[oldf150]

New to the forum. Background: Long term Nissan guy since 1984. Needed a full-sized pick up in 2003. No Nissan full size at that time. Got a 2003 F150. Decent truck but never fell in love with it. But, 13 years old now and starting to have issues. Frequent codes, coils going bad, etc etc.

So I'm looking at getting a used Titan. Probably around 2012. Looking to spend less than $30k.

What I'll use it for: Travel back and forth to my farm/hunting cabin. Occasional daily driver use but mostly weekends. Towing a 20 foot car trailer a few times a year (total 5000 lbs) but often long distances. Needs to be comfortable and reliable. Towing same trailer with my tractor on it maybe once a year (total 7000 lbs), towing two horse trailer a few times a year. Moderate off road use once a month. Heavy off road use maybe once a year. The F150 did all this just fine but not great.

My questions are: 1) Any common or even hidden flaws in the 2012? Any major issues I should know about? 2) The locking rear diff really appeals to me and I think it is only available in the Pro X 4. If I decide I can live without the locking diff is there anything else about the Pro X 4 that I couldn't live without for my uses? (Luxury stuff, leather seats, electronic gadgets etc make no difference to me). 3) Any reason to look at other brands? The Toyota looks good but I rarely feel like I need to spend extra money to get a Toyota and never have. Again, the F150 has been a decent and fairly reliable truck but not really wanting to stick with Ford.

Thanks for any quick general advice you can give. (I have not done a search. If this is the type of site that members insist on everyone using a search before posting, I apologize and will do so.)

George
South Carolina

 

[dubyam]

George, you're very likely to be well-served by the Titan. It will tow your loads, but you may want to invest in a good weight-distributing hitch if you don't have one already, for the heavier loads. The horse trailer may be a problem, if it's heavier (loaded) than about 8500lbs. A two-horse should be something like a couple or three thousand empty, and two horses would add roughly another 2000-2500lbs, unless you have draft horses. That's well within the range. but if you have a heavy, all-steel trailer, weight could be over 5k and if your horses and gear are heavy, you'll be up close to max with the T, which is just over 9k.

Also, be sure whatever you buy has the 3.36 gears, otherwise you'll be limited to around 7k towing and you might be over with your tractor if the weights are not exact. Check the diff sticker on the snout of the rearend for the ratio.

I use my 2011 Pro4x pretty well like you've described. Long distance hauling of the Scout Troop Trailer (3500-4000lbs), hauling gear and people all around, and up on my mountain deer lease here in northern Alabama. So far, I have zero complaints.

You'll want to be sure the exhaust manifolds are good (they crack somewhat frequently around 80-100k) and you'll want to be sure you have a mechanic look it over for axle seal leaks, radiator leaks/cracks, and check the trans fluid for color and smell. Beyond that, the motor/trans are pretty bulletproof.

 

[oldf150]

Thanks. Good advice. Two horse trailer is small, aluminum bumper pull at around 2000 lbs. so even with two horses it is less than my tractor.

 

[dubyam]

Happy to help. For reference, I towed that Scout Troop Trailer from here in northern Alabama over to Canton, NC, with the route taking us up through Knoxville and across the Smokies east of there on the interstate. For a week of summer camp, that thing was loaded with all the Scouts' foot lockers, various gear and regalia, and had an estimated weight of 4200-4300lbs. I additionally had some of my gear in my truck bed (maybe 300lbs of stuff) and myself and four others in my Crew Cab. Aside from seeing it in my mirrors, I never knew the trailer was back there, even up and down through the mountains.

 

[oldf150]

Good to know. Been comparing specs with the Tundra. Tundra has better torque and HP but the Titan seems to have better torque at lower (usable) RPMs. Tundra costs a lot more. I did not see a diff lock option on Tundra. So, I'm not looking at the Tundra any more. The comparable 2012 F150 has much higher towing capacity (11k pounds vs Titan 9300 pounds) but for my expected uses that is not significant. Fords go for about the same price as the Nissan but do not have locking diff or rail system in bed (which I will use a lot). So, I'm pretty much set on the Titan.

Pro-4X models can be harder to find than the other trim levels but I can wait until one pops up. Hope to find one for less than $30k with less than 40k miles on it.

Part of me wants to stick with the old Ford. I like using a vehicle for a long time. I don't love it but it has grown on me. And I don't like new trucks (I tend to beat them up a bit). But the check-engine-light is starting to pop on a lot and the nickel-and-dime repairs are starting to add up even when I do them myself. I'm also a bit nervous about towing my car 5 hours from home and having an issue, etc. Plus the rear window leaks (apparently a recurring feature on the F150 across decades of models) and it smells like mildew inside.

 

[abmobil]

I think a Titan especially a 2012 or so will serve your needs very well. I have the standard 2.94 gears so my Titan is factory rated for 7400 lbs. I towed a Frontier on a uhaul trailer 200 miles. It towed beautifully. Total load was a little over 6500 lbs.

 

[honda250xtitan]

2012 pro4x will be awesome for what you need and you'll be super impressed with the power compared to the ford. on paper the titan doesn't seem impressive, but they haul ***, especially compared to the 5.4's.

 

[avmaldo]

You should definitely be able to find a 2012 for under $30k. I found my used 2011 pro4x last year with 47k miles well under that.

