Spiker Engineering Hood Struts now on Amazon

[Spiker Engineering]

For those of you who shop on Amazon (and who doesn't), our ULTIMATE Lift hood strut kits for the 3rd Gen 4Runner are now available directly from Amazon, with free Prime shipping - Amazon.com: Spiker Engineering ULTIMATE Hood Lift System for 1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner – Effortless Hood Opening up to 8” Above Stock Height – Premium Quality Gloss Black USA-made Components - Complete Kit: Automotive

Happy shopping! :banana:

 

[3bears]

good luck

 

[JZiggy]

Having just installed one of your kits on a friend's rig I have to say that your product is top notch and is even better than it was years ago... the black rivets and the blue drill-stopper tube are particularly nice touches

 

[Devbot]

Smart move, I bet you'll get a bit more money

 

[Spiker Engineering]

Having just installed one of your kits on a friend's rig I have to say that your product is top notch and is even better than it was years ago... the black rivets and the blue drill-stopper tube are particularly nice touches

Thanks [MENTION=148218]JZiggy[/MENTION]! We did make a number of improvements over the years, the black hardware and the drill stopper being the most notable. But we also upgraded to multigrip rivets, and made a number of improvements to the internals of the struts, which are not visible but are there .

 

[infamousRNR]

SICMODS LEON!!!!


hope your business continues to grow!

 

[fourfive]

For those of you who shop on Amazon (and who doesn't), our ULTIMATE Lift hood strut kits for the 3rd Gen 4Runner are now available directly from Amazon, with free Prime shipping - Amazon.com: Spiker Engineering ULTIMATE Hood Lift System for 1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner – Effortless Hood Opening up to 8” Above Stock Height – Premium Quality Gloss Black USA-made Components - Complete Kit: Automotive

Great to see your hood struts getting more exposure. They really are a quality product & really thankful for [MENTION=148218]JZiggy[/MENTION] hooking me up & doing the install. Other than some of the obvious benefits of having hydraulic hood struts like more working room or being able to open up my hood with one hand so that I still have a free hand to hold my beer, Jziggy nailed it when he said you no longer have the hood prop in the way when you're working in the engine bay. It really does make a big difference to not have to maneuver around the prop rod.

 

[ReconcileUs]

When you say a rivet gun is needed does that mean a hand riveter or air? Does it come with the rivets?

Also can you link to the installation videos?

 

[Devbot]

When you say a rivet gun is needed does that mean a hand riveter or air? Does it come with the rivets?

Also can you link to the installation videos?

They're pop rivets, either a pneumatic or hand-riveter will suffice, they both do the same job. I used a hand-riveter cause it's all I had but it worked fine, just took a minute or two longer - may or may not need an extra hand to help keep things steady while you do it. With a pneumatic you should have them secured in under a minute no problem.

 

[Spiker Engineering]

When you say a rivet gun is needed does that mean a hand riveter or air? Does it come with the rivets?

Also can you link to the installation videos?

We include all the items and hardware needed for installation, you just need to supply the tools and the man (or woman) power. The latter is well represented in this installation video:

Installing Hood Struts on my 3rd Generation (1998) Toyota 4Runner!! - YouTube

 

[ReconcileUs]

We include all the items and hardware needed for installation, you just need to supply the tools and the man (or woman) power. The latter is well represented in this installation video:

Installing Hood Struts on my 3rd Generation (1998) Toyota 4Runner!! - YouTube

Nice. Does the documentation say which size drill bit a #10 drill bit is?

 

[JZiggy]

We include all the items and hardware needed for installation, you just need to supply the tools and the man (or woman) power. The latter is well represented in this installation video:

Installing Hood Struts on my 3rd Generation (1998) Toyota 4Runner!! - YouTube

Oh, sure Leon, give 'em the video with FAYE! You don't like Tim and my install video anymore? :crybaby:

Just messing with you buddy

 

[JZiggy]

Nice. Does the documentation say which size drill bit a #10 drill bit is?

