RafRey
New member
It seems like it would be pretty straightforward but the instructions had me scratching my head a couple of times.
I just received my Toyota hood protector and lost two of the rubber well nuts before I got a chance to install it. I went to Home Depot and found suitable replacements in the specialty fastener section. I got 5 expansion nuts (one extra just in case), and a pack of machine screws for under $5.
The expansion nuts are course thread #8-32x15/32" and the screws are #8-32x1/2". They fit into the hood perfectly and seem a bit sturdier than the stock pieces.
After formulating my game plan, the install took about 30 minutes, I used loc-tite on every screw! New well (expansion) nuts worked out perfectly, just cranked 'em down till they grabbed and compressed. Mounting is nice and solid.
The best way to mount the outside brackets is to assemble each of them before pushing them into the factory hole under the hood. In other words, put the widest part of the expansion nut against the bracket, then add the washer, then insert the screw a couple of turns just to hold it in place. Then push the smaller diameter of the expansion nut into the hole and start turning the screw while pushing into the hood. You will feel the rubber nut start to squish. Do not tighten all the way yet. Repeat for other 3 brackets. Oh and as far as the mylar tape goes, I just left about 1/8" of it visible on the top of the hood and folded the remainder underneath. You don't need to have a big patch of mylar visible on the top.
The grill is a little trickier since you have to eyeball the location of the grill brackets. I laid the hood protector on temporarily and put the mylar tape directly under the mouting holes. This gave me an idea of where to place the brackets. I removed the hood protector and installed the grill clip. Then I lined up the upper bracket and used the double sided foam tape to attach it. Repeated for the other grill bracket.
Mounting the hood protector on the outer brackets was easy, but the grill brackets needed some finesse. Once you get all the holes lined up, the screw should find it's way. Once all screws are seated, crank 'em down. Again, I used blue loc-tite on all the screws.
Hope this info is useful to anyone who is planning on putting one of these on.
I like the look, now I just have to get my suspension project going!
I just received my Toyota hood protector and lost two of the rubber well nuts before I got a chance to install it. I went to Home Depot and found suitable replacements in the specialty fastener section. I got 5 expansion nuts (one extra just in case), and a pack of machine screws for under $5.
The expansion nuts are course thread #8-32x15/32" and the screws are #8-32x1/2". They fit into the hood perfectly and seem a bit sturdier than the stock pieces.
After formulating my game plan, the install took about 30 minutes, I used loc-tite on every screw! New well (expansion) nuts worked out perfectly, just cranked 'em down till they grabbed and compressed. Mounting is nice and solid.
The best way to mount the outside brackets is to assemble each of them before pushing them into the factory hole under the hood. In other words, put the widest part of the expansion nut against the bracket, then add the washer, then insert the screw a couple of turns just to hold it in place. Then push the smaller diameter of the expansion nut into the hole and start turning the screw while pushing into the hood. You will feel the rubber nut start to squish. Do not tighten all the way yet. Repeat for other 3 brackets. Oh and as far as the mylar tape goes, I just left about 1/8" of it visible on the top of the hood and folded the remainder underneath. You don't need to have a big patch of mylar visible on the top.
The grill is a little trickier since you have to eyeball the location of the grill brackets. I laid the hood protector on temporarily and put the mylar tape directly under the mouting holes. This gave me an idea of where to place the brackets. I removed the hood protector and installed the grill clip. Then I lined up the upper bracket and used the double sided foam tape to attach it. Repeated for the other grill bracket.
Mounting the hood protector on the outer brackets was easy, but the grill brackets needed some finesse. Once you get all the holes lined up, the screw should find it's way. Once all screws are seated, crank 'em down. Again, I used blue loc-tite on all the screws.
Hope this info is useful to anyone who is planning on putting one of these on.
I like the look, now I just have to get my suspension project going!
