[kidda1975]

Just thought i would share my pain removing a ball joint for the hicas on my r33 gtst. What a pain in the chuff! ive read loads about how to do this including heat, pressing them out and all forms of attack.

In the end i ground the ball joint end off and the flange allowing it out either way and drove it through the hub with a socket and a big hammer, plenty of penetrating fluid and 3 hours later and its out. I have ordered a new one from Nissan at £51.47 and i will be reassembling it soon.

As i didnt have the time to take the hub off or the access to the tools to press it out i kind of did it the low tech way.

So just for anyone with the same pain heres what i did, however from what ive read you run the risk of cracking the hub. Saying that mines cast, not alloy so maybe thats a GTR thing?

1) Ground the balljoint back flat to the hub removing the ball joint itself and the flange (outer edge, not towards the damper)
2) Drove a punch right throught the middle to remove the end cap allowing the full guts of the balljoint to be removed leaving the casing
3) 7/8 socket + 3 inch entension (1/4 drive) used as a drift to drive the casing about 5mm back
4) Removed the extension and seated the socket in the recess created by the movement and abit of brute force and a good 10-15 whacks and it was free.

I know this isnt the best way to do the job but i was at the point where if i had cracked the hub i didnt care, i was wet, cold and grumpy. Between points 2 & 3 i soaked in penerating fluid and left for 2 hours.

i know these have to be tight but damn these are hard to get out, everything i read about them is painful. thought i would share my experiences anyway. I have been looking at the total hicas removal kit from driftworks because to be honest looking at the system it looks like there is alot of points of wear where play could be introduced. :boogy:

 

[RXXXIV]

That HICAS is a right pain dude. That´s why I´m ditching the whole system on my R34. To many weak points that can cause problems. Replacement bushes ain´t cheap either so I´ll get rid of the lot and put full eliminator kit in. Much more predictable after that and far cheaper too. And some weight saving the same time.

 

[kidda1975]

i have to agree fella, ive read loads of arguements for and against but it just seems like a system prone to failure!

I mean a driftworks eliminator kit is what £190 odd quid and its everything you need from what i can see, the balljoints from Nissan are £51 a pop so thats £102 alone then you have tie rod ends, the rack etc etc.

I mean i use this for daily drive only, no track or drag in anyway but how much help is the hicas anyway, once i have the new balljoint in i may pull the fuse and find out what it actually does for me cause it aint selling itself at this stage :gay:

 

[SPEEDR33PER]

i removed a fellow members hicas joints in 20 mins mate all i done was heat the area around it and then witha 5lb hammer and long chisel hammered it out


was sooooooooooooooooo easy :rofl:

 

[SPEEDR33PER]

i have to agree fella, ive read loads of arguements for and against but it just seems like a system prone to failure!

I mean a driftworks eliminator kit is what £190 odd quid and its everything you need from what i can see, the balljoints from Nissan are £51 a pop so thats £102 alone then you have tie rod ends, the rack etc etc.

I mean i use this for daily drive only, no track or drag in anyway but how much help is the hicas anyway, once i have the new balljoint in i may pull the fuse and find out what it actually does for me cause it aint selling itself at this stage :gay:

pulling the fuse will not do anything mate in fact it then means that the rear wheels will steer themselves as there is nothing stopping the rack moving by itself.

 

[lee.]

pulling the fuse will not do anything mate in fact it then means that the rear wheels will steer themselves as there is nothing stopping the rack moving by itself.

Thats exactly how my car feels. Whenever the rear wheels go over a manhole cover or any other uneven surface the car seems to wander. Very unnerving. However i havent pulled any fuses and i have no light on the dash. Is it worth checking the fuse? Where would i find it? Eliminator kit is where i'll be heading very soon

 

[SPEEDR33PER]

Thats exactly how my car feels. Whenever the rear wheels go over a manhole cover or any other uneven surface the car seems to wander. Very unnerving. However i havent pulled any fuses and i have no light on the dash. Is it worth checking the fuse? Where would i find it? Eliminator kit is where i'll be heading very soon

does the hicas light come on when you switch the ignition on?

 

[lee.]

does the hicas light come on when you switch the ignition on?

Pretty sure it does. I checked all the lights came on when i bought the car but havent really paid much attention since :rofl: I'll have to have a look tomorrow.

 

[kidda1975]

pulling the fuse will not do anything mate in fact it then means that the rear wheels will steer themselves as there is nothing stopping the rack moving by itself.

damn lol, oh well i cant help but wonder how the drive differs though without it.
And i wish this ball joint had come out as easy as the one that you did

i suppose thats experience for you though, this experience has taught me to stay the hell away from it

 

[SPEEDR33PER]

damn lol, oh well i cant help but wonder how the drive differs though without it.
And i wish this ball joint had come out as easy as the one that you did

i suppose thats experience for you though, this experience has taught me to stay the hell away from it

personally mate my hicas works as nissan intended it too so i can feel it working and boy does it feel great and fun mate and i do feel it steering round corners and such and yes experiance helps mate

 

[kidda1975]

i suppose if i drove one without hicas then i may realise what it does, im just used to it i guess

and next time i'll try heat, just on other forums they mentioned possibly weakening the hub, i dont know how true it is like? all i know is i got it out and damn i was happy when it did come out

 

[SPEEDR33PER]

i suppose if i drove one without hicas then i may realise what it does, im just used to it i guess

and next time i'll try heat, just on other forums they mentioned possibly weakening the hub, i dont know how true it is like? all i know is i got it out and damn i was happy when it did come out

in 10 years of heating hubs and such never had a weakened one or failed one

 

[kidda1975]

cheers fella will remember that

 

[koh]

the hicas system only works when you arent trying to drive against it,which most people seem to do

 

[RXXXIV]

personally mate my hicas works as nissan intended it too so i can feel it working and boy does it feel great and fun mate and i do feel it steering round corners and such and yes experiance helps mate

Wait till your bushes go tits and you will have to replace them with new ones. You will soon decide to kick the lot french boy! :rofl:

 

[kidda1975]

Wait till your bushes go tits and you will have to replace them with new ones. You will soon decide to kick the lot french boy! :rofl:

:rofl:

 

[CHOPPER33]

good tips on removal lads.must remove mine as soon as i get engine ready to go back in.have the driftworks eliminator kit to go on it too.it fail nct(irish mot) two years running with those bloody nissan bushings on the back even though i replaced them.so they coming off and being replaced now

 

[lee.]

Hey sp33dreeper, just checked and my Hicas light does come on when i turn on the ignition and does go out again. Any ideas before i take drastic action?

 

[kidda1975]

conceptua PM'd me about a lockout kit they do £185 delivered may be an option for your possessed back end

 

[lee.]

conceptua PM'd me about a lockout kit they do £185 delivered may be an option for your possessed back end

yeh, driftworks do an eliminator kit too. As it is both sides that are doing it, i was wondering if it could be a fuse or something else before i shell out the readies. Anyone tell me where to find the fuse?