Electric side step bars
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 4
From: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
Electric side step bars
Got a new truck that happened to be equipped with them new fangled electric side steps that go up and down every time you open and close the doors. Sure impresses your friends but would prefer the plain old fashioned kind that stay put. When you close the drivers door, they go up. Then you open the back door to unload and they go down. Close the back door and they go up again. Can turn them off in the menu, but then they always stay up and the seat height is tooo high for the wife to launch herself into her seat. The dog hates them worse than the vacuum cleaner!
Two questions:
-can these be locked in the down position? We live in an icy climate and I smell trouble, just like the old disappearing headlight doors on my 1977 Dodge stuck half way open like a wink laughing at me in the freezing rain.
-does anyone have any experience with the failure rate and cost to repair after the warranty runs out?
Wouldn't recommend these unless you're a gentleman farmer like on Green Acres. Arnold the pig would decapitate himself with them.
Dumb invention.
Two questions:
-can these be locked in the down position? We live in an icy climate and I smell trouble, just like the old disappearing headlight doors on my 1977 Dodge stuck half way open like a wink laughing at me in the freezing rain.
-does anyone have any experience with the failure rate and cost to repair after the warranty runs out?
Wouldn't recommend these unless you're a gentleman farmer like on Green Acres. Arnold the pig would decapitate himself with them.
Dumb invention.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 72
They don't seem to be failing at a rate higher than anything else on the truck.
I do like that they move out of the way if you are off-roading.
I've had several trucks with fixed steps and I always ended up with a bent one from being offroad.
For a grocery-getter, any step should work just fine.
I know my dad likes the electric ones better because he's shorter and the electric ones go down further than most fixed steps...making it easier to get in/out.
Now, we live in Texas, so ice/snow really isn't an issue for us.
I do like that they move out of the way if you are off-roading.
I've had several trucks with fixed steps and I always ended up with a bent one from being offroad.
For a grocery-getter, any step should work just fine.
I know my dad likes the electric ones better because he's shorter and the electric ones go down further than most fixed steps...making it easier to get in/out.
Now, we live in Texas, so ice/snow really isn't an issue for us.
Moderator
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 8,206
Likes: 1,222
From: San Antonio, TX
They are easy to remove. There are a lot of people out there who would want them. Also, a lot of people take the factory side steps off when new. There are many brand new sets for sale online. Or check you local truck accessory or 4x4 shop. They may have some new sets and can swap your for theirs if you are not mechanically inclined.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 27
Likes: 4
Got a new truck that happened to be equipped with them new fangled electric side steps that go up and down every time you open and close the doors. Sure impresses your friends but would prefer the plain old fashioned kind that stay put. When you close the drivers door, they go up. Then you open the back door to unload and they go down. Close the back door and they go up again. Can turn them off in the menu, but then they always stay up and the seat height is tooo high for the wife to launch herself into her seat. The dog hates them worse than the vacuum cleaner!
Two questions:
-can these be locked in the down position? We live in an icy climate and I smell trouble, just like the old disappearing headlight doors on my 1977 Dodge stuck half way open like a wink laughing at me in the freezing rain.
-does anyone have any experience with the failure rate and cost to repair after the warranty runs out?
Wouldn't recommend these unless you're a gentleman farmer like on Green Acres. Arnold the pig would decapitate himself with them.
Dumb invention.
Two questions:
-can these be locked in the down position? We live in an icy climate and I smell trouble, just like the old disappearing headlight doors on my 1977 Dodge stuck half way open like a wink laughing at me in the freezing rain.
-does anyone have any experience with the failure rate and cost to repair after the warranty runs out?
Wouldn't recommend these unless you're a gentleman farmer like on Green Acres. Arnold the pig would decapitate himself with them.
Dumb invention.
My ‘15 lariat has power fold steps. I can select auto, always up or always down in instrument panel using steering wheel controls.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 72
As Howie mentioned, they can be set to always down. That is misleading since I believe they will still go up once you reach a certain speed.
When I know that I'll be opening and closing various doors, I have a couple things I sometimes do.
1. if using the front door first, then I'll leave it cracked it I'll be using the same side back door relatively quickly.
2. mind do allow enough time before folding up that I can close a door and immediately open the other before they go up. It seem there is a 1-2 second delay built in there.
3. otherwise, I don't worry about it. My track came with them. If they break or wear out...I'll buy something different. Since 2017, I've sprayed them down really good with a silicon spray. They still work great.
When I know that I'll be opening and closing various doors, I have a couple things I sometimes do.
1. if using the front door first, then I'll leave it cracked it I'll be using the same side back door relatively quickly.
2. mind do allow enough time before folding up that I can close a door and immediately open the other before they go up. It seem there is a 1-2 second delay built in there.
3. otherwise, I don't worry about it. My track came with them. If they break or wear out...I'll buy something different. Since 2017, I've sprayed them down really good with a silicon spray. They still work great.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 27
Likes: 4
I literally just tried what we are discussing. Kingofwylietx is right. I set my running boards to always out and they stayed out until speed got to around 10-12 MPH. I stopped and checked settings and it had defaulted back to auto.
9 ECHO 1
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 12,467
Likes: 58
From: Missouri
If I recall, the Ford auto steps are made by AMP. There is a pretty significant incidence of winter failure from freezing on the forums(on both Ford and organic AMP steps), but this is where people go to report failures so I'm not sure the actual failure rate. Some have reported that with maintenance there isn't much trouble.
If you don't want to keep them, they are worth a pretty penny and you could easily replace them and pocket nearly $1000.
I replaced my standard factory Ford steps with some aftermarket ones and I love them. Which is surprising since they come from a Chinese manufacturer. But they're great.
If you don't want to keep them, they are worth a pretty penny and you could easily replace them and pocket nearly $1000.
I replaced my standard factory Ford steps with some aftermarket ones and I love them. Which is surprising since they come from a Chinese manufacturer. But they're great.
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