in races and shows.
Since the competition is still a long way off when you first get acquainted with the car, let’s consider tuning the expedition vehicle.
External tuning
Painting, or how to hide a car in broad daylight
The first thing that catches your eye is the color of the car, at least it seems that this color is unpresentable, and if you look at the year of manufacture of the car, you get a completely non-trend color. Many owners repaint their iron horses in camouflage, simply painting spots on the body of the car. As a person who has experienced such modifications first hand, I will say that this is a physically expensive undertaking. If you want to get quality, then you shouldn’t mess around here, because the color of your “goat” is your face.
Painting begins with removing all protruding elements of the car, covering the headlights and glass with old newspapers, and treating the car body with an anti-corrosion coating. Then the main color is brought back to normal; there can be three of them: UAZ-469 was produced in gray, light brown and khaki colors; then the contours of the spots are laid out with adhesive tape and painted over with paint.
There are three stages of painting, just the camouflage has three different shades. For a khaki car, you need to choose brown, green (dark) and black stain colors; for a gray main color, white, gray (dark) and black shades are suitable; for a light brown car, you should buy brown (dark), pale yellow and black tones. First, painting is carried out with light paints, otherwise the black spots will show through; paints in spray cans are ideal; for each color you will need 2 cans of a certain color.
It will take about 3-4 full days of time to paint, about 5-8 thousand money if you work independently, but take more nerves, since at first there is little that will work out. But then, when the car sparkles with new colors, the owner will fully experience the benefits of such tuning: in a forested area the car is not visible, but in the city everyone will notice it. Everyone without exception will admire the car.
Power body kits or what is kengurin
Power car body kits are iron or metal bumpers. Power body kits are needed by those who go hunting and fishing; they are indispensable in forests, woodlands and snow piles. Of course, the thicker the steel of the power bumper, the heavier the car, but for a UAZ this is more of a plus than a minus; a heavier car goes easier off-road.
The front and rear bumpers are made mainly from a piece of channel material; to create it you need to take appropriate measurements and have a rough idea of what you want to get in the end. I think this section should be dedicated to a separate topic and a drawing posted. If you buy, we can also recommend buying a “Reef” or “Hunter” bumper (pictured below).
Kengurin are special arches made of metal pipes that are welded on top of the front bumper. Kengurin serves as excellent protection against breakdowns of optics and the front part of the body. And even if you meet a moose on the highway, the car will remain intact, well, or only slightly dented.
The cost of power bumpers in stores averages 30-40 thousand per piece; if you manufacture them yourself, the costs will be reduced by 7-8 times. When purchasing, pay attention to the power front bumper assemblies from the Reef company - a cool and reliable power body kit.
Electric winch, or why UAZ needs swans
Off-road is a terrain where the driver will only face direction. Moreover, the driver will see this direction only on the map, and not in front of the hood of the car. A winch is a wonderful thing and an excellent assistant in such situations. This is a device with a motor and gearbox, equipped with a metal cable, that will pull the car out of an ambush if it is ambushed there. 
The principle of operation of any winch is to pull or pull the car using a cable. The UAZ-469 is equipped with electric winches with a 5-ton force. It is not worth installing less, otherwise the owner will also dance with a tambourine, trying to magically pull the car out.
In common parlance, UAZ drivers call their assistant a swan, and every UAZ driver has “been swan” at least once in their life. Swanning is a song! The driver, getting out of the car, surveys with a wise look the area and the place where the difficult journey has taken him. With an unobtrusive whistle, he removes the brake and unwinds the winch cable. The driver has already chosen a tree or bush where he will hook this cable. Also whistling, the driver secures the cable and returns to the car, not forgetting to remember someone’s mother along the way. Apparently, she was the one who dragged him here. The driver gets into the car, takes the winch joystick and begins to pull the cable a little, then the winch force increases. At the same time, it is worth increasing the gas so that the load from these manipulations does not break the generator belt. Five to seven minutes, and then the UAZ gets into a rut again or drives out into a small clearing.
What models of electric winches are suitable for the UAZ and how much they cost -.
Electric winches are installed in both the front and rear bumpers. One winch on an UAZ is quite enough. There are plenty of manufacturers of such accessories, so the price of an electric winch may vary. Minimum investment: the purchase of a winch and its installation will cost the owner 20-25 thousand rubles.
