Toyota Tundra Forum

When you install the black billet grille, they give you some hardware to remount the factory handle for the safety latch. The safety latch is the hook under the hood that keeps the hood from flying open on the highway should you pull the hood release for some reason.

I am putting in some lights behind the grille and need that handle and the rod moved out of the way for clearance and for looks. So I had to come up with a way to keep the hook and lose the handle. I came up with an idea and now I had to make it. I don't recall ever seeing anything like it before, so as far as I know, this is an original idea.

First I took out all the unwanted hardware. Had a look where I wanted my device to attach to the factory hook, and then drilled a hole in it to fit the plastic rod holder that was on the back of it. This is a 15/64" hole.



I got a piece of the aluminum I used in the fog light brackets I made and decided to use that as my lever. So I cut it to the size I wanted and then drilled holes in it. The screw I am going to use is one that came with the grille. It has an allen screw and a nylock nut. The center hole is 1/4" for the allen screw and the side hole is 15/64 for the rod holder.



I thought about making it wider to hide it a little better, but then I don't want it completely hidden. And I don't want to have to push it in too far to move the hook far enough to release the hood. Plus, a longer lever held my one screw could mean rattles on a bumpy road and we don't want that.

I measured where I wanted it to go, drilled a hole in the plastic above and behind the grille for the allen screw, cut the sides off a few washers to be used as spacers that fit right behind the top most grille piece, and then sanded and painted all the pieces. I eventually got tired of waiting for the paint to dry and went ahead and installed it all while the paint was still a little tacky. Won't hurt it, other than a few finger prints.

After it was all installed, I still needed the rod between the "handle" and the hook. I had the factory rod, but decided to keep that incase I ever need to return to "stock" for some reason. I found another rod that I thought could work, but it was just barely too big in diameter. So for now, I put in a cut piece of coat hanger until I can get something better tomorrow.

Here is a picture looking straight up at the hook. The hook is on the lower left. The thin white thing is the hanger piece used as a rod and the grille is at the top.



Closeup picture from the front. See the short piece that looks like part of the grille, only smaller and out of place? That is the lever I put in. How it works is, you push in on the right side of it and the left side comes out toward you. As the left side comes out, the rod attached to the back pulls the hook forward and releases the hood. You can do this one handed.



Here is a picture from a little farther away. The lever is at the top of the grille in case anyone forgot.



Here it is at more of a profile. The hook spring pops the lever back flush with the grille when released. If the rod is the right length, then the lever is flush with the grille.




Here are some pics from behind the grille. As you can see, it's a very simple design and it's simple to use and works great.




And a picture of the whole grille from farther away. Sorry it's so dark but it is after midnight.



All I have to do is find a bigger rod that fits better and I'm done.

Edit: and yes I know the truck is dirty. You want to see mods or you want to see a clean truck?

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2007 SR5 Crewmax 5.7L 4x4
Mods: nerf bars, Truxedo tonneau, radar detector power, 3M clear bra, fog lights, black billet grille, rear differential breather, parking sensors, Line-X, power tailgate lock, hood safety latch mod, one off driving lights behind grille, Pioneer NAV w/ OEM camera, Flowmaster 50 SUV dual/dual, blue LED dash lights, Volant CAI, Llumar tint, CompuStar Pro alarm, ProComp 6066 20" wheels, Cooper Zeon LTZ 275/60/20 tires, OME HD coilover lift, Firestone helper air bags, stereo cable lock, Tekonsha P3 brake controller
All mod descriptions and pictures © 2007-2009 by Toxarch. They may be copied only for personal use and the mods may be done for non-profit only.

Nice mod Tox and nice writeup! Your new & improved safety latch is not really that noticeable. And, what dirty truck!!???

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2007 Tundra Limited Double Cab 4x4 Super White
Volant CAI
Pioneer AVIC Z-2 (hard drive upgrade to AVIC Z-3)
Key FOB Tailgate Lock (courtesy of Toxarch)
OEM back-up camera w/flip down monitor microswitch mod
Sirius Satellite Radio
WeatherTech Floor Liners
20" OEM alloy wheels
Line-X Bed liner
UWS Black Powdercoat Low Profile Toolbox
DU-HA underseat storage unit
JC Whitney Black Nerf Bars
Lund Interceptor II Bug Shield
Tekonsha Voyager Brake Controller

I was kinda scratching my head until I saw that second last pic - ding! Very clever.

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Dale McLean
aka PS-RagE
House of RagE

Yeah, it's kinda hard to see in most of the pictures. Simple design, yet turned out really good once I finished. Longest part was waiting for the paint to dry.

Here is a daytime picture. Still kinda hard to see.

That's the point, isn't it Tox!? BTW, looks like you cleaned your truck!

Yeah, I did want it kinda stealthy, but still able to be found. And the truck isn't washed. Just looks cleaner without the flash in use.

Are "dirty mods" an option? Maybe a scantily clad airbrush?

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2007 Tundra 5.7, Double Cab, SR5, Blue Streak

TRD (stickers removed), de-badged, Volant Intake, Zoomers exhaust , Doug Thorley headers, Leer 100R, Bedrug, Curt front mounted hitch, Sirius interface kit, Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller, OEM alarm activation, Wet Okole seat covers, Stubby Antenna, Folding Rear Seat Mod for Double Cab, Unichip

Or scantily clan "headlights" Tony!

Then this thread would have to be moved over to the NSFW section.

Great work Tox and great write up. Thanks for your time in doing so.

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If you consider cars sacred objects, and find yourself treating them with adoring reverence, while others consider your enthusiasm to be fanatically extreme, then you are a certified car nut….like me !!!!


2007 Tundra DC 5.7 4X4 with very fast Radiant Red slapped on.
Custom painted engine cover(Godzilla)
One set chrome mannly truck nutz.
Putco chrome tow mirror covers and tail gate handle.
Replaced door handles with chrome.
Raptor oval nerf bars.
18X9 Ultra Goliaith wheels +25 offset, chrome.
Truxx 3/1 Level, 1in Differential Drop.
35X12.50-18 Nitto Mudd grapplers. Inflatted 35.04 H and 12.20 W.
15% tint fronts.
American Aluminum low profile tool box, carpeted.
WetOkle Seat Covers.
Cherry Bomb Single Split Dual Exhaust.