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step replacement options

Third From Texas

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My issue with deployable steps is, if they aren't motorized how do you get them down? Do you just sit in your truck and wave frantically at other people in the parking lot and point down in hopes that they will walk over and lower your step? Do you take a passenger and have them come around to lower your step/ Who lowers their step so that they can get out?

I have seen a motorized version similar to the AMP Research step but no clue who sells it.
 

chucky

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Spent some time looking again, found a couple of interesting options:

The cable one look a lot more like the OEM, but I really like the tread/step on the other one.


View attachment 882961View attachment 882960
I like both of these but i would fab them up myself and save alot of money ! You can get all the stuff in this picture at at a local truck scrapyard ! And if going the cable style just use a 1/2 in cable i have no idea what they think is going to weigh enough for that 1 in cable?????? Even if you like them great big ol girls that make the cab lean over when they try to get in a 1/2 in cable will not let ya down!!!

My steps on my truck on the passenger side looks stock but if more than 125lb steps on it the foot hold it sets off the horn and releases one side of the step to dislodge the THE BIG UN and the 4 ways start flashing and i drive off real quick to safety !

The BIG UNs around here disguise themselves near last call by putting something in my drink and i kept waking up the next morning laid up beside SHAMU when i was sure she was smaller just hours earlier so i had to install the MORNING AFTER step to keep from being tricked anymore!
 

chucky

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My issue with deployable steps is, if they aren't motorized how do you get them down? Do you just sit in your truck and wave frantically at other people in the parking lot and point down in hopes that they will walk over and lower your step? Do you take a passenger and have them come around to lower your step/ Who lowers their step so that they can get out?

I have seen a motorized version similar to the AMP Research step but no clue who sells it.
Everyone ive seen getting out of your truck were jumping then running and screaming so no you wouldnt need anything like this step !
 

ramdough

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I like both of these but i would fab them up myself and save alot of money ! You can get all the stuff in this picture at at a local truck scrapyard ! And if going the cable style just use a 1/2 in cable i have no idea what they think is going to weigh enough for that 1 in cable?????? Even if you like them great big ol girls that make the cab lean over when they try to get in a 1/2 in cable will not let ya down!!!

My steps on my truck on the passenger side looks stock but if more than 125lb steps on it the foot hold it sets off the horn and releases one side of the step to dislodge the THE BIG UN and the 4 ways start flashing and i drive off real quick to safety !

The BIG UNs around here disguise themselves near last call by putting something in my drink and i kept waking up the next morning laid up beside SHAMU when i was sure she was smaller just hours earlier so i had to install the MORNING AFTER step to keep from being tricked anymore!
I think the big cable is there to make it want to swing less…. Be more stable. If you ah e aver climbed a rope ladder, you know how hard it can be.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Guruman

Not so new member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
My issue with deployable steps is, if they aren't motorized how do you get them down? Do you just sit in your truck and wave frantically at other people in the parking lot and point down in hopes that they will walk over and lower your step? Do you take a passenger and have them come around to lower your step/ Who lowers their step so that they can get out?

I have seen a motorized version similar to the AMP Research step but no clue who sells it.
I looked at some of these and thought that it would be pretty easy to attach a spring and pneumatic actuator to fold the step in/out on command. Like this one... it would be super easy. And cool.

1666726626407.png

Edit: You could even have the spring extend the step, and the actuator pull it in. That way if the truck was completely aired down, the steps would extend so you could get in to start it, and once the air pressure builds up, they would retract.
 
Last edited:

chucky

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I think the big cable is there to make it want to swing less…. Be more stable. If you ah e aver climbed a rope ladder, you know how hard it can be.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
No im sure those cable steps like that are inviting the wrong kind of passengers like hanging a lite BLUEBELL ICE CREAM sold here in the window !
 

coachgeo

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One of the ones posted above is powered (pic). That's a still from the FB video. The author didn't share where they got it, though.

View attachment 882967
looks to me to be an "amp research powered side board.".... with the side board cropped and/or their single bed step's platform mounted to it. The location of the label and all shapes seems to give it away.
 

Third From Texas

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looks to me to be an "amp research powered side board.".... with the side board cropped and/or their single bed step's platform mounted to it. The location of the label and all shapes seems to give it away.
I was kinda thinking the same.

In any event, it's a $2000 solution to a $0 problem. The OEM and similar fixed steps work just fine.

But I wouldn't give 2-cents for something that you have to get out to lower (so you can get out to lower it). Hanging upside down out the door to deploy a step isn't of interest to me. And honestly I'm not a huge fan of adding automated/motorize/actuating bits to the "what can we break today" fun already built into these trucks...
 

Mullaney

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I was kinda thinking the same.

In any event, it's a $2000 solution to a $0 problem. The OEM and similar fixed steps work just fine.

But I wouldn't give 2-cents for something that you have to get out to lower (so you can get out to lower it). Hanging upside down out the door to deploy a step isn't of interest to me. And honestly I'm not a huge fan of adding automated/motorize/actuating bits to the "what can we break today" fun already built into these trucks...
.
@Third From Texas - I think you nailed it.
No need to fix what ain't broke.
Adding automation to a simple couple of steps is just asking for trouble.