 

[Titan4xpro]

I bought my 2014 Pro 4x with 16k miles a year ago for 32K so you should be able to find one in that price range easy

 

[FishnAlaska]

I had and old 01 F150 with the 5.4 and 7700 package, no comparison to the Titan. Not sure if you were a member of any of the Ford forums (I was on FTE for a long time), but they are crap compared to this one

 

[nightowl]

Cracked manifolds are a problem on all year Titans, so much I have made a business out of it. The 90-130k mile mark seem to be the average mileage this ordeal happens. Most will replace the manifolds with my header package the Stage 1 which will boost the power output to a totally different level. Look at the axle seals before you purchase and check for leaks as that is somewhat a issue also but more so on the early year Titans. I have 165K on my 05 and it's been a great truck with huge power eqivilent to all these new 400hp models out there. Good luck and welcome back..

 

[Indy]

I just switched from an Expedition (5.4L) to a 2013 Titan and had no trouble staying under 30k when shopping for one and that is completely loaded, so on the used market, can't beat the value. Fuel mileage took a slight hit but nothing disastrous, but from a comfort on long trips, the seats in the Titan rock, can't speak for towing yet as I haven't hooked anything up to it yet, but will be definitely testing it out soon as the weather is warming up, it sure feels like it should be more than capable though.

Just need to do a rear axle vent kit when you get it that is what I would say is the only weak point as everything else is fix when it breaks in my book.

 

[oldf150]

Again, thanks for all the good advice.

Two questions:
1) Where do you look for axle seal leaks? Front? Around dust boots? Rear?? Wheel side of the hub? Behind the hub?

2) What is a rear axle vent kit? Not the same as a diff vent? Is it a DIY or does it involve tapping the axle housing?

Thanks again guys. Looking online at a red 2012 Pro-4x, pretty loaded. 33k miles. $29k.

 

[dubyam]

Axle seals leak on the rear. Duck your head under and look for wet spots on the back of the backing plate and around the end of the axle.

The vent kit is essentially the same as the diff vent. From the factory, Nissan puts a little spring loaded doohicky in a threaded hole in the rear axle housing. That little doohicky gets clogged and gunked up, and stops working properly, leading to a negative pressure situation inside the housing. Not good for the seals. So you can buy a Nissan part which is essentially a hose barb fitting which will thread in in place of the existing doohicky, then add some fuel line and a fuel filter acting as a breather vent up behind the passenger tail light. Search the forum for axle vent mod and you'll find it. Cajun sells a kit, but you can also source the parts yourself, if you want to go to the trouble. It's about $20-25 to source yourself, and I think the kit from Cajun is $39. Up to you how much your time is worth. If you source the parts yourself, just be sure to get a fuel filter with no check valve, or you'll have the same problem as factory, only worse. One way airflow is not a good thing in a vent.

Sounds like you may have found a good one. Check it out thoroughly and ask a lot of questions here if need be.

 

[oldf150]

I still have not purchased a Titan yet. A large branch fell on my F150 the other day and I'm hoping they will total it. If so, I'll have a Titan within a week or so! If they don't total it, probably sell it within the month.

Anyway, I now have a question about the OEM electronic locking diff. Sounds like a great feature. I would not need it often but I would use it occasionally. So, questions: Is it limited to a certain speed, 20mph or so? What happens if that speed is exceeded? Also, when not engaged is the diff completely open or is it an LSD?

If it is completely open when the e-diff is not engaged I'm not sure that would be a great feature since an LSD would be more useful much more of the time (snow, moderate offroading, trailering, etc.)

I'm sure this discussion has been beat to death but I did do a Google search and did not find much specific to the Titan.

Finally, if I decided the e-Diff was not a critical option, what else would I lose by not going with a Pro-4x?

Thanks guys.

 

[FishnAlaska]

A big difference is the Pro 4x comes with 3.36 gears, which ups your towing capacity to 9200 pounds from the 7200 with 2.94 gears. Don't let them fool you if you don't get a Pro4x, the Tow package does not include the 3.36 gears, it is the max utility package that has the 3.36 gears.

 

[oldf150]

Thanks Fishn. So you are saying the only way to get the 3.36 gearing is the Pro 4x?

Do you know if the diff is completely open when the e-diff is disengaged?

 

[oldf150]

A little more searching and I've found out that the locking diff only works at speeds less than 4mph and only in 4 - Low. Seems kind of lame. Yes, there might be a rare occasion that this would be handy, but not enough to buy the Pro-4x just for _this_ option as it would be useless 99.99% of the time. The F150 seems to have a much better implementation of the locking diff. My current F150 has been decent but not great. Rear window has leaked for years. Etc. So I'm hesitant to look at Fords again.

So right now only other feature that really sells me on the Pro-4x is the Utilitrack system.

 

[honda250xtitan]

A little more searching and I've found out that the locking diff only works at speeds less than 4mph and only in 4 - Low. Seems kind of lame. Yes, there might be a rare occasion that this would be handy, but not enough to buy the Pro-4x just for _this_ option as it would be useless 99.99% of the time. The F150 seems to have a much better implementation of the locking diff. My current F150 has been decent but not great. Rear window has leaked for years. Etc. So I'm hesitant to look at Fords again.

So right now only other feature that really sells me on the Pro-4x is the Utilitrack system.

the e-locker can be bypassed and used at any speeds. simple wiring job. BUT yes, stock its only available for use in 4lo. if you need it in 4lo you're in a tough spot though. the 4hi function on these trucks is phenomenal. i've used my locker probably 10 times in the years I've owned my two titans.

technically the rear end uses the ABS or ABLS? to sense when one tire is loosing traction. basically its an open diff though. I've only felt it actually work how its promoted once, that was last week when i was in 4hi crawling slowly up a steep incline on a washed out trail.

 

[avmaldo]

I don't think it's a great idea to engage the e locker at higher speed anyway. I've read the diff can get chewed up.