Expedition trunk, or where to carry everything you need
An expedition trunk is a necessary attribute of any sensible vehicle owner. Only here the driver carries a spare tire, a hi-jack and a bunch of all the necessary rubbish. The trunk will visually make the car taller, just like the garage door.
You can weld the trunk yourself or buy it ready-made; the cost of purchasing it will be about 5-15 thousand rubles. But the trunk is needed not only for transporting cargo, but also for installing a chandelier.
Additional lighting, or why there is a chandelier on a UAZ
The chandelier that hangs in the hall of the house is quite familiar and does not raise any questions. It is clear that a chandelier is necessary for lighting. An SUV class car also uses additional light, with which you can move around in the dark.
Chandelier, translated from Old Uazov, means installing four or more headlights on a car. The headlights are installed on the trunk; installation is carried out by the owner himself. There are additional headlight lighting and light bars. The headlight is 5-8 LEDs behind glass, and the light bar is an oblong design with a number of LEDs from 32 pieces. And if you need 4 headlights for a chandelier - 2 with a low-beam directional light, they are installed in the middle, and a pair with a distant scattering light flux at the edges, then one light bar is enough.
The average cost of such lighting will be: headlights, 4 pieces - 8,000 rubles, and a light bar, 1 piece - from 8 to 16 thousand. What is better and what is worse is the wrong question in this case, because installing budget headlight lighting is no worse than buying a light bar.
What are slippers and why change them?
UAZ drivers are by nature stern people, but very kind. They give their cars affectionate nicknames and call individual parts of their steel horse with incomprehensible words.
— It’s time to change my slippers, I want a size larger.
Surely, many uninitiated people will not understand what kind of slippers they are and why they are larger in size. Let’s explain: slippers are wheels. There are ATash slippers and there are MUD slippers. These words are derived from the class of rubber: All Terrain and MUD Terrain. ATash rubber has a pronounced tread pattern, is used in forests (30%) and mainly on asphalt (70%), MUD tire has an aggressive tread pattern, massive lugs extending to the shoulder surface of the wheel, is famous for its excellent cleanability, is used in forests (80% ), it’s better not to use it on asphalt, it wears out quickly and the tires don’t last long, and considering that the cost of good MT tires is quite decent, driving downhill on asphalt is not economically profitable.
Slippers for a standard UAZ on simple axles without a body lift (raising the body) come in a 31-inch size. In order to install larger diameter tires, you will need to lift the car and cut the wheel arches. If the arches are not cut out, the tires will also rip out on large bumps with the suspension at maximum height.
The cost of a tire depends on the wheel size, tire class, manufacturer and brand. For example, BF Goodrich, the most trendy in a small size will cost 10,000 per cylinder, the most expensive in their segment are TSL Boggers, the cost of a wheel in size 35 can reach 30-35,000 per piece.
We teach our car to swim or what a snorkel is
Remember the section about winches? So, putting a car in the mud is not the worst thing, as it might seem, the worst thing is getting into water with an unprepared car. Water is dangerous for the engine and the fuel system as a whole, so astute vehicle owners install a snorkel on their car, a special plastic pipe that takes in air from the height of the car’s roof. With a snorkel that is installed correctly, you can safely climb into streams and creeks; your car is not in danger of “water sickness.”
You won’t be able to make a snorkel yourself, or rather, it’s not worth it. Let's entrust this task to professionals, especially since they have developed not a single model of this device for UAZ. You can install the snorkel yourself; its cost varies between 2500-4500 rubles.
All that the reader has gleaned from this article is a small fraction of the knowledge that an experienced truck driver possesses. It’s never too late to learn, and even more so to learn how to create masterpieces.
Specifically on each point I would like to say more and show the reader what a UAZ-469 is like for a good owner. Teach how to choose and install electric winches correctly, tell all the tricks and subtleties when choosing a particular tire. And to wish newbies who are inexperienced in this matter patience and self-confidence, remember, after modification, the car will thank you with its cross-country ability and its devotion. And you will see a lot of envious glances on the roads; after all, the pumped-up UAZ looks impressive.
UAZ 469 cars are reliable domestically produced cars. Tuning the UAZ 469 is needed to improve the technical characteristics of the car and create comfortable driving conditions. Many owners tune their UAZ for hunting, fishing, long trips, outdoor trips and other needs.
