To paraphrase a well-known expression, let's say "tuning is obedient to all ages." After all, in fact, both old and young are trying to improve their car. Almost all motorists are "sick" of tuning, regardless of age and social status.
With wealthy people, everything is simple - they make a list of requirements, find a company that suits them, give the car to the masters and wait for the result. The masters themselves are sure that tuning is not done with the last money, and they take considerable financial rewards for their work. But if money is tight, and you really want to make your favorite car special, the only way out is to tune cars with your own hands.
Self-made bumper
With fairly direct hands, enthusiasm and imagination, you can do almost everything - from body kit to turbocharging. In the first case, for the manufacture of an exclusive bumper, you will need:
- mounting foam;
- fiberglass;
- epoxy adhesive;
- fiberglass putty.
The native bumper is taken as the basis, on which mounting foam is applied in the places of future overlays. It is better to reinforce it with wire or self-tapping screws screwed in with inside bumper. After the foam has completely dried, it needs to be shaped with a wallpaper cutter and sandpaper.
To make the products symmetrical, you will need to make templates. Further, the product is puttied, sanded and covered with several layers of fiberglass lubricated with epoxy. After the epoxy has dried, the surface must be sanded again, puttied with a thin layer, and after finishing with sandpaper, primed and painted.
Works inside the salon
give dashboard original and bright look will help LED lights appliances. To make it is a couple of trifles. Would need:
- LED Strip Light;
- screwdriver;
- pliers;
- soldering iron.
We disassemble the tidy, find the native backlight lamps, instead of them we solder wires from a small piece of tape to the cartridges, glue the tape to the device body, assemble it back - and voila! The only caveat is not to confuse the polarity of the diodes, therefore, before installation, it is advisable to mark the plus and minus with different wire colors.
And again about the dashboard: you can change its shape, repair, and simply refresh it with the help of the same fiberglass or carbon fiber. Instead of foam, you can use thick, fine-grained foam. The so-called "beard" is cut out of it.
If you use carbon fiber, then you do not need to putty it. Carbon fiber on top is smeared with a layer of transparent epoxy, lightly sanded and varnished, which is desirable to polish after drying. If you can't afford real carbon, you can replace it with a self-adhesive carbon-look film, but, you know, the look will not be the same.
Having wandered around the shops of furniture accessories, you can find material for upholstery, filling and various inserts in the cabin. By using sewing machine and women (just kidding), you can change the upholstery beyond recognition, while furniture foam rubber laid under it in the right places will significantly improve lateral support.
Replacing the driver's and passenger's seats in the car is not difficult. Of course, you will have to work, but everything can be done with your own hands in your own garage. Regular chairs may not suit. If, for example, the driver is large enough, then the regular lateral support can rest against his sides, which does not add comfort.
To pick up new chairs, you need to take measurements from the existing ones. The width of the seat and back, their length (height), as well as the distance between the mounts are measured. It is also worth paying attention to the type of fastening itself. It may be possible to find a replacement with a similar mount.
In search of chairs, it makes sense to go to the nearest car disassembly. There is a comfortable chair, the dimensions of which are compared with the maximum allowable space for your car. The dimensions of native chairs serve as a guideline.
On a note
The chairs have a base on which they can move back and forth. Therefore, you need to buy chairs with skids. Most often, skids are bolted to the bottom of the car.
Skids from another car model may not match the mounting holes (studs) on the bottom, and most often they do. In this case, there are two ways to solve the problem. The first is to drill other holes in the bottom, marked for new skids. In this case, it is imperative to plug the previous holes with short bolts or rubber plugs, which can be made independently from silicone sealant.
The second way is to make adapters that will be attached to the bottom through the old holes, and on top - have studs for attaching the new sled. This method allows you not to drill extra holes in the bottom, but you will have to order adapters from a locksmith, having made a technical drawing in advance.
