I just wanted to ask the question to get some idea of what people think.

 

I love hicas its a brilliant system and in the past its been a life saver for sure.

Iv seen Hicas blamed for poor stabilty etc but more often than not this has been caused by other reasons when investigations have been done.

Whats every one else think?

 

Daz.

You get me Yassa. Thats my thoughts.

Hicas works fantastic when needed. Theres nothing to get used to the car feels as any other. solid and controlled.

Theres no agro with these systems iv never fixed a broken hicas.

Only ever replaced worn out track rods and ball joints. which is normal wear and tear.

 

If you ever need to change lanes at speed very quickly the hicas will keep the car stable as it steers the rear wheels in the direction of travel. its a life saver.

plus It is used on other models.

p.s Thanks for the reply's guys interesting reading

....anyway....back on topic....

I couldn't really get used to it - so i got rid of mine. I'm sure it's good when working properly. That said - if it was that good surely Nissan would have used it on other models...

They did,some Skylines had it fitted.

I've never seen the point. It does so little that its hardly useful and makes the car behave in a very odd manner.

I've heard a lot of stories about why its on there and what it does but the fact is that I've tried the car with and without - its more trustworthy without and there's the bonuses of less weight and less to go wrong.

Tech for tech's sake IMO.

Be interesting to see track times with and with out hicas.

Be interesting to see track times with and with out hicas.

 

Agreed. I'd say it would be easier to be consistent without it.

Early 90's Marketing ploy IMO, all the Jap manufactures were at it at the time. Feels more planted and controllable with it gone.

The Hicas system is really easy to take out, you just need a lock out bar for the rear and then remove the valves from your inner drivers side wing and block up the pipe work, I must admit, my zed felt so much better at handling after I got rid of mine, dont know about everyone else tho, each to there own

Im thinking that people are replacing the hicas because the car feel s better once its been removed. but im most cases it seems theres been wear on the hicas components . joints and arms etc which cause the uneasy feel to the car. not the Hicas system itself .

So of corse its gonna feel better when all the play and worn parts are removed.

Im thinking that people are replacing the hicas because the car feel s better once its been removed. but im most cases it seems theres been wear on the hicas components . joints and arms etc which cause the uneasy feel to the car. not the Hicas system itself .

So of corse its gonna feel better when all the play and worn parts are removed.

 

I agree 100%. I replaced all the worn parts in the hicas set up and it turned it from a system that I didn't feel good about, a system which I felt I couldn't trust when cornering even at low speeds, to something which I think is absolutely brilliant. As I said in the poll, I love it now. It is working the way it was designed to do and feels tight.

I just wanted to ask the question to get some idea of what people think.

 

I love hicas its a brilliant system and in the past its been a life saver for sure.

Iv seen Hicas blamed for poor stabilty etc but more often than not this has been caused by other reasons when investigations have been done.

Whats every one else think?

 

Daz.

 

Daz when my car had a standard engine I had no problems at all with my HICAS,all the components were in first class order and the car was better for it.

Nissan done a lot of research developing HICAS and I think the system works well when the car is throwing out standard BHP and all components are in good order.

 

However start increasing the BHP and the car will not handle like it should with the HICAS enabled.

Speak to Mike at MJP he has experience and evidence that HICAS is not a good idea with increased BHP.

Daz when my car had a standard engine I had no problems at all with my HICAS,all the components were in first class order and the car was better for it.

Nissan done a lot of research developing HICAS and I think the system works well when the car is throwing out standard BHP and all components are in good order.

 

However start increasing the BHP and the car will not handle like it should with the HICAS enabled.

Speak to Mike at MJP he has experience and evidence that HICAS is not a good idea with increased BHP.

 

100% agree with that, hicas is fine till you start upping the power then funny things happen at the back end. Mine was well maintained right up till the end and it was one thing I always wanted to get rid of as there would be occasions when the car just didn't feel right

so what degree of turning do you need for this system to kick in?? Just wondering!!?? I think i've been a pussy because i have never felt anything LOL

The latest Renault Laguna has a version of the HICAS on it as if it was a new invention but it is basically derived from the early Nissan one.

 

The way it works on the 300zx was opposite direction rears to the fronts up to about 30mph ish for low speed manouvreability and same direction as the fronts afterwards for high speed stability - is it less yaw? When there is wear it feels very odd. When its sound the car just feels right.

 

Would concur with the above. For cars with big power outputs the issue is the distortion the big forces place on the rear suspension components causing bushings to compress all out of shape etc. One US mag reported the rear wheels toeing right in when launching a 500hp + car hard. The moral of the story is you cant just mod one thing without consequences elsewhere and maybe big power can defeat the hydraulics or electric rack in a battle between power and the HICAS operating. Certainly if this happens then its better removed. Big power through rear wheels which don't know which direction to point is not a good plan.

Thanks again guys.

That makes good sense Hicas is wicked as we said.

But there are limits,i drove an almost brand new Z years ago with 600Bhp and under hard accel i must admit it felt like the car was twisting in two from the rear on launch.

So hicas is good as we say but when it comes to puttin big power down Any multi link indipendant suspension set up is flawed.

Just look at dragsters simple fixed beams etc etc. Thats the way to get the power down.