Titan Rear Wheel Steer Option

[outahere]

Will the Titan have rear wheel steering as an option in the near future? That's what is implied in the statement below, from pickuptruck.com. It would get the turning circle down below 40ft, which would be a big help when parking, making u-turns, and in tight offroad situations. GM owners who have it love it, from what I have read, especially for towing. On the GM trucks, it is a $2000 option (and includes some other equipment).

For the near future, GM will have the monopoly on Quadrasteer, but Delphi insiders say that it will be turning up on two other pickup models in due course. Since Ford has essentially taken a pass on the technology for the new F-Series (they saw how slowly it was selling for GM and decided it wasn't worth the effort), that only leaves the Nissan Titan and the next version of the Toyota Tundra. No one at either company will comment, of course, but what other large pickups are there?

[outahere]

Motor Trend is apparently reporting that Nissan is currently testing the real wheel steer system from Delphi, on a Titan truck. Got this info from a forum posting at pickuptruck.com.

[Roomicus]

Here's the quote from the May 2004 Motor Trend.

"Delphi is working with Nissan to provide its Quadrasteer system for the Titan pickup and Pathfinder Armada and Infiniti QX56 sport/utilities. While timing is uncertain, the Nissan/Infiniti trucks could soon get the system, which steers the rear wheels in the same direction as the front ones at highway speeds and steers them in the opposite direction for parking maneuvers. Delphi is said to be testing a Titan pickup with Quadrasteer and is reportedly disappointed with General Motor's marketing of the technology. Typically, Quadrasteer has been part of a package costing more than $6000 for premium, heavy duty Chevy and GMC trucks and SUVs. More recently, GM has offered it as a $1900 standalone option for certain trucks."

[Albert1234]

4 wheel steering using 4 wheels that tilt is a good idea but I wonder if it is the only way to accomplish the task.

GM promotes their Quadrasteer by saying it allows easier parking at low speeds, and easier towing at high speeds. But the downside is larger rear fenders and wheelwells that intrude into the bed. And, the system is expensive.

I'm mainly after easier parking. I don't really care about easier towing. Couldn't Nissan reprogram their active brake limited slip and vehicle dynamic control system to completely lock one rear wheel while allowing the other to spin (at low speeds only, and when the driver activates a control). Then the rear of the vehicle would slide sideways (like a skid steer bobcat). The front of the vehicle would turn the normal way (with tilting wheels).

You might not be able to turn both ends of the vehicle at the same time (as you can do with Quadrasteer), but you could selectively turn either the front or the rear.

[outahere]

Originally Posted by Albert1234

But the downside is larger rear fenders and wheelwells that intrude into the bed. And, the system is expensive.

Not always. The Suburban with QuadraSteer does not have larger fenders, or intrusive wheel wells, according to what I have read from owner's comments.

[Memphis4x4]

Originally Posted by Albert1234

4 wheel steering using 4 wheels that tilt is a good idea but I wonder if it is the only way to accomplish the task.

GM promotes their Quadrasteer by saying it allows easier parking at low speeds, and easier towing at high speeds. But the downside is larger rear fenders and wheelwells that intrude into the bed. And, the system is expensive.

I'm mainly after easier parking. I don't really care about easier towing. Couldn't Nissan reprogram their active brake limited slip and vehicle dynamic control system to completely lock one rear wheel while allowing the other to spin (at low speeds only, and when the driver activates a control). Then the rear of the vehicle would slide sideways (like a skid steer bobcat). The front of the vehicle would turn the normal way (with tilting wheels).

You might not be able to turn both ends of the vehicle at the same time (as you can do with Quadrasteer), but you could selectively turn either the front or the rear.

Are you sure you don't own stock in a tire manufacturer?! This sounds like a formula for excessive wear on expensive tires.

[outahere]

Originally Posted by Albert1234

I'm mainly after easier parking. I don't really care about easier towing. Couldn't Nissan reprogram their active brake limited slip and vehicle dynamic control system to completely lock one rear wheel while allowing the other to spin (at low speeds only, and when the driver activates a control). Then the rear of the vehicle would slide sideways (like a skid steer bobcat). The front of the vehicle would turn the normal way (with tilting wheels).

Sounds like a good way to flat spot the tires.

[Triple S]

I would prefer a real locking rear differential that is not restricted to LOW 4WD more than rear wheel steering...

[hp&trq]

Originally Posted by outahere

Not always. The Suburban with QuadraSteer does not have larger fenders, or intrusive wheel wells, according to what I have read from owner's comments.

Actually the Suburban does have larger rear flares with quadrasteer.

[Derodeo]

This is exciting news because Quadrasteer is the one GM truck feature which is truly useful and that no one else has. If it wasn't so expensive and marketed so poorly by GM, I think it would be far more popular today. If Nissan would have Quadrasteer as an option for the 2005 model year, I'd buy it for sure. If you ever driven a vehicle with it, I think you'd be sold.

[SarkaZm]

Doesn't this mean a decrease in towing capacity? I don't think I would give up capacity for manuverabilty. MHO.

[Foo]

Originally Posted by SarkaZm

Doesn't this mean a decrease in towing capacity? I don't think I would give up capacity for manuverabilty. MHO.

No it doesn't Nissan has A nice link showing a Chevy with Quad steering pulling 8900 lbs..of course the Titan wins, it the Quad steering didn't hurt the towing ability.

-> http://www.nissanusa.com/m/pdf/2004_...f_the_year.pdf

[Half Shovel]

Originally Posted by Foo

No it doesn't Nissan has A nice link showing a Chevy with Quad steering pulling 8900 lbs..of course the Titan wins, it the Quad steering didn't hurt the towing ability.

-> http://www.nissanusa.com/m/pdf/2004_...f_the_year.pdf

Have you ever taken a RIDE in a Quadrasteer Chevy? Bumpity-Bumpity-Bumpity...rougher than the 2-wheel steer setup.

[outahere]

Originally Posted by Derodeo

This is exciting news because Quadrasteer is the one GM truck feature which is truly useful and that no one else has. If it wasn't so expensive and marketed so poorly by GM, I think it would be far more popular today. If Nissan would have Quadrasteer as an option for the 2005 model year, I'd buy it for sure. If you ever driven a vehicle with it, I think you'd be sold.

I totally agree! Quadrasteer addresses 1 of the 2 main shortcomings of "full size" pickups, poor maneuverability in tight situations. I also hope it is priced more reasonably, like under $1000. The other shortcoming of "full size" pickups is poor mileage, but that should be solved in the near future by diesel engines and hybrid drivetrains. Nissan is way behind Toyota and Honda on hybrid technology, so I expect to see a diesel in a Titan rather than a gas-electric hybrid powertrain.

[outahere]

Originally Posted by Half Shovel

Have you ever taken a RIDE in a Quadrasteer Chevy? Bumpity-Bumpity-Bumpity...rougher than the 2-wheel steer setup.

That is because of the springs and shocks, and not because of the steerable rear axle.