Okay, the short story here is that Nissan now features a line of factory-approved lift kits for their Titan and Titan XD trucks. Manufacturers have done this – approved certain aftermarket bits and pieces – since Henry Ford was messing around with tractors. That’s nothing new. Lift kits, on the other hand, are new(er) as far as we can tell, but is it a good thing?
Solid Approach
On the one hand, the business hand, this makes nothing but sense: One, customers are already adding lift kits to their trucks. Two, if you don’t take advantage of customer desires, you’re leaving money on the table. And three, partnering with a well-known aftermarket provider of lift kits allows Nissan to objectively evolve on-demand niches, while credibly procrastinating adaptive communities, all while compellingly synthesizing robust materials . . . or something. You know how these press releases read but who cares! The bottom line is, as always, the bottom line. People buy trucks and lift kits, and if they don’t buy them from Nissan, they’ll send their money to someone else.
So, for the first time ever, Nissan is offering a factory-authorized suspension lift kit. And I think this might be the first factory-approved lift kit of all time, and not just for Nissans. I’ve never heard of another truck maker doing this (although there have been special trucks like the Dodge Power Wagon and stuff like that). The only other example we could think of in recent times is this one for the F-150 in 2016.
Some (But Not Much) Assembly Required
The Nissan lift kits are a fully bolt-on affair, which is great. There’ll be no cutting or drilling required, which makes installation both a snap and less likely to result in some dingus screwing things up with a die grinder or rotary saw.
The lift kits were created by California-based ICON Vehicle Dynamics. In case you are wondering, this is not the same crew that makes nut and bolt restorations of vintage Land Cruisers and such. That’s ICON 4×4. ICON Vehicle Dynamics is a purveyor of all things off-road for a wide range of applications. From looking cool to crawling over big piles of rocks, that’s what ICON Vehicle Dynamics is here for.
The package includes adjustable-height coil-over shock absorbers specifically tuned for both the Titan and larger Titan XD; custom rod end bearings, and patent-pending Delta Joints. And everything just bolts right in or on. No cutting. No drilling. Everything should go in easy-peasy and the whole shootin’ match installs in under four hours at your Nissan dealership.
Functionality & Availability
The new Titan kit offers a more hard-hitting exterior look, with a total suspension lift of up to three inches. The kit is fabricated for Crew Cab 4×4 models and will be available this spring.
“We worked with ICON, a proven name in suspension lift kit engineering, to develop the first kits to be offered through our Nissan dealer network,” explained Billy Hayes, Division Vice President, LCV and Trucks, Nissan North America, Inc. “With the suspension lift kit’s increased wheel travel and damping ability, ride quality should be enhanced both off-road and on.”
If you deck your Titan out with one of these kits, send us a photo so we can retweet it for you.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format.
Photos & Source: Nissan North America.
