AMP Research Powersteps — wiring

[RuggedRanger]

Does anyone know the proper wiring for the plug & play kit? Specifically the blue and white wires.

Background:
I bought the kit but the “instructions” are a QR code to a website that no longer exists. I bought these on Amazon, so I don’t know who to contact for help since everything I find online appears be drop shipping companies now.

I can’t seem to find anything accurate from my searches. Videos gloss over the wiring details.

I’ve taken screenshots of videos and tried to zoom in to on the wires, which appear to be grey and purple.

I’ve tapped into those, but the steps just behave randomly and erratically, which is kind of funny to watch but not particularly useful.

It’s possible that I have managed to stumble upon the correct wiring and the idatalink Maestro, which also uses the canbus signal, is causing signals to now become noisy. If that’s the issue, then I’ll need to figure out a way to wire without using the OBD2 port.

I asked ChatGPT to figure that out for me, and it’s saying that because the Ranger uses a grounded signal (0v) to indicate the doors are open (wtf?), then I’d have to use relays to convert a 0v signal to 12v.

I’d rather not use the OBD port since I think that’s a half assed approach to what should have been a simple wiring job, especially for what these damn things cost… but I’ve already wasted so much time screwing around with this that first I just want these fkn steps to work and then I look at something else down the road.

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[PltFX4]

Ahhh, specifically, white and blue wire for what part of the wiring?? As I had mine professionally installed, I did not have to deal with the wiring but can go look and take photos of my install to post here if it will help. Mine is plugged into the ODB port so for diagnostics/FORSCAN, etc., I have to unplug the steps.

Try this video... no verbiage but more a monkey see monkey do approach... about 7:50 mins in are some W&B wires that look taped onto the ODB connector.


Did not realize this is Josh Mills install video... he's a Ranger5G member... don't recall his Ranger5G ID but but search around here and you should find it. May have more details in that thread.

 

[Muscleford]

I pvt messaged you.

 

[RuggedRanger]

Yeah that’s the video I screen grabbed and zoomed in on the wiring. I wish he had spent a little time talking through things.

The “plug and play” kit is anything but “plug and play”.

It comes with an OBD2 adapter with two coded purple, blue and white wires (4 total wires).

The purple wires are easy to figure out, those match the purple wires coming out of the control box.

The blue and white wires are then supposed to be tapped into the wiring loom for the CAN bus.

I think these go to the CAN high and low.

It’s rather ridiculous that these have to be wired into the CAN bus when they are already originating from the CAN bus adapter. Makes absolutely no sense except I think AMP Research decided to cut some costs down by packaging a universal type adapter instead vehicle specific.

 

[PltFX4]

PS: I did find a PDF of the install manual....

 

[RuggedRanger]

PS: I did find a PDF of the install manual....

that did it!!
White -> grey with orange stripe
Blue -> purple with orange stripe

thank you!!

 

[TJC]

I’d rather not use the OBD port since I think that’s a half assed approach to what should have been a simple wiring job, especially for what these damn things cost… but I’ve already wasted so much time screwing around with this that first I just want these fkn steps to work and then I look at something else down the road.

I just got around to reading this thread, and see you have already solved your problem.

Just a note on the OBDII port being used by the steps. I use Forscan and Diagnostic tools too often to block the OBDII port so I installed an OBDII "Y" splitter cable to keep a free OBDIII port in the stock location.

Simply remove the the OBDII port from the stock location, plug in the Y cable, Plug the AMP steps into one leg and install the other leg in the stock location. I think I paid $10 for the OBDII splitter.

I do like the AMP steps. Not had a problem with them in 5 years of usage.

 

[RuggedRanger]

I just got around to reading this thread, and see you have already solved your problem.

Just a note on the OBDII port being used by the steps. I use Forscan and Diagnostic tools too often to block the OBDII port so I installed an OBDII "Y" splitter cable to keep a free OBDIII port in the stock location.

Simply remove the the OBDII port from the stock location, plug in the Y cable, Plug the AMP steps into one leg and install the other leg in the stock location. I think I paid $10 for the OBDII splitter.

I do like the AMP steps. Not had a problem with them in 5 years of usage.

Just saw this. Thanks! I ended up getting a smaller version of this, but the same idea. My truck is an ongoing project, so I'm having to unplug the power step connection when I'm using Forscan or flashing the ECU for performance tuning since the OBD signal gets noisy with multiple devices trying to communicate. A small hassle, but can live with it.

 

[TJC]

Just saw this. Thanks! I ended up getting a smaller version of this, but the same idea. My truck is an ongoing project, so I'm having to unplug the power step connection when I'm using Forscan or flashing the ECU for performance tuning since the OBD signal gets noisy with multiple devices trying to communicate. A small hassle, but can live with it.

I have not experienced the noise issue. But I have never cycled my steps when Forscan is doing its thing. The door stays open or closed (usually closed) when using Forscan. I don't like the power drain. IF it were just a dome light I 'd not mind, but modern cars light up like Christmas Trees when you open a door. Chimes, Bells, Whistles, and lights.

I have turned off a lot of that in Forscan, but more needs to be done.

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