Some motorists tune the UAZ 469 on their own. There are a number of advantages to upgrading your car yourself:
- Quality of work. When doing work with your own hands, the owner independently controls the entire work process. This allows you to perform work at a high level;
- Uniqueness. After the modernization process, the car becomes unique;
- Adaptability to specific tasks. The car owner can tune the car for the necessary purposes;
- Comfort. For each person, comfort is determined by different details. Therefore, if you carry out the work yourself, you will be able to make the car comfortable for a specific person.
Before starting tuning, it is necessary to determine for what purposes the car will be used. If you intend to travel long distances, the greatest attention should be paid to ride comfort. When modernizing a UAZ for hunting, fishing and other outdoor trips, more attention should be paid to cross-country ability and versatility. It is possible to tune the UAZ 469, which is suitable for driving on asphalt surfaces and going into nature at the same time.
UAZ tuning can be divided into several types:
- Interior modernization. Allows you to make driving comfortable;
- External tuning. Necessary for creating a unique design and installing protective structures;
- Power unit tuning. Makes it possible to increase the power of a standard power plant;
- Modernization of suspension and transmission. Allows you to increase the vehicle's cross-country ability.
Tuning UAZ 469 for hunting and off-road
When upgrading a car for hunting, it is necessary to pay attention to improving the vehicle's maneuverability in difficult areas of rough terrain. The car must be adapted for off-road travel and meet the functional requirements of the hunter.
External tuning
When preparing a car for hunting, it is necessary to make body parts resistant to impacts from branches or stones. To do this, the lower part of the UAZ body is sheathed with metal sheets. Thin sheets of aluminum or stainless steel are suitable. Once the sheets are installed, coats of primer and paint can be applied.
REFERENCE: Some owners install a metal roof rack on the roof. It allows you to transport cargo and protects the car roof from damage.
When traveling through forested areas, the UAZ windshield is protected from impacts from branches. The protection is made in the form of two metal cables.
With one side they are installed on the front part of the wing, or on the “kengurin” on both sides of the car. The second part of the cables is attached to the upper edge of the side windshield pillar. The cables are tensioned and secured using specialized brackets. While driving, the impact of branches falls on the cables, and not on the windshield. You can also read about.
To protect the headlights and radiator grille from branches and stones, a “kengurin” is installed. It is a frame made of metal pipes and rods. The product is attached to the bumper or directly to the car frame, and protects the front from impacts.
You can make the frame yourself or buy a ready-made version. You can make a frame in two ways:
- With my own hands. To do this you will need material, a welding machine and welding skills;
- Contact a professional welder. Workers will manufacture the product according to the provided drawing.
Winches for UAZ 469
Tuning the UAZ 469 for off-road requires the installation of winches. They are installed on the front and rear bumpers of the car.
IMPORTANT: The UAZ vehicle must be equipped with winches with high-strength steel cable. The pulling force of the device should not be less than 5 tons.
The winch is a device consisting of an electric motor and a reduction gearbox. There are different models of winches. Some of them have remote controls. The winch is attached to the bumper or frame of the car.
A standard bumper will not withstand the load when using a winch. Therefore, owners install reinforced bumpers. They can be purchased or made by yourself.
Folding windows UAZ 469
The manufacturer does not provide window lifters in the doors of the UAZ 469. The upper part of the door, together with the glass, is installed with bolts. This is inconvenient when using a car at high ambient temperatures. Some motorists solve this problem by installing the top of the door on movable hinges.
Awnings are installed on the outside of the door leaf. The hinges are fastened using bolts. Hinges allow the door extension to be folded outwards. This design makes it possible to quickly open windows if necessary.
Sunroof UAZ 469
To ensure good ventilation in the car interior, the roof is equipped with a hatch. The dimensions of the hatch depend on the role it performs. A small opening is sufficient for ventilation. In order to use the opening for hunting, manufacturers make a large hatch. The dimensions of the opening must be calculated so that a person in warm clothes can easily fit in it.
The canopies are installed at the rear of the manhole cover. The cover can have three positions:
- Completely closed. The cover completely covers the opening, preventing outside air from entering the car interior;
- Ajar. The front part of the cover is raised above the level of the opening. When the car is moving, the cover directs air flow into the car interior. This ensures good ventilation while driving;
- Completely open. The hatch cover is folded back all the way. The opening is completely free, which allows a person to stand at his full height in the car.
