Found the source of my rattle

papageoff · June 12, 2018

So I have been annoyed by a rattle in the truck for a few months now and I figured out what it is.

It seems my steps have torn the sheet metal they mount to and the rattle was them moving around.

My neighbor thinks he might be able to weld it but it was raining last night and we couldn't look closely.

Good times...

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Aboogie808 · June 12, 2018

That sucks. What part of the truck is it?

papageoff · June 12, 2018

It's the upper-middle cab mount. A couple of the others are not as bad but still damaged. Only thing I can figure is I cranked down on them too hard and over time they wore through and tore the metal.

That sucks. What part of the truck is it?

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Aboogie808 · June 12, 2018

It's the upper-middle cab mount. A couple of the others are not as bad but still damaged. Only thing I can figure is I cranked down on them too hard and over time they wore through and tore the metal.

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Ouch. Is your truck still under warranty? Keep us posted on the outcome.

papageoff · June 12, 2018

21 minutes ago, Aboogie808 said:

Ouch. Is your truck still under warranty? Keep us posted on the outcome.

No warranty. It's a '15. It wouldn't have mattered anyway as these are not the factory steps. I installed them a little over 18 months ago. I was surprised when I did so by how thin that metal was, but I figured Chevy must know what they're doing.

The steps I installed were some chinesium aftermarket ones. Aside from not being powered they looked good and worked well. What I think got me was that the instructions didn't include a torque spec. Since I was excited and in a hurry I didn't look one up. I know I tightened them about 1/2-3/4 turn shy of Good'n-Tight on the ole calibrated wrist. Well, some research after I found the problem showed that they're only supposed to be like 16 fl-lbs.

I realize I have no one but myself to blame, but I do wish chevy reinforced those mounting points a bit more. The metal there is about the thickness of construction paper. There's no way to get anything behind the hole to sandwich it, either.

That one I posted a pic of is the worst. It's in the middle on the passenger side. I noticed that the AMP PowerSteps don't use that mount so I'm looking at those as possible replacements. I like the stepless look and I don't strictly speaking need them, I only have a leveling kit. But I like having them and it makes it easier when the wife or our parents ride along.

wforrest08 · June 12, 2018

Well your not the only one who’s had this problem.

Aboogie808 · June 12, 2018

No warranty. It's a '15. It wouldn't have mattered anyway as these are not the factory steps. I installed them a little over 18 months ago. I was surprised when I did so by how thin that metal was, but I figured Chevy must know what they're doing.

The steps I installed were some chinesium aftermarket ones. Aside from not being powered they looked good and worked well. What I think got me was that the instructions didn't include a torque spec. Since I was excited and in a hurry I didn't look one up. I know I tightened them about 1/2-3/4 turn shy of Good'n-Tight on the ole calibrated wrist. Well, some research after I found the problem showed that they're only supposed to be like 16 fl-lbs.

I realize I have no one but myself to blame, but I do wish chevy reinforced those mounting points a bit more. The metal there is about the thickness of construction paper. There's no way to get anything behind the hole to sandwich it, either.

That one I posted a pic of is the worst. It's in the middle on the passenger side. I noticed that the AMP PowerSteps don't use that mount so I'm looking at those as possible replacements. I like the stepless look and I don't strictly speaking need them, I only have a leveling kit. But I like having them and it makes it easier when the wife or our parents ride along.

I have to take a look at mines. I asked about the warranty, mines is a 2014 and paid Chevrolet to extend it for 120k miles, right before my warranty expired three years later. It was a pretty penny, but seeing issues like this, i figured what the hell. Sorry to hear.

mookdoc6 · June 12, 2018

44 minutes ago, papageoff said:

No warranty. It's a '15. It wouldn't have mattered anyway as these are not the factory steps. I installed them a little over 18 months ago. I was surprised when I did so by how thin that metal was, but I figured Chevy must know what they're doing.

The steps I installed were some chinesium aftermarket ones. Aside from not being powered they looked good and worked well. What I think got me was that the instructions didn't include a torque spec. Since I was excited and in a hurry I didn't look one up. I know I tightened them about 1/2-3/4 turn shy of Good'n-Tight on the ole calibrated wrist. Well, some research after I found the problem showed that they're only supposed to be like 16 fl-lbs.

I realize I have no one but myself to blame, but I do wish chevy reinforced those mounting points a bit more. The metal there is about the thickness of construction paper. There's no way to get anything behind the hole to sandwich it, either.

That one I posted a pic of is the worst. It's in the middle on the passenger side. I noticed that the AMP PowerSteps don't use that mount so I'm looking at those as possible replacements. I like the stepless look and I don't strictly speaking need them, I only have a leveling kit. But I like having them and it makes it easier when the wife or our parents ride along.

I believe GM's use physics and engineered to fit accordingly and not put due stresses on sheet metal holes...just saying? Careful with the China stuff

SarahsGMC · June 12, 2018

even if they were overtightened that mounting point being that thin is just ridiculous...

Mike GMC · June 12, 2018

I don't have steps, so this may be a dumb question, but why are they mounted to the body at all? Isn't there a perfectly good frame to mount them to?

SarahsGMC · June 12, 2018

1 minute ago, Mike GMC said:

I don't have steps, so this may be a dumb question, but why are they mounted to the body at all? Isn't there a perfectly good frame to mount them to?

most steps do mount to the frame that's why mounting to the body sounds weird to me

Mike GMC · June 12, 2018

Agreed, that mounting configuration doesn't pass the sniff test. If it smells like $h!t it probably is $h!t. Years ago I built some rock sliders for my Jeep. They were strong enough to jack the side of the vehicle with. I wouldn't trust much less to hold me up either.

papageoff · June 12, 2018

In my admittedly limited experience steps, running boards, and nerf bars are all body mounted-- including the factory ones. It's not until you get into rock-rail territory that you find frame mounted gear. I wanted true rock sliders when I bought these but I couldn't find anyone who made them for less than $1k and in the end, this whale isn't going to see any serious off-roading.

But I dunno... I bought chinese steps and am surprised they broke my truck. Though, in my defense... I figured the truck would be tougher than the steps. ;)

papageoff · June 12, 2018

1 hour ago, wforrest08 said:

Well your not the only one who’s had this problem.

Nice. These are the ones I bought. They had decent reviews on amazon. Live and learn I guess.

papageoff · June 12, 2018

Actually, looking at them them... The design has changed. They didn't have a logo when I got them. There was just 5 stars on each pad. I wouldn't have bought them with a logo on the pad like that.