The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Running Boards Support Question

I'm about to have my running boards fixed up ... I've decided I'm going to have them chromed.


Anyway, I've read posts here about sagging running boards being fixed with a jack under the supports, and last weekend I had a go at it. It worked pretty well ... the fronts of both my running boards were sagging about 3 inches lower than the bottoms of my fenders, and now they are only about 1 inch lower, so I've improved the deal, but not yet perfect.

In the process of doing this, it seems to me that my supports are a bit spongy. They are in good shape ... no cracks or anything like that, good welds to the frame, etc. ... but if I stand on the running boards, they'll sink about an inch, and I only weigh like 160.

Is that how it is on your trucks? I'm thinking about having more supports installed, or strengthening the supports I have, when I put the restored ones back on.

Anyone?

your supports are shot i put 350 on mine they dont sag better look for some new ones

I'm sure one of the 'bolters from the rust-free desert would be glad to help. Post an ad on the Swap Meet, you should get some answers.

I can stand on mine with no problem and I weigh 280, so yours need some help.

More than likely, new ones will be fiberglass. I imagine fiberglass would flex even more.

Good replacements are out there. FYI, I weigh 260 and none of the running boards move under me on the 5 AD trucks in my family, and some of them are really rusty.

Same here, 250 lbs. and no sagging. There's got to be a crack or a missing rivet, rust or something going on.
Scott

I'm just a little guy at 230, you got a brace problem, they haven't been changed before you have they?

popcorn The Truth is Out There (The rest of ya I want on my football team) :p

Thanks everyone.

I'm going to have them looked at more seriously when I have the runningboards removed.

Why not just have new supports fabricated and installed?

I have a 54 and the step hangers were riveted to the frame. I drilled out the rivets and removed the hangers before the frame went in the bath. I have stood and bounced on the hangers one at a time - very little deflection was noticed - if any - hard to tell exactly because the springs and tires were doing their job. (5/16 cap screws are now used to hold them on instead of rivets)

Why don't you get under the truck and have a look while someone steps on the boards? Maybe some of the rivets have let go.

Thanks, Gord

I'm gonna do that ... something is surely wrong; I can just step on the front of the runningboard with one leg and watch it give ... and after getting confirmation from all you guys, at least I know it's not the way it should be.

I need to do just what you're saying because something is giving, but there's no way I can get my head under there and step on the boards at the same time! Hehehe!

I'll keep you all posted on what I find out.

Hovarth, fabricating new brackets would probably be a lot more expensive than buying some good originals from MT or one of the other parts guys. There are a lot of them out there, so the price shouldn't be as high as for some other parts.

Thanks, GMC panel

Is there a link anyone has to any of these suppliers? Or a phone number?

Alan: I have looked at Carters, Brothers, Chevy Duty, and Harmons. They all show the steps, bolts, and felts. Not a one of them show the brackets. Thats weird!! Somebody has got to have them. I'll problay way off make my own. Ben

popcorn The Truth is Out There (That is strange somebody has to have them back to work and now I'm thinking to hard)

Alan, put a parts wanted ad in the swap meet section. Mothertrucker or one of the other parts guys should be able to help you out with good used brackets.

A lot of the parts houses have supplies of used parts that aren't listed on their web sites. You might want to call or email them.

Hi Alan,
I have four of these AF trucks now and three of them have broken supports. All the ones that are spongy are cracked or broken around the top rivet hole. On my 48 driver, I ground off the rivets and welded the cracked parts, ground them smooth and put them back on with bolts. Worked great, and wouldnt take much welding skill to fix.
Ralph

Thanks everyone.

I'll let ya's know what goes down when the job is done ... probably next month sometime.

Horvath I bought 2 running board supports from MT for my 49 sub. 50 bucks. Good used ones. Worked great. He has a pile of them. If you order from him be sure to specify which particular ones you need I.E. left front, center, right rear etc, etc because they are all different. I ground off the rivets and bolted on the new ones. Hope this helps.

I'm new at this, but just an observation from my brief experience and reading the responses to this post; I see why you guys all drive trucks. Sounds like you're hauling some major beef around.

Almega: Naw it ain't so much beef just the fact that real men drive trucks, and cool gals do too.

popcorn The Truth is Out There (Good to have you on board) Ben

Right on popcorn. I'm pikin' up what your layin down.

Keep on truckin'.

I drove a Miata up until it got sideswiped last year. Now it's a BMW 325i, plenty of room. My biggest problem is my size 15 4E feet.