Built to Battle: Nissan Titan XD
Any time we’re afforded the opportunity to climb aboard a new vehicle, we indulge ourselves. Most recently, we crossed paths with this Magnetic Black, crew cab Nissan Titan XD. The 5/8-ton pickup is equipped with Nissan’s top-of-the-line Platinum Reserve package and the optional 5.0L Cummins V8. It’s a unique truck, in a class all its own — and with one of the freshest diesel engines under the hood.
Still in its infancy, relatively few aftermarket add-ons are available for the heavy-duty Titan. But, enough of a selection exists to improve both the truck’s on-and-off-road capabilities, along with its appearance. After spending some time in the capable hands of J.B.’s 4x4 — a company based in Kingman, Indiana, that specializes in one-off Jeeps, custom fabrication and first-rate diesel conversions — this particular Nissan was graced with several off-the-shelf items. Then, to better serve its intended purpose, a set of custom front and rear bumpers were added.
Join us as we pinpoint the components that set this Nissan Titan XD apart from the rest.
A Bumper That Means Business
Built by J.B.’s 4x4, the paint-matched front bumper was constructed using varying thicknesses of steel, with the winch area and brackets being made of 3/8-inch material. While the custom piece is aesthetically appealing, there is more than meets the eye. Due to the dual 2.5-inch receiver tubes being built into the bumper, the front park assist sensors had to be slightly modified and then re-oriented in order to work properly.
Custom Rear Bumper
J.B.’s 4x4 also incorporated the rear park assist sensors into the custom rear bumper, which retains the factory mounting points. On top of doing a superb job matching the bumper to the contour of the Titan’s rear rocker panels, additional receiver tubes were built into the bumper.
Warn Winch
Enclosed in the front bumper rests a 12,000-pound Warn winch, which is accompanied by a roller fairlead welded to the bumper. A ProLink XXL shackle mount permits use of closed system winching, features a 16,000-pound rating and utilizes a stout, 3/4-inch diameter shear pin.
The Cummins Cue
The big, bold badging that comes on these things from the factory (rivaling the size of the Titan XD emblem itself) calls attention to the Cummins under the hood, which in our opinion delivers. The dual overhead cam, 32-valve, 90-degree V8 produces 310 hp at 3,200 rpm, along with 555 lb-ft of torque at just 1,600 rpm. Only a decade ago, you would’ve had no other choice but to buy a ¾-ton or larger truck if you wanted to see these kinds of horsepower and torque numbers (the 5.9L Cummins, 6.6L Duramax and 6.0L Power Stroke, respectively).
Two-Stage Turbo, 5.0L V8
Buried beneath the intake manifold and mounted in the lifter valley is the factory sequential (two-stage) turbo arrangement. The two-stage system provides instant boost and is a big reason why the torque curve sticks around so long after its 1,600 rpm peak. Thus far in the aftermarket, an extra 150hp and 410 lb-ft of twist has been unlocked on the Cummins-powered Titan XD’s, thanks to custom tuning. We hope to bring you more information on that in the future.
On-Board Air Compressor
An onboard ARB air compressor is concealed behind the coolant overflow reservoir under the hood. The CKMA12 model is a popular and reliable mid-grade compressor for off-roaders looking to run air lockers yet also have the capacity to air up tires as large as 35 inches in diameter.
Out of Sight (Not Out of Mind)
Very cleanly done, the switch for the ARB air compressor was installed inside the glove box. We’re big fans of concealing the presence of aftermarket switches such as this, especially on brand new vehicles. Who really wants to take a drill bit to the dash of a brand-new truck anyway?
Air Springs
To maintain a leveled, controlled ride when hooked to a trailer, an air spring system from AirLift was added. The Load Lifter 5000 that made its way onto the truck provides 5,000 pounds worth of load leveling capacity and will have no problem helping the Titan live up to its 12,300 pound max towing capacity.
Leveling Kit
Raising the Titan’s front end is a 2-inch leveling kit from Fabtech. Heavy-duty spacers constructed from1/4-inch-thick steel are included and the system was engineered to completely eliminate tie rod end and ball joint bind at full suspension droop.
Plush Interior
Inside the cab, the diesel clatter is all but tamed, which can be attributed to both the Bosch high-pressure common-rail injection system and Cummins’ extensive reduction of the engine’s NVH. Under throttle, the faint growl of the 5.0L Cummins vaguely reminds us of the 6.7L Power Stroke.
Titan Boxes
It’s hard to deny the versatility that comes with springing for the optional in-bed Titan boxes. Not only do they provide lockable storage, but they can easily be removed if all available bed space is needed — not to mention the fact that they can be used as coolers.
Gun Black “Armory” Wheels
Keeping with the black-on-black theme, a set of 18x9.5-inch Black Rhino Armory wheels were added to the mix. The bolt-face design and gun black finish of the six-lug (6x139.7 mm) rims made them a hit at the 2016 SEMA Show.
