What Are These Rings For (nerf Bar Mounting) ?

[mokeman3]

I originally posted thing in the suspension modifications forum (some sharp guys there), but after thinking about it, I figured I might as well also post it here in "general" as well. Anyways, here it is:

 

 

So my 2010 Silverado regular cab short box is about 1 month old now, - about 1,200 miles now.

 

I decided to get a spray-in liner (Full Metal Jacket brand), and a canopy, and step bars (Nerf bars?) Here she is:

 

 

However these G-damn Nerf bars/step rails have been a PITA! big time. They have been making all sorts of noises that sounds like something was left up in the frame or fender or something.

 

I've had it! - driving me bonkers, so I decided to take them off and check it out. On the front half, I found these sheet-metal spacer rings between the top of the step bracket, and the bottom of the lower half of the frame mounting bushing:

 

 

Also, (and a little disturbing), the metal in the lower bushing half was dished out on both sides (front bushings only).

 

So does anyone know what these rings wound be in there for, and what would have caused the lower bushing halves to dish out ? Not sure you can see the dishing from the photo's, but I beat them back flat between two large sockets, and put it all together without the rings, but did put one square construction "plate washer" between the bracket and the bottom of the bushing. Not sure why, but I did.

 

Noise be GONE!. But later, I got to thinking, and it dawned on me, crap, maybe they where in there for "expansion sliders" or something. i.e. the Nerf bar expands, and instead of bending/warping your frame/cab all to hell, maybe the bracket is designed to "slide" on the edges of the ring? I dunno. Should I put them back on? What's the dealy-O here ?

 

PS, sorry about posting this in this forum, but it is "sorta" suspension related, and besides, I think (hope) that there are more mechanical minds in this forum that would probably have a better insight into this issue.

 

Thanks,

MM3

[dsr611]

They were probably in there to keep the bracket from rubbing on the mount pocket. When I put my steps on, the brackets were rubbing on the mounting pocket and making a loud creaking and popping noise. Dropped the front bracket down and put a washer on top of the bracket to shim it down so it wasn't hitting the pocket and re-torqued to specs. Since then, I have had no sound what so ever coming from the steps and brackets.

[BigBlueLB756]

Exactly what hammerhead611 said.^^^

[mokeman3]

Exactly what hammerhead611 said.^^^

 

Well, that's a strange thing since they only call for putting the ring on the front brackets (I found the installation PDF) :

http://www.westinautomotive.com/pages/Inst...ets/75-0561.pdf

 

Stupid for a couple reasons:

1) - the front bracket and back bracket are basically the same. If there are clearance problems, it would be on the back bracket.

 

2) - it's a dangerous design. I since determined that it is this "ring" affair that is dishing out the bottom part of the body mounting bushing: When you tighten the bolt, the ring pushes up on the "outside" of the metal in the bushing dishing it around the stem in the upper half of the body mounting bracket. The result is that you create a "gap" between the stem/collar of the upper half of the bushing, and the metal in the lower half in the bushing. So every time the cab bounces "up", the dished metal in the lower bushing slams against the stem/collar of the upper bushing creating the noise that everyone is complaining about.

 

I'll write Westin and talk to them about this, as this design is damaging peoples bushings, and causing the rattling noise.

 

MM3

[BigBlueLB756]

Still, what hammerhead said. Put some large flat washers between the body mounts AND the brackets to give some clearance between the mount pockets and the brackets. That's where the noise is coming from.

[mokeman3]

Still, what hammerhead said. Put some large flat washers between the body mounts AND the brackets to give some clearance between the mount pockets and the brackets. That's where the noise is coming from.

 

Yeah, that's what I did - put one of them square construction (sill plate/J-bolt) plate washers in between.

 

But as I said, mu whole deal is horked. For starters, the front frame rail brackets on my 2010 are plenty wide enough for the brackets, - there is no change of hitting/binding there at all.

 

However, on the 2010's (standard cab), the REAR frame rail brackets are offset a bit (hole is closer to the front of the truck), and there is a bit of binding on the back, and that's because my brackets have the verticle web welded on the front side instead of the back side where there is more clearence. My bars are Westin knock-off's I believe. Identicle to Westin, but they just don't say Westin on them).

 

So I drove the truck into work this morning without the spacer ring in the front, and just one square construction plate on the front. I get some "slight" creaking, but nothing like before, and none of that dull banging/rattleing sound.

 

MM3