[gf0012-aust]

can anyone tell me if the firewall areas immediately next to the existing bonnet hinges (inside of each) is clear to drill into and strong enough to take load bearing self tappers?

I'm mounting hydraulic rams for the bonnet.

 

[Trav]

hey there. i'd personally be mounting them onto the skirt unless you have the very short ones that attach to the hinge itself at some position. could you throw up an image and ill let ya know the best place to fit them

 

[gf0012-aust]

hey there. i'd personally be mounting them onto the skirt unless you have the very short ones that attach to the hinge itself at some position. could you throw up an image and ill let ya know the best place to fit them

thanks, but just measured up and plugged one in:

will do the other side on the weekend when I've got more time and am not rushed...

other install shots in photbucket link.

 

[Grumpybum]

then you will have to tell type, make and push pounds ey

 

[Trav]

looking good. yea that should be plenty strong enough there. its not like you open and close your bonnet like a door so any dramas if any (there shouldnt be) wil take a long time to show.

 

[gf0012-aust]

then you will have to tell type, make and push pounds ey

Standard Toyota Hiace replacement struts.

I chose them as them they're designed for heavy lift and the fact that these came with the frame mounting hinges.

The second one isn't needed as the force to close it will compromise the firewall, basically I'd have to holesaw the strut and fit a backing plate and bolt rather than self tap - a single strut is more than strong enough to take the bonnet weight - esp when you compare it to the weight of a Hiace tailgate.

so the second strut will go on the other patrol ...

 

[Trav]

might pay ya to use a softer strut it that one is tight. you'll end up twisting your bonnet or something. it only needs to just hold the bonnet up not force it up.
could you tell me the pressure of the strut you are using. i have quite a few varying pressure struts laying arround from a job i did and might look at throwing one om my troll

 

[gf0012-aust]

might pay ya to use a softer strut it that one is tight. you'll end up twisting your bonnet or something. it only needs to just hold the bonnet up not force it up.
could you tell me the pressure of the strut you are using. i have quite a few varying pressure struts laying arround from a job i did and might look at throwing one om my troll

its not forcing the bonnet.

when you install the strut you do it at maximum strut extension - so its not forcing the bonnet out of normal arc. ie support bonnet via normal support bar, measure up the strut and secure. any bonnet droop will be the same as if it was held up on one side by the support bar

once the bonnet is down the strut is unable to misalign the bonnet as its in the normal triangle lock down, ie L, R, Clip. it won't push it out of alignment as it can't.

the reason for the hiace was its designed to carry a heavy gate, so its not going to fade as fast as a normal bonnet strut (eg off a falcon)

if you wanted to be technical I guess you'd look at struts that carry similar weight. eg I imagine a magna wagon 5th door is probably slightly heavier than the troll bonnet, so a pair of those struts might do.

the other issue was that the other struts I looked at required ball socket joints to be mounted as strut receivers, the hiace was already fitted with frame hinges, so it was not going to be difficult to fit and place as long as there was enough realestate on the firewall, and as long as the other hinges could mount on the bonnet subframe.

 

[Trav]

ok, firstly, the twisting will come from when you close the bonnet because a bonnet usually closes on two hinges positioned to pivit at the same point, if you add some returen force to just one of those hinges you will f*** your bonnet. you will be better off with two lighter pressure struts which will even out the force. i have seen many times tail gates on all sorts of vehicles that have too heavy struts fitted and the gate cracks at the newly created pivot point (the struts). you will end up with a bend in your bonnet at some point with that strut.

 

[gf0012-aust]

ok, firstly, the twisting will come from when you close the bonnet because a bonnet usually closes on two hinges positioned to pivit at the same point, if you add some returen force to just one of those hinges you will f*** your bonnet. you will be better off with two lighter pressure struts which will even out the force. i have seen many times tail gates on all sorts of vehicles that have too heavy struts fitted and the gate cracks at the newly created pivot point (the struts). you will end up with a bend in your bonnet at some point with that strut.

I'll have a look around for some hatch struts to see the difference....

 

[sudso]

Do you think the struts will try to push through the firewall? I'd put a light strut on each side, just enough to help lift it and still use the factory bonnet stay. Thinking of doing similar to mine, I have to stand on my tippy toes to hold my bonnet up high enough to sit the bonnet stay in.