Tuning A Nissan Titan: Super Suspension Upgrades

131 1101 Tuning A 2004 Nissan Titan Super Suspension Upgrades Front Three Quarter

The Icon Vehicle Dynamics coilovers, Total Chaos Fabrication A-arms, and KM2 tires gave our '04 Nissan Titan a considerable handling and traction control increase. The larger 21/2-inch coilovers didn't fade from overheating on our high-speed runs, and the truck's new suspension easily absorbed the shock of the bone-jarring trail runs with safe and controllable handling.

The Icon Vehicle Dynamics coilovers, Total Chaos Fabrication A-arms, and KM2 tires gave ou

When the Nissan Titan hit the market in 2004 it was the first fullsize Nissan pickup offered in the U.S. The truck's 5.7L engine and large payload capacity, coupled with Nissan's reliability, made it an instant hit. The Titan is a good tow rig, farm truck, and work truck, and helps get families and off-road enthusiasts into some mild four-wheeling.

As a great all-around truck, the Titan is still just like most vehicles fresh off the assembly line: It needs suspension upgrades for added ground clearance and higher levels of off-highway performance if it's going to see any real trail time.

Icon Vehicle Dynamics has been around the off-road racing industry for years and produces high-quality shocks and suspension components. Through this experience, Icon has gained the knowledge to engineer coilover suspension systems for a number of vehicles, including the Titan.

131 1101 Tuning A 2004 Nissan Titan Super Suspension Upgrades Icon Coilover System

Icon offers two versions of the Titan coilover suspension system. One is made for trucks fitted with aftermarket A-arms for extended travel, and the other is for use with the factory A-arms. The extended version gives the coilover an additional 1 inch of downtravel. The coilover is adjustable for 0-3 inches of lift and uses a 21/2-inch body to help prevent overheating, and it's valved specifically for the Titan. The coils are built from high-tensile-strength steel and use a phosphate coating before they are powdercoated for long-lasting durability.

Icon offers two versions of the Titan coilover suspension system. One is made for trucks f

We spent the day with Icon installing the company's Titan coilover setup and Total Chaos Fabrication's trick upper A-arms, which only took a couple of hours, and then we hit the trail. We also outfitted the truck with BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM2 tires, which we have found are excellent off-road tires that provide good traction and durability in the harshest conditions.

After some abusive trail time and mild rockcrawling, we found that the truck's off-road performance levels had greatly increased over the factory suspension. The Titan had a slightly stiffer but more controllable performance ride with less body roll. We felt more comfortable at speed on loose gravel and rocky trails.

The Icon coilovers can sometimes be installed on the Titan without removing the upper A-arm. However, the sway bar may need to be disconnected for additional clearance to remove the coilover. When a Total Chaos upper arm is being installed, it will be easier to install the new coilover after the A-arm is removed. No special tools are required to install the coilovers or A-arms.
The Icon coilovers can sometimes be installed on the Titan without removing the upper A-ar
Total Chaos engineers and builds a high-quality upper A-arm that will replace the factory A-arm and its weaker ball joint. The Total Chaos A-arm uses a 1-inch Teflon-lined uniball and is designed to correct the caster when aftermarket coilovers are installed on the truck and fix the truck's steering geometry and alignment. The A-arms are completely bolt-on and made from 11/4-inch chromoly tubing for strength. The A-arms provide additional downtravel and are engineered to work with the extended-travel Icon coilovers.
Total Chaos engineers and builds a high-quality upper A-arm that will replace the factory
The Icon coilovers are easy to install, and any enthusiast with some mechanical ability should be able to bolt them in without any problem. Keep in mind that the thin side of the lower mounting bushing is installed toward the front of the truck. The coilover is held in place by three upper mounting bolts and one lower. We always recommend that after any suspension modification the vehicle should be properly aligned and the hardware retightened after 100 miles.
The Icon coilovers are easy to install, and any enthusiast with some mechanical ability sh

The rear monotube shocks are also valved specifically for the Nissan Titan and fully tested on Icon's shock dyno. The shocks are also tuned to match the ride and damping characteristics of the front coilovers. The Icon shocks definitely provide more travel and better performance on- and off-road compared to the factory shocks. The rear shocks can be installed easily in a short time and carry a cool lifetime warranty.
The rear monotube shocks are also valved specifically for the Nissan Titan and fully teste
We've always had an affinity for the BFG KM2 mud-terrains and have wheeled the tires in some of the toughest places in the country. We have also run the tires on everything from 1-ton trucks to buggies to nimble Jeeps, and we are always thrilled with their traction, performance, and durability. The KM2s offer excellent traction in wet and dry conditions due to the aggressive tread pattern-especially when aired down. Without a doubt, we also notice far fewer tire failures from cuts and punctures when we're rolling on the KM2s.
We've always had an affinity for the BFG KM2 mud-terrains and have wheeled the tires in so
This is what we are all looking for, right? The Icon and Total Chaos suspension components definitely gave the Titan a better off-road ride with additional ground clearance for clearing rocks, logs, and stumps. The suspension also allowed us to install 305/65R17 (33-inch-tall) tires on the Titan without rubbing or having to trim the fenders or fender liners.
This is what we are all looking for, right? The Icon and Total Chaos suspension components

SOURCES
Total Chaos Fabrication 159 North Maple Street #J Corona CA 92880 951-737-9682 www.chaosfab.com	Icon Vehicle Dynamics 1580 Commerce Street Corona CA 92880 951-272-4266 IconVehicleDynamics.com
BFGoodrich P.O. Box 19001 Greenville SC 29602 877-788-8899 www.bfgoodrichtires.com