You can also make soundproofing of the body yourself. Having disassembled the doors and the interior, we arm ourselves with glue and vibroplast and glue them from the inside. Special attention should be paid to the doors - they not only need to be glued from the inside, but also to close unused technological holes. This will give the effect of a closed acoustic space and improve the sound of the speakers.
On a note
For better insulation, the perimeter of the door card also needs to be sealed with bitoplast. This material seals the joints, while it is very convenient for use in such places.
Optics can be equipped with "angel eyes". To do this, you need to bend a transparent tube from the blinds along the inner perimeter of the headlight, highlighting it from the ends and in several places in the middle with LEDs. The finished product is fixed inside the headlight, connected to the dimensions, the headlight is assembled on a transparent sealant and put in place.
Doing it yourself, it's hard to resist the temptation to "chem" something with the engine. Replace the pot air filter on a "turtle" with a zero, even a person far from technology can do it. Additionally, the air intake will help to facilitate the “breathing” of the engine and improve its airflow. True, for its manufacture you will need skills in working with a grinder and semi-automatic welding.
What can be done as part of technical tuning?
To technical tuning includes engine, transmission and suspension upgrades. To undertake any of the above, it is necessary, first of all, to have sufficient technical knowledge. Therefore, you should not climb into the same motor with your own hands, in order, for example, to replace pistons, connecting rods or camshafts, without experience.
At the same time, you can improve the performance of the motor without completely disassembling it. We are talking about the so-called chip tuning. To do this, you will need to contact specialists who have software and a connector for connecting to your car's ECU.
In principle, nothing complicated in flashing electronic block there is no control, especially since on the Internet today you can find many instructions for installing the program. The problem is only in the connector, which makes no sense to purchase for one-time use.
On a note
It is better not to buy cheap Chinese connectors (adapters), as they may cause problems during the installation of a new firmware. This, in turn, will lead to the fact that the ECU will have to be given to resuscitation by qualified specialists.
A proprietary connector costs an order of magnitude more expensive than a Chinese one. But on the other hand, having this device is very beneficial - at any time you can connect the car to a laptop and read all the errors or install a new firmware. Having performed these operations once, you can no longer use the services of servicemen.
In the suspension with your own hands, you can do the following: change the springs and struts, install air springs, reduce or increase the clearance. These operations are purely assembly operations that do not require engineering skills. However, before performing any of them, you must carefully study the materiel and follow the recommendations.
The car can be equipped with the latest technology, if you know some secrets and tricks, and apply them in practice. This knowledge will help you do the tuning of the car yourself, without turning to specialists. And, even if the car is in a deplorable state.
But this will require some investment. But, in the end, you get a chic car.
You should start with the fact that without fail, disassemble the whole machine, down to the last screw. Let's start creating a practically new car, chic, fashionable, modern.
These screws should be laid out over a large area, in the sequence in which you took it apart, so that later, after finishing work, you can assemble it all as successfully as you took it apart, and not get confused.
It is necessary to accompany all the disassembled parts with notes explaining what it is, where it came from, why and how to install it back. This technique will allow you to assemble the car quickly and without problems.
Having disassembled, you should proceed to the complete cleaning of the machine from the old paint. But, you can not completely, but only partially, only the topmost layer.
In places of cracks, or concave surfaces, if any, you need to work especially carefully. Align where necessary, and weld somewhere by welding, if necessary.
Then, apply a layer of putty with a hardener, and after that, sand the car.
You should pay attention to the inside of the car, and to the bottom too.
Align everything, weld, then cover with putty, and cover with an anti-corrosion coating on top. The car will look like new.
Much attention should be paid to the outer part of the body. Putty with a hardener, and a primer, should be done three times. Three times in a row, one after the other, this will allow you to achieve the perfect surface, and, after each time, grind with sandpaper, starting with coarse 200-300, and ending with fine, for example, 800 grit.
It is necessary to achieve an absolute ideal.