ATTENTION: To prevent cold from entering the cabin, the hatch opening around the perimeter must have seals. To prevent condensation, a layer of waterproofing and thermal insulation is applied to the hatch cover.
Main and additional lighting
To drive in poor visibility conditions, car owners replace the main headlights and install additional lighting. It may consist of headlights or LED modules. Unlike LED modules, headlights have a lower cost.
The lighting is installed on the kangaroo, bumper or roof of the car. When installing, the headlights are mounted on the inside of the protection. This helps prevent damage to lighting fixtures when branches or stones hit them.
For hunting, the roof lights are installed at an angle. This is necessary for illumination in lateral directions. It is possible to install the finder headlight on the driver's or passenger's side. The finder headlight glass does not have a scattering grid. This makes it possible to group a beam of light and shine over a long distance.
The finder headlight is mounted on a movable bracket near the lower edge of the windshield pillar. The rear part of the headlight is equipped with a handle. Using the handle, you can direct the light beam in the desired direction.
Tuning the UAZ 469 interior
Tuning the UAZ 469 tilt allows you to make the car a convertible. It is well suited for hunting in the summer. In winter, an awning is installed on the car to prevent cold air from entering the cabin.
The tilt UAZ is equipped with a safety cage. It is manufactured and installed on the car body. Roll bars protect the driver and passengers from death when the car rolls over. To make it easier to get into the car, the UAZ is equipped with steps.
Interior modernization
Refinement of the interior allows you to make driving the car comfortable. Each owner modernizes the car interior at his own discretion. The result obtained during modernization allows you to use the car for long-distance travel.
Before tuning the interior, you need to remove all unnecessary elements. The standard casing is dismantled. A waterproofing compound is applied to the body from the inside. After applying the composition, sound insulation is glued. It allows you to reduce the noise level transmitted from the power unit and chassis of the machine.
When using a car off-road, the interior lining is made of easily washable materials. These can be metal sheets or plastic panels. Some car owners cover the trim panels with leather or leatherette. This allows you to quickly clean out any contaminants that have appeared.
INTERESTING: The floor of a UAZ car is covered with metal sheets with a rough surface. This prevents shoes from sliding on the floor when getting into the car.
Motorists are replacing seats with more ergonomic ones. Installing comfortable seats reduces driver fatigue during long driving. The dimensions of the interior of the UAZ 469 car allow the installation of seats from various manufacturers. For convenience, an armrest is mounted between the front seats.
To increase comfort, electronically adjustable front seats are installed. This makes it possible to set parameters for a person of any size. The rear seats are installed depending on the application of the machine. If the car is used for long trips into nature, seats are installed that can be folded out to form sleeping places.
Table installation
When using the car on expeditions, the rear of the cabin is equipped with a place for eating. To do this, a table is mounted on the rear door of the car. It is installed on movable hinges and can be folded. When folded, the table is pressed against the door and secured with latches.
When tuning the interior of a UAZ 469 with their own hands, many car owners upgrade the dashboard and instrument panel. The dashboard is sheathed with easily washable materials, or a product from other brands of cars is installed.
The panel is supplemented with control and measuring instruments. This allows the driver to monitor the operation of components and mechanisms while the vehicle is moving. The devices are equipped with backlighting for use in the dark.
The steering wheel is being replaced with a more comfortable one. The steering column is equipped with a plastic housing and a combination switch. It includes windshield wipers, low and high beam headlights, and direction indicators.
Heater
For comfortable use of the machine in the winter, the standard heater is replaced. Install a device with a more powerful fan motor. This makes it possible to quickly warm up the interior at sub-zero ambient temperatures.
REFERENCE: A heater control panel from other cars is installed in UAZ. This allows you to open the heater valve and regulate the air flow without being distracted from driving.
A panel is mounted at the top of the windshield. It is made in the form of a box. You can install an audio recorder, speakers in the panel, and make compartments for hand luggage.
Powertrain modernization
Some owners decide to tune the UAZ 469 engine. The engine installed by the manufacturer is reliable and unpretentious to the conditions of use. It starts well at any ambient temperature.
