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Niva 5-speeds had a first gear ratio of 1:3.667, and 4-speeds had either 3.667 or 3.242. But older 4-speed Lada classic saloons and estates (eg the 1200) had 3.75:1 1st gear (see below). So for any Niva there's an advantage to using an early saloon 'box for a lower 1st gear crawl speed. See magazine article below for diy guide.
All RWD classic Lada and Niva gearboxes are interchangeable if you keep the same number of gears (4 or 5). You can also replace a 5-speed box with 4-speed one or vica versa, but you'll need the 4-speed gearbox's rear mount as well as it's slightly different to the 5-speed mount. As a bonus I understand the 4-speed is stronger than the 5-speed.
4-speed vs 5-speed
I believe the Fiat 124 4-speed should also be a straight swap for the Lada 4 speed, however the Fiat 5-speeds are different to Lada's (slightly longer, and a completely diferent rear mount iirc) and need a bit of work to use.
I'm guessing it would be possible to hybrid the lower 1st gear set from a Lada saloon 4-speed into a Lada 5-speed 'box, but I've no record of this being done.
Gearbox ratios:
| 1200:
2101, 21011, 2102, 2103 |
1600: 2106, * | Riva:
2107, 2104, 2105, 4-speed Niva (4)? |
Riva:
2107, 2104, 2105, 5-speed Niva (5) |
Seat 124 | Fiat 124 | |
| 1 | 1:3.75 | 1:3.242 | 1:3.667 | 1:3.667 | 1:3.242 | 1:3.667 |
| 2 | 1:2.30 | 1:1.989 | 1:2.100 | 1:2.100 | 1:1.989 | 1:2.100 |
| 3 | 1:1.49 | 1:1.289 | 1:1.361 | 1:1.361 | 1:1.289 | 1:1.361 |
| 4 | 1:1.00 | 1:1.000 | 1:1.000 | 1:1.000 | 1:1.000 | 1:1.000 |
| 5 | - | - | - | 1:0.82 | 1:0.789 | 1:0.881 |
| R | 1:3.87 | 1:3.340 | 1:3.53 | 1:3.53 | 1:3.340 | 1:3.526 |
* Maybe some 2107s & Nivas
If you're unsure what box is in your Niva, or what the 'box is you've just bought of Ebay? See below on how to work out which is which without taking it apart
(Author: Melegh Gábor (gm), last revised: 2007-01-12)
Can the gearbox type/model be recognized
by its casing?
Can I measure the ratio somehow on a gearbox not removed from the car?
Unfortunately the gearboxes are not labelled, all the covering parts of it have
the same part number. The speedometer cable pinion is the easiest to remove,
but forget that - its teeth number reflects to the differentaial ratio, not
to the gearbox ratio(s). On a used Lada there can be any differentaial (1:3.9,
1:4.1, 1:4.3, 1:4.44), you cannot determine the gearbox of it.
The most informative method is to put the gearbox into 2nd gear, and turn the
crank carefully, about 2 turns. (720 degrees). Before doing that, mark the driveshaft
with a chalk. Now, you have about 2.00 turns on the crankshaft (gearbox input).
Examine the driveshaft and slightly adjust the crankshaft while the driveshaft
(gearbox output) shows exactly one turn. To do that, you have to creap under
the car and back out a few times.
1 turn on the driveshaft needs almost 2 turns on the crankshaft, if it was a
2106 gearbox.
2.1 means 2105,
2.3 means 2101.
I dont recommend removing the bottom cover of the gearbox. Theoretically you
can count the teeth of the input drivewheel (28 teeth or 29 teeth). You can
also examine the 1st gear gearwheel: 14 or 15 teeth. Practically this won't
work since you cannot mark the starting tooth of your count. The greasy-oily-dirty
mixture within the garbox and covering the cogwheels will clear any marks you
make.
Also see:
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