After reaching the ideal surface, the ideal body shape, the car is painted, preferably in several layers of paint. Of course, the paint is expensive, but if you don't be stingy, the car will look perfect, it will look like it just came off the assembly line.
A few coats of paint and a few coats of varnish, and that's it, the car will look chic.
It should be borne in mind that the color of the primer distorts the color of the paint if it is chosen incorrectly, especially if you paint in light colors.
But, even apart from this, your new car will delight you, because it will become chic.
Her appearance, will surprise you with its incredibly chic appearance, you will be satisfied, more than expected, that's for sure.
After that, you need to equip the interior of the car, and here, everything will depend on the size of your wallet, because you can equip the interior of the car in the most chic way, depending on your financial capabilities and wishes. Because the interior equipment can be anything in terms of content and equipment with technical innovations.
Your car will look and perform the way you want it to and as chic as you can afford. All in your hands.
All this is a fundamental change in the car. But, also, you can get by with partial changes, updates, for example, in order to save money.
It all depends on your desires and capabilities, as well as on your preferences.
You will succeed, go for it, and by doing it all yourself, you will save on paying for the masters, and this is also a considerable amount.
Good luck!
Each car owner in the process of operating his car, or even immediately after buying it, thinks about his car. The driver is trying to make the car more comfortable, remake it for himself, modernize the interior, improve it driving performance etc.
Why tune a car?
There are many reasons why a car needs tuning. Owners of expensive foreign cars tune the car in order to give it a certain style.
If you want to highlight your car in the stream and give it personality, then tuning will help you.
Those who have a car domestic manufacturer, trying to modify their car, improve its running parameters or appearance. After all, domestic-made cars are often budget-friendly, and, accordingly, the technical parameters are somewhat “cut down” by the manufacturer in order to reduce the cost of such a car, so they need to be improved.
Owners of old car models try to update the appearance and technical parameters as much as possible. Consider what exactly can be upgraded, what are the types of auto-tuning, and which of them can be done at home by everyone, even a beginner, and when it is better to turn to specialists.
Salon tuning
One of the most popular is considered. Here you can do almost everything with your own hands, from tinting windows, finalizing the dashboard, doors, seats, and ending with improving sound insulation and acoustics. Let us consider in detail what exactly and how you can tune inside the car.
- Glasses
Glass tuning most often involves two types of refinement: glass tinting and the installation of additional heating on the glass (most often on the back).
Heated windows are installed to prevent fogging in cold or damp weather. This is very useful thing for those who travel a lot or if on rear window there are no wipers.
The second, no less popular type of car tuning is window tinting. It will allow not only to transform the car, make the interior more comfortable, hide it from prying eyes, but also a way to protect the interior from burnout, and also improve noise and heat insulation. Tinted glass helps to maintain the temperature of the cabin, blocking the sun's rays in the summer, and helps keep the heat inside the cabin in the cold season.
However, if you decide to tint your car windows with your own hands, it is important to consider that there are regulatory restrictions regarding the light transmission of the tinted coating. Yes, and completely opaque, mirrored glass looks unattractive and cheap.
- seats
Probably one of the most primitive ways to do car seat tuning is to put covers on them. They will not only protect the native skin from premature wear, pollution, but also positively affect the comfort of the seats. More serious ways of tuning the seats include their hauling, replacement, installation of heating.
- Dashboard, steering wheel, doors
Here you can do almost anything. You can replace the steering wheel trim or, in general, replace it with a new one. Install additional cars, change the color of the backlight, choose a different scale for divisions, replace the scoreboard with new, more modern or even electronic ones. Quite often, tight-fitting or replacement of plastic dashboard panels is also performed. Or the installation of additional computer or even household appliances.
- Acoustics
This type of car modification can be easily identified in a separate category, as this is one of the most favorite ways to refine a car among young car owners. It involves not only the installation of additional elements of the audio system (new stereo system, speakers, subwoofer), but also the simultaneous improvement of the sound insulation of the cabin.
