Retrofit Land Cruiser Hood Struts on 3rd Gen Taco

Has anyone tried a retrofit of hood struts from a Landcruiser or any other Toyota/Lexus with a hood with a similar weight and length. Replacement hood struts are usually around $30 vs some other brands marketed to Tacoma owners for $99 or more. I don’t see any value in the few extra parts you get to make it easier for a novice to install.

If no one has, well then I guess I’ll have a go. The kit with the rivets doesn’t seem robust enough for longterm use. Plus I always found after time most metal rivets will fatigue and come loose or break off.

 

or... $0

how often do you open your hood? does the regular hood prop not do it for you? haha

 

I have some back issues, that hood is much heavier than my BMW’s. This is my first truck, and Toyota. I have some ideas of an onboard air compressor, deep cycle batteries, and maybe adding a second inverter. So I will probably going under the hood quite often.

 

Understood! You can give the LC struts a go. hopefully someone can chime in with their homemade build.

 

I would to come up with a diy that’s strong, the parts are easily accessible and replaceable. I have an 08 BMW, and had to retrofit pieces for it. I’ve replaced the hood and trunk struts for less than $40. 2 screws and 2 ball connectors hold on each strut. I know I’m asking for trouble, nut how hard could it possibly be?

 

I'm going to guess that after all is done you are going to wish you just bought a set for $99.

 

Ya $100 isn’t worth anyone’s time to retrofit something else.

 

If you worry about the rivets getting fatigue and coming loose overtime, try rinuts. Thats what I used on mine

 

Yes, I might spend more than $100, but I’ll have some peace of mind. Rinuts, thanks Alfamua , I was planning on using these, didn’t know what they were called. I’m not impressed with the design with Redline, besides I’m stubborn that way, love to tinker.

 

To each there own. I’ve had redline for a few years, not sure what you have an issue with in their design. Good luck.

 

Tinkerer=duct tape and bubble gum.
Signed,
Engineer.

 

Spent $85 after taxes on Amazon for Sokietech no drill hood struts. Check em out if you aren't too keen on the Redline.

 

Hmm! Buying expensive battery and compressor yet balking at buying purpose built struts?

Also Sokie Tech doesn’t use rivets

 

Thanks for all the input, I will definitely look at the Sokietech. So I’m not balking at the price of the kits, after watching people install the kit struts, they don’t look like they last too long.

 

I installed mine Redline struts almost four years ago and they are just like new.

 

The quality of struts is vastly different in the Chinese "$30 replacement struts" and the premium struts used in the more expensive kits. So you are paying a premium mostly for the struts, not the attach hardware.

If you dislike rivets, then rivnuts are definitely an option. But there's nothing with rivets, airplanes are held together with rivets .

 

The Tacoma also has rivets within the suspension. (E.g shackle hanger)