I read the FAQ thread about what HICAS does, but I have questions beyond that. I'm looking at a Gunmetal colored '92 fastback with 107k miles, but it's completely loaded including the factory LSD and HICAS. They are asking 3600 for it. Anyway, my questions center around "why". Is HICAS really any sort of an advantage to handling? I don't plan on buying the car to drift with, I just want to change to RWD and always liked 240s. Is HICAS a weak point? Does anyone know how prone it is to breaking or malfunctioning? Lastly, and more importantly, I plan on doing the Z32 brake/5-lug changeover... will this interfere with the system? Also, does it affect the maximum wheel width? (I'd like to be able to poke 17x8.5 or 17x9s in the rear with a conservative lowering.)

 

for you HICAS whould be perfect. if you plan on not drifting it's good to have. i don't know of it breaking on anyone.

you do know what it does right?

 

Yes, I'm pretty sure it improves handling performance by using the rear wheels to increase or decrease turning ability to correct for turning at speed...

 

For you HICAS would be awesome. It'll take some time to get used to the rear tires to do some or the turning, but it'll be very beneficial. I haven't heard of any parts breaking. GL with the buy.

 

it's just like a vr4. it'll be weird at first though.

 

Thanks, both of you! I was hoping it wouldn't be like that crappy 4-wheel steering system on the early 90s Honda Preludes... that was just a waste.

 

ive never even noticed my hicas, you guys have actually found it to be weird at first?

 

Haven't driven one, but I would image. It's not liek you're used to having the rear tires change direction and turn themselves.

 

If you have HICAS then you wouldn't have to turn the steering wheel as much?

 

woah, that sounds kinda weird...yet intrigueing all at the same time...

 

Well, kinda. The frotn wheels still do most of the steering, but under hard cornering the rear wheels will turn the opposite direction to help the rear out. Sorta like this:
Right turn:
Front: / /
Rear : \ \

Left Turn:
Front: \ \
Rear : / /

 

hmm. interesting, is the hicas a special option in 240's? and was it only for the S13? ive never really seen one in action

 

Yeah, it was an add-on to the Super Handling Package in S13s only, and possibly only fastbacks. I know that only SE models have it and if it has HICAS it has LSD as well.

 

yea, i have the se version with hicas and lsd, however ive never noticed it. ive never driven a non hicas 240 tho so who knows

 

ok.. listen to tips and advices from hicas drivers. because they been through that. and expirienced it.

its very hard to notice the hicas system for early drivers. let me go in details. you will never be able to see your rear wheels angled while turning... why? is it not workin? yes. its workin, perfectly. the rear wheels only turn by only a few degrees even in the most hard turning. and thats enough. so if your friends are questioning your 4 wheels steering system and tell you to turn while driving slow, dont do it, you will lose. the rear wheels wont be noticed to turn at all. what you can do, to prove the perfection of the hicas system, is take them to an exit ramp. you can easily go anywhere from 55 mph to 70 while , depending on ramp, while turning in the exit ramp. trust me, after that, they will never question your hicas system.

how hicas works. simply. the angle of rear wheels depend on 2 things. how much you turned your steering wheel and how fast are you going. the best speed to test the hicas is from 20 to 40 mph. because you can turn the steering wheel a lot and have some speed at the same time.

and NO, you will not be able to turn the steering wheel less than normal cars. you turn the steering wheel turn is the same, but the effect and control while turnin is much better than normal cars.

so why is hicas system bad for driftin? a lot people say that but dont go in the details why. ok, when you drift, you have your front wheels turn the same directionas the rear end of the car. the more you turn the front wheels the more gas you can give. so if you give gas you will have a lot of speed to the rear wheels. so there ya go, here is your answer. you have your steering wheel turned a LOT , and have a lot of speed to the rear wheels so the computer thinks, hey, i think he needs my assistance, so it angles your rear wheels, creating control loss. not all the time, but most of the time.

ok, i know i wrote a lot, but i am a hicas driver myself, for a long time. and gained some knowledge over many months.

if you want a little more info you can look at this website below for some info and a diagram:
http://www.socal**********/faq/hicas.html

and the Super Hicas, LSD, ABS, and Sport Suspension was all available as one, optional handling package for 1991 - 1994 nissan 240sx.