Cooling system
The motor has a forced-type liquid cooling system. When the power plant is used aggressively in the hot season, the cooling system does not cope well with the task. To improve the cooling system:
- Install a radiator with greater throughput. This allows you to simultaneously cool a large amount of liquid;
- Install additional cooling fans. The fan can be installed either additionally or instead of the standard one.
Central piston group
Some owners upgrade the engine by replacing the piston group. For this purpose, products of larger diameter are selected. This allows the combustion chamber to be enlarged. To install pistons of a different diameter, it is necessary to bore the working cylinders.
Starter and generator
The engine is started by an electric starter. It is possible to install a more powerful starter. This will allow the flywheel of the power unit to spin faster when starting.
Electrical equipment is powered and batteries are charged when the engine is running from a DC generator. It is belt driven from the crankshaft pulley. When installing additional lighting, it is necessary to install a more powerful generator. A generator from a GAZ 53 car will do.
Modernization of the intake and exhaust tract
It is necessary to remove obstacles to the flow of air and the exit of exhaust gases from the power unit. Obstacles form where the gaskets are installed. The absence of thresholds allows the working mixture to flow freely into the combustion chamber. To improve air permeability, UAZ owners install air filters from other vehicles.
Suspension and transmission
Modernization of the transmission and chassis of the vehicle improves off-road performance. To increase comfort, the UAZ 469 is equipped with a spring front suspension with disc brakes.
To modernize the chassis, standard axles are replaced with military ones. This allows for increased ground clearance. Military axles have a lower gear ratio, which has a positive effect on cross-country ability. Instead of standard wheels, the car is equipped with larger tires. Tire tread must be designed for driving on poor quality surfaces.
ATTENTION: Installation of wheels of increased diameter entails the need to modernize the wheel arches.
From the above it follows that tuning the UAZ 469 allows you to improve the technical characteristics of the car. You can upgrade your car for hunting, fishing and long-distance travel. After modernization, the car becomes unique.
How to properly modify the “goat” for off-road useIn the last issue of our magazine (ORD No. 11/2011), we started talking about UAZ and the nuances of its selection and acquisition. Now we will discuss the next stage - modification for off-road use. After all, proper preparation will significantly increase cross-country ability, while incorrect preparation will only waste money.
Before you start preparing the UAZ, you should decide on the concept. Because it’s impossible to build an expedition vehicle, a “rogue” and a racing car at the same time. Different brands and models are suitable for certain conditions to a greater or lesser extent. UAZ 469 and its modifications are vehicles for heavy off-road use, their element is minimum asphalt, maximum dirt. In this article I will give some tips on which modifications should be made and in what order. According to the degree of importance, we will divide them into several groups.
Something you can't do without
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The first thing you need to install on your SUV are mud wheels and a winch. If you travel a lot with one car, and there is no opportunity to immediately buy both wheels and a winch, it is better to start with a winch, because it is the one that is able to remove a stuck SUV, while wheels help to get stuck less, but do not exclude this possibility; rather, on the contrary, they provoke you to drive along a dirtier path, which, as a rule, leads to the need to use a winch.
But in the final version, both a winch and wheels are needed. With a winch, everything is simple - an electric motor with a power of 9.5 liters will be optimal for the UAZ. With. With wheels it’s a little more complicated, but there are also ready-made recipes. For conventional axles (spicer, “collective farm”), the maximum wheel size that they can easily spin is 33 inches; When installing a lowering kit, wheels up to 36 inches can be installed in the transmission. Military axles can easily cope with 36 wheels in stock, and with a lowering row they can easily turn wheels up to 38 inches in size and even larger.
It would be nice to do
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Using an electric winch will entail additional electricity costs, so it is advisable to install a second battery on the car. The UAZ has enough space under the hood, so by making simple fasteners, the second battery can be placed next to the standard one.
To prevent water from entering the transmission when driving through fords, it is better to move the breathers upstairs (into the engine compartment or body cavities).
The standard UAZ light does not stand up to criticism, and when driving off-road in the dark without good lighting equipment, everything can end badly. Therefore, it is worth considering installing additional headlights and (or) upgrading existing ones.
