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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 (Positive Coefficient of Distance)
Stock Datsun 1200 wheels are 12 inch diameter, 4J (4 inches wide). All models, even GX models, used the same 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.
R31 Skyline or Pintara steelies
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.
Stock Wheel Comparison
| wheels | B110 | 1977 US B210 A14 | 1980 NA B310 |
| size | 4 J-12 | 4-1/2 J-13 | 4J-12 Canada w/A12A 4-1/2 J-13 5 J-13 (aluminum) |
| offset | 30 mm | 30mm offset | 30mm 25 mm (aluminum) |
| tire size | 6.00-12 155SR-12 | 155SR-13 | 6.00-12 155SR13 175/70SR13 |
| balance (place weight on inside of rim) | 10gr or less (0.35 oz) | 11gr or less | 10gr or less |
| lugnut torque | 8-9kg-m (58-65 ft-lb) | 8-9kg-m | 8-10 |
Lug Nuts
- B110: 3/4" lug nuts
- B210: 13/16" lug nuts
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).
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.
Stock Offset:
| model | Wheel type | Offset | wheel width | Tire width |
| B110 | steel | 30 mm (1.18 in) | 4" wide wheel | 155 mm |
| B210/B310 | steel | 30 mm (1.18 in) | 4.5" | 155 mm |
| B210/B310 | aluminum | 25 mm (0.98 in) | 5" wide wheel | 175 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.
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.
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.
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.
- http://classicdatsun.com has Panasports
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.
Weights of various wheels are listed at
- Miata.net. They also have the big wheels that look like minilites -- the "Sports" wheels