External tuning
Everyone knows the expression "meet by clothes ...". This also applies to cars. That is why the appearance of the car, as a rule, is given great importance. Do-it-yourself external car tuning may include installing additional or replacing stationary headlights, installing daytime running lights, fog lights, tuning with LEDs. In addition, car owners often replace discs, which not only improves the appearance of the car, but also makes it easier to drive.
Often, especially if the car is not new, the body is painted, various linings are installed, graffiti is made, thresholds, bumpers are changed, or body kits are installed.
Chassis tuning
If almost everyone can do most of the work on the modernization of interior and body elements at home with their own hands, then with the refinement of the chassis, the situation is more complicated. Refinement of the chassis, its tuning with your own hands for beginners is not an easy task. After all, in order to tune the engine, suspension or braking system, you need to know not only how everything works and works, but also have the skills to at least assemble and disassemble the car. That is why it is better not to engage in tuning the chassis for beginners, as well as those who are not confident in their abilities, otherwise you can ruin something, and this is already dangerous for the health of the driver and passengers. Here it is better to entrust everything to professionals. They will not only tell you what can be upgraded in your car, but also perform all the work with high quality.
conclusions
Most of the work on upgrading the car can be done by hand at home. This applies to the refinement of the interior and body of the car. In order to do everything, you need quite a bit: imagination, time and desire to do something, as well as the simplest skills in working with a tool. Doing tuning with your own hands is not only interesting and exciting, but also more economical than if you went to a car repair shop. However, if you decide to modify technical parameters cars, then here, of course, it is better not to take risks, but to entrust everything to professionals.
Although do-it-yourself car tuning is gaining more and more popularity in our country, it is still not an easy process and requires a motorist, in addition to technical training, car knowledge, and also a professional creative approach.
After all, car tuning is called the process of refinement and before tuning the car to your needs or, to be modest, your whims, and it should not consist in thoughtlessly changing both the external and internal appearance of the car.
There is a category of people
Of course, do-it-yourself car tuning is an expensive, laborious and time-consuming process, and not everyone can afford it. And if you have any doubts about the success of this business, then it is better to entrust it to professionals.
But why do people do it at all, that there is nothing to do?
What falls into our hands from a car dealership is designed for an ordinary buyer. And if you are not an ordinary buyer, then what should you do? Correctly do car tuning with your own hands.
Creativity of thought has no chapel
There is simply no limit to the creativity of thought in this matter, the main thing is not to overdo it so that the car does not end up on a fine site.
Each driver is an individual person, therefore, approaches to tuning a car with your own hands are also individual.
For some it is enough to simply change the airbrushing and install large spoilers, for others it is enough to put beautiful wheels, for the third to increase engine power in order to “make” everyone at the traffic lights.
To do car tuning, you need to know a lot.
Tuning can be divided into three main areas:
- Tuning of the engine and other main components and assemblies;
- Interior tuning (internal);
- External car tuning.
Outdoor tuning
Let's look at outdoor tuning, as it is the most conspicuous and gives more effect.
The most important in the external tuning of a car can be called an aerodynamic body kit. This type of tuning is the most common and most popular.
An aerodynamic body kit can change the appearance of a car by about 80%, making it more attractive and beautiful.
And the aerodynamic parts themselves can indeed significantly increase the aerodynamic effect, especially if the engine power has been increased.
Those who know a little about cars and have been tuning for many years know that when a car is moving, various aerodynamic forces constantly arise that weaken the balance along the axes.
This phenomenon greatly affects the quality of vehicle handling and the braking process.
But, unfortunately, from this physical phenomenon there is nowhere to go, but it can be weakened. And here do-it-yourself car tuning will help us.
In order to deal with a weakened balance, special so-called “wings” are installed on the roof and trunk of the car, which can be adjusted.
This significantly reduces the impact of various forces, and gives the correct balance to the car, especially at high speeds.
