1200 Leaf Spring Bushings

[Duncan]

Does anyone know where I can get rear leaf spring bushings for my 1200? I know they are available through aftermarket suppliers in Oz, but wondering if any are available domestically.

[Guest jaimesix]

Hi Duncan.

 

Happy New Year !!!!:)

 

About those bushings, back in 04 I got those for my B210 from the dealer. Have you checked with them?? New dealer bushings last a lifetime and are great for street driving. Absorbing road noise and strong.

Given the light weight of a 1200, I would prefer stock brand new ones to aftermarket ones.

 

Jaime._______________________________________________________

[ggzilla]

Yes, Nissan has them. They are great, much better than poly bushings.

[Duncan]

Hi Duncan.

 

Given the light weight of a 1200, I would prefer stock brand new ones to aftermarket ones.

 

Thanks guys,

I COMPLETELY forgot about checking with the local dealer. (Their Parts Dept is actually helpful!)

 

I would also MUCH prefer the stock ones. The originals have lasted all this time and I like smooth and quiet. I know the nolathane ones last longer, but I understand they are hard and not terribly "giving" on the suspension.

 

I'm having my rear leafs de-arched on my Coupe and should have them back after the New Year. I'd like to put new bushing in there, too.

 

Thanks!

[ggzilla]

Just beware the part numbers in the Nissan catalog are wrong...were wrong in the original catalog and are still wrong 35 years later in the electronic catalog. See the wiki at Datsun1200.com for the correct part numbers.

[Duncan]

Just beware the part numbers in the Nissan catalog are wrong...were wrong in the original catalog and are still wrong 35 years later in the electronic catalog. See the wiki at Datsun1200.com for the correct part numbers.

 

 

The fellow that looked them up says that the p/n's he found were NLA, but he apparently found the updated p/n's. I have them on order and should get them early next week. This dealer is pretty good, so I'm hoping my luck continues.

[Burabuda]

if you're wanting to improve lateral stability, i'd go with plastic bushes

dd is always about oem

[ggzilla]

Well not always. Everyone with polythane bushing complains about the harshness. Everyone with new OEM bushings raves that it is new "good" again. Only racers seem to be content with poly bushings. Besides, I know that Duncan is trying to improve the harshness, he's already replaced the heavy-duty H165 rear axle with stock H145 rear axle to get back some bit of comfort.

 

If I was racing, I would fit a lateral stabilization of some kind rather than hard bushings. The traditional method is a panhard rod, but on Datsun1200.com I believe the consensus is actually another method. If the site wasn't done today I could look it up.

[Guest jaimesix]

Excellent job Duncan, glad to know you got the stock bushings.

For lateral stability, I would use a larger sway bar ( front B210 sway bars work great in front 1200 cars, it is a bolt on upgrade, a performance upgrade.) plus a rear sway bar too.

 

To enhance lateral stability, rather than going to aftermarket bushings, I would use the stock bushings, and add a Pan Hard rod. This is a simple yet effective contraption I will add to my Datsun 710. It consists of a bar that runs paralell to the rear axle. This bar is connected on one side to the axle itself, the other end to the body of the car.

 

One bracket is welded to the body frame rail , while the other, as said before , is welded to the axle. The bar has to be as horizontal to the floor as posible. This will prevent side motion of the rear suspension in relation to the body.

 

While the stock bushings provide excellent firmness and road noise reduction, the pan hard rod will do the lateral stability control job.

 

Happy New Year guys!

 

Jaime______________________________________________________

[Burabuda]

Well not always. Everyone with polythane bushing complains about the harshness. Everyone with new OEM bushings raves that it is new "good" again. Only racers seem to be content with poly bushings. Besides, I know that Duncan is trying to improve the harshness, he's already replaced the heavy-duty H165 rear axle with stock H145 rear axle to get back some bit of comfort.

 

If I was racing, I would fit a lateral stabilization of some kind rather than hard bushings. The traditional method is a panhard rod, but on Datsun1200.com I believe the consensus is actually another method. If the site wasn't done today I could look it up.

 

lmao:

"everyone" :blink::lol:

"If I was racing" :rolleyes:

 

we know d is more interested in the look and comfort than optimum handling

 

we should always defer to our resident expert on getting your datsun to handle Porsche: you need to keep stock bushings :eek:;)

[ggzilla]

You are so right, what can I say? My porsche works quite well with stock bushings. Though it's gettin on years old now, maybe I should sell the 1200 pickup and get a better porsche. Been lookin at that Cayenne it's one hot chili pepper. But then I hear the new Panamerica is the "smoothest riding porch ever" ...

 

David

[Duncan]

Ah yes, one never knows when a can of worms might be opened around Datto enthusiasts :)

 

I'm all for improving performance, but I installed a set of urethane bushings on a car once, and the ride was only minimally rougher. What I noticed was the damn things squeeked a LOT, especially over rough surfaces. I can't recall if cornering was improved or not.