It's cute, but that is about it.
I'm 60+ and I can still hustle my large self into the cab.
 

Guruman

Not so new member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
I was kinda thinking the same.

In any event, it's a $2000 solution to a $0 problem. The OEM and similar fixed steps work just fine.

But I wouldn't give 2-cents for something that you have to get out to lower (so you can get out to lower it). Hanging upside down out the door to deploy a step isn't of interest to me. And honestly I'm not a huge fan of adding automated/motorize/actuating bits to the "what can we break today" fun already built into these trucks...
Hard agree on the manual deployment. In m case I thought the step could be mounted in such a way that it's always deployed until the cab needs to be tilted, in which case I could stow them out of the way.


For me, the OEM step has failed. Many of the cable strands are broken from flexing right near the top crimp and it's only a matter of time until one of my passengers, likely my wife, will have it break while using it, and likely get hurt in the process.

The thing is almost like an afterthought. Somebody thought at the last minute, "Oh crap, how are we going to get in it? I know, we'll put a step here .. oh wait it will hit the tire when tilting the cab.... um.... What if we made one out of this scrap cable we have lying here so it doesn't break when it hits the tire? "

Add to that, and unfortunate incident where my daughter almost broke her leg in the Lowe's parking lot trying to dismount, slipped, bounced off the toolbox lid with her shin, and landed in a heap on the pavement. That leads me to be looking for something better.

Good. Cheap. Fast.... you can only have two of the three. The military choose cheap and fast.
 

Mullaney

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Hard agree on the manual deployment. In m case I thought the step could be mounted in such a way that it's always deployed until the cab needs to be tilted, in which case I could stow them out of the way.


For me, the OEM step has failed. Many of the cable strands are broken from flexing right near the top crimp and it's only a matter of time until one of my passengers, likely my wife, will have it break while using it, and likely get hurt in the process.

The thing is almost like an afterthought. Somebody thought at the last minute, "Oh crap, how are we going to get in it? I know, we'll put a step here .. oh wait it will hit the tire when tilting the cab.... um.... What if we made one out of this scrap cable we have lying here so it doesn't break when it hits the tire? "

Add to that, and unfortunate incident where my daughter almost broke her leg in the Lowe's parking lot trying to dismount, slipped, bounced off the toolbox lid with her shin, and landed in a heap on the pavement. That leads me to be looking for something better.

Good. Cheap. Fast.... you can only have two of the three. The military choose cheap and fast.
.
I believe you are right as rain.
You have managed to get the family involved and willing to ride
- Yep - It's time to upgrade.
That is a really wonderful thing!

Only thing you need to consider is width. I know the mirrors stick out beyond the rest of the truck, but a step is about head high. You wouldn't want to come back out of the store - and find somebody laying on the ground with a dent in their forehead. :cool:
 

Guruman

Not so new member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
I think if I had to do something today.... I'd...


Cut off the existing cable step mounting boss to make the bottom of the box completely flush.

Then hang one of these underneath (I would probably shorten the drop-down a bit though)

1666872306602.png

Then I'd mount one of these on the top of the box lid for better traction, plus it would match the new hanging step....


1666872389803.png


This wouldn't solve any of my other problems, ie making it more like stairs than a ladder, or making the first step height lower, or decreasing the distance between the first and second step point... But, it's super functional, safer, won't fail to deploy and doable without much engineering.
 

Attachments

coachgeo

Well-known member
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I think if I had to do something today.... I'd...


Cut off the existing cable step mounting boss to make the bottom of the box completely flush.

Then hang one of these underneath (I would probably shorten the drop-down a bit though)

View attachment 883035

Then I'd mount one of these on the top of the box lid for better traction, plus it would match the new hanging step....


View attachment 883037


This wouldn't solve any of my other problems, ie making it more like stairs than a ladder, or making the first step height lower, or decreasing the distance between the first and second step point... But, it's super functional, safer, won't fail to deploy and doable without much engineering.
looks like one could make that with Baler belts from tractor supply or even old tires. . hmmm..... take off existing like you mention. bolt on Baler best to each side of step in a stirrup that hangs low enough to bolt two of the above step platforms on it.... whala...... matching dual steps. Just got to figure out how to NOT get them pushed over far enough to catch on tire when off road or ??

 

Guruman

Not so new member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
looks like one could make that with Baler belts from tractor supply or even old tires. . hmmm..... take off existing like you mention. bolt on Baler best to each side of step in a stirrup that hangs low enough to bolt two of the above step platforms on it.... whala...... matching dual steps. Just got to figure out how to NOT get them pushed over far enough to catch on tire when off road or ??

Continuing to overthink this...

What about attaching a piece of 4 or 6 inch angle to the face of the storage box to make a step there, then hang one of the underneath, giving us three steps instead of just two?

Yeah, it would stick out from the box a bit, but still within the width of the mirrors, even folded maybe.
 

coachgeo

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Continuing to overthink this...
glad Im not only only one who does that lol

What about attaching a piece of 4 or 6 inch angle to the face of the storage box to make a step there, then hang one of the underneath, giving us three steps instead of just two?

Yeah, it would stick out from the box a bit, but still within the width of the mirrors, even folded maybe.
Not sure the box is strong enough for hanging something off the front w/out reinforcing the box which is likely doable.
 
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