How Do Nerf Bars / Side Steps Mount To The New Silverados / Sierras ?

[noupf]

I am looking to get some sides steps for my 2010 Silverado and the ones I was looking at on ebay mount via the rocker panels. Is this normal? To me, mounting them to the rocker panels underside would not be very sturdy and would allow them to flex and bend the panels. Any tips or reccomendations on what you have?

 

Thanks !

[TRCM]

I am looking to get some sides steps for my 2010 Silverado and the ones I was looking at on ebay mount via the rocker panels. Is this normal? To me, mounting them to the rocker panels underside would not be very sturdy and would allow them to flex and bend the panels. Any tips or reccomendations on what you have?

 

Thanks !

 

 

Curious as well, but I did notice there are nuts made into the rocker panels...maybe they are there for the factory style mounts ??

[RyanbabZ71]

pre-drilled mouting holes in the frame. The hardware goes into these 4 holes. The hardware is tapped and you bolt them to these.

 

Best picture I had sorry

[SHooper4]

I am looking to get some sides steps for my 2010 Silverado and the ones I was looking at on ebay mount via the rocker panels. Is this normal? To me, mounting them to the rocker panels underside would not be very sturdy and would allow them to flex and bend the panels. Any tips or reccomendations on what you have?

 

Thanks !

 

 

I installed my NFabs myself, and they where bolt on, they mount under the body and where straight bolt on. You have pre-drilled holes and weld nuts under there that everything lives up, installed my set in less then 30 minutes. they weight rating is 400lbs.

no issues here with bending, but step types may vary.

[noupf]

I am looking to get some sides steps for my 2010 Silverado and the ones I was looking at on ebay mount via the rocker panels. Is this normal? To me, mounting them to the rocker panels underside would not be very sturdy and would allow them to flex and bend the panels. Any tips or reccomendations on what you have?

 

Thanks !

 

 

I installed my NFabs myself, and they where bolt on, they mount under the body and where straight bolt on. You have pre-drilled holes and weld nuts under there that everything lives up, installed my set in less then 30 minutes. they weight rating is 400lbs.

no issues here with bending, but step types may vary.

 

 

 

I understand that they bolt right on, but where did they bolt on to......the back underside of the rocker panels or the frame?

[BuckFeverZ]

The GM steps mount to the backside of the rockers.

[Matt_]

The rocker panel mounts are extremely sturdy!. They're not just mounted to the flimsy tab at the bottom.... they're designed so that the moment created by the steps is counteracted over a large area and is plenty strong.

 

[TRCM]

The rocker panel mounts are extremely sturdy!. They're not just mounted to the flimsy tab at the bottom.... they're designed so that the moment created by the steps is counteracted over a large area and is plenty strong.

 

 

 

Understand what you are saying, but even in your pics, the mounts look bent already where they attach to the rocker panel

[noupf]

pre-drilled mouting holes in the frame. The hardware goes into these 4 holes. The hardware is tapped and you bolt them to these.

 

Best picture I had sorry

 

 

If you get a chance, can you snap a pic of your GM Step bars and how they are mounted.....i dont see how those would mount to the rocker panels, like the above poster says.

 

Thanks

[noupf]

The rocker panel mounts are extremely sturdy!. They're not just mounted to the flimsy tab at the bottom.... they're designed so that the moment created by the steps is counteracted over a large area and is plenty strong.

 

 

 

What brand step bars are those?

[Matt_]

What brand step bars are those?

 

I'm running the Rampage Streamline 5" step bars.

 

They use the OEM mounting locations. The brackets may look different, but they mount using the same exact pre-drilled holes as the OEM steps.

[Matt_]

Understand what you are saying, but even in your pics, the mounts look bent already where they attach to the rocker panel

 

They're not bent at all. The shape/angle of the brackets may be throwing off perception.

 

What's funny is that from an engineering perspective, i've never liked the frame/body-mount attachments because of the huuuuge moment arm created by the steps. Mounting to the rocker panel decreases the moment arm by a good 8"... and i've seen plenty of tube steps that mount to the frame bend/sag over time.

 

Go with whatever steps you'd like. I know mine aren't going to bend

 

 

 

[TRCM]

I agree on the moment arm, which is why when I designed some for my old dodge, I had a bar front & rear that went up and across the truck to the other side so that that problem was solved. It also allowed me to actually lift the truck with a high lift jack using the nerf bar if needed. Way overkill for this truck.

 

The part I said looked bent is the actual rocker panel where the nut is welded in. It looks like it was tweaked when tightening the bolt up.

 

How do you like yours otherwise ? is the step pad rubber or plastic ?

[Matt_]

the only part that gets tweaked slightly is the very bottom of the rocker panel where the bolt goes through to the bracket. its hard to explain with that single picture... but the way they're shaped actually pre-loads the rocker panel and bracket; which is a smart move IMO because it makes the steps feel very solid.

 

my steps have plastic pads, not rubber. they're not as high of quality as the GM steps.... but they're priced appropriately and they sit up closer to the body than the oem steps do too. overall i like them.

[noupf]

the only part that gets tweaked slightly is the very bottom of the rocker panel where the bolt goes through to the bracket. its hard to explain with that single picture... but the way they're shaped actually pre-loads the rocker panel and bracket; which is a smart move IMO because it makes the steps feel very solid.

 

my steps have plastic pads, not rubber. they're not as high of quality as the GM steps.... but they're priced appropriately and they sit up closer to the body than the oem steps do too. overall i like them.

 

 

Hey MATT......thanks for all your help. I like the way your look and I found these on ebay....are they the same ones you have. I cant tell in your pics, but they look close and the price seems descent.

 

Thanks,

 

Lee

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CHEVY-SILVE...sQ5fAccessories