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[Datsun 1200 encyclopedia]

Wheels

Revision as of 16:10, 23 September 2010; view current revision
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Category: Wheel And Tire

Datsun 1200 uses a common wheel bolt-pattern: 4 bolt holes on 4-1/2 inch circle (aka 4-on-4.5). Nissan engineers measured this in inches. In metric, this is equivalent to a 4 x 114.3 PCD (Pitch Circle Diameter)

Stock Datsun 1200 wheels are 12 inch diameter, 4J (4 inches wide). All models, even GX models and 1994 Sunny Truck models, used 12" wheels. Only the Datsun 1200 SSS used a special wheel.

Contents

Compatible Wheels

Anything that is 4-bolt on 4.5 inch circle fits (depending on tire size), although the offset on many front-wheel drive wheels is too much.

Wheels that fit can be sourced from these vehicles:

  • Rear-wheel drive Toyota
  • 1960s Ford Falcon and Mustang 4-lug (6-cylinder models)
  • Chevrolet Corvair (5 x 13). Pefect for the front, but The may need a 1/4 inch spacer to clear the brake caliper brackets in the front
  • Rear-wheel drive Datsun & Nissan models.
  • Datsun B310 wheels fit the rear, but do not fit the front of Datsun 1200
  • Datsun 240Z wheels -- 14"
  • Uni-lug alloy wheels
  • Hyundai Excel
  • Ford Laser (KA to KH)
  • Rear-wheel-drive Mitsubishi
  • Skyline R31 spare steel wheels (14")
  • Early SAAB (5.5 inch wide)

Nearly any rwd 4-lug on 4.5 inch bolt centers fit. These are equivalent to "114.3 PCD" in metric conversion terms.


What WONT work:

  • Honda
  • Isuzu/Holden Gemini
  • Ford Escort/Cortina
  • early Mazda
  • Subaru
  • Newer SAAB (900 Turbo)
  • Ford Escort/Pinto/Mustang II/Mustang Fox

Skyline R31 spare steel wheels

Also same as Nissan Pintara. These are 14" wheels. aka "Pursuit" style rims as they are similar to police car (plain) wheels.

1109.jpg 18174.jpg

Don't pay more than $15 per steel wheel

The 5.5 wide wheels should fit.

The stock 6" and 7" wide Sillouettes won't fit the B110 or early B210 disc-brake strut. If you run Stanza or 240K struts, then no worries.

7655.jpg
R31 steelies th_DSC01255.jpg

TRX Wheels

Discussion: will trx 15"rims fit straight onto 1200 ute without flaring?

"If I see another 1200 with TRX rims I'm 
going to smack you across the face!" 

On standard Datsun 1200 struts they will require fairly low profile tyres, and quite large spacers for the front and it will need to stay at standard height. Even then you might find they are a tight fit and might grab the guard a bit if you hit any speed humps too quick or take corners quick.

th_P8180011.jpg

If it is lowered at all you will need to roll the guards for sure!

1658.jpg

With Stanza and other similar struts they fit no problem with 195/50R15 tyres and will only need to cut the front bottom corner out of the front guards for clearance when turning.

With Sunny (B310) struts on front and 195/50R15 tyres, it requires to roll all the guard lips, and run spacers on rear as they were scrubbing the inner guard and on all wheel arches the sharp lip all around the guard was tearing into the tyre slightly so rolled it right up.

Stock Wheel Comparison

wheelsB1101977 US B210 A141980 NA B310
size4 J-124-1/2 J-134J-12 Canada w/A12A
4-1/2 J-13
5 J-13 (aluminum)
offset30 mm30mm offset30mm
25 mm (aluminum)
tire size6.00-12
155SR-12
155SR-136.00-12
155SR13
175/70SR13
balance (place weight on inside of rim)10gr or less (0.35 oz)11gr or less10gr or less
lugnut torque8-9kg-m (58-65 ft-lb)8-9kg-m8-10
1976-1978 B210 large-brake wheels are 13" but have 4mm extra diameter inside, possibly for clearance of the large brakes. These wheels are same as Datsun 610 and can be identified by six thin slots on the face.

