Spiker Engineering High lift hood struts for the 3rd Gen Tacoma

Interesting.. I ordered 12/27 and have yet to get a shipping notification.

 

The first batch of kits shipped is for orders placed in the first two days of the pre-order, so 12/21-22. Yours will be in the second batch .

 

Got my Spiker high lift hood struts yesterday and installed them today.

The installation couldn't have been easier and the quality/packaging of components impressed me.

I didn't think I would be so happy to have more room and the convenience of a strut-lifted hood but it is fantastic. I'm very happy I bought these.

 

Any ETA on second batch?

 

Very nice. Can you please post some closer pictures of the passenger side lower strut bracket? Thanks

 

Second batch should go out this Tuesday. Then the rest of the orders will go out the following Tuesday, and after that we'll be able to fulfill all future orders the same day .

 

Can you post a picture of the rivet gun tool you used. Most hand rivet gun tools are good for aluminum rivets, some sizes of steel, and not any good for stainless rivets. 3/16" is a large steel rivet not recommended for use with most hand rivet tools.

 

Anyone using rivet nut instead?

 

I have this one:

$28 Astro Pneumatic Tool 1423 1/4" Heavy Duty 13" Hand Riveter

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039697ME/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And this one:

$56 Sherman Marson 39000 HP-2 Professional Hand Riveter

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00063Y1F6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I know which one I will choose, IF I have access.

 

The quoted rivet gun is what I used

 

So you had plenty of room to use the “bolt cutter” style rivet gun?

 

The lower brackets are going the same place regardless of height, right?

Because of this, you can prop the hood open plenty far enough to rivet the base brackets. Then, lower it down to your desired set height and rivet the uppers to the hood.

I had enough room to use it without interference. I might suggest putting some tape on the thin edge of the fender to keep from rubbing the paint off. You'll see what I mean when you're in there

 

Makes a ton of sense.

For some (idiotic) reason at first I was thinking the lower bracket is flat and is riveted from the inside of the engine compartment on the fender well at a 90° angle (to how they really are) and my ARB compressor would be squarely in the way. In reality it is shown perfectly well on the installation instructions and as you state. The HD riveter is so inexpensive and I use it on other stuff, so worth it tool purchase even before this Taco project. Thanks!

 

Almost any rivet gun will work - the rivets are not stainless, they are aluminum bodied with steel mandrel, so not too hard to pop. And as Ryan said, you can lift the hood higher if you need to get clearance for the "bolt cutter" type rivet gun.

As for rivnuts, that's definitely an option, use M4 or M5 size rivnuts. There are pros and cons - rivnuts/screws make the brackets removable, but also create the possibility of screws loosening or brackets shifting slightly. I'd go with the rivets, but I've seen rivnuts work out well also.

Second batch shipping notifications have gone out today.

Any more installation photos??

 

Just got a shipping notification. Also bought the angled rivet gun. I will post back in a few days with a definitive answer on whether it works.

 

Thanks, also see I’ve have a tracking # for shipment!

 

Got the shipping note

 

@SpikerEng will these clear a TRD intake airbox? Sorry if this was clarified previously, I didn't see it in the thread.

 

Ordered mine