# Removal of hicas ball joints



## RonniNielsen (Jan 14, 2011)

Ive got some issues removing the balljoints, ive abviusly removed the bolt/disk

but cant seem to get them out, havent put too mutch musle in them yet, as i wanted to make sure i do it correctly?

so any good tips on how to get them out, the hub is aluminium, so im not really pleased about heating them up.

real quistion is, do they come out backwards?










Cheers Ron


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## lightspeed (Jul 11, 2002)

You are going the right way. I took my hubs off and squeezed them out with suitably sized sockets and a large bench vice. Mild heat helps. Just a hot air gun on medium.


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## RJT (Mar 4, 2011)

I dont think you'll get them out with the slide hammer. Took a fair bit of force to budge them with a press.


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## RJT (Mar 4, 2011)

Plus, i think they go out the other way, from memory


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## RonniNielsen (Jan 14, 2011)

on the side facing forward, the bolt sits, so i dubt it goes out that way?


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## see_no_evo (Sep 10, 2007)

I took mine out and the best way i found is to put a socket over larger than the ball joint and then put a nut on and did it like a cork screw untill it pops out, but as for getting it back in good luck if you dont want to use heat, i had to put the ball joint in the freezer for a day and then heat the hub up with gas and then quickly get the ball joint out the freezer and using a smaler socket hot it back in, took me two days as i tried the 1st time but the heat got to the ball joint and i had to start again, hope it helps

Ben


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## see_no_evo (Sep 10, 2007)

Btw it does come out the way you are trying but that slide hammer will not work


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## RonniNielsen (Jan 14, 2011)

Ive bought a Driftworks hicas delete kit, mounting will be very easy.

ill make up some kind of tool to pull it out 

Cheers Ron


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## Mookistar (Feb 5, 2004)

Hot gun


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## RonniNielsen (Jan 14, 2011)

^^ ive got a few of those  

ill give it a go, and give some feedback tomorrow


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## ANDY H (Mar 17, 2005)

Just removed mine hubs off and in the press! Took a fare amount to press them!


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## Nexen (Jul 19, 2009)

It was a bugger to get the ball joints out and tried everything that was mentioned in searches on Hicas removal on this site . nothing worked as they were in solid , so out came the drill as had to try collapse the ball joints . Didn't even have to remove hubs and ones drilled they came out easy . Just grind the front off to give you a flat face to drill


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## r33-sky (Sep 27, 2009)

Thats a nice bit of drilling!


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## freakazoid3 (Jan 19, 2008)

I removed my hubs and used a press to as everything else seemed to fail...Although I didn't try to drill it so nicely as in the post above


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## fourtoes (Feb 27, 2003)

Great skills that man!

Bob


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## Sidious (Jul 14, 2006)

How difficult is it to remove the hub carriers? I am thinking of purchasing a set of hub carriers and have new Hicas ball joints pressed into those and replace the hub carriers that are currently on the car.


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## black bnr32 (Jan 20, 2011)

I used this:
Pitman Puller Arm | Princess Auto

maybe you can find/build something similar

also, here's a pic of the bushings, if it helps:


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## RonniNielsen (Jan 14, 2011)

ive got mine sorted now, i ended up removing the hubs, and trow them in the press..

took me about 4 hours to do so.


















I would recoment everyone, who wants to ditch the hicas system, to go with the driftworks one, its a real nice kit. 

Ron


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## black bnr32 (Jan 20, 2011)

not a fan of the poly bushings in their kit. i believe a solid joint is a much better solution. why would one want flex/play in the connections that control toe?


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## RonniNielsen (Jan 14, 2011)

once you put the steel middle tube in it, it gets quite stiff. im not really worried about that, even though i would agree, that a solid mount would be perferd.


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## drewzer (Jun 22, 2009)

Took 7.5 ton in the press to get mine out!!! Dissimilar metal is the main problem with these, and the shell of the joint has serrated groves on it to prevent them coming out. Good job Nissan!!!!!!


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