The presence of downforce at high speeds also gives the driver confidence that he will not lose control of the car, especially when cornering. For this, a front bumper spoiler is additionally installed on the car.
But that's not all that the aerodynamic body kit has a positive effect on. Improving the quality of engine airflow, ventilation and cooling of brake mechanisms, and many other useful and necessary functions that external car tuning performs.
From this we can conclude that the external tuning of the car not only makes the car more attractive and individual, but also provides more comfortable operation of its various systems, if you can call it that, of course, provided that you use expensive aerodynamic body kits, which in mainly used in motorsport.
Not expensive aerodynamic body kits only allow you to individualize your car, nothing more. Although for many this is enough.
If we consider the wheels of the car from the side external tuning, then here, the same dual approach.
On the one hand, you can install inexpensive alloy wheels, which will play only a decorative role, by the way, here you can by the brand of your car.
On the other hand, you can install expensive lightweight wheels that are used on sports cars.
Thanks to them, the engine and the entire transmission runs much easier, and this affects, although not significantly, fuel consumption.
External tuning of the car also consists in equipping the car with xenon headlights, lighting the bottom of the car with neon light and much more.
Also, automotive airbrushing can be attributed to outdoor tuning. We very often see various beautiful and not very pictures on cars.
This is automotive airbrushing. For such drawings, car paint autobase. The drawings are then varnished and polished. Not difficult, high quality and long lasting, but a little expensive. In general, tuning a car with your own hands is an expensive undertaking.
Car interior tuning
Internal tuning of the car is another large item of your expenses.
This can include everything related to the interior of the car and its styling.
There is no room for imagination here. Everything can be changed and improved. Tuning pedals, gear knobs, steering wheels of various diameters, seats, dashboards of various colors and much more.
Also, thanks to the internal tuning of the car, you can significantly increase the comfort of the cabin. From the upholstery of the interior with any other material you like to the installation of a new car audio system to match the color of the interior.
Currently, do-it-yourself car tuning occupies a significant place in the life of a real car enthusiast. Time changes, cars change with it, and so do we. What used to be everyday maintenance, care and inevitability (design imperfection) during the operation of a car may not bother us for thousands of kilometers and many years of operation. With the changed rhythm of life and technology, our stereotypes and concepts have also changed, which was previously called the advice of experienced people, can now be called tuning. Of course, not all car owners are sometimes interested in improving their serial copy of a car, we can say that do-it-yourself tuning is even, in part, a way of life. After all, tuning for many is a hobby, like billiards, bowling and so on for someone. In this section on auto improvements, we will touch on the topic of how you can independently, on your own, carry out car tuning, both for those who are just interested in it as information and for those who directly use these tips to bring tuning to life.
Tuning (from English Tuning) - tuning, substring, adjustment, adjustment.
This category provides information on improving machines. This improvement is implied by the word tuning, which today has already become an integral part in our everyday life.
Sometimes car tuning changes the car "radically", forcing you to take a different look at familiar things. Of course, only truly enthusiastic people can take on this work, but the results sometimes exceed all expectations. In part, such improvements make us jealous of the owners of cars with tuning.
... although we are not going to dwell on something. Therefore, if something interesting suddenly appears in our "piggy bank", we will be sure to bring it to our reader with great pleasure and in an interesting form.
car body tuning
Body tuning is the most visual work to improve the car, especially its appearance. When working on body tuning, you can unleash the full potential of your creative thought. At the same time, tuning can be both practical and aesthetic. That is, when you really improve technical and performance characteristics car, or do it for the sake of appearance. For what you think is beautiful! Well, both options have a right to exist in our lives. After all, tuning is primarily a hobby. At least for amateur motorists. So it should give us pleasure, because how else!?
In the "Body Tuning" section, do-it-yourself articles are provided that will help you improve your production car.
