Urgent Help: Fitting R33 Boss Kit With Hicas Airbag Clock Spring

[fox182]

Hi,

Im a proud new owner of an R33 and Really need some help. Been reading lots of forums, speaking to performance shop sales staff, and boss kit sales reps and getting a lot of conflicting/confusing information

I drive a 1995 R33 GTS-T Series 1 with hicas and airbag and live in Australia.

Firstly:

My horn started going off when turning. After some googling i am pretty sure its the clock spring (spiral cable). I couldnt find anyone selling them new, and didnt want to buy second hand, so I thought i would just buy and aftermarket wheel and boss kit, and eliminate the need for a clock spring.

Can I eliminate the need for a clock spring?? If not, where can i buy a new clock spring??

Secondly:

All the stores i went too were telling me their is either a hicas boss kit, or an airbag boss kit. i rang the boss kit sales rep and apparently there is no hicas + airbag boss kit..?? But doesnt every R33 have hicas, so shouldn't the airbag one work with hicas??

I ended up buying a autotecnica ON-177 hicas boss kit (not the airbag one). I have the steering wheel off. The clock spring is still in place. I noticed a black box behind the airbag, is this to do with the hicas? There is no way it will fit in the new boss kit. I dont know what to do

To sum up:

1. 1. Will an after market sports steering wheel + boss kit eliminate the need for a clock spring (spiral cable)? If not can you recommend an Australian seller?
   2. Which boss kit for series 1 r33 with hicas and airbag?? a model and part number would be greatly apprciated.

Thanks loads for your help :worship:

[ShyBoi]

I got mine from Mightycarmods I think...just need to let them know if yours is an airbag or non airbag model...

[fox182]

I got mine from Mightycarmods I think...just need to let them know if yours is an airbag or non airbag model...

Thanks for the reply ShyBoi, yeah mine has airbag, do you have a series 1 with airbag and hicas too? did that black thing under the airbag fit in your boss kit? What about the clock spring/Spiral cable, did you need to keep it or can it be binned?

I googled Mightycarmods and found www.mightycarmods.com but It doesnt seem like a performance shop...?

Really need the car fix by tomorrow (Thursday 19th). Hope you guys can help me fix her in time. Thanks

Edited May 18, 2011 by fox182

[fox182]

Ok I fitted the boss kit and now im getting a beeping noise, not from horn, i think its to do with the airbag. I also have the airbag light. I know taking the globe out will fix the light, but how do i stop the beeping noise?

I should add that i disconnected the battery while removing the airbag so i didnt kill myself lol. Perhaps the loss of power has reset something and the beeping is trying to tell me to set it..? Might be the head unit and not the airbag.

Haven't yet hooked up horn, will let you know how it goes

[fox182]

Ok well after gethering bits and peices of info from differnt forums/threads + some trail and error. Everything is sorted and working fine.

To answer my own questions:

The Autotecnica HKB ON-177 boss kit does fit a hicas airbag r33 but you have to join the airbag wire to the earth wire with a 2.7 ohm resistor to get the airbag light to go out. I have the "H" clock spring (spiral cable), the airbag wire was brown and the earth was black. Way easier then taking the dash apart to remove the airbag light globe. I also had to wire the green horn wire to the button. wiring clolors may change if you have a differnt model clock spring like the "M". This thread helped a lot http://www.gtr.co.uk...boss-kit-2.html

The beeping noise i heard after putting the new wheel on was actualy coming from the head unit. I think it was a security feature because the battery was disconted.

Obviously and aftermarket boss kit and sports steering wheel doesn not eliminate the need for a clock spring, and it does not seem like it was the clock spring responsible for the horn going off when turning. Some threads say it the counter balance weight and it can just be removed or tapped down. Becuase I repaced the wheel it no longer an issue anyway. New wheel look loads better

I have a feeling an airbag boss kit would work fine with the hicas because all r33 have hicas, so surely it would.. the advantage the the airbag boss kit is it should come with a plug to fix the airbag light, but even then the plug may not suit your clock spring.

Thank you again ShyBoi, the only one who bothered to try help...

I hope this helps any future people with the same problem. I had to search for hours with a lot of differnt key words to track down information that was actually relivant to me. I have tried to put whats important in this reply.

PS: the black thing under the air bag is also to do with the SRS airbag, nothing to do with hicas. Their will be a little sicky up thing that slots into your boss kit that helps the hicas track the wheel movement.

Edited May 20, 2011 by fox182

[smasht]

Thanks for your info mate - I will be putting in an airbag boss kit + new wheel next week and i will definately refer to your detailed post.

[cannabiscorpse]

^ x 2 mate. The information is very appreciated. My 33 is also a 95 model with an airbag and all the info i have found was very confusing as to what could or couldnt be done. Thanks for taking the time to leave the information to the others that need it!

[Tai1or Made]

Maybe someone here can help me. Im looking at putting a new wheel on my R33 HICAS/ABS.

I'm just wondering if I actually NEED the ABS boss kit. Will the standard HICAS boss kit fit?

My car already has a different wheel on it, but no boss kit. And I've never seen an ABS light on.

Thanks

[Socrates]

Troll?

ABS is brakes, nothing to do with steering.

[boiracer]

i think your all missing the point of an airbag boss kit.

it is illegal to remove an airbag from a car that has one standard. and very easy for the popo to spot and pick you up on. i'd make sure you go with the airbag ones.....i have a series 2 33 and like the standard wheel (well enough anyways)....but for the series 1 owners with airbags. i do feel for you, they are hideous.

if you are going to go airbagless, make sure you done get a shiney chrome wheel that stands out like a 60's car wheel in a jap car

*something else i just thought of, will your insurance cover you at all in an acco when they figure out your airbag car doesnt have one?

this would be my main concern, as once again. very easy to pick up on.