Meet the Redesigned "Latch-Safe" Maverick Hood Strut Kit by MRT

[MRTperformance]

​

Maverick Owners,

If you spend any time here on the forums, you know the "Stuck Hood" threads have become a major point of concern. We’ve seen the photos of binding latches, the stories of release cables popping out, and the "two-person" tricks just to get a hood open after installing aftermarket struts.

At MRT, we don't just "make parts"—we engineer solutions. We followed the discussions here closely, and we weren't satisfied with just providing a "fix" for existing customers. We wanted to eliminate the frustration entirely.

The Standard: Structural Integrity & Sturdy Design
Sturdy, no-drill, and structurally secure mounting points have always been the hallmark of MRT Hood Strut Kits. While many designs on the market rely on thin-gauge brackets or mounting points that put lateral stress on the hood hinges, our kit is built for structural integrity.

Zero-Mod / Zero-Drill: True to the MRT name, this is a 100% bolt-on install using factory hardware locations. There is no drilling into your inner fenders and no permanent modifications to your truck.

Structurally Secure Mounting: We utilize the factory hinges to ensure the pressure is handled by the truck's frame. This robust foundation ensures the hood stays exactly where it was designed to be, preventing the "hood shift" that leads to stuck hoods.

The Evolution: What’s New?
While our kits have always been sturdy, we have "retweaked" this design specifically for the Maverick’s unique dual-latch geometry.

Anti-Bind Geometry: We refined the mounting angles to eliminate the lateral "push" that causes the secondary latch to jam.

Cable Harmony: We have designed this kit to ensure your release cable stays in place. By maintaining perfect alignment and using structurally secure points, we eliminate the shifting that causes the factory release cable to pop out of its assembly.

Tuned Gas Pressure: We’ve optimized the strut valving specifically for the weight of the Maverick hood.

The Result: No More Stuck Hoods
The result is a practical engine bay upgrade that works flawlessly every single time you pull the release lever. By prioritizing structural integrity and secure mounting, we’ve eliminated the binding and bowing issues that plague other designs.

Designed, Engineered, and Manufactured right here in Plymouth, Michigan.


Starting At: $149.99
Our Price w/ Options: $99.99

2022+ Ford Maverick No Drill Hood Struts - $99.99

We’ll be hanging out in the thread to answer any technical questions you have. We’re proud of this one and can’t wait to get it under your hoods!

— The MRT Team

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[Bill429]

some pictures or a video would be nice.

 

[MRTperformance]

​

some pictures or a video would be nice.

Here’s a look at them installed!

You can follow the video for the install. It features the original kit, but the steps are exactly the same. The hardware has been tweaked to avoid the double-latch issue, but they operate in the same manner as the past kits. Hope that helps!

 

[First Sergeant]

I bought and installed these about a year back. Mine are most likely not the super duper new ones, but I have had zero issues with them. Having had a couple Jeeps, I hate the "prop rod". Just me. These will however "cheat" you of about 2 inches when open. Watch out for your head!

 

[Cherokee]

Nice parts, best looking kit I’ve seen yet.

But I’ve never had a ‘Stuck’ hood and never seen the first thread or post about anyone having that problem.

I found my very light aluminum hood easy to open and set on the stock bar.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Nice parts, best looking kit I’ve seen yet.

But I’ve never had a ‘Stuck’ hood and never seen the first thread or post about anyone having that problem.

I found my very light aluminum hood easy to open and set on the stock bar.

I think the stuck hood they're talking about, isn't excessive "Latch Pressure" but a LACK of latch pressure.
It pertains to some of the previously offered strut kits. Where there is not enough pressure when you pull the release lever twice, the hood does not pop up. There by necessitating 2 people or the addition of a spring by the front latch. Especially common in cold climates.
One Example from previous thread.

I had same issue. Added a pop spring to hood latch bolt. Works perfect now. I will attach pic of part and install.

Update
https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...uts-new-version-hood-doesnt-open-fully.79877/

 

[MRTperformance]

Nice parts, best looking kit I’ve seen yet.

But I’ve never had a ‘Stuck’ hood and never seen the first thread or post about anyone having that problem.

I found my very light aluminum hood easy to open and set on the stock bar.

Thanks for the compliment on the look! You’re right—the Maverick hood is light, but our kit is about more than just lifting weight; it’s about protecting the vehicle's hardware. We’ve seen two main issues:

Cable Failure: The factory in cabin hood release lever has a plastic fork that can allow the wire catch to slip out, effectively disconnecting your cabin release from the latch.

Latch Misalignment: If struts are weighted too strong, they apply constant forward pressure on the latch while the hood is closed. This misaligns the mechanism, eventually requiring two people to open it—one to wiggle the hood and another to pull the release lever in the cabin.

The MRT Solution: We didn’t just tune the gas pressure of the struts to be 'just right' to avoid that latch-killer pressure; we also engineered our brackets to specifically eliminate this geometry issue altogether. Our design ensures the force is directed where it belongs, so you get a smooth lift without compromising your latch alignment.

 

[Cherokee]

Ah understand. I will say my hood is so light it almost got away from me on a windy day.
I do believe your strut system would eliminate that possible catastrophe.

 

[MRTperformance]

Ah understand. I will say my hood is so light it almost got away from me on a windy day.
I do believe your strut system would eliminate that possible catastrophe.

You hit the nail on the head—it's that one 'windy day' or split-second mistake where these kits pay for themselves.

