Power Steps on a 90 Suburban?

[EricU]

Has anyone installed any of the AMP Research Power Steps (running boards) on a 90 Suburban? They seem to only have part numbers for the newer models.

And no I dont want tube steps

Seems like a solution (though pricey) to keep my wife from whining, especially since I am going a little larger on the tires and adding a 4" ORD lift.

Eric.

 

[bfdiesel]

Or build sliders that double as steps

 

[chilliwak]

Welcome to the site ErikU and can I say thats a nice `Burb´you have there...:drool:

 

[BurbanAZ]

i love that old burb, super clean. The horse stirrup thing is a pretty good idea though lol and cheap

 

[EricU]

i love that old burb, super clean. The horse stirrup thing is a pretty good idea though lol and cheap

I picked up the Suburban real cheap with a little over 105k miles, it has a built 700R4, super clean interior and a anemic 5.7 TBI that is getting a little 383 infusion. My 4" ORD lift is on the way.

The rig will be mostly used for towing teenagers and a wakeboard boat to our local NorCal lakes. Not a lot of real off-roading (I know, I can get SHOT for saying that on this forum!)

Anyway, like I said in my original post, I dont want tube steps or running boards. And I doubt the over priced power steps will get ruined at the local bagel shop (yep! she's gonna be a 450 ft-lb poser!)

• So, has anyone put a set of the power boards on an old Burb?

Eric.

 

[Erik N]

I am also Eri(k), also have a 'Burb, and I USED to live in Napa!

Are those the Twin Sisters in the background? Here's a pic of my baby. Twin sisters in the background, too!

And, don't do it. Tell your wife to lose some weight instead! Also, don't install a piece of tack... next your wife will want a horse to go with it BTDT.

Good luck!

 

[Rovertrader]

I haven't put a set on an older burb, but have on a newer SD, and found them to be a great solution for wife/kids(minor lift w/37s). If they don't make a specific application, it shouldn't be too difficult to alter a set to fit as it is just a two point mount. Best of luck!!

 

[EricU]

I haven't put a set on an older burb, but have on a newer SD, and found them to be a great solution for wife/kids(minor lift w/37s)..

Do you possibly have any photos of the unit installed?

Thanks, Eric.

 

[EricU]

I am also Eri(k), also have a 'Burb, and I USED to live in Napa!

Are those the Twin Sisters in the background? Here's a pic of my baby. Twin sisters in the background, too!

And, don't do it. Tell your wife to lose some weight instead! Also, don't install a piece of tack... next your wife will want a horse to go with it BTDT.

Good luck!

1. Yep, Been in Napa a little over ten years - not a bad place to live, though expensive. But we are about half an hour from lauching at Lake Berryessa
2. Nope, my wife's weight is all the correct places!!!
3. No horses here, just teenagers and German Shepherds!

• Where is that photo taken at?

Eric

 

[drifter_r6]

• So, has anyone put a set of the power boards on an old Burb?

I have power steps on a '12 SD. I know what you are encountering with the Ms. My truck is a tad too tall for her to climb into easily and I wanted max ground clearance. Nerf bars/steps dropped down too low and rock rails were up too high to help the Ms.

My power steps mount along the pinch weld of the body, the steps themselves retract into the gap between the pinch weld and frame. You need to have enough clearance between the body and the frame (no inteference from wire harnesses, brake lines, etc). The pivoting/support arms/mounting are specific to make of vehicle. Otherwise when retracting the steps may not clear the body. Another thing to consider, there is a control module that taps into door trigger wires, which tells the steps to lower when door is open and retract when door is closed.

If you can figure out the trigger wires and make sure you have pivot arms that will clear. I don't see why you can't make them work. Let me know if you need any specific pics.

Generic install video

 

[EricU]

...My power steps mount along the pinch weld of the body, the steps themselves retract into the gap between the pinch weld and frame. You need to have enough clearance between the body and the frame (no interference from wire harnesses, brake lines, etc). The pivoting/support arms/mounting are specific to make of vehicle. Otherwise when retracting the steps may not clear the body. Another thing to consider, there is a control module that taps into door trigger wires, which tells the steps to lower when door is open and retract when door is closed.

If you can figure out the trigger wires and make sure you have pivot arms that will clear.

I called the guys at Amp yesterday and I was told that the units just need a switch that grounds out the input of their control unit. That isn't really a problem as I will just install a new normally open pin switch in each of the four door jambs, with one end grounded and the other end for connection to the Amp controller.

I hope that Amp will continue to work with me to pick the closest unit (the guy said that the truck kits has a greater drop) and verify my single line.

Tomorrow I will go out and take some pics and measurements of the Suburban's underside.

Let me know if you need any specific pics.

I would definitely appreciate some close up photos of the motor mounting point and how the unit fits in both the open and closed positions.


Thanks, Eric.

 

[warwgn]

Keep us posted with the info when you get it all worked out, I have a 6" lift and 37"tires on my 86 burb and my wife is only 5'2" and we have three kids so I am very intrested in this too. I looked at all the info so far and it does not look lile it would be too much of a stretch to build some good sliders that the power step could tuck up into to protect them off road.

 

[chilliwak]

I dont know if you need sliders Erik, but could you not build something that had both the power steps that tucked into a slider so that the power step was protected if you got off-road?:ylsmoke:

 

[drifter_r6]

I would definitely appreciate some close up photos of the motor mounting point and how the unit fits in both the open and closed positions.

Taken from the passenger side...







This is on a Hummer H2. I've seen 2000 vintage Chevy 2500 with the steps hugging the body like that. I would prefer them to be tucked up and out of the way.

 

[EricU]

Drifter

Thanks for the photos!

Do you have any (or does anyone else) have a close up photo of the motor and it mounted?

• Do they bolt straight to the bottom of the sills with sheet metal screws?
• And do the upper mounts use sheet metal screws also?

I had some taken some photos of my Burb's sill and frame on the driver's side, when I got in to download the photos is when I found out that I had left the SD card on my desk! Oh well, I can take more photos tomorrow. Of all the photos that I took the day before at the job site......uh???

I found some NC SPST switches from an old International truck for the door jamb triggers and will order four of them tomorrow.

It looks like the hardest part will be picking which Amp Research kit to start with, then figure out the mounting.

Eric