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Articulating Running Boards Retrofit - How To

pgamboa

By pgamboa
in Modifications & Accessories

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15 Nali New Member

15 Nali

Posted
Posted

Help Needed,,,,

 

hello all , I purchased a set of the Tri-mode steps for my 2015 Sierra Denali and followed Phil’s diagram and made my harness but I cannot get them to work correctly. Thinking I maybe Have done something wrong I made a new harness checked it over and over and I bought a new module and to my surprise it continued  to do the same thing. When I enable them and open a door they slide all the way to the back. Today I had tech connect his computer thinking it might need to get flashed or programmed and after 4 hours he could not get them to work. I’m at the point where if I can’t  get them to work they are coming off. I would really appreciate any ideas. Thanks in advance. 

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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

Posted Images

Xenawise Enthusiast

Xenawise

Posted
Posted

Are both of the running boards doing this (driver AND passenger)? What if when they are retracted and you press the foot switch on the end of the running board, does it swing out to the rear position? If pressed again, does the running board fully retract? 

 

There is a Hall Sensor (basically a sensor that detects magnetic fields) inside each motor that senses the position of the running board. Not entirely sure what happens if these go bad or if these sensors are actually replaceable. I would think this is a sensor issue since the running boards do extend and retract, they just don't extract to the proper position when you open the door. 

 

As I said the Hall Sensor is inside each motor and needs to be wired up to the control module. Each Hall sensor uses 3 wires, a +5V Reference wire, a ground wire (or Low Reference), and the sensor output wire. These go to the X2 connector on the module (the 12-pin connector) and they occupy pins 1 thru 6 of said connector. 

 

On the motor assemblies themselves, there is an 8-pin connector for each, and the Hall Sensor uses three of the 8 connections (pin 2, 3, and 4). You can see these in the Upfitters Body Builders Electrical manuals for the Sierra 2016 and above. 

 

I would double check these wires are correctly pinned, as if they are not the sensor would not work to tell the control module where the running board position is. 

 

Good luck and keep us informed on what you find.

 

Xenawise 

  • Thanks 1
Corey H Enthusiast

Corey H

Posted
Posted
On 4/4/2020 at 10:32 AM, chicano_de_atl said:

Hey guys I have a set of running boards off a 2018 Denali for sale there in good shape. Located 40 min north of Atlanta I ended up selling my truck before I installed them


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you still have these ? 

  • 2 months later...
Corey H Enthusiast

Corey H

Posted
Posted

If anyone is interested In a pair of the GM OEM TRI MODE BOARDS. for a 2019-2020 GM. I have a set. 
 

purchased them for my 2017 and was told they were my year. But when they arrived we realized they were 2019. 
 

only on the original truck for a few months. Very minor scratches. Great shape. 900$ plus shipping. Pictures to post soon 

  • 4 months later...
johnhankel Enthusiast

johnhankel

Posted
Posted

I got my tri-modes wired up today. Thanks to Phil Gamboa for the harness and the help getting it wired up.

I’m going to love them. a169a235c822d07cf39aed1d5d33312b.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
  • 4 months later...
Raven Z71 Enthusiast

Raven Z71

Posted
Posted
On 6/23/2020 at 11:06 AM, Corey H said:

If anyone is interested In a pair of the GM OEM TRI MODE BOARDS. for a 2019-2020 GM. I have a set. 
 

purchased them for my 2017 and was told they were my year. But when they arrived we realized they were 2019. 
 

only on the original truck for a few months. Very minor scratches. Great shape. 900$ plus shipping. Pictures to post soon 

So confirmed that the T1 steps are not compatible with our K2s?

  • 4 months later...
Philntx Enthusiast

Philntx

Posted
Posted

After purchasing a set of power boards from a 2017 GMC, I contacted Phil for one of his harnesses.  After watching the video, decided to just contact him to do the install.  Swapped out the factory GM boards for the articulated boards on Saturday.  Went to Phil's on Sunday, one hour later they were working like they were always there.  The harness install looks factory.  Outstanding product and a very smart guy.

  • Like 2
boettcher40 Enthusiast

boettcher40

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Philntx said:

After purchasing a set of power boards from a 2017 GMC, I contacted Phil for one of his harnesses.  After watching the video, decided to just contact him to do the install.  Swapped out the factory GM boards for the articulated boards on Saturday.  Went to Phil's on Sunday, one hour later they were working like they were always there.  The harness install looks factory.  Outstanding product and a very smart guy.

Phil is the best in the biz! Looking forward to some pictures in the "what have you done to your K2 today" thread!

  • Like 1
  • 4 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
PAPER Enthusiast

PAPER

Posted
Posted

Has anyone in the L.A. Los Angeles California area done this Retrofit yet ?

  • 2 years later...
agarc44 New Member

agarc44

Posted
Posted

Hi guys, 

 

I have just purchased a 2022 "Refresehed" LTZ and it came stock with the fixed step assists. I then found a good deal on the articulating running boards on FB marketplace but missing the harnesses required. If they came off a 2024 High Country 1500, are there control modules and harnesses available to purchase through Phil? would the installation be the same as the youtube video?

MikeBMW Senior Enthusiast

MikeBMW

Posted
Posted
On 5/13/2024 at 12:46 AM, agarc44 said:

Hi guys, 

 

I have just purchased a 2022 "Refresehed" LTZ and it came stock with the fixed step assists. I then found a good deal on the articulating running boards on FB marketplace but missing the harnesses required. If they came off a 2024 High Country 1500, are there control modules and harnesses available to purchase through Phil? would the installation be the same as the youtube video?

You're kind of out of the element here.
This is a forum for K2s and not T1s.
Still, you can reach out to https://harnessdr.com/ for some information.

  • 4 months later...
Loafer987 Enthusiast

Loafer987

Posted
Posted

@pgamboa 
Thanks Phil for being such a rock star! 

I just purchased a set of these running boards for my 2018 gmc 1500 elevation. The seller let me cut the plugs off his truck. (crazy guy lol) I am an automotive electrical technician and wiring is not a concern however, the running boards I purchased may be faulty. 

The drivers board wont move freely by hand so I cant even pull it apart to bolt the unit on to the truck. The passenger board articulates freely off of the truck by hand which makes me concerned I may have a seized unit on the drivers board. 

How should these move when power isn't attached?

I noticed the round pivot point on the drivers side board, closest to the rear tire, has slid down below where the wear line is for the pivot. I'm wondering if the old owner attempted to remove the running boards incorrectly and it just needs to be moved up to move freely again. Is there torque specs somewhere for these bolts as well?

 

Thanks for your time. 

 

 

PXL_20241013_045557323.jpg

PXL_20241013_045610564.jpg

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