AMP Research Power Steps

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by SierraHawk

Over the past 4+ decades I have traveled in remote areas prepared for one bad thing or another to happen. One of those things is sliding into a rock or log along the trail. Not sure how much these steps cost but I suspect destroying one could be pricy. Ten or so years ago I bought a set of tube type step rails (wife was stressing her low back stepping up and into the van). They look generic but should be sturdy enough to provide some protection for the lower part of the doors and the metal underneath them. Fortunately, the mounting hardware made them very easy to install and I paid less than $300 for the pair. So far, no rust, step pads are still in place and I have not done anything to mar the surface or bend them...but there are many more trails we have not explored. Upside is that wife's back no longer bothers her.

I've been on MG's list for these for a good while and have gotten comfortable with a couple of things. First, using donor steps from a common vehicle, they would be easy to replace. Not cheap but easy. Perhaps much easier and cheaper than custom built rock sliders from a specialized van fabricator.

Also though, they've been around on lots of trucks for a good while and I haven't heard of a lot of horror stories with them. I haven't looked hard but it seems like the word would be out if they weren't built fairly tough given that they are on lots of lifted trucks that certainly see offroad use.

[larrie]

The last I knew Amp steps are not rated as rock sliders, they are steps only. I found this out a few years ago when researching step sliders for my Jeep Wrangler.

[86Scotty]

Correct, I'm not saying they are rock sliders. I realize they aren't. I'm simply comparing them to the price of well made rock sliders, either of which would risk damage if hit. Superficial damage only if you have actual rock sliders but damage nonetheless.

[vandiesel]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

I've been on MG's list for these for a good while and have gotten comfortable with a couple of things. First, using donor steps from a common vehicle, they would be easy to replace. Not cheap but easy. Perhaps much easier and cheaper than custom built rock sliders from a specialized van fabricator.

Also though, they've been around on lots of trucks for a good while and I haven't heard of a lot of horror stories with them. I haven't looked hard but it seems like the word would be out if they weren't built fairly tough given that they are on lots of lifted trucks that certainly see offroad use.

When I tried to persuade the guys at van specialties to put mine on they moaned and groaned about all the times they just stop working. I still want mine bad but they have seen the dark side. Like most things like this the one that kicks your butt trying to fix probably sticks with you more than the 20 you didn't notice because they weren't broken.

[1der]

The power AMP steps are a very cool feature. I think Rock Slider used to make something along the same lines. I recall Wicked Mikey and I installed a set on a guy's rig one time. It required special brackets Mikey fabbed to install on an E Series. I can see MG's brackets being a very desirable shortcut to installing the AMPs and having them function properly.

Years ago, Wicked Mikey made a run of true sliders years out of heavy gauge aluminum. They are golden. Member Gooseberry had a chance to unintentionally test them back then. A few of us were lucky to get a set.

Mikey and I have talked more than a couple of times about making another run. It would take pre-orders of at least seven sets to make this happen. Pricing back then was $2k. Today would probably will be in the $3.5k range. If enough people are interested I will pursue it, see if it is feasible, and get current pricing.

I could use a set for our new to us rig, so that is one set.

more info / slider info in this thread:
https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ers-18308.html

[joefromsf]

Originally Posted by 1der

The power AMP steps are a very cool feature. I think Rock Slider used to make something along the same lines. I recall Wicked Mikey and I installed a set on a guy's rig one time. It required special brackets Mikey fabbed to install on an E Series. I can see MG's brackets being a very desirable shortcut to installing the AMPs and having them function properly.

Years ago, Wicked Mikey made a run of true sliders years out of heavy gauge aluminum. They are golden. Member Gooseberry had a chance to unintentionally test them back then. A few of us were lucky to get a set.

Mikey and I have talked more than a couple of times about making another run. It would take pre-orders of at least seven sets to make this happen. Pricing back then was $2k. Today would probably will be in the $3.5k range. If enough people are interested I will pursue it, see if it is feasible, and get current pricing.

I could use a set for our new to us rig, so that is one set.

more info / slider info in this thread:
https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ers-18308.html

Attachment 48181Attachment 48182Attachment 48183

I'd definitely be interested in a set of sliders; pending price and weight details.


Note: might want to start a separate thread with appropriate title to gauge interest.

[mgmetalworks]

As is often the case with forums these days, the original intent of the post has gone way off into the weeds....

My first experience with the AMP steps was with the SEMA van in 2015. The van had the steps installed before it got to me but since I was involved in the build, I got tons of questions about them. I later made a set of brackets for the Cummins van and got even more questions about them. However, I found that in the vast majority of cases, the "old way" (using Hummer H2 AMP mounts and motors and the frame mounted brackets) wouldn't work for people who had anything under the van mounted on the frame. So pretty much everyone who wanted them was disappointed to learn that the brackets wouldn't fit without, in many cases, a lot of extra work.

This last van build I'm working on comes along and the owner really, really, really wants the power steps. Could I have done the "old way" and made it work? Yes...but making those brackets sucked. Lots of welding, lots of drilling, super expensive Hummer parts kit plus the extra extrusions you have to get (especially nowadays with much high prices and limited availability). I pushed back a lot, I really didn't want to go through that again. Determined to find an easier way, I looked through every AMP Research instruction sheet and watched install videos of every kit that looked like it 'might' work. Then I gambled and bought a kit that met two criteria...

1) The mounts had to be compact with a simple mounting surface (custom brackets are hard to design for oddly shaped parts so a flat surface was key).
2) The controller had to work off of the analog door switch grounding principle, not tie into some CAN bus nightmare.

And what do you know??? I found a kit that mounts to the van, out of the way of most peoples' frame mounted stuff that only requires a simple bracket up front and some measuring and hole drilling in the rear. The wiring harness was a little short for the driver side but, hey, it's only a few wires everything worked out fine.

Are power steps for everyone? Nope. You folks who run the Rubicon or take your vans out to Moab 15 times a year for Hell's Gate... you probably want a true rock slider. But if you're like the 90+% of people with an Eseries van who contacted me that wanted either 4x4 or power steps or both and wanted the lowest step in height possible, then this method of AMP steps might work out ok for you and be low risk for boulder damage.

My thought here was to post that there's finally a way to have power steps with little pain and the brackets to make it happen are very simple. It's not something that I want to pursue as a product to sell so I was planning to post the drawing and dxf file so anyone interested could make it themselves (or have it made easily).

[Twoxentrix]

Sorry mg, I guess in my excitement I read your initial post as if you already had a couple extra brackets made up, and options for the drawing.
So if no extra brackets are available, the drawing would be fine….I have access to a good fab shop that I’m pretty sure would accommodate me.
If however, someone else would like find a shop that would take on multiple orders, I’d certainly throw my name in the hat for that.

[1der]

Originally Posted by mgmetalworks

.....

My thought here was to post that there's finally a way to have power steps with little pain and the brackets to make it happen are very simple. It's not something that I want to pursue as a product to sell so I was planning to post the drawing and dxf file so anyone interested could make it themselves (or have it made easily).

I apologize if I contributed to a derailing.

For anyone wanting the AMP steps, MG's drawing/brackets will save a bunch of time and effort. I may not have conveyed that from my experience with having installed a set of these, they were not easy!. They are excellent steps and MG's drawing will make them easier to install. Wish this had been available 5 years ago!!

And as pointed out, the AMP's are "steps" that provide an elegant and functional solution to ingress/egress with a lifted van. Not a "slider".

[86Scotty]

Bring em on, Mike!