Installing AMP Research Power Step Installation: A Challenging but Rewarding Experience

I recently had the opportunity to install AMP Research power steps on my crew cab truck, and I must say it was a challenging yet rewarding experience. In this article, I'll share my experiences and provide some valuable insights for those who are considering installing these power steps.

The first challenge I faced was getting rust paint on the freshly exposed sheet metal. After sweating through that process, I finally got both sides working flawlessly. However, things took a turn for the worse when I realized that there was no vertical adjustment available. The only solution was to use an angle grinder and die grinder to trim off small amounts of sheet metal.

As I continued with the installation, I encountered more obstacles. For instance, the board would catch on the bottom edge of the sheet metal seam, making it difficult to move. To overcome this issue, I had to open the driver's door and the board would move about 1/4 inch before getting stuck again.

Despite these challenges, I was determined to see the magic of my new power steps in action. After overcoming these obstacles, I was finally able to pop in the fuse and test out the system. The harness was great, but I had to figure out how to anchor the LED wires under the cab on my own. This wasn't a horrible job, but it did require some extra effort.

One of the most frustrating parts of the installation was dealing with the four wires that connect under the dash to plugs buried behind a component that has to be removed for access. I had also seen an installation video showing the connections being made under the fuse box, which would have been easier and less time-consuming. However, I opted not to use the OBD2 connector as I thought connecting four wires wouldn't be that difficult.

In addition to these challenges, I had to fab a metal bracket to reposition the connector, and my truck has a large electrical connector that was in the way of the driver's side motor unit. Furthermore, the instructions failed to mention both a regular drill and a right-angle drill, which made things more complicated.

Despite all these obstacles, the quality of the hardware, motors, and harness from AMP Research is excellent. The final observation I want to make is that these power steps are great - they're pretty much invisible under the cab when retracted, and slide into place smoothly and quietly when a door is opened.

Amp research power step installation