Please help with redline strut install...

trying to avoid drilling more holes than necessary.

Following instructions Page 1, step 3;

I am aligning the bottom of the bracket to the horizontal mark I made at 16 1/4 inches. The backside of the bracket is 1 3/4 inches from the hoods edge when I mark the center of the lower whole with a permanent marker.

Now on step 4A, i'm told to hold the bracket again in the same orientation but the inside of that should not be a line to the inside edge of the hood frame which is not the same as I was told in the previous step.

Now on step 4B, I'm told center punch the center of the dot I just made. Only I haven't been instructed to make another dot and what was the point of holding up the bracket again if not to make that dot?

The pictures of the step show the bracket is flush to the inside frame but it's clearly a different hood in the picture as the previously referenced crush point is not in the right place. Anyone got a real up close picture of that upper bracket?

Anyone else run into problems like this? Any ideas? I'm not drilling till I know for sure. Thanks

 

Which upper bracket pic do you want?

 

The upper strut bracket, driver side.

 

@Robman Here you go! Need any more?

 

Thanks. Ok that looks like it's in line with the measurements. Just not with the pics of step 4.

 

You are welcome! Glad to help.

 

Subbed for when I do mine....

 

So what was it? 1 3/4 in from edge of the hood or flush with the inner egde?

 

I went with 1 3/4" and everything cleared. What it boils down to is that Step 4A of Tacoma Version 1.04 1/13 of the instructions should be ignored. In my opinion.

 

I'll check. I wonder why they included that step after.

 

Me too. I emailed them and they replied. Mostly surprised that no-one had ever asked before. This was the text of the email i sent minus the pictures i used in the email

Aloha redlinetuning.com;


I just wanted to take a moment to go over part of the directions supplied with the QuickLIFT kit for 2005+ Toyota Tacoma Version 1.04 1/13. I write this email in the hopes of preventing future confusion, not as a complaint. Thankfully, I was able to tap resources at tacomaworld.com whose users supplied pictures of the correct installation and prevented any real problems for me. Except, I will say I was disappointed that my brackets were not black as indicated in all the pictures on your website, although I do acknowledge it was in the description but who reads descriptions?


I have a 2014 Tacoma. The confusion is in the very early steps when trying to mount the hood brackets. Both the text and the pictures are confusing.


First the pictures do not match my Tacoma Hood and they do not follow the text description in the directions.


In Step 3A, “the bracket will span the hood frame’s crush rib…” but the picture shows the bracket is BELOW the crush rib;

deleted picture....

Also from the picture above, please note the user is holding the bracket 1 ¾” from the hood’s edge and the inboard side of the bracket is right against the start of the curved edge of the inner support however,

deleted picture...

on the hood of the 2014 (below), the curved edge is at least ¼” away from the inboard side of the bracket when the outboard edge of the bracket is 1 ¾” from the hood’s edge; Again I submit, this is not the same hood.

deleted picture...


Now for the text;


In step 3B, we are aligning the bracket 16 ¼” from the hood’s hinge and 1 ¾” from the hood’s edge. At the end of step B, we are told to “Mark the center of the lower hole

using a permanent marker…”


Turn the page and in Step 4A, we are told again to hold the small hood bracket but are told “The inside edge of the bracket should be aligned with the inside edge of the hood frame as shown in Figure 2 (where the metal round begins).” Well this just isn’t true for the 2014. And what’s more confusing, is we already aligned the bracket and made a mark in Step 3B. In Step 4A, we are told only to align the bracket using the metal round edge as a guide, not the 1 ¾” mark and furthermore there is no instruction to make a mark. So this entire step seems pointless.


In Step 4B, we are told “Using a center punch and a hammer, tap the center of the dot you just made”. Again I say, what dot. The one we made in Step 3B or the one we didn’t make in Step 4A.


I think the bottom line is, Step 4A should be removed and the pictures should be updated(at least for 2012+ hoods) The rest of the instructions were clear and easy to follow.


If I’ve read this wrong, then please correct me, I’ve been trying to understand how others are not as confused as I was. If this was actually helpful and you want to thank me, you could send me some black brackets and new rivets so I can replace this ugly zinc coated ones on my truck.



Thanks for reading;

 

Glad this was brought up. I have read the instructions several times and those steps that you are describing didn't make sense to be either. I haven't installed anything yet. I guess I am trying to absorb the confused instructions in hopes of understanding it better. After reading this, i'm glad I wasn't the only one confused. Thanks for the info.

 

It's not that hard guys!

 

I went with the 1 3/4 inch step. No issues.

 

Yes is really simple, the instructions not so much.

 

You're welcome.

 

One of my favorite, most functional mods on my rig! Love them.