littlejason Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 This is for a 1200. I knew I had idler arm problems. I bought a bushing kit, but look at this: ??? maybe in ancient times, someone installed the wrong part? The question is, what do I need? Should I buy a new idler arm (A)? Or go to the junkyard and find a B from a B210 or B310? Would the bolt spacing be the same? Quote Link to comment
Morrisun Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 Jason: I the same thing happen 2 years ago and thought the front end of the car was coming apart, got a bushing kit at Baxter's Auto Parts and put it in and there was no slack in the idler arm after that. The bushings are tapered on the outside and straight on the inside where they fit on to the shaft with the nut. The hardest part was digging the old bushings out of idler arm bracket. Wrong bushings?? RAYBESTOS Part # 4501067 for 1200. I have spare idler arm that I can measure that is off of 1200 coupe.. The bushing kit also fits the later 510, 210 and 280ZX. You shouldn't have that much space between the bracket and the washer/nut, after replacing both bushings. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 The 1200 bushings are # 48544 H1000 about $4 for both. This IS the same number for the: '79 through '81 280zx (the others are R&P steering) '79-'81 HL510 (A-10) '78-'80 810 Quote Link to comment
littlejason Posted April 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 Yeah, but this is beyond worn-out bushings. In fact, I was thinking these ain't Nissan bolts. I can Macgyver it, but why? I mean why? Do I have the wrong parts? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 Looks normal to me. All the parts there look stock. The rubber bushing is in two parts, upper and lower. Your upper has worn or rotted away. For $4 get new ones from Nissan and swap them. And the bushings in the list I gave are the same, there's no telling if the idler arms are the same.. doubtful. Order new ones. Quote Link to comment
Dguy210 Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 Looks normal to me. All the parts there look stock. The rubber bushing is in two parts, upper and lower. Your upper has worn or rotted away. For $4 get new ones from Nissan and swap them. And the bushings in the list I gave are the same, there's no telling if the idler arms are the same.. doubtful. Order new ones. The idler arms are slightly different between the 1200 and B210. However, I've swapped a complete tierod assembly/idler arm from a B210 into a 1200 before without problems, so I don't believe the geometry is actually different. The B210 parts appear to be heavier duty. B210 idler arm: Quote Link to comment
KELMO Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 The idler looks correct, wellexcept for the gap. I measured mine between the two plates on either side of the bracket that holds it to the frame. I came up with 2 5/16". couldn't really get a camera,my hands, and a light down in there to take a pci for ya :( Quote Link to comment
Dguy210 Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 The idler looks correct, wellexcept for the gap. I measured mine between the two plates on either side of the bracket that holds it to the frame. I came up with 2 5/16". couldn't really get a camera,my hands, and a light down in there to take a pci for ya :( The bolt spacing on the bracket is the same (I've bolted one in before) I'm just not sure about the arm to center link angle/length though. B210 steering linkage (for '74): Quote Link to comment
littlejason Posted April 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 I put everything back together and it's all cool. False alarm I guess, I'm sorry, but wouldn't you freak out if you saw that WTF measurement above? Thank you all for your help. Quote Link to comment
Dguy210 Posted April 4, 2011 Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 I put everything back together and it's all cool. False alarm I guess, I'm sorry, but wouldn't you freak out if you saw that WTF measurement above? Thank you all for your help. Cool, glad to hear it went all back together :) Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted April 4, 2011 Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 B210 is heavier duty (overweight), as it all comes from the 610 bluebird. It's heavy because the B210 is 25% heavier than B110. B110 has no gap. See http://datsun1200.com/modules/mediawiki/index.php?title=Steering_Linkage#Idler_Arm Quote Link to comment
Lachlan Posted June 8 Report Share Posted June 8 Reviving this thread to ask some related questions. What grease (if any) should be used to lubricate replacement factory style rubber bushings e.g. rubber or silicone grease? And just on the bushings or completely pack it along the shaft and in between the bushings until it escapes at both ends? I’m about to replace mine and have noticed that the bushings have a double lip seal on the part pressing against the flat washer / idler arm casting and three lube channels moulded into the inside of the bushings suggesting grease can move about the assembly. There’s almost no advice online and even the service manuals are vague. Some advice for non-Datsun models claim the rubber flexes when the arm rotates so don’t lube. One Toyota forum had the arm and bushings completely slathered in grease. My gut says to grease them well given their shape and the fact the old bushings were MIA. I could tell someone had been in there before as the idler arm mounting bolts were in the wrong way (nuts in wheel well). Wisdom from the experts? Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment
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