Has anyone installed a 180B rear cross member into a Datsun 1600. If so did you have any issues ? I have found one I would like to use in my car cause I can not find a 1600 rear cross member. Have been told they fit but want to be 100% sure it does. Thanks

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Another Datsun Project...........

The critical dimension is the distance between the mounting points.
I have used 610 rear control arms in a 510 x member OK so that is not an issue.

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Regards, Graeme
Just trying to help...
http://nissanman.shutterfly.com/
graemes@internode.on.net

As far as I know you'll be fine. The crossmembers interchange but the trailing arms are slightly different to give a 180B wider track, so don't mix 1600 and 180B trailing arms.

Cheers.

The mounting points on the end of the x-members are in a slightly different location. One is offset slightly forward (or backward ?), the other is "straight". You would end up with the x-member either slightly forward in the car or slightly rearward (sorry, can't remember exactly which is which).

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1970 ex Group A Rally P510
1971 P510
1972 180B SSS
1965 SP310 Fairlady
1966 SP311 Fairlady

so ignoring guard clearance......
if i wanted to narrow the wheel track on my 180b i would fit 1600 trailing arms
if i wanted to widen the track on my 1600 i would fit 180b trailing arms?

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automotive clothing at www.burubado.com

can anyone confirm?

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automotive clothing at www.burubado.com

If I remember, I'll check tonight. I have both rear ends.

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1970 ex Group A Rally P510
1971 P510
1972 180B SSS
1965 SP310 Fairlady
1966 SP311 Fairlady

You're awesome Dave.

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automotive clothing at www.burubado.com

I have both 1600 and 180BSSS cross members in my "spares dept". The distance between the chassis mounts are identical, so both bolt up to the chassis. Only difference I can see is the mounting bracket design for the exhaust support through the cross member. No obvious differences when both are sitting together on their diff mounting point, vertically on a concrete floor. I have not noticed any difference in the "curve" affecting wheel base length, and this would also cause toe in/out error if trailing arms were swapped between models. However, my assessment was done tonight in my shed, by torchlight .

Wait and see if Dave has the same answer on any cross member measures as a double check.

I know that on either cross member you can bolt on trailing arms from 1600, 180B, 200B IRS models, 240K, C110, C210, - widens track by 40mms - other mods to shocker mounts or coil overs required, and MR30 disc braked arms (coil overs required).

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RichardC
SSS016

OK, rear x-member mounting points are different. 1600 ones are "central" to the x-member whereas 180B ones are offset slightly. Everything else looks the same.

And 180B trailing arms give around 6mm wider track (each side, so 12mm overall wider track). From a fairly cursory look (it was cold, and the 1600 trailing arms were buried under other Datsun remains) it appears Datsun took the easy way out- the arms are the same, and the extra width is achieved by welding the pivot bush mounting sleeves on in a different spot. Saves re-doing all the tooling to press the arms, but this means that you don't get any extra clearance between wheel and arm if that's what you're hoping to achieve.

To save having to make longer axles, Datsun made the flange on the inner companion flange longer by the same amount on a 180B. 1600 arm in the first photo - note that the circled flange is shorter than on the 180B arm.

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1970 ex Group A Rally P510
1971 P510
1972 180B SSS
1965 SP310 Fairlady
1966 SP311 Fairlady

And here's the x-members, 180B first - you can see the mounting is offset towards the front of the car, so that the whole x-member / diff would be slightly more towards the rear of the car if used in a 1600.

I didn't measure everything up to see if there are any other differences, these are the ones that are obvious. I didn't check to see if toe was different, for instance.

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1970 ex Group A Rally P510
1971 P510
1972 180B SSS
1965 SP310 Fairlady
1966 SP311 Fairlady

my 1600 has a 180B rear x member in it, and it was no issue at all fitting it

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YOU JUST GOT TO LOVE JDM AND BMX
current rig's:
1970 datsun 1600 p510: 73 SPEC WITH SR SHED
prev rides:
1970 datsun 1600 wp510 project SOLD
1969 datsun 1600: SIMS metal
1984 KE70 corolla:defected/crushed
1985 KE70 corolla:SOLD
1982 KE70 4AGE drift pig SOLD
1978 120Y wagon SOLD

good info to have, thanks!

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automotive clothing at www.burubado.com

I had 180b trailing arms in my first 1600 and can confirm all that Dave said.
I also fitted a 200b IRS cross member and, for memory, gained another 15-20mm track.

I have 180b trailing arms I want to use too. So just to clarify. If I install the 180b rear cross member, will it push my trailing arms back further due to the offset of the mounting points. Will the diff mount points be out ? Thanks for the info though Dave.

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Another Datsun Project...........