When we purchased a 2011 RAM 3500 Mega
Cab SRW truck as a project truck to install and test aftermarket
products, one of the first things we did was install a set of AMP
Research Power Step running boards. The Power Steps are definitely a
"best practice" when it comes to outfitting any pickup truck or
SUV. We ran a set of these steps on our 2007 Project LBMC when it was
new and they are still functioning perfectly today after 120,000
miles of use. AMP Research has this product down to a perfect
science. When the truck doors are closed, they neatly tuck away under
the truck's rocker panels where they won't get damaged or detract
from the clean aesthetic lines of the truck. When you open any of the
doors, the step on that side of the vehicle quickly folds down to
provide a step that's positioned just at the right height between
the truck and the ground. To make the deal even better, they're a
cinch to install in your garage with the help of a buddy. Here's a
recap of the install.
The Power Step kit comes with two
steps, a quality wiring harness (including Posi-Tap connectors), an
electronic brain unit, two armatures with motors, two support
armatures, and all necessary hardware. They also have an available
LED light kit to illuminate the steps when the doors are open.
Getting Started
First, we installed the hexagonal nut
inserts that come with the kit in the hexagonal holes that come in
the truck body from the factory. There are four nuts that get
installed on each side of the truck. The nut-serts flatten out behind
the sheet metal and pinch the nuts onto the body, providing an easy
attachment for the armatures that will mount here.
Next we bolted the motor to the
armature. The armatures get mounted to the frame with two bolts that
thread into the hexagonal nut-serts that we installed in the body as
well as this clamp that fits through an existing slot in the body,
then rotates after it's behind the sheet metal and clamps the
armature to the body.
We bolt the armature to the body on the
back side of the rocker panel, which is easily accessible under the
truck.
The Boards
Next, we slide the aluminum running
boards onto the armature brackets and fasten them with allen head
screws. The Power Step "brain" is attached to the wiring harness
under the hood on the rear driver's side.
After attaching a ground wire to any
suitable location, we attached the main power wire directly to the
positive battery terminal. The wires that trigger the steps use
Posi-Tap connectors to tap into four wires in the truck's wiring
harness that signal which door has been opened or closed. This wiring
is easy to get to because you simply unbolt the main fuse box under
the hood to access it. The wires that need to be tapped into are the
same color as the corresponding wires in the AMP Research wiring
harness. The wiring harness that comes with the kit has corrugated
plastic wire cover that runs the length of the wires to both sides of
the truck.
In Summary
To summarize, there isn't a thing
we'd change about this kit. It's very well-engineered, easy to
install, and works like it came with the truck from the factory (in a
good way). We've noticed that the steps aren't just convenient,
they also decrease the wear on your seats and door jams because you
won't need to step on the jam and slide across the seats like you
normally do to enter and exit the truck. The cost of this kit is
about $1,100. In our opinion, it's money well spent.
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