I have noticed that my Mopar chrome side steps on my 10' crew cab seem to flex an awful lot when I step on them to get in the drivers seat. The passenger step does flex a very little bit, but by no comparrison to the drivers. One thing is that the passenger step is used maybe in a 1 in 10 ratio to the driver. I crawled under the truck to see how the steps are installed and it looks really stupid to have them mounted to such thin sheet metal as they are. I check all of the bolts and they are tight, I had someone else step on them and it is the metal flexing! What a joke, at least the aftermarket steps usually mount off of the body mount bolts and feel stable when used. Has anyone else noticed this and had a fix? The dealer of course says that it is normal. I am 194lbs and I feel like my weight should not be too heavy for the steps, but if it is, then what kind of crap are they anyway?

 

Mine are the same. Dealer says its a design flaw as far as they are concerned. Mine also keep loosening off and rattling. Have to tighten them up every 4-6 months. I read somewhere (maybe on this forum) of someone modifying them to sit in closer to the truck so they were sturdier. Seemed like quite a bit of work to me, but if its bothering you it might be something for you to look into

 

Mine did the same thing when I first bought the truck, June 2009. Turned out the dealer hadn't torqued the nuts enough to properly crush the threaded cap inserts. There was a lot of give so after a couple of months of use the driver's side step just snapped off completely. I took it back to the dealer and they replaced both steps completely since they couldn't be sure the other side had been installed properly. Besides, they come in sets and couldn't just get a new driver's side.

 

I agree with War Horse, one of the rivnuts were installed wrong and even when the bolt is fully tightened the rivnut is moving in the sheet metal

 

Had mine on a year, did the install myself, they do flex a slight amount, but so far so good for mine, knock on wood, no problems. Usually why I like to do my own installs so I know whats done and done right.

 

194 #s , should not be doing that . I have the oval big country s.s. and they have been great .. no flex at 290#s

 

My factory Mopar tube steps do not flex like that. I think your installation has a problem.

Rob

 

Thanks for the replys! Are these what they call "Nutserts" that you have to use a rivet tool to set them with? If so, I can see why it was probably done wrong to start with considering the people who I think installed them. More or less a glorified oil change tech is what I have seen doing the accessory installs at my dealer. I will show it to the service manager again and show him the post to see if I can get anywhere with this.

 

I have had a huge issue with my factory steps mounting to the inside of the rocker panel is completely BS they should go to the body mounts. Mine fell off after 8 months the rivet nuts were not set right and I took the truck to the dealer I then did some research and found that mopar was offering a reinforcement kit well told the dealer I wanted that said they would take care of it I even gave them the part number and the actual print out of the installation instructions. Picked up the truck and no reinforcement kit instead find they took out the remaining rivet nuts and uses crappy u bolts and totally screwed up the paint. I then spent 2 hours in the parts department trying to track down the kit finally had to call flint Michigan to figure it out got the kit and then tracked down much more substantial rivet nuts and the propper tool to install them since then has been a world of difference if interested I can get some pictures and part numbers. However if anyone has found steps that mount differently please share the info as I still have no faith in body mounted steps.

 

I had some Raptor steps and they attach to the body, inside the rocker panels and the cab mounts on the frame. That install is B.S. as they put a sheet of rubber between the parts when they tighten down, change the body mounting bolts for lower grade ones and jam 2 of the 6 cab rubber mounts so you lose vibration damping. A recipe for trouble as far as I am concerned. So I used the Mopar mounting kit and installed them cause they were stainless steel instead of the aluminium Mopar uses.

They flex but I weigh 250 lbs.

Read the Rivnut installation instructions. They are very specific. You need the tool and you have to use oil each time and you need to torque it right and have it well seated in the hole when you start.