What front struts are easiest to install. Live in Southern California. Have owned a green '72, 1200 for 34 years. Just installed a rebuilt A-14 with Weber 36-32. A bit difficult to start, however.

Anyway, seems no one makes, any longer, the struts specially for this model. What would you recommend? The last ones we purchased on 11/11, a Koni brand wet kit, are now leaking after only approx. 20,000 miles.

Heard a Volkswagen model has struts that could fit.

Does anyone know which Volkswagen model it is?

Any modifications to such if anyone knows?

Thanks for your input.

Datsun 1200 struts are the easiest to install.




If they are leaking, try tightening the Gland Packing Nut


Source of leak could be a pitted strut rod, defective gland seal, or damaged tube threads.

Or you can replace the gland, seal, rod & nut with strut insert cartridges. Nissan part number 56105-H5025.

Quote:Weber 32/36 is very easy to start when correctly adjusted. Hard starting is usually caused by one of two things:
* Carburetor fuel bowl running dry overnight
or
* Choke not adjusted
The Weber rarely has the first problem.

To adjust the choke is easy, but many mechanics don't know how to do it.
1. When cold in the morning, loosen the choke nut, and rotate choke so it just fully closes
2. Tighten the nuts and go on your way
Many mechanics instead try to align the assembly marks or guess at the adjustment.

Next time your car has sat overnight, before you start it, pump the pedal once then remove the air filter and look. For easy starting it should be 100% closed like this:


If the choke butterflys are open even a little bit that's the problem, and vigorous pumping will be needed to start. On hot mornings it will be easier to start, on cool morning harder. But properly adjusted it will start easy on cold or hot days with foot off the pedal.

David, I'm the person who accepted your recommendation and purchased that A-14 a few months ago over "Craig's List". Thanks again. About my strut issue. Sure the easiest strut replacement is to put originasl back in but your recommendation of contacting Nissan Parts Deal asking for part number, 56105-H5025 came up short. Like everyone else I've attempted to contact, they're not available.
Once again what about a Volkswagen model. Heard there is one out there that uses the same size strut. Have you heard?

Thank you very much.

Will give it a try.

56105-H5025 is not the strut. It is the shock absorber cartridge.

Bprojects sells them. Owner Endo is a club member here, and is reputable. http://www.datsun1200.asia/category/select/cid/406/pid/9132

KYB 362001 can be purchased out of the UK.

Koni 86-1714 can be purchased out of Louisiana, from Classic Auto Spares

Some VW shock cartridges fit. Get Bilstein (1.507 in) or KYB brand at about 1.5 inch outside diameter. Tokico and KONI are too big in diameter to fit inside the Datsun 45mm strut housings. Jetta shocks fit right in, but have about 32 mm (1.2 inch) less extension travel, but the same travel on bounce. Or course they will ride rougher as do most aftermarket shocks. Cut the strut tube 32 mm and rethread.

Been unsuccessful in locating the front strut cartridges.

Following your leads:

1. Bprojects don't have them
2. Bilstein couldn't help.
3. Classic Auto Spare didn't have any or any comparable.
4. You mentioned a Jetta might have a similar size. Do know the year?

Haven't attempted to reach UK.

Don't want to go with coilovers.

Thanks

Sorry that didn't help. Bprojects is still advertising them for sale

Coilovers are springs, and are not needed when putting new cartridges in your old struts


VW (rear) compared to Datsun Strut Cartridge



1980-1984 VW Jetta
* About 4" shorter than stock, so use a spacer in the stock strut tube
* Are stiffer than 1200 inserts
* Koni and Tokico brand are slightly too big in diameter
* Bilstein or KYB brand fit into the 1200 struts
* VW uses a larger diameter strut rod, so the cap nut that holds the insert in needs to be drilled out. A VW rod nut (which contains the seal) can be ground smaller diameter and JB-welded to the bottom of a stock 1200 rod nut which has been drilled out
* The strut bearing and strut-top also needs to be drilled out

http://www.amazon.com/Bilstein-21-030 ... trut-Insert/dp/B009FU4NPE

http://www.google.com/search?q=bilstein+F4PNE3033BE

I can't speak for the U.S. Market, but I fitted KYB shocks into my 72 1200 coupe.
IIRC the listed was for a b210... Bolt straight in!

Well, I installed lower springs, so had my suspension man shorten the inserts about 30mm.
Worked a treat.

KYB part number: 362001
'For Nissan 1200-120y 1970-1978'

If you really get stuck I can arrange shipping for you from Auckland NZ.

Yes, those are mentioned 4 posts up

generally speaking:
* B210 shocks fit 1200s (sedan fits sedan, coupe fits coupe)
* B210 strut inserts fit 1200 if they are 120Y inserts
* unfortunately they never sold 120Y (A12-powered B210) in USA, we only got the bigger B210 with larger struts, which use inserts way too big to fit into 1200 struts