We’ve actually had Mustang customers at the track forget to reinsert their hood pins before a session. At high speeds, that hood wants to fly, but our struts kept it secure and saved the windshield and roof from a total catastrophe.

We even had a Bronco owner out wheeling in Moab who had a competitor's kit installed. When her hood caught the wind, their mounting system acted like a hot knife, and the ball studs ripped through her hood like butter. She switched to MRT because we use factory mounting points and reinforced brackets designed to handle that stress.

Whether it’s a Maverick on a windy day or a Bronco in the desert, we design our connection points to be the strongest part of the system, not the weakest!

 

[ianjay]

Nice parts, best looking kit I’ve seen yet.

But I’ve never had a ‘Stuck’ hood and never seen the first thread or post about anyone having that problem.

I found my very light aluminum hood easy to open and set on the stock bar.

Actually, if you do a search on this site, you would find threads on stuck hoods AFTER installing the hood lift kits.
But I know you like to be contrary, and your mind is made up, so we won't confuse you with facts.

 

[TNFurb]

Would be interesting to see side by side parts comparisons to better see the actual difference in design.

 

[MrShadetree]

Thanks for the compliment on the look! You’re right—the Maverick hood is light, but our kit is about more than just lifting weight; it’s about protecting the vehicle's hardware. We’ve seen two main issues:

Cable Failure: The factory in cabin hood release lever has a plastic fork that can allow the wire catch to slip out, effectively disconnecting your cabin release from the latch.

Latch Misalignment: If struts are weighted too strong, they apply constant forward pressure on the latch while the hood is closed. This misaligns the mechanism, eventually requiring two people to open it—one to wiggle the hood and another to pull the release lever in the cabin.

The MRT Solution: We didn’t just tune the gas pressure of the struts to be 'just right' to avoid that latch-killer pressure; we also engineered our brackets to specifically eliminate this geometry issue altogether. Our design ensures the force is directed where it belongs, so you get a smooth lift without compromising your latch alignment.

I had both problems. Threw the struts out. I may try these.

 

[Grammaton]

​

Maverick Owners,

If you spend any time here on the forums, you know the "Stuck Hood" threads have become a major point of concern. We’ve seen the photos of binding latches, the stories of release cables popping out, and the "two-person" tricks just to get a hood open after installing aftermarket struts.

At MRT, we don't just "make parts"—we engineer solutions. We followed the discussions here closely, and we weren't satisfied with just providing a "fix" for existing customers. We wanted to eliminate the frustration entirely.

The Standard: Structural Integrity & Sturdy Design
Sturdy, no-drill, and structurally secure mounting points have always been the hallmark of MRT Hood Strut Kits. While many designs on the market rely on thin-gauge brackets or mounting points that put lateral stress on the hood hinges, our kit is built for structural integrity.

Zero-Mod / Zero-Drill: True to the MRT name, this is a 100% bolt-on install using factory hardware locations. There is no drilling into your inner fenders and no permanent modifications to your truck.

Structurally Secure Mounting: We utilize the factory hinges to ensure the pressure is handled by the truck's frame. This robust foundation ensures the hood stays exactly where it was designed to be, preventing the "hood shift" that leads to stuck hoods.

The Evolution: What’s New?
While our kits have always been sturdy, we have "retweaked" this design specifically for the Maverick’s unique dual-latch geometry.

Anti-Bind Geometry: We refined the mounting angles to eliminate the lateral "push" that causes the secondary latch to jam.

Cable Harmony: We have designed this kit to ensure your release cable stays in place. By maintaining perfect alignment and using structurally secure points, we eliminate the shifting that causes the factory release cable to pop out of its assembly.

Tuned Gas Pressure: We’ve optimized the strut valving specifically for the weight of the Maverick hood.

The Result: No More Stuck Hoods
The result is a practical engine bay upgrade that works flawlessly every single time you pull the release lever. By prioritizing structural integrity and secure mounting, we’ve eliminated the binding and bowing issues that plague other designs.

Designed, Engineered, and Manufactured right here in Plymouth, Michigan.


Starting At: $149.99
Our Price w/ Options: $99.99

2022+ Ford Maverick No Drill Hood Struts - $99.99

We’ll be hanging out in the thread to answer any technical questions you have. We’re proud of this one and can’t wait to get it under your hoods!

— The MRT Team

Would the hardware only be available separately. I bought replacement struts (80K150N-Rep-Strut) back on 9/16/25 Invoice #57043 and are those the updated struts?

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Would the hardware only be available separately. I just bought replacement struts (80K150N-Rep-Strut) back on 9/16/25 Invoice #57043 and are those the updated struts?

Great question.
What was the reason why you bought replacement struts?

 

[Fcnrwy]

I think the stuck hood they're talking about, isn't excessive "Latch Pressure" but a LACK of latch pressure.
It pertains to some of the previously offered strut kits. Where there is not enough pressure when you pull the release lever twice, the hood does not pop up. There by necessitating 2 people or the addition of a spring by the front latch. Especially common in cold climates.
One Example from previous thread.

In other words, the struts are "engaged" immediately. Instead of some "Play" (height movement) of the hood assembly before the struts engage.
I have found out, (not strut-equipped) that pulling the hood release. In rapid succession TOO Quickly, it will not open.
I have adjusted my routine, by pulling firmly on the release 1st. Then, letting it retract and doing a 2nd firm pull..

Jerry

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