To protect the windshield from branches and twigs that tend to break it when driving through the forest, between the fenders and the roof or, if a power body kit is planned, rails (branch guards) made of a metal cable can be pulled between the kengurin and the upper trunk. If the car initially does not have power steering, then it must be installed when switching to larger wheels, because turning mud tires deflated to minimum pressure on off-road conditions may not be enough with normal physical strength. A steering damper would also help. On the ceiling of the car, you can make several mesh pockets for equipment that is afraid of moisture, to ensure its safety when passing through deep fords. (If you think that the UAZ is sealed enough to prevent water from entering the cabin, then you are fatally mistaken.)
And of course, a touring car would benefit from radio communication and a navigation system.
Useful excesses
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If you have set yourself the task of turning your UAZ not only into a super-passable vehicle, but also into a mega-comfortable SUV and are ready to put significant money on the altar of this goal, then here is a list of additional modifications that will certainly not be superfluous in the fight against off-road conditions.
Remove the brake drums and replace them with disc brakes - this will help maintain the effectiveness of the braking system after passing through water obstacles and eliminate the need for constant liner pads. Replace the standard seats with sports ones with moderate lateral and lower support, cover the floor and sides of the boat body with aluminum sheets through noise and heat insulation. This way it will be much more comfortable to be in the cabin and, moreover, you won’t have to spend money on a vacuum cleaner and dry cleaning of the interior; the floor can easily be washed with a Karcher after traveling through mud. The machine can be equipped with a pneumatic system with wheel inflation and the ability to use pneumatic tools. Convert the rear lights and side lights to diode ones - this will help avoid constant shaking of the bulbs and loss of contact - a disease of UAZs.
There’s so much you can do, it’s mind boggling, but don’t rush into construction, start driving a standard car. Firstly, this will allow you to hone your off-road piloting skills, and secondly, you will be able to make decisions about the need for certain modifications based on your own experience.
"UAZ-Patriot", no matter how hard marketers try to present it as urban, is a real peasant. Of course, if you replace the front axle with an independent suspension, like the “Disco-4” or the new “Patrol”, then you can comfortably rush along Kutuzovsky, but where is the off-road? By the way, these foreign cars, having lost their masculinity, can only amuse themselves with memories of past victories on the roads; a smart person will not bother with them even in a MAZ rut. The maximum they are capable of is to impudently walk along the side of the road: they say, how cool I am!
UAZ IS NOT LIKE THIS
The Patriot's off-road qualities are no worse than those of real all-terrain vehicles - Land Rover Defender, Jeep Wrangler or Toyota 70 series. But it’s still better not to drive the Patriot into the real wilds. Its main disadvantage is design flaws and low quality components. They break... How could it be otherwise! For example, the clutch migrated without changes from a one and a half ton 75 horsepower car to a 130 horsepower car weighing 2.5 tons! True, from 2003 to 2009 they installed a LuK clutch. But during the crisis they returned the “tested” stuff.
The axle shafts are welded to the gearbox housings at several points. Welded poorly - the stockings fly out. And sometimes they bend: the old supports are poorly placed. The shock absorbers don't hold up, the transfer case 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 the poor quality of the material. The fan drive fluid coupling is unreliable.
Do you think UAZ doesn’t know about this? According to rumors, they have collected 300 proposals for fine-tuning the machine; the implementation of hundreds of the most urgent ones requires 30 million rubles. But Sollers doesn’t care about the peasants’ worries. He has tasks on a global scale, and therefore will not waste money on nonsense - after all, they charge anyway.
LET'S TAKE BY FORCE
We'll finish the Patriot ourselves. It is not difficult and, in addition, very pleasant. A real pioneer awaits us at the exit.
First of all, we increase the ground clearance by 25 mm, replacing the standard 225/75R16 tires with the best off-road tires 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 have pneumatically controlled locking differentials. We attach a mini-compressor with a receiver in the trunk or, like ours, in the back. Control - on the dashboard. The axles of the “tank” are blocked instantly!
In the gearboxes, we weld the places where the stockings are sealed in a circle - and strengthen them with reinforcements: the rear axle - with a simple box, the front axle - on the left and right with gussets.
Instead of pivot assemblies with liquid plastic liners, which require replacement at almost every maintenance, we install modernized Ulyanovsk ones - with tapered support bearings. The design is durable, reliable and simple.
Which winch should you choose? We reject inexpensive Chinese ones: they are unreliable. American ones are designed for a very high current, for which the UAZ generator is rather weak. Therefore, we install a Ulyanovsk 4-ton “Sprut” winch with low current and a large gear ratio along with a safety-certified bumper (otherwise you won’t pass inspection).
