Hood Struts - Sheet Metal Bending?

[basicxj]

Not to dismiss anyone who is enjoying aftermarket struts on their Land Cruiser, but I am OK with the supplied prop rod. I wouldn't want to cause metal fatigue in the aluminum hood over time by virtue of installing struts.

I have owned vehicles that used struts, torsion rods or springs to hold the hood "up," and while it is great and all I just never found the prop rod to be a deal breaker. I will monitor the forum and see if metal fatigue becomes an issue- it might not show itself in the short term, might not show itself ever. Time will tell.

 

[EOD Guy]

Not to dismiss anyone who is enjoying aftermarket struts on their Land Cruiser, but I am OK with the supplied prop rod. I wouldn't want to cause metal fatigue in the aluminum hood over time by virtue of installing struts.

I have owned vehicles that used struts, torsion rods or springs to hold the hood "up," and while it is great and all I just never found the prop rod to be a deal breaker. I will monitor the forum and see if metal fatigue becomes an issue- it might not show itself in the short term, might not show itself ever. Time will tell.

You're probably tall enough to engage/disengage the prop rod, which is wonderful and I'm envious.......LOL

I have the same concerns about the force on the sheet metal that's applied with struts. With the el-cheapos, that's simply not an issue. They barely have enough force to hold the hood open, and can be easily shut with your pinky finger. At first, I was a little skeptical but, It's a stretch for me to disengage the prop rod and I needed a solution........LOL

 

[basicxj]

You're probably tall enough to engage/disengage the prop rod, which is wonderful and I'm envious.......LOL

I have the same concerns about the force on the sheet metal that's applied with struts. With the el-cheapos, that's simply not an issue. They barely have enough force to hold the hood open, and can be easily shut with your pinky finger. At first, I was a little skeptical but, It's a stretch for me to disengage the prop rod and I needed a solution........LOL

I have a good wingspan, but at 5'9" I am a certified "manlet" compared to some of the giants roaming the US and A. I have seen some 7 footers walking about those parts. I am going to blame it on some European ancestry.

My Land Cruiser is still sitting at stock height, maybe 1/2" taller from the new rubber. Next time I pop the hood I'll have to do some observations as to whether tippy toes were required.

Back in the day when I had my MGB roadster (locking prop rods on one side for both hood and trunk), a buddy went to slam the trunk closed and bent the living out of the trunk lid because he didn't know about the prop rod.

^^ not my old car, but you get the idea.

It was so badly kinked that I had to buy a replacement. I was careful myself, still am to this day no matter what I am driving. Valuable lesson learned. My worry about metal fatigue is not how I would operate the struts but how some random service guy might...part of the reason I try to stay out of the service department.

 

[D-mac]

Not to dismiss anyone who is enjoying aftermarket struts on their Land Cruiser, but I am OK with the supplied prop rod. I wouldn't want to cause metal fatigue in the aluminum hood over time by virtue of installing struts.

The GX550 has a very similar light and floppy aluminum hood , but comes with struts,. Toyota’s engineers do not share your concerns.

 

[basicxj]

The GX550 has a very similar light and floppy aluminum hood , but comes with struts,. Toyota’s engineers do not share your concerns.

That is great- are the same provisions present on the Land Cruiser as on the GX to fit OEM struts? I would check locally, but the GX550 is even more unobtainiun around here than Land Cruisers.

It is curiosity more than concern as I am still good with the prop rod BTW, no plans to install struts. OEM+ upgrades and parts swaps are good though.

 

[supernova]

I’m so clueless about cars that whether my hood has struts or not is completely irrelevant—I have zero reason to ever open it.

 

[GR8Santini]

I’m so clueless about cars that whether my hood has struts or not is completely irrelevant—I have zero reason to ever open it.

That’s funny!
Read recently that +70% of new drivers in the last 10 years have never changed a tire, changed their oil, or even been under their own vehicle. Bet those owners will have fun trying to find a LC’s battery!

I had my Tundra 15K in Austin @ Cedar Park this week while traveling. Just after arriving for service they texted a video showing my Tundras oil condition wiped on a paper towel, air filter removed, cabin filter out, the brake pad life left by wheel, each tire depth, etc., & what they recommend for services. Pretty cool.

Service advisor said people forward them to someone they know who understands cars, because most people don’t know what they’re looking at!

Another 10 years we may be installing hood hinges instead of lifts!

 

[steveg]

That is great- are the same provisions present on the Land Cruiser as on the GX to fit OEM struts? I would check locally, but the GX550 is even more unobtainiun around here than Land Cruisers.

It is curiosity more than concern as I am still good with the prop rod BTW, no plans to install struts. OEM+ upgrades and parts swaps are good though.

Unfortunately not, they are not there. I ordered the gx550 brackets from Japan to see how they fit. You’d need to drill two holes in the inner bonnet skin and insert a couple of rivnuts. Then drill and shape a small rectangle hole on each side as the bracket has a small bent over locking tab to stop it rotating.

 

[steveg]

Not to dismiss anyone who is enjoying aftermarket struts on their Land Cruiser, but I am OK with the supplied prop rod. I wouldn't want to cause metal fatigue in the aluminum hood over time by virtue of installing struts.

I have owned vehicles that used struts, torsion rods or springs to hold the hood "up," and while it is great and all I just never found the prop rod to be a deal breaker. I will monitor the forum and see if metal fatigue becomes an issue- it might not show itself in the short term, might not show itself ever. Time will tell.

The bonnet brackets connect to the hinge mounting points, so there’s no issue with fatigue of the bonnet. What flexes slightly is the side panels on each fender that the lower strut mount bracket attaches to.

As EOD Guy has said, it’s on a small amount of flex and it’s not going to cause an issue.

 

[ultane]

On the Redline install, has anyone attempted to use a "rivet nut" in the existing hole rather than enlarging it? It seems like a simple alternative but possibly not enough of a grip for the stress of the push and pull on the hood? Thanks!

I think that the Redline method spreads the forces out a little bit more than a rivnut would. (?)

 

[Sleestak]

I’m so clueless about cars that whether my hood has struts or not is completely irrelevant—I have zero reason to ever open it.

 

[Roboman]

On the Redline install, has anyone attempted to use a "rivet nut" in the existing hole rather than enlarging it? It seems like a simple alternative but possibly not enough of a grip for the stress of the push and pull on the hood? Thanks!

On the Redline install, has anyone attempted to use a "rivet nut" in the existing hole rather than enlarging it? It seems like a simple alternative but possibly not enough of a grip for the stress of the push and pull on the hood? Thanks!

I can speak for the Plomor hood struts yes they do use “rivet nuts” there are 2 per side and then the steel mounting brackets bolt to that. Very solid.

 

[Red67FB]

Roboman, are those factory holes as well or did it require drilling? That looks like a very solid installation! Thanks!

 

[Roboman]

Roboman, are those factory holes as well or did it require drilling? That looks like a very solid installation! Thanks!

Factory holes. It was something I was concerned with prior to the install. No way was I drilling holes in the hood. The hood struts work nice as they should.