View Full Version : TOTL Innovations JK heat expulsion hood review
Deola
03-05-2014, 01:32 PM
Ok my father and I are building our jku's together, and we wanted an item to set ours apart from the majority and tie our two together. Since we both wanted weight saving and a hood that reduced heat build up for future superchargers. I stumbled across the heat expulsion hood when it first made it's appearance on jk-forum. After several phone calls with the owner of TOTL Innovations, all my questions were answered and the customer service was excellent. Dad and I each ordered one for our rigs. They are fiberglass and are lighter than stock by 25lbs. The 6 vents on top that sit over a dry channel to keep the engine bay dry( though a stock jk has the under hood listed as a wet compartment, aftermarket intakes or sc units could be worrisome). The dry channels work great. On the rear of the hood you get another air outlet on each side for pulling heat off the block while at speeds in excess of 35mph, where the top vents focus on low speed ventilation. Both hoods arrived via truck freight packaged very well. The fiberglass is produced by a high end RV company, and was smooth and gel-coated. I found this to be important because of our rural location, there are few body shops that will even attempt to paint a fiberglass hood, let alone do much in the way of prep-work. If there is a downside to this hood that would be it, but only because of my location. Both were painted and installed without issue. The hood isn't drilled for the stock washer fluid nozzles. So I sat mine(2012 so single nozzle) over the mesh in the cowl, and ran the hose under to the mesh so it would hold in place. It only loosened up one tine when it got hung on the tip of a pine tree branch. My Dad's being a 2013 has two nozzles, and he elected to have the body shop that did the painting run the lines to the corresponding wiper blade, witch also works well. Both have been installed for about ten months without issue. Dad's is two-tone (commando green and flat black) and he has a ripp sc unit installed, also we used locking rampage hood locks over stock. His jku is stored outdoors and daily driven here in Virginia where we apparently are supposed to experience every season at least once a week. My hood is solid black forrest green pearl coat. My jku is garage kept and only used for off- road fun and work. No issues with my hood either. I will post pics of each installed hood when my laptop decides to work again. Pics of both are on the manufacturers site per his request as he was just starting up the site. I'm no expert, this is just my honest unsolicited opinion on a product. Any questions about the hoods I will answer best I can. If you want a functional hood that doesn't look like everybody else's this could be for you.
JeepLab
03-05-2014, 02:33 PM
That thing is HOT.
419
i think I saw it once before being pitched from Nemesis Industries. Never got as far as release.
It is pretty tho. And they told me that the vents are channelled.
JeepLab
03-05-2014, 02:35 PM
Please show us pics of your truck and your dad's.
these things are SUPERCOOL.
If you can post a pic from inside to see how the vision over the hood turns out we'd love to see that also.
Pznivy
03-05-2014, 03:54 PM
Those are pretty. Can we get a shot from inside the hood?
Deola
03-05-2014, 04:30 PM
I can't get my laptop to listen to me for now. If you go to the Totlinnovations site you can see our trucks and there is a pic looking out over the hood from the driver seat. You can tell which ones are ours from the paint and they are parked in the same location
Pznivy
03-05-2014, 04:32 PM
Your on their site? Your trucks are famous!
Pznivy
03-05-2014, 04:35 PM
these are the shots your talking about?
421
422
Deola
03-05-2014, 04:46 PM
Yep that's my dad's with the 2 tone.
Deola
03-05-2014, 04:48 PM
Attachment-1.jpeg
JeepLab
03-05-2014, 04:52 PM
I'm tempted to link that expulsion hood gallery in the "JeepLab Sightings" thread.
Beautiful Jeeps.
Your dad's paint job is fantastic.
Deola
03-05-2014, 05:00 PM
I'm tempted to link that expulsion hood gallery in the "JeepLab Sightings" thread.
Beautiful Jeeps.
Your dad's paint job is fantastic.
Thank you very much, it sounds awesome with the ripp sc too. If only we could get it to shift right, it seems the last tune got us to full power.
Deola
03-05-2014, 05:13 PM
And here's mine
Snarf77
03-05-2014, 06:21 PM
Great looking hood. Can we possibly get a picture of it "up" like you would have it when showing off your 'charger? I'd like to see what the underside of these looks like.
Deola
03-05-2014, 09:45 PM
Great looking hood. Can we possibly get a picture of it "up" like you would have it when showing off your 'charger? I'd like to see what the underside of these looks like.
Yeah, I'll get it for you tomorrow
Deola
03-06-2014, 12:08 PM
Here is the shot you wanted
Snarf77
03-06-2014, 12:14 PM
Thank you. It looks well built with plenty of support structure to give it crown. I'm always concerned with a lack of support as jeep hoods tend to get leaned on or things set on them and you don't want it to bend if you have a hand on it boosting yourself to the roof or something.
Pznivy
03-12-2014, 01:40 PM
Im not sure how i feel about that lump on the nose. If the line went straight to the windshield, it would be cool. Looks like a dome.
Rexx19
03-12-2014, 02:44 PM
Im not sure how i feel about that lump on the nose. If the line went straight to the windshield, it would be cool. Looks like a dome.
I felt the same way at first. I see what you mean. The more I study it... the more it grows on me. "Gnarly" is a term I never use. But this hood is "Gnarly".
Deola
03-12-2014, 03:09 PM
I actually like it because it lets you keep an eye on the front passenger corner when wheeling. Everyone has their own taste though, I think there are 5 hoods on the market for jks now, made from four different materials. And a ton of louver options as well.
JeepLab
03-12-2014, 03:48 PM
I actually like it because it lets you keep an eye on the front passenger corner when wheeling.
Thats a smart point. I wouldn't have thought of it before buying this hood, but its a concern that should be considered with these after market hoods....Weather or not your visibility is a problem.
Deola
05-14-2014, 02:17 PM
Just an update. I was out cutting wood on my land the other day, when a strong storm blew up. As I packed up and started driving my jk out of the woods a 2.5 " diameter dead locust beach was knocked out of a tree from a decent height. I bounced off my hood right beside the cowl. After getting to the field I stopped to see how bad the damage was, no dents no scratches... Nothing at all. I was nervous about fiberglass at first, but it passed the test.
JeepLab
05-14-2014, 04:31 PM
Just an update. I was out cutting wood on my land the other day, when a strong storm blew up. As I packed up and started driving my jk out of the woods a 2.5 " diameter dead locust beach was knocked out of a tree from a decent height. I bounced off my hood right beside the cowl. After getting to the field I stopped to see how bad the damage was, no dents no scratches... Nothing at all. I was nervous about fiberglass at first, but it passed the test.
Your heart must have stopped when it hit. Just reading this my heart stopped.
I thought the post was going to end with cracked fiberglass.
Deola
05-15-2014, 10:35 AM
It was an OH $&!? Moment for sure, I thought I was going to need a new hood and leather for the driver seat
Snarf77
05-16-2014, 08:01 PM
It was an OH $&!? Moment for sure, I thought I was going to need a new hood and leather for the driver seat
Those seat covers aren't cheap either...you got lucky. Fiberglass isn't exactly impact resistant...and its a pain in the arse to repair.