Focus RS Aftermarket Spotlight: Redline Tuning Hood Struts

This week, we take a look at the Redline Tuning 2016 Ford Focus RS Hood QuickLIFT Plus.

Let’s talk about cheap aftermarket upgrades this week. By “cheap” I mean small, inexpensive upgrades car guys add to their weekend project vehicles. From something as simple as adding a custom $10 license plate frame, to spending less than $100 on upgrading to the newest HID headlight kit, these upgrades may not add much power to your project build, but add that “personal touch” to your ride. So today we are looking at the Redline Tuning Hood QuickLIFT Plus.

Car guys are always thinking about what that “next” part is going to be on a project vehicle. And it doesn’t always have to be a big, expensive one. Sometimes, even the smallest upgrade can put a huge smile on your face.

We are well underway on the Focus RS build, and even though this hot hatch may not need much in terms of upgrades, there are a couple inexpensive parts that we just finished installing to help give the Focus RS that custom look.

Last month, we installed the Muteki Open Ended Lug Nuts on the Focus RS forged wheels. The lug nuts were an easy, inexpensive part to install and add a nice contrast to the all-black wheels of the RS.

For this week, we focused on something that had bothered us from the moment we picked up the RS; the cheap prop rod that holds up the Focus RS hood! Come on Ford! Even the new Mustang GT comes with this thing and it’s got to go!

Most of us spend a lot of our time under the hood of our cars and the prop rod that Ford put in the RS gets in the way of being able to really dig into this Ford Performance engine bay.

Ford Focus RS Engine (Photo Art of Gears) /

Let me also point out that the first time we popped the hood of the RS, we found that it is jam packed! There is not much room to work in there. In fact, I was almost a little disappointed with the lack of space we have to get our fingers dirty with this Ecoboost engine.

I am not saying this car can’t be upgraded, it’s just not as easy to perform some of these upgrades from the comfort of your home garage.

Ok, let’s get back to the prop rod issue. How do we keep the hood up safely so we can really dig into this engine bay? Well, the team at Redline Tuning had the answer we were looking for.

More from Art of Gears

The Redline Tuning HOOD QuickLIFT Plus system will safely keep your RS hood open and allow full access to your cars engine bay.

When mounted on each side of the cars hood, the progressive gas operated spring system allow the hood to remain open safety. The gas spring also helps open and slow the hood down when you pop the hood. The Redline Tuning system is also available for a variety of different vehicles. Simply type in your cars make and model on the Redline Tuning website, and chances are they will have a system that will fit your build.

Redline Tuning QuickLift PLUS Highlights

Specs courtesy of Redline Tuning:

Redline Tuning QuickLIFT PLUS (Photo YouTube) /

-Black e-coated custom-valve gas springs, made specifically for each application.

-Gloss black powder-coated hardware.

-Progressive slow release system-final few inches of operation, gas springs slow down extending rate allowing for a fluid lifting process.

-Full-color installation manual.

-Works with all stock and aftermarket hoods, except where noted.

-4-year warranty.

Here is the install video from our friends at CJ Pony Parts. We order a lot of our Focus RS parts from CJPP because they have some of the best install videos for do-it-yourself car guys.

Next: Mishimoto Oil Catch Can: Focus RS Aftermarket Spotlight

Although the install video is on a Focus ST, the install for the RS is exactly the same. We actually watched this same video prior to installing our system.

So there you have it. With a simple toolkit, installing the system took less than 20 minutes. If you are looking for an inexpensive upgrade to your cars stock prop rod, the Redline Tuning Hood Strut kit is a great way to safely keep your hood raised, and allows for clear, unobstructed access to your cars engine bay.

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