In the suspension we change the shock absorbers to imported ones. Jeepers appreciate European products: Koni, Ohlins - and American Rancho. With comparable characteristics, overseas ones are cheaper. We chose them. In the rear suspension, the shock absorber mounts were changed and two were placed on each side, vertically. The travel and energy consumption of the suspension have increased. The front travel was increased to a record 22 cm. Soft, long rear springs from the Niva and Rancho shock absorbers were installed. Instead of rubber bumpers, the front and rear are hydraulic. Now the car is not afraid of jumping.
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 receive modern oil. We pour synthetic Castrol Edge Sport 10W-60 into the engine, Castrol Syntrans Multivehicle 75W-90 into the gearbox and transfer case, and Castrol Syntrax Limited Slip 75W-140 into the axles. The units are lubricated with Castrol LMX Li-Komрlexfett 2 grease and molybdenum-containing Castrol Moly Grease. According to trophy raiders, Castrol products are most suitable for working in difficult conditions. Even water that gets into the oil does not turn it into an emulsion that requires replacement. The units do not jam and continue to work.
Little things: we strengthened the steering rod with an angle, strengthened the suspension of the power unit, and returned, as if on a “goat,” a pair of cushions for attaching the body to the frame. We installed an efficient copper radiator instead of an aluminum one. And they didn’t forget about the eyes on the front and rear for the Jeep hi-jack. Without such a jack there is nothing to do off-road.
An important detail in the cabin is a household fan: in hot weather we rely on it. The air conditioner was excluded: it takes on a lot.
HE'S WORTH IT
Off-road tests have shown that the Patriot can now cope with heavy tracks, loose sand, and fording along the windshield frame! Of course, foreign cars, if they are properly equipped, will turn out to be no worse. But how much money will it cost? It took about 230 thousand rubles to prepare our UAZ; a foreign car would have required many times more. At the same time, if you select only the most necessary ones from our list of alterations and do something with your own hands, the costs will be significantly reduced. In general, “Patriot” deserves to invest in it - and then rush off to a rally raid!
Everyone wants to have a “cool” jeep, but not everyone can earn money for it. A good way out of this situation could be tuning the famous domestic “soldier” - UAZ-459. A used car is relatively inexpensive, and Soviet quality manufacturing guarantees a long service life. All that remains is to pick up the tools and with your own hands turn one of the legends of the Soviet automobile industry into a “car that will be the envy of everyone.”
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. Replacing wheels will cost about 12 thousand rubles apiece. Choose a tread pattern depending on the conditions of further use. The enlarged wheels will need to be hidden under the wings, so the wheel arches will have to be widened. Experts also recommend replacing the shock absorbers and installing more energy-intensive ones - this will allow the car to react more gently to road irregularities compared to the production version.
Improving car safety
For a vehicle designed to travel through mud, disc brakes are more suitable. If you are planning to create a full-fledged SUV that will be able to overcome deep fords, then make good waterproofing of the engine and other structural elements of the car. 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. High-quality work will allow you to calmly overcome fairly deep water obstacles without the fear of stalling in the middle of the road.
Driving on “dry” off-road requires additional reinforcement of the body and underbody of the car. Strengthening the bumper and sills will prevent damage to the body from branches and other off-road “garbage”. Installing roll bars will help protect you from serious injuries in the event of a vehicle rollover. And if these arches are also chrome-plated, then you are completely 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-pulling winch, a compressor for inflating tires (as in army trucks and armored personnel carriers) and a jack (although a self-respecting driver will not even leave the garage without it). With all this equipment, you can easily emerge victorious from any off-road situation. Lovers of comfort can install air conditioning and power windows in the UAZ. A sunroof would be a useful element. And after all this, you can start working on 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 on how to tune a UAZ 469 for off-road use
A cabin heater is very useful in cold winters. And the damping device will make driving much easier.
Equipping the driver's workplace with a navigator will be useful on long journeys. Well, where would we be without good light? A jeep without several pairs of powerful headlights is not a jeep at all, so spare no expense on xenon lighting.
At this point, tuning the UAZ-459 with your own hands can be considered complete. Now you have a real monster at your disposal, on which you are not afraid to go on even the most dangerous journey.
