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Titan Gas Assist Tail Gate Retro Fit 03/04

37K views 41 replies 23 participants last post by  stormin 
#1 · (Edited)
Ok after checking with everyone, it seams the 05 Titan gas assist Tailgate feature CAN be done with a minimum amount of sheetmetal experience and tool knowledge. It took me only about 3 hours to do and it works perfect. Just like the 05's 06's

The parts needed are...

1.93470-ZH000 HINGE ASSY-REAR RIGHT HAND...............$29.55
2.93471-ZH000 HINGE ASSY-REAR LEFT HAND.................$11.83
3.93480-ZH000 HINGE ASSY-REAR GATE RH....................$11.15
4.93481-ZH000 HINGE ASSY-REAR GATE LH....................$33.07
5.90450-ZH000 STAY ASSY - GAS CYLINDER..................$22.39
6.93334-ZH030 BRAKET T/G HINGE................................$18.04
7.90456-7Z010 STUD BALL..........................................$3.74
8.FLAT WASHER 1-1/2" DIAMETER X .090" THICK..........HARDWARE STORE

Tools Needed are...

1.DRILL with 1/4" bit
2.SAWALL WITH 6" METAL BLADE
3.1-1/14" HOLE SAW, I USED A 1-1/8" AND THEN USED A DIE GRINDER FOR A TIGHTER FIT.
4.TORX BIT FOR HINGE BRACKET COUNTERSINK SCREWS
5.3/8" AIR WRENCH AND METRIC SOCKETS TO REMOVE TAILGATE HINGE BRACKETS.
6.FILE
7.DIE GRINDER
8.TOUCH-UP PAINT AND PRIMER.

Procedure...

Please check out the pictures, they should help, I know the truck was dirty, I cleaned it up later.

First remove the tailgate, then remove the tail-light on the right rear, now on the right hinge center your drill and bit in the middle of the brackets hinge hole, drill a small amount but not all the way yet. Scribe/mark around the hinge, now remove the right hinge on the side wall and take your hole saw and finish drilling the hole, slowly so it does not chatter, it should cut easy. when you finish drilling file it so it is not sharp, test fit the New Gas hinge in the hole, file or grind to make it a snug fit, also note where the Old hinge was and try to make the new one fit exactly the same, Mine was no problem as I used a die grinder for a perfect fit. Now look down into the fender well look along the left side where you just cut the hole, follow it out and around as it makes a 90 degree turn about 1" from the screw holes, You will note the sheetmetal is too close for the new gas hinge to fit, so about 1 inch out after the 90 degree mark the top and bottom, You should see a row of spot welds runing top to bottom, you are going to cut from the top to the bottom to the right of the spot welds, this will keep the sheetmetal intact. Start your cut, then lay down and look up inside the fender well, and you can make the second cut, start about 2-1/2" back from the vertical wall and cut parallel to the bumper just to the right of the spot welds on the vertical sheetmetal, Use Eye protection here!!!! now cut the remaining piece between the vertical part the the second cut in the back, this will make the piece on the right loose, Use a plier/vise grip/adjustable wrench and slowly bend the loose right piece 90 degrees toward the front of the truck. Now you can see you have the clearance for the Gas shock and hinge assy. Next take the New two piece hinge assy and seperate them you will only need the smaller part. as in the pictures cut with your sawsall along the right side to trim it to fit into the 90 degree cavity so the the holes line up. Mount the Gas Hinge for the right side to the part you just cut, (file to fit perfectly), attach the Gas cylinder to the bottom hinge stud, hold it square and down until it stops,then mark the center of the top mount location, drill and mount the top stud ball with the large washer in the back (you need another person for this to hold the stud). Now remove both hinges off the tail gate and mount the new ones on use blue locktite, remove the left fender wall hinge bracket and mount the new left one (Here Nissan reversed the obround hignes so you can remove/replace the tailgate) Replace the tailgate and test, It should move down slightly after opening then stay with one finger you can lower or raise the gate, close it and check for fitment. Now you can disassemble and prime/paint and replace. Good Luck.
 

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#29 ·
I have a 2011 base model crew cab Titan and I just finished this install. Actually all i needed was just the shock! All the other parts were already there. I didn't even have to take the tailgate off, just take the right tail light out, attach the shock, reinstall the tail light, and your done!!

It works great! No more ton of bricks falling when opening the tailgate. This is such an easy mod.

If anyone needs the install parts from the list for a 2004, minus the actual shock, message me as I still have all the parts brand new and I'll sell them for $50 shipped.
 
#33 ·
Hmm, you guys are saying only some of the early 04's dont have it, when at the dealerships at town, some of the 2011's dont have it! I accidently dropped it at the dealership and it slammed! (Oops...)
 
#35 ·
Very nice, wayne! Thanks for the mod. This seems pretty hard. I have an 04 T, so are the part numbers the same???


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app
 
#39 · (Edited)
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for posting this. I just finished my retrofit and am STOKED. One of the best modifications to date.
Great write up. The trickiest part was cutting the sheetmetal inside the tail light area and bending it over so the pneumatic shock could clear. the stock exhaust got in the way of my sawsall.
 
#40 ·
Old post but a good one. My RH assist hinge broke last night and I used this thread to get all the part numbers to figure out what I needed.
 
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