Nerf Bar Installed Cab Bushing Noise

fish4fun · September 6, 2008

Hello all,Need some help. Has anyone installed Nerf bars and then have the cab mounts creap? My front driver side and rear passenger side cabs mounts creap now. At first i only tightend with manual wrench then I just put the impact gun on them. I can't stand the creaking!!!!!!!! Anyone have this? Or any advice? They look awesome but geeeeeeeezz I have to play the radio loud or A/C on high. ANy help would gladly be appreciated. Oh they are the Wheel to Wheel Nerf bars. My truck is a 2007 NBS Silverado Ext Cab Z71 4x4.Thanks,Fish

lewis9378449 · September 7, 2008

i had the problem. Look to see if the bracket is rubbing on the frame. i used a washer as a spacer and the squek went away. Hope this helps

stadt11 · September 7, 2008

Just a thought, maybe you have them too tight. I've read on here before I got my Nasta SS bars, that if you tighten them too much they would creek. Try to use a torque wrench & torque to specs.

Another thought, did you have the truck level when you installed them or did you have it jacked-up or on an unlevel surface? Maybe when you put the cab bolts back in they didn't go in straight.

fish4fun · September 10, 2008

Ok all,Thanks for the input. I looked at them again after my install. The NBS trucks cab frame mounts are circular and the bar mounts are square. I had to fabricate the mounts with a cut off tool and grid them a little. after that I was able to put them back on and they tightened up flush to the cab body. Nice bolt on!!! If anyone wants the wheel to wheel nerf bars from DOS you wil need to fab the brackets.Thanks,Fish

C6Bill · December 2, 2008

Ok all,Thanks for the input. I looked at them again after my install. The NBS trucks cab frame mounts are circular and the bar mounts are square. I had to fabricate the mounts with a cut off tool and grid them a little. after that I was able to put them back on and they tightened up flush to the cab body. Nice bolt on!!! If anyone wants the wheel to wheel nerf bars from DOS you wil need to fab the brackets.Thanks,Fish

I just joined and I have the same problem, a friend just suggested the same thing. He said the Nasta's will creek if too tight !!!!!

Great site you have here, glad I joined !!!!

santacrocemt · December 3, 2008

I installed nurf bars as well on my 2008 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab (Z71) and they appear to have made the cab creak. It is only noticable at very low speeds, such as driving in a parking lot. It almost sounds like rocks are stuck in every tire. I have the bolts pretty tight, but they sure as heck were tight when I removed them!

Does anyone know the appropriate torque for these bolts. My nurf bars came with replacement bolts which were not the correct size/diameter. Therefore, I re-used the factory bolts which appeared to work just fine -- in reality, that could be part of the problem too!

Thanks for any feedback,

Matt

C6Bill · December 3, 2008

I installed nurf bars as well on my 2008 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab (Z71) and they appear to have made the cab creak. It is only noticable at very low speeds, such as driving in a parking lot. It almost sounds like rocks are stuck in every tire. I have the bolts pretty tight, but they sure as heck were tight when I removed them!

Does anyone know the appropriate torque for these bolts. My nurf bars came with replacement bolts which were not the correct size/diameter. Therefore, I re-used the factory bolts which appeared to work just fine -- in reality, that could be part of the problem too!

Thanks for any feedback,

Matt

The instructions for my Nasta SS bars says 65 Ft/Lbs.

tekrony · December 6, 2008

If you use factory bolts the torque is 74ft-lbs. If you use bolts supplied by manufacturer of the nerf bars, the torque varies, but 65 is pretty typical.

I have same problem with my Silverado with Westin Nerf Bars. Agree with C6Bill that the supplied front brackets are the wrong shape for most GM trucks. Looked at a friends Ford and they work better with that frame. I will try your idea of refabricating the brackets with a grinder.

Thanks.

Zembonez · December 6, 2008

They make noise because nerf bars are evil.

rvsahs · December 6, 2008

They make noise because nerf bars are evil.

No noise outta mine... at least I don't think so, I usually have the radio cranked up to drown out the wifey's constant chatter....

flatlander · December 7, 2008

I had the same problem after installing the nerf bars on my 2008 Extended Cab. The nerf bars attached to the cab mounts in 3 places and after hearing the noise I was about to take them off but am glad I didn't as the noise went away. Have not heard any noise since the initial period of maybe two weeks. I live on a farm with dirt roads, occasional mud, so it is not a matter keeping things clean. I wonder if it is a matter of getting the mating surfaces polished up. Had planned on trying a silicon spray on the mating surfaces but did not have to as the squeeks went away.

puas · April 3, 2009

I just installed some nerf bars 1 week ago and for the last several days the creaking in the body was

DRIVING ME NUTS!

after reading this, and several other forums, I went back to check my mounts...sure enough, the brackets were rubbing up against the body brackets and the cause of all my trouble. I slid the brackets back to clear the metal to metal contact, and problem resolved.

Also, thanks for the info on the torque specs for the body mounts...my instructions for my nerf bars (Big Country) had no specs. I also found some instructions online for Westin Bars...which confirmed the 65 ft/lbs of torque.