ebay find: hood struts 2005+

This is one of my favorite mods on the truck. I really hate prop rods and the RedLines are a good product. They were an easy install, just measure carefully, twice.

 

Yes you could. Most premium cars use struts to hold the hood up. My 06 Z4 has them and they still work perfectly after 8yrs. My 07 Q7 also had them with no issues in 7yrs. The only reason the Taco doesn't have them is cost. Other Toyota's and Lexus's have them... i would expect the Elite version of these to hold up for many years.

 

It is a tight fit, I agree. I press the stock cable to the LEFT side of the strut cylinder each time I close the gate, or else it doesn't like to close. The tight fit comes from interference with the swaged end of the factory cable. If it were straightened out, it would clear better...however, that would lengthen the cable and make it longer than the Right side one. Solution? Probably remove the factory cable as an earlier writer did.

 

Sub'd!

 

I noticed the tight fit when installed with the stock tailgate stay, so removed the stay and it's much better. No reason for my truck to have both, as it doesn't get a ton of heavy weight on the tailgate. Still a tad of interference at one point between the strut and plastic tailgate liner, that a Dremel will solve when I get around to it...just a small relief should do it.

I really love it, and plan to install the Plus hood struts when there's time in my day...lying there in box for over six months! My '73 Z-car has interjected itself and sucked all the air from my shop

 

I ended up with the PLUS model and I love these things, you won't regret getting them. If you're like me you will probably want to rivet both the top and bottom mounts on. I really don't like the idea of using self-tappers on my truck.

 

Poofyfoot, Thanks for the great idea on rivets...I'm a sheet-metal fastener hater, also. Can't wait to get those hood struts installed. Every time I raise the bonnet, I think about not dropping it on myself before getting the rod up and locked...then, it's in the way!
Don't know what kind of pipes you have, but I LOVE my AERO Exhaust Catback...SOUNDS!