 

This first set is going to go on my Coupe. I found a spring shop that de-arched my springs for an estimated 1.5" drop, and the donor car's bushings just fell apart when I removed the springs. I suspect my Coupe's bushings will do the exact same when I pull the old ones off. The stock bushes *should* be in tomorrow, and my springs should be done sometime next week. On top of that, the only urethane replacements I found were from an Aussie vendor. They were more money than the stockies, and I imagine the freight would be somewhat pricey and a bit of a wait.

 

If these bushes are indeed correct, I'm ordering a set for the sedan axle swap. That hasn't happened yet, because I'm working on paint repair on the sedan. Too many little projects, and so little spare time...

[ggzilla]

Part Numbers

[Duncan]

Well, as lively as this conversation has been, it's all a moot point. One of the bushings is NLA, so I now HAVE to go with the urethane bushings.

 

I'll call Maddat (I think they were the vendor) and order a couple of sets for my 1200's.

 

I would have really preferred the oem's, but oh well :( :confused:

[motavated]

Try also Tien suppliers. Super pro OZ bushings... Look up fpr the webpage and then the catalog then get the part #'s.

[motavated]

not the oz webpage but I ran out of comp batt power!

 

http://www.superpro.eu.com/

[Burabuda]

Well, as lively as this conversation has been, it's all a moot point. One of the bushings is NLA, so I now HAVE to go with the urethane bushings.

 

I'll call Maddat (I think they were the vendor) and order a couple of sets for my 1200's.

 

I would have really preferred the oem's, but oh well :( :confused:

 

with the addition of "sway bars" you will experience porsche-like handling :D

[Duncan]

not the oz webpage but I ran out of comp batt power!

 

http://www.superpro.eu.com/

 

hmmm...I looked up their catalog and they have the wrong info for a 1200. They show a qty of 16 bushes for a pair of leaf springs when it takes 20 to do a pair. They seem to have all the parts, but their qty per kit is incorrect.

 

I'll phone MADDAT tonight. I'm reasonably confident they can get it sorted. They sell a sway bar, too!

 

With the new lower stance, urethane bushes, new sway bar, and a raging 1.2 litre motor, I might go cruise Newport Beach and lay siege to a few unsuspecting Porsches :)

Edited January 4, 2009 by Duncan

[Guest jaimesix]

Well, as lively as this conversation has been, it's all a moot point. One of the bushings is NLA, so I now HAVE to go with the urethane bushings.

 

I'll call Maddat (I think they were the vendor) and order a couple of sets for my 1200's.

 

I would have really preferred the oem's, but oh well :( :confused:

 

Have you tried Will ( William ) at Datsun World UK ???

 

Jaime.____________________________________________________________

[ggzilla]

Bluebird laughs at Datsun 1200 handling. Yet the sun shines on Datsun 1200 autocross champions for 20 years.

[motavated]

 

 

Hemi-427 pic @ deviantart.com

[Duncan]

Well, Here's an update on this.

 

I have a few pairs of 1200 rear leafs around here, so I started pulling out the bushings out of the large eye end of the leaf springs. While they are certainly not new, I believe some of these may be servicable. The large bushing is the only one NOT available from Nissan, so I'm going to go with the stock bushings instead of the polyurethane ones. (At least on the sedan)

 

I also pulled a couple out of some B210 springs I have, and I don't know what Nissan's parts catalog says, but the B210's have the same large bushings in them. If I can find a B210 at the wreckers, (and I'm pretty sure I can) I may be able to salvage a couple more bushings for my Coupe.

 

If this was easy, everyone would be doing it :)

 

[Burabuda]

well, do lettuce know if you find the plastic bushes are available in the future, and who you got them from

 

in any case, to the hardcore enthusiast looking for "porsche-like" handling, they would fab their own out of delrin

[Duncan]

Without searching *too* much, I found them at Maddat.

 

http://www.maddat.com.au/1200.php

 

Given the popularity of the 1200's in Oz, I would imagine they are not going away anytime in the near future.

 

I couldn't find a dealer in the US, btw.

[Guest jaimesix]

That is right, given the popularity and numbers of 1200 cars in Oz and NZ, there should be parts down there.

 

Nissan US ( and in general, Nissan under french management is a joke , it is a shadow of what it used to be ) is a messed up company ( unlike Datsun ). They have de classified all the older Datsun parts. There used to be plenty of parts. Worst of it all is that at time os de classification, these parts, instead of being sold, donated or given away to enthusiasts, were destroyed.

Nissan has no respect for its own customers, it is outrageous.

 

I love Datsuns, Nissan and all it represents is not what I grew up with.

 

That said, I still find parts down under, if not through Nissan, through private vendors.

 

Good luck with your building Duncan. I will search around for those bushings.

Jaime._____________________________________________________