Niva Resource: Low-ratio Diff swap

Low-ratio diff-swap

You can swap your front and rear differential crown and pinion for a set from a model with a lower ratio to get a lower crawl speed & torque response (though it will lower your top speed and mean higher revs at the same speeds as before).

Niva differential ratios:
4-speed Nivas had a 1:4.3 ratio diffs (there might be cross-over 1984 4-speeds with 4.1 diffs in some markets),
Niva 5-speeds have 1:4.1,
and Niva 1700s have 1:3.9.

Lada saloon diff-heads will also fit, the 2102 estate having the lowest ratio.

Classic Lada differential ratios:
1:4.44 (9/40) - 2102
1:4.30 (10/43) - 2101, 21011, 2104/05
1:4.10 (10/41) - 2103, 2105/06/07
1:3.90 (11/43) - 2104/05/06/07
1:3.73 (11/41) - Fiat

The bigger the denominator (the bottom number) the lower the ratio - ie a lower ratio swap for a 5-speed Niva (1:4.1) would be the diff from a 4-speed (1:4.3).

Obviously you'll need to swap both front and rear diffs so they match each other. The rear crown and pinion part numbers are the same as the front, so diffs from saloons make ideal donors.

How to tell them apart:

4.1 diff; ie 10/41

4.3 diff; ie 10/43

Also see:

Low-ratio 1st gear Gearbox swap

Low-ratio Transfer-case modification

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