Datsun Sunny B310 factory wheel: 13" x 5"
20474.jpg

Datsun Sunny B310 styled steel wheel: 13" x 4.5"
22111.jpg

ホイール

Lug Nuts

M12x1.25 thread

  • B110: Nuts are 19mm hex head (~3/4 inch)
  • B210: 13/16" lug nuts

See main article Wheel Studs

Torque

From the 1978 B120 factory service manual (English RHD/LHD):

  • 8.0-9.0 kg/m (58-65 ft-lb)

Wheel Balance

From the 1978 B120 factory service manual (English RHD/LHD):

  • Maximum allowable unbalance at rim flange: 10 gr (0.35 oz)
  • Tire balancing weight: 10-70 gr (0.35-2.47 oz), spacing 10 gr (0.35 oz)


Wheel Offset

The stock wheel is 4 inches wide with 30 mm positive offset (mounting face is 30mm outboard of the wheel's center line).

1116.gif wheel offset and backspace diagram

Front-wheel-drive cars use wheels with high positive offset. This is to say that the mounting surface is far outboard of the wheel's center line. Often they will fit the 1200 if wheel spacers are used to bring the mounting surface back toward the wheel's centerline.

4104.jpg wheel spacers


Stock Offset:

modelWheel typeOffsetwheel widthTire width
B110steel30 mm (1.18 in)4" wide wheel155 mm
B210/B310steel30 mm (1.18 in)4.5" 155 mm
B210/B310aluminum25 mm (0.98 in)5" wide wheel175 mm

From this table we might conclude:

  • Using B210 wheels on B110 results in a 1/2" (12.7 mm) wider overall rear width (measured by outside tire sidewall -to - sidewall). NOTE: These still fit under unmodifed B110 rear fenders.
  • Steel vs. Aluminum wheels will have overall width 10-15 mm wider (tires are 10mm wider, wheels are 25.4 wider, but offset on each side in 5mm less)


Scrub Radius

Too much scrub makes the car a bit unstable under braking and therefore won't generate quite as much cornering grip. This applies mostly to the front suspension (due to the kingpin inclination angle) and not so much to the rear (where camber is nominally zero due to the live-axle design).


scrub radius. its the distance from the centre of the tyre contact patch to where SAI intersects the ground.

'+' scrub radius where the centre of tyre contact patch is outside SAI, '-' where its inside the SAI.

SAI = Steering Axis Inclination. On a strut front end, its simply an imaginary line drawn throught the centre of the strut. Or, it you have bent struts, it's a line drawn through the lower pivot (balljoint) and the top 'pivot' (where the shock insert bolts to the strut top)

Strut front ends apparently don't like lots of + scrub.

Obviously with a given wheel offset, the only way to alter scrub is to alter the SAI. Movint the top of the strut inwards will do that, but also move the centre of tyre contact patch outwards to a lesser extent, so you can't really alter it all that much.

anyway, all i really know is my +3 offset (103mm backspace) 7" Hotwires work much better than the -10 (90mm backspace) offset 7" superlites I had. Would other less offset wheels work better? I dunno...

reference: LB18_110 on 1200 coupe race car


Largest Sizes to Fit 1200

17-inch diameter wheels easily fit the 1200. The key is: width and overall height. Even 18" wheels are being used on 1200s with stock bodywork.

  • Width: Most 5.5" wide wheels with appropriate offset will fit a Datsun 1200. Most 6-inch wide will not fit, but theoretically (with the right offset) it is possible. Utes can fit wider wheels on the rear.
  • Height: This has little to do with your wheel, but more to do with the tire. See Tires
  • For the widest wheels, use zero offset. Reportedly 13x7 +0 fits perfectly.

See: Tire Sizes for a discussion of the largest tires that will fit and which wheels are needed for those tires.

Wheel Adapters

Wheel adapters can be used. These bolt to the hub, then you can fit other wheels. For example, fitting 5-bolt wheels to the stock 4-bolt hubs.

Wheel Spacers

If the offset of your wheels is too positive, you can use spacers to space them out to the proper place. You may need to fit longer wheel studs.

If the offset is too negative, they will fit the fenders (guards) and there is nothing you can do except cut out the bodywork, perhaps fitting large flares.


Modifying Axles to fit other wheel patterns

Modifying Axles to fit other wheel patterns can be done as well. For example, you might have the axles drilled to fit five bolts, enabling you to use 5-bolt wheels.

10064.jpg re-drilled axle flange


Suppliers

Wreckers are your best bargain here ... lots of 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17" wheels, even some 12s. Lots of 12s avaiable in US junk yards.


Manufacturers

  • Konig makes a retro-style wheel with the proper offset for RWD application. Konig Rewind

Mail order

  • tirerack.com
  • Minilite Wheels - The real deal! alloy racing wheels 12x5 only $159 each in Silver, Black, White. Gold and Anthracite also available.


Also see: Wheel Weights