In this video I’m showing you how to install hood struts on a 2024+ (4th gen) Toyota Tacoma so you can finally ditch the factory hood prop rod. This is one of those small mods that you use constantly, and it instantly makes the engine bay feel more “premium” because the hood opens smoother, stays up hands-free, and sits higher for better access. The best part: it’s a no-drill install that uses factory mounting points. I walk through what comes in the kit (two struts, upper mounts, and two different lower mounts) and how to identify left vs right—the left lower bracket has a bend, the right is flat. Tools are simple: a 12mm ratcheting wrench, and a small impact with a 12mm socket if you want to speed it up. I show the upper bracket orientation (hole on top, ball facing inward), then the lower mounting locations on both sides—passenger side near the battery/fuse box area using an existing threaded hole, and driver side near the ABS/brake components using a factory bolt. Once the brackets are on, you just snap the struts onto the ball studs, support the hood while you remove the prop rod, and you’re done.