Heavy steering?

[Greg]

I fitted a hicas lock bar. Ever since then my steering has been a bit heavy at low speed, especially when doing u turns, 3pt turns etc. (ie full lock manouvers)

Has anyone else who has fitted a hicas lock bar experienced this? If so how did you fix it?

Or is it just a coincidence and my power steering pump or something is on its way out?

Thanks for your help

-Greg

[BHDave]

On my r32 i found that unplugging the hicas control unit completely resulted in a near total loss of power steering. There are two plugs on the r32 unit and by unplugging only one ( i think it's the smaller of the two) you keep the power steering and luckily the hicas light doesn't come on either

I know the r33 uses a different type of hicas but i don't know whether the control module is similar or completely different.

[Greg]

On my r32 i found that unplugging the hicas control unit completely resulted in a near total loss of power steering. There are two plugs on the r32 unit and by unplugging only one ( i think it's the smaller of the two) you keep the power steering and luckily the hicas light doesn't come on either  

I know the r33 uses a different type of hicas but i don't know whether the control module is similar or completely different.

Thanks for your reply.

At first I disconnected the hicas computer altogether and this resulted in the loss of power steering you describe. So I connected the computer back up and got power steering back except occasionally it goes heavy on me again, as I described in my first post.

The control module has only one plug but two clearly separate inputs/outputs. The shape of the plug:

__________________

|0000 ::::::::::::::::::::|

|0000 ::::::::::::::::::::|

-----------------------------

P.Steer/////HICAS

So you have no choice but to have both powersteering and hicas connected.

Hmm I might try changing my power steering fluid, see if that makes a difference.

[Trozzle]

Bumping ancient thread.

I had a large amount of suspension/steering work done on my SERIES ONE R33 GTS-T, which including fitting of ISC coilovers, front+rear uppear camber arms, rear traction arm, multitude of bushes, steering rack mounts, but most of all a HICAS lock bar.

When I start my car now and start driving, the steering feels normal (obviously better), but after about 500m, the steering gets noticably heavier. Same as described by others - not complete loss of power steering, but as if it is giving you half the assistance it should be.

On the assumption that something hasn't given out on me and died at the same time I had this work done, what could be causing this as a result of the HICAS being broken as far as the car is concerned?

[bubba]

What is happening is that the HICAS control unit is missing a signal and is throwing up an error and going into its' failsafe mode.

I think it's a fairly simple system where the only inputs are speed and steering angle..

Does your speedo still work?

Have you changed steering wheels recently? or taken it off and put it back on? could be out a tiny bit so the computer thinks your driving in circles.

[Trozzle]

Speedo works fine still, steering wheel is aftermarket but haven't had this problem in the 12 months I've owned the car (just over 20,000kms)

Unless it's just a bad coincidence that something has failed at the same time as having this work done, it has to be something that was done that is causing this.

To be blunt, I honestly don't mind if it stays this way. As long as it is NOT causing any harm (which I doubt, unless it fks up the pump or something)

[Trozzle]

Anyone else?

[Munkyb0y]

longshot, but have a read of my thread. near the end, there's a plug involved

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Hi...ng-t312556.html