Niva Resource: Low-ratio Diff swap

Low-ratio diff-swap

You can swap your front and rear diff-heads for ones from a model with a lower ratio to get a lower crawl speed & torque responce (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 crossover 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).

Obviouisly you'll need to swap both front and rear diffs to match each other.

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 Transfercase mods