Titan Frame problem

Powder845 · 08-07-2005, 03:28 PM

I have an 04 LE KC with BT. I have had for about nine months and just recently noticed that the frame is 1 inch higher on the passenger side than the driver side. I noticed it by looking at my truck in the garage from about 25 feet away. So i got out the tape and started measuring. To my surprise I found a 1 inch difference. So I took it to the dealer (Southpoint Niisan, Austin) and they shimmed the bed. After I picked it up I noticed that the bumper was still crooked and looked like complete ***. Looks like a small car bumped me. Anyways I called back to the dealer and called them on it. They told me to bring it back in and they would probably just bend the bumper up to the bed. What kind of **** is that? I taked to my father in law who is a master mechanic of 30 years and he told me that 1 inch is alot and that it could present problems in the future.

Has anyone else had any thing similar?
Thanks

rjspitz · 08-07-2005, 03:33 PM

My frame is level. You should look more into the suspension than just shimming the bed. You have the BT package. Do you tow much? How much tongue weight?

Vyrus · 08-07-2005, 06:09 PM

You need to find out exactly what's wrong - wether it's the frame, bed, or suspension. My advice to you is to take it to a independent frame shop and have them measure it out to see if anything is bent. If the frame really is bent, run a carfax or have a bodyshop assess it to see if the car was in a previous accident. Shimming the bend and bending the bumper brackets may have things looking fine but it's not going to get rid of tire and alignment issues which will surface.
-Cyrus

Herbpov · 08-07-2005, 09:45 PM

It's the mounting bracket for the rear shackle on the leaf spring. Get under the truck and measure down from the bottom of the bed to the top of the shackle. Measure both sides and the passanger side will be higher. Mine is off about 1/2 inch.

jstew · 08-08-2005, 07:22 AM

I can't believe this. I was just getting ready to post on this. I've had two Nissan dealers look at this and one of them said they see what I'm talking about, but doesn't know how to fix it and the other has just dismissed it. I'm not a suspension expert so if someone could tell me what I need to be measuring in order to prove it to them that there is something definitetly wrong I would appreciate it. It's pretty amazing when your wife can notice the thing is sitting crooked, but Nissan seems to think it's ok.

Nellie · 08-08-2005, 08:53 PM

I bought mine 2 weeks ago and just discovered that my whole body leans to the drivers side. The dealer looked at it last week and said that the front spring might not be seated correctly. It was. The seemed confused. They are ordering new leaf springs to see if that fixes it. I am no expert but, I don't see how that is going to fix it. Any suggestions as to what might be causing this? Is this an issue that warrants a new vehicle under the lemon law? Am I going to have alignment issues or uneven wear on the tires? Just joined the site. This is a great source. Thanks for any help in advance.

Powder845 · 08-09-2005, 05:02 PM

Allright, here is what a second trip to the dealer produced. After it being there for a whole day all they did was adjust the bolts on the bumper. So basically they just covered it up. I havent told them that I know that the frame is twisted/bent. I am trying to see what they will do before I show my cards. This is unreal that there are more Titans out there with the same problem as mine.

I will be taking it by a friends shop so that his head mechanic can run the measurements on it. I will post the findings and what the dealer is willing to do.

Later

sxviper · 08-27-2005, 06:03 AM

i have this same problem, the dealer just repalced the rear springs and that did not help. has anyone found what is causing this? dealer said that they ordered a sim kit for the bed and they will adjust the bumper, i know that is not how to fix it but they don't know what to do next

PTitan · 08-27-2005, 06:29 AM

If I recall, the gas tank is on the drivers side of the truck. The extra weight of gas may make the truck lean towards that side. See how much the truck leans at full, 1/2 and 1/8 of a tank. This should determine if the extra weight of gas creats this issue. Also, the same spring (same spring rate or similar) would be used for both rear springs. Over time one side will sag if it experiences a continuous load.

pisswilly · 08-27-2005, 08:02 AM

MINE TOO!!!!!

Leans excesively to drivers side. May build 05 CC.
Weird thing is that it is not 100% of the time. If I pull into the driveway leaning to the drivers side then it is real bad..... 1.5" lower.
If I pull straight in after a level approach it is not so noticable.

Could it be a hanging shackle....meaning it is just hanging up and not rebounding to where it should be?

I plan on taking it in this week. I have been through the process of checking it against full and empty tanks and it is the same.

rjspitz · 08-27-2005, 08:26 AM

I posted about this earlier. I had about 1.5" difference. Somehow it settled out after a while. Maybe just a sticking leafspring on the left side????

imjustdamngood · 08-27-2005, 06:00 PM

i've noticed this with my truck as well. I always just thought it was the ground and never really looked into it.

cali-titan · 08-27-2005, 08:23 PM

Well, this is somehow normal, the truck does not have a positive traction, so only one wheel pushes the truck so evertime you take off the truck leans onto the tire that is pushing thus bending the suspension in that corner, time after time.... if you look at an older Nissan hardbody, you will see that they all lean to one side...
See below link I mentioned it a year ago.
"http://www.titantalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17463&highlight=positive"

11-13-2004, 03:36 PM #4
cali-titan
Registered User

Member Number: 2561
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 143 The shocks will be in the same place only if it had a positive traction (posi) that is why some Domestic trucks 4x4 have them hung from the same place, in our case the Titan has aaaa... how is it called?.. an axle that powers only one wheel, (unless special conditions like going straight) so when you give gas only one wheel is pushing the truck and the rear shocks need to compensate for that..... when ever you drive behind a hardbody truck, you will see that it leans to one side, which is what will happen to our trucks once a few years go by. hope it helps.

*tortuga* · 08-27-2005, 09:32 PM

i'm pulling out the "nature of the beast" card on this one! mine does it too!!

rcantu · 08-28-2005, 02:02 PM

mine was off too especially when I added the PRG kit it made it more pronounced. It's typical in these trucks so Greg just custom grinded it for me to compensate for the offset.