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Articulating Running Boards Retrofit - How To

pgamboa

By pgamboa
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pgamboa
pgamboa

Here is my How To Video on how I was able to retrofit these Articulating (Tri-Mode) Running Boards onto my 2016 Silverado LT.  I'll have a complete parts list here shortly.   Enjoy the video

Tleesmith14
Tleesmith14
SoonerTA
SoonerTA

Thanks to everyone who helped me pull this off.  After watching the videos this really wasn't a hard install.  It just took a little patients.  I ended up finding a set of steps, off an 2018 Denali, o

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H-town Silver Bullet Enthusiast

H-town Silver Bullet

Posted
Posted
How can i get in touch with phil? 
Either direct message him on forum or use tapatalk dms. If he's not on vaaction, he responds rather quickly.

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Danijelpav22 Enthusiast

Danijelpav22

Posted
Posted (edited)

Well after rain relay,  shitty blade and cutter tool dying delays, ive come to find out my 18 silverado harness doesn't have the pins I need for the running board harness so I'm forced to sell them..

Thanks to Gamboa for the harness 

For double cab owners, under the cab where these mount, there is 1 ridge on passenger side and 2 on driver side you have to cut off and or hit in with hammer for these to mount flush. And my body washer was hitting the motors so I cut some of it off to clear. 

 

20190630_204059.jpg

Edited by Danijelpav22
knkguillot Enthusiast

knkguillot

Posted
Posted
Well after rain relay,  shitty blade and cutter tool dying delays, ive come to find out my 18 silverado harness doesn't have the pins I need for the running board harness so I'm forced to sell them..
Thanks to Gamboa for the harness 
For double cab owners, under the cab where these mount, there is 1 ridge on passenger side and 2 on driver side you have to cut off and or hit in with hammer for these to mount flush. And my body washer was hitting the motors so I cut some of it off to clear. 
 
20190630_204059.thumb.jpg.dfc7659c6b2df6489af1946d0999a939.jpg
Where are you located and how much do you want for them?

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Blee Enthusiast

Blee

Posted
Posted

Does anyone have any information on retrofitting the 2019 boards?  I just picked up a set and want to put them on my 19 SLT. 

Xenawise Enthusiast

Xenawise

Posted
Posted

From the looks of the 2019 articulating running boards on a 2019 Denali, they look just like previous model so I would dare say mechanically they are probably the same. I believe the electronics in the 2019 is new, so the data bus is probably different so the running boards would need a new control box to talk to the 2019 data bus, and that would just require a new control module. Not sure if it physically is the same as the old control box, my guess would be it is. If not, then it would need a new retainer as well to match the new control box and mounting to the running board frame. The wiring harness would more or less be the same, differing in relation to the frame of the truck and how the routing over to the passenger running board is done. All in all, it should not be much different from the older running board setup, just have to keep in mind maybe a new control module would be needed as well as finding where the proper pins are in the truck harness to attach the data bus line as well as the running board disable line, if it even needs that any longer with the new control module. You would also need a new switch bar that would include the running board disable switch, and I bet your SLT will already have the wiring in-place to handle this. Just some opinions from having done this on my 2016 Denali. Good luck with the conversion!

 

Xenawise

 

lilsullivan04 Enthusiast

lilsullivan04

Posted
Posted
From the looks of the 2019 articulating running boards on a 2019 Denali, they look just like previous model so I would dare say mechanically they are probably the same. I believe the electronics in the 2019 is new, so the data bus is probably different so the running boards would need a new control box to talk to the 2019 data bus, and that would just require a new control module. Not sure if it physically is the same as the old control box, my guess would be it is. If not, then it would need a new retainer as well to match the new control box and mounting to the running board frame. The wiring harness would more or less be the same, differing in relation to the frame of the truck and how the routing over to the passenger running board is done. All in all, it should not be much different from the older running board setup, just have to keep in mind maybe a new control module would be needed as well as finding where the proper pins are in the truck harness to attach the data bus line as well as the running board disable line, if it even needs that any longer with the new control module. You would also need a new switch bar that would include the running board disable switch, and I bet your SLT will already have the wiring in-place to handle this. Just some opinions from having done this on my 2016 Denali. Good luck with the conversion!
 
Xenawise
 


This picture is taken from my 2019 GMC Sierra SLT this plug is right above the BCM control module I do not know what it goes to would you have any idea? What it be for running boards?

8c47e1c5755e896e1427b3372befe1cf.jpg


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Xenawise Enthusiast

Xenawise

Posted
Posted

That in under the dash inside the truck, the running board control module is mounted to the frame of the running boards so that would be on the outside of the truck. So no, that connector is not for the running boards. I have no idea what that would be used for. Would have to look at a wiring diagram to even phantom a guess. Maybe the Trailer Brake Module? You would never see an exposed connector on the outside of the truck where water and such could get into the connector and start corrosion and other bad things. All connectors on the outside of the truck should be a sealed type to prevent water and oil from getting to the contacts. 

 

Xenawise

 

  • Like 1
Blee Enthusiast

Blee

Posted
Posted (edited)

I've done some searching and stumbled across the 2019 GM Upfitter website. I did find some info on what they're calling the assist step module in Section 6-520-521.  It shows the connector part numbers.  Other than knowing that it didn't help much about knowing where to tap into the right harness and plug. These came off a 2019 LTZ so at least I have the correct control module. 

Edited by Blee
Xenawise Enthusiast

Xenawise

Posted
Posted

Search that document for "BRS" minus the quotes. That is the running board RPO option. You will get much more information. Where the power comes from (Connector X4, Pin G6 (30A Fuse) in the Underhood Fuse Block - Page 6-48), the ground goes to G420 (search that for a location diagram) - Page 6-85, and the Running Board Disable Signal (CKT 7462 (search "7462" to get more info on where this circuit goes) - you will find it comes out of connector for the dash switches (Page 6-836, Pin 8, you can check if this is populated in your truck - since it is an SLT I bet you it is there), and goes to X138 Connector (Body Harness to Chassis Harness). Look at pin 2 (Running Board Disable Signal) and pin 11 (low speed GMLAN Serial Data). That is what you need to get the module up and running. You truck did not have the BRS option so the chassis wiring harness will not have the wiring or the connectors to plug into the module. So you either need to make up your own custom harness from scratch (with all the connectors and pins and wire) for this or get a chassis harness from GM that has all the wiring for the BRS running boards already in it and strip the wiring out of the harness and adapt it to your truck.

 

The Upfitter manual I was referencing to above is the 2019 Lite Duty Sierra Electrical manual: https://www.gmupfitter.com/files/media/photo/1162/19_sierra_1500_body_builder_Feb_20_19.pdf

 

Xenawise

 

  • Like 1
Blee Enthusiast

Blee

Posted
Posted

That's great information. Thanks for researching it. Buying the chassis harness and stripping out what I need seems easier. I bet that's not a cheap harness. 

cmatt Enthusiast

cmatt

Posted
Posted
That's great information. Thanks for researching it. Buying the chassis harness and stripping out what I need seems easier. I bet that's not a cheap harness. 


Since you’re doing this on a truck,@pgamboa may be able to make a custom harness for you.


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  • 1 month later...
rah7777777 Enthusiast

rah7777777

Posted
Posted

I finally got my tri-mode boards installed. 

Huge THANK YOU for Phil for giving us the wiring diagram. I ended up building my own harness (I've built 100's of harnesses for work stuff over the years so I had all the wire colors and crimp tools at hand)

 

They work great and after coating them in bed liner spray, they look good too ?

 

 

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