Car interior tuning
The interior of each car is its individuality, as the tuning of the interior of the car reflects the passions of its owner. In this section "Interior Tuning", we will offer you several articles on improving the options and functionality of your car's interior, which you will be able to do yourself. In addition, interior tuning will also affect your comfort, both during a stop and during a trip in your car.
Suspension tuning: tires, wheels, springs, spacers, shock absorbers
Driving a car directly depends on the applicability of the components in its suspension, on tires, and on disks. Tuning and selection of these elements will allow you to feel most comfortable on the road. So, when using low-profile tires, cornering control will improve, and when using "high" rubber, the suspension will be softer. Although, of course, the choice of rubber is only a small part of what can be done with the car in order to improve its suspension, adjust it for yourself. Spacers, silent blocks, traction, springs, all this can and sometimes needs to be changed so as not to experience discomfort when driving and a feeling of constant dissatisfaction with your "iron horse".
So, tuning of individual components of the suspension, as well as the entire suspension as a whole, we will analyze in our section "Tuning the suspension, tires, disks". What is especially important is that everything proposed here can be done with your own hands, and this is very important for ordinary motorists.
Car tuning: brake system
The guarantor of your safety and confidence in maneuvering on the road will be the tuning of the brake system of your car. The section "Tuning the brake system" will offer, in this section, to your attention information about the possibility, importance and expediency of maintaining the brakes in perfect condition. In addition, the tuning of the brake system, described below, can also be done by hand, making the brake system more efficient than on a production car.
Car tuning: electrical equipment
Electrical equipment is the most complex and intelligent component of the car. Tuning electrical equipment will help you most effectively and competently use and manage most of the elements of the electrical network of the machine, while at the same time with maximum efficiency.
Tuning of electrical equipment can be started directly with the improvement of the electricity producer - the generator, and completed with the selection of light bulbs. Each element of the system is very important and significant. In our section "Electrical Equipment Tuning", we will sink the most relevant topics, that is, those improvements that can be done by hand, while such improvements will be within the power of most motorists.
Arduinoµcontrollers
All kinds of electronic devices can greatly facilitate driving control, increase safety and comfort. Sometimes it's just a matter of changing the look inside and outside of a car for the better. However, such improvements and upgrades require certain skills and abilities. It is such useful and necessary information for motorists that can be found in this category of the site. Here we will talk about electronic crafts on the Arduino platform and individual microcontrollers.
Car tuning: Engine
Engine tuning is the most visible and significant improvement work running characteristics car. When working on engine tuning, you can unleash the full potential of your car. This section on engine tuning contains a number of articles that will help you improve power unit your car, with your own hands.
In fact, high Engine efficiency provides not only the engine itself, but also systems adjacent to it. The power system, ignition, exhaust gases, etc. You can also learn something about all this from our section "Engine tuning".
Car audio: radio, amplifier, capacitor, wires, speakers
What motorist has not thought about the most popular topic - tuning the audio system of his car. Tuning car audio systems will allow you to enjoy the true values that distinguish a real car. This is a good sound, movement, speed and great mood.
Tuning the section "Car audio" will be useful both to ordinary people who can learn from it about installing a simple radio tape recorder, and already experienced auto electricians. After all, the section will also include more complex car audio tuning projects, such as: installing an amplifier, subwoofer, capacitor, etc.
garage tuning
Those who are engaged in any work in their garage, be it tuning or repair, know well how important it is to have all the conditions for this. This is a spacious bright room, tools and fixtures, and what is often called know-how. All this can radically change the efficiency of all your work, and therefore affect the final result. Given all these factors, you need to understand that in most cases no one will equip your workplace better than you. After all, only you know what types of work you perform regularly, and how to do it more conveniently for you. And if so, then the only way to get to your dream workplace in the garage is by working on this project individually. For our part, we want to offer options for improving the garage, no matter what parameters. This is exactly what our category is designed to do, with the speaking name “ garage tuning". We can only hope that the ideas proposed in this section will find their active and successful application for every motorist who wants to somehow improve his garage!