HIGH-LIFT Hood Strut by Spiker Engineering mod for 1st Gen Tacoma

It might just be something weird with my Safari here at work, they block some websites for the dumbest reasons lol.

 

Off road truck porn. "Damn, look at that suspension, I'd hit whoops with that!!!"

 

Got mine installed today! Great product, quality components, and easy to follow instructions. Should have done this years ago! Thanks again

 

I just wanted to show that this was about a month after install and I can assure you that there is definitely a little bit of chassis flexing going on in the picture below. I don't really do anything too crazy (i.e. black diamond rated trails) as I'm more into the easy/moderate, which this trail is considered "moderate", but as you can see, still fairly gnarly.

Anyways, to this day, the struts are STILL in good working order and I honestly am glad I did it. I just lift the hood and it just does the rest.


The back end finally coming down and my right front at max wheel travel.

My point, again, putting the hood struts into some real world use and taking note after the fact of how they're holding up... doing very well to this day!!!


@SpikerEng

 

@BLKTRUCK Oscar... here's what I was talking about. You'll like your struts.

 

Nicely done! To much work for me but looks great lol!

 

Thanks Randy, I can't wait to install these bad boys.

 

@SpikerEng Leon, how have you been?

So an update, the struts are STILL holding VERY WELL!!!

So, about that update... I just installed a K&N CAI and the strut clears the K&N heat shield.

If anything, it barely, I mean barely rubs the rubber tubing that goes around the heat shield. In my humble opinion, "I" would NOT worry about it. (see picture below)




I closed the hood just enough before it latches and you can tell there is still plenty of space before the hood is completely closed.


Like I said, it barely rubs and I personally wouldn't worry.

That part of the heat shield area is somewhat "adjustable". So one could probably move it a bit more inward and away from the strut? Again, it is barely rubbing. Me, I'm not all too worried as it is basically just touching, more or less, and there seems to be no noticeable stress on the strut in that part of the strut where it touches.

I don't know, I'll look into it more here soon and try to update that part ASAP so people know what to expect.

Btw Leon, you should TRY to go to the San G event and maybe setup a table to where people can check out your products and maybe ask questions?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2024-san-g-family-reunion-09-20-22.759944/page-48#post-29897736

 

Thanks @WileECoyote , good to know about the K&N filter. What some folks have done on the 3rd Gens was use some tin snips to make a small notch in the area where the strut comes close to the cold air box, then put the rubber gasket back on. But it sounds like on the 1st Gen, that may not even be needed.

I'd love to take you up on the San G event suggestion, but we've moved up to Portland, so it's a bit of a hike from here!