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Pay extra attention to page 5 step 3. The inset photo shows how to properly install the bracket. Many times this requires removing material from the truck. I recommend removing some of the pinch weld at the lower edge of the sheet metal body where our part goes around the outside of the sheet metal.
When locating the wires inside the truck you will need to remove the panels below the dash. This is shown in steps 21 and 22. You will see a bolt that holds many wires to a ground location. Above that bolt, inside the dash cavity you will find a wire harness that has all the wires you need to connect to. It will be difficult to access the wires. That will tell you that you are in the right place! In addition, there will be 2 purple wires with yellow stripe. Use a tester to determine which wire is correct. The right wire will register a ground (12 volt negative) signal with the passenger rear door open. When that door is shut the ground signal will no longer be present. We do not use 12 volt positive signal at all for our trigger wires.
I just did mine last week. Pretty straight forward for the most part.
The brackets have small "tabs" punched out that are supposed to sit inside existing holes in the body. I had to bed mine out a little more to make them rest properly, simply used a punch and a hammer to push them out a touch more till then fit in properly.
I breezed through the electrical part, just followed the colors in the instructions, hit each one perfectly the first time. I actually spent more time routing the harness neatly where I wanted it then tapping the wires.
This may sound , and may wear off, but this is one of the coolest mods I've done! Doesn't make her any faster or better looking, but sure does make it easier getting in and out (now that my drivers foam is already crushed).
"The brackets have small "tabs" punched out that are supposed to sit inside existing holes in the body. I had to bed mine out a little more to make them rest properly, simply used a punch and a hammer to push them out a touch more till then fit in properly. "
DON'T DO THIS
The tabs are designed to rest EDGE TO EDGE with the factory sheet metal edge. The tabs are for alignment and in addition to keep the steps from moving over time.
"The brackets have small "tabs" punched out that are supposed to sit inside existing holes in the body. I had to bed mine out a little more to make them rest properly, simply used a punch and a hammer to push them out a touch more till then fit in properly. "
DON'T DO THIS
The tabs are designed to rest EDGE TO EDGE with the factory sheet metal edge. The tabs are for alignment and in addition to keep the steps from moving over time.
Alrighty then, don't do it, and when the brackets don't fit flush up against the top you'll never get the pop rivets in.
YOU are referring to the CLIP edge on the bottom, that hooks up under the pinch weld.
Geez, you'd think with such a fancy username you wouldn't make such a snippy and uninformed post......
Without adjusting the tabs (which equaled about a 64th of an inch of movement) mine would have NEVER fit flush...... Removing material from the pinch weld shouldn't be a part of installing these.....
Matter of fact, PM with a phone number so I give you a call. Mine are dead tight up against the bottom of the body (pinch) and flush on the back side (upon slightly bending tabs).
I'd like to know how they were supposed to fit if the tabs were butted up against the inside of the body and wouldn't let the bracket fit flush....??
Alrighty then, don't do it, and when the brackets don't fit flush up against the top you'll never get the pop rivets in.
YOU are referring to the CLIP edge on the bottom, that hooks up under the pinch weld.
Geez, you'd think with such a fancy username you wouldn't make such a snippy and uninformed post......
Without adjusting the tabs (which equaled about a 64th of an inch of movement) mine would have NEVER fit flush...... Removing material from the pinch weld shouldn't be a part of installing these.....
If I offended you please accept my apology. That was not my intent.
Yes I am referring to the bracket we supply that has a "J" type bend that goes around the bottom edge of the sheet metal pinch weld. Over time this uncontrolled part of the truck's sheet metal has grown and we have maxed out our tool to try to accommodate the fact that the factory has not controlled this part of the truck. Our bracket fit fine in the beginning and even though we have changed our bracket the truck continues to change and I am told by our engineering manager we can not change our bracket any more or it will not fit vehicles that were produced in the earlier model years.
There is another way to resolve the issue and that is to remove material from the tabs on our bracket. Unfortunately, this creates another potential problem with alignment of the steps as you would have to remove material from each of the eight tabs in the exact same amount to insure the alignment would be correct. Removing material from the bottom of the sheet metal pinch weld is far more accurate and creates the least potential for alignment issues.
A) Make minor adjustment to the bracket so it fits AS INTENDED.
(or)
B) Grind the paint and clear off a truck that is already going to be prone to rust. In other words, make the TRUCK fit the bracket.........?
Im 100% satisfied and confident with my install and welcome any and all to stop by and take a peek at it vs the manufacturers included instructions.
As stated earlier the truck has changed and our bracket has been changed to try to cope with the changes. If we change it to fit later model year trucks it will not properly fit older model year trucks. It is a fine line.
The issue is with the factory sheet metal and it not being controlled. The pinch weld has gotten bigger over time. However, on many trucks the bracket fits without any modification at all.
The bracket was designed with input from Dodge / Chrysler to meet edge to edge with the factory sheet metal so that over time the bracket would not shift. If the tab edge goes past the factory sheet metal edge it can bend the factory sheet metal and allow the bracket to shift which could cause the step to malfunction. We have evaluated trucks where the steps did not function properly and found this to be the root cause. Once corrected and properly aligned the step functioned properly.
The steps will function within a range of alignment. Outside of that range problems can arise. We strive to minimize the possibility of problems to crop up.
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