Installing Westin CPS Step Bars on a 99 Silverado
Posted on Jan 27, 2009 by Josh Merva in How To
The installation of these bars is fairly easy. The instructions were not greatest I’ve seen, but if you have any mechanical skills, you shouldn’t have any problem. (This covers installation on my 1999, 3 door, extended cab. Other models would be similar) Of course, make sure you have all the parts and hardware that is suppose to be in the box, before you get started.
Here’s what’s in the box:
To install,
1. Install the front bracket with provided hardware (A). New (longer) cab mount bolts will be used. Leave loose.
2. Locate hole on bottom side of frame.
3. Slide bolt plate (D) into frame until bolt ( C ) drops through round hole. Do not use the slotted hole (D, also). On the inside edge of the frame, it is open enough to reach the bolt plate up to the round hole the bolt goes through. Install brace on the bolt protruding through hole in bottom of frame. When you tighten the nut down on the bolt plate, it pushes against the inside edge of the frame, allowing you to tighten the nut ( C ) as required. Leave loose.
For the rear,
1. Install rear bracket with provided hardware (A). New (longer) cab mount bolts will be used. Leave loose.
2. Fasten rear brace to rear cab mount support with provided hardware ( C ). Leave loose.
3. Fasten Step Bar to mounting brackets and support braces with provided hardware (B in both pictures).
4. Check to make sure everything is properly aligned, then torque all mounting bracket bolts to 65 Ft. Lbs.
The pictures above show the passenger side of the truck. Driver’s side is similar. It’s a good idea to have a good selection of extensions and universal joints to use with your ratchet, as you’ve find you have to get into some tricky angles to reach all the hardware when tightening everything up. Half-inch drive ratchets/sockets/extensions/universals are recommended.
Here’s the final outcome.
Updated 23 Oct 04
After installing my body lift, I did some work to the brackets so they would be lifted up a little with the body lift and not have as much of a gap between the bottom of the truck body and the step rails.
I started by measuring up two inches from the holes on the brackets where the rails mount and drilling new mounting holes. Why only two inches instead of three, like the body lift? Basicly, on the front brackets, if I had went any higher than two inches, it would not have been enough clearance between the heads of the body mount bolts and the step rail mount bolts.
I cut off all the extra metal that hung below the steps, and had to trim a little bit off the body mount support that comes off the frame and had to round out the top lip of it where the curvature of the rails would have hit. I then made a new brace for the fronts out of some 1/4 inch metal I bought at Lowe’s and had it welded to the other brace to make one solid piece out of the front mounting bracket.
For the rear brackets, di did the same as far as measuring up two inches, redrilling new mounting holes, and cutting off the extra metal. I did have to drill a new hole in the bed body mount support that comes off the frame so the Westin rear brace could be attached. You can see the original mounting point for the brace a little lower on the mount support.
Final pics with them mounted after the 3 inch body lift.
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