Hood Struts

I'm in the process of ordering the Redline hood struts and in searching the forum I saw a post where you have to move the truck alarm for the hood struts to be installed. I have a 2008 access cab, sport package and was wondering if this is true. Nothing in the Redline instructions mentions this. I was wondering with so many of you guys having installed the hood struts if this is true. I might contact redline and see what they have to say. Thanks for the help.

 

Do you have the factory Toyota alarm?

I've got an 07 Sport access cab - but I have the standard keyless entry/emoblizer key but NOT factory alarm...

I installed hood struts and didn't have to remove anything.

 

Probably you will need to do this, I do have an '08 and there is a push-pin switch under the hood that might get in the way when the hood is closed and the hood struts are installed. Print their installation instrucctions and measure as they instruct, once this see if this push-pin will be affected by the installation.

Good Luck.

Here is the link... is a PDF file format file:
http://www.redlinetuning.com/manuals/QL-TOYOTA-TACOMA_05+101.pdf

 

I just did this on my '08. I do not have the alarm, so there was no switch that I had to worry about. BUT the instructions on where the strut mounts to the fender is wrong.

It says to measure from the front fender bolt, but you need to measure from the MIDDLE fender bolt 8 1/4" back towards the cab.

Check out my pictures.

GA

 

I have the keyless entry and what ever alarm comes with it. I thought they all came with a alarm. I know I have a little red light that blinks when the engine is off. I assumed this is the alarm.
That is good info gavonder about where the strut mounds to the fender. How did you figure that out. Followed the instructions and then the struts didn't work properly? Found out the hard way?

 

When I held the strut up to the location, it became obvious that it would not work. Then I studied the pictures and I could tell where it should be. Luckily, I had not drilled anything yet!

GA

 

Good job gavonder. You should let redline know there is a flaw in their instructions.

 

gavonder, where is Bethel CT. My daughter used to live in East Granby, CT. I haded to visit her in the winter. you guys sure get the snow.

 

If the flashing light is a car shaped one in the center console between radio and climate controls it's just the factory immobilizer. That's standard on all the trucks, but an actual alarm is optional.

 

I thought it was all 05+ tacomas.

I have yet to hear about anyone with a newer tacoma without a chipped key, and I don't think it was optional when I bought mine.

Edit:
Apparently not all trucks... Seems standard across DC's, but not available at all for base model RC's for example. Just did a quick search on toyota.com (which was COMPLETELY redone recently! lol).

 

I did drop them an e-mail about the instructions.

Bethel is in south west CT., near Danbury.

 

My '07 access cab 4cyl does not have the immobilizer and no chipped key. I went to get a duplicate key made at a locksmith's shop and his book showed that it took the key with the chip, but when I insisted it wasn't he tested it and his gizmo confirmed no chip.

 

yeah, I edited my post..... Interesting that the locksmith had the wrong info too.

 

I guess I just have the immoblizer and no alarm. Don't know the difference but plan to do the research.

 

I have the factory alarm and was going to sell the struts, but ended up moving the hood pin switch. You have to move it past the rubber hood bumper making sure it is past the bracket location you measure out on the actual hood. I went to re-install it and noticed there is no support under the fender section like there was in the original location, so I drilled through the outer and inner fender skin and put 3 washers between the sections to provide a bit of support and used the original bracket.

 

You have solved a question on how to do it, since I also have this setup (alarm pin switch) and I'm planning to add the hood struts. Is there enough wire to do this move? or did you add more cable to the already one installed?
If second option, Do you have any pictures of setup?

Regards.

 

I have the C2C hood struts and I have the alarm. I just moved the switch to the fender bolt closer to the headlights...it reached with a little extra wire. No big operation at all and works fine.

 

Installed my hood struts today with no problem. Don't have the alarm so nothing to move. Thanks gavonder for the heads up on measuring from the center fender bolt. The instructions says measure from the front fender bolt but the picture shows the middle bolt. The hood struts are great, can't believe it took me so long to get around to them.

 

Thanks for the heads up, I just ordered a set of struts from Redline.