3/16" does the trick. Best to make sure it's a nice sharp one.

 

[Endlessblockades]

Oh, sure Leon, give 'em the video with FAYE! You don't like Tim and my install video anymore? :crybaby:

Just messing with you buddy

Oh dang - I forgot Faye did a YT on this! She replied to a comment I made on her channel once and I was able to briefly hang up my keyboard and retire from the internet.

 

[Spiker Engineering]

Oh, sure Leon, give 'em the video with FAYE! You don't like Tim and my install video anymore? :crybaby:

Just messing with you buddy

Haha, touche! But Faye's video uses the current Spiker kit, whereas Timmy's video was our early version (more of a prototype). Still, Timmy's video is still on our website .

Actually, I take that back, we've improved the kit even since Faye's video, and you can raise the hood as high as 8" above the stock prop rod height.

 

[Devbot]

Haha, touche! But Faye's video uses the current Spiker kit, whereas Timmy's video was our early version (more of a prototype). Still, Timmy's video is still on our website .

Actually, I take that back, we've improved the kit even since Faye's video, and you can raise the hood as high as 8" above the stock prop rod height.

I've always wondered, how exactly would one "choose" what height to set it to? If that's possible. I have your old set and currently it almost opens too high when in my garage so I always refrained from replacing them cause I didn't want to hit my hood on the garage door motor, but I also recall someone else clarifying it's just up to 8in

 

[Spiker Engineering]

Nice. Does the documentation say which size drill bit a #10 drill bit is?

#10 is about 0.193", perfect for the multigrip 3/16" rivets which measure about 0.191". A 3/16" (0.188") drill bit does work, you just need to wiggle it a bit to make the hole large enough. Or you can go up one fractional size up to 13/64" (0.203") - it's oversized, but the multigrip rivets are pretty forgiving.

 

[Spiker Engineering]

I've always wondered, how exactly would one "choose" what height to set it to? If that's possible. I have your old set and currently it almost opens too high when in my garage so I always refrained from replacing them cause I didn't want to hit my hood on the garage door motor, but I also recall someone else clarifying it's just up to 8in

Yes, exactly - it's any height between stock prop rod height and up to 8" higher. I'm tall (and my truck is not too lifted), so the +8" is perfect for me. But if you're shorter, have a highly lifted truck, low overhead clearance, ditch lights, etc, you may want to choose a lower position to suit your needs.

 

[Endlessblockades]

I've always wondered, how exactly would one "choose" what height to set it to? If that's possible. I have your old set and currently it almost opens too high when in my garage so I always refrained from replacing them cause I didn't want to hit my hood on the garage door motor, but I also recall someone else clarifying it's just up to 8in

That's a great question because even though I have also installed a set (on 2 different hoods, even) explaining it logically is giving me trouble. It has to do with how far extended the strut needs to be to reach the riveted-on end because that's where it will stop? All you need to do is choose the opened height you want for the hood (anywhere from stock to +8") and the rest is Leon magic, I guess...but I really came to say that if you leave the stock hood prop installed you can always limit the hood's extension if you need to by capturing the hood with the factory hole. I took mine off, however.

Edit - once again I failed to notice the reply above before posting. sigh

 

[Skulking]

I've always wondered, how exactly would one "choose" what height to set it to? If that's possible. I have your old set and currently it almost opens too high when in my garage so I always refrained from replacing them cause I didn't want to hit my hood on the garage door motor, but I also recall someone else clarifying it's just up to 8in

The installation instructions cover it, but basically, the bottom end is in a fixed location because of the bolt holes it uses. The top end is riveted on to the inside of the hood so it can be located to adjust the fully open height. You just prop open the hood to whatever height you want it to open to, let the struts fully extend with the hardware on them, line the hardware up where you want it and mark the holes you need to drill for the rivets. The further towards the front of the car you move them, the lower the hood will be when fully extended, and the further towards the back of the car you move them, the higher the hood will open.