AMP Research PowerSteps installed on my 2022 XLT FX4

[deleriumtremor]

Basically he said to repeat the steps over and over again. He said top techs in the field keep having problems with the driver side of the Ranger and basically you got to keep going until you have zero resistance without the motor, pushing it up and down. He said to just keep repeating these over and over again. I that’s what I did until the problem went away I believe 99.5 %. Good luck!

This. ?

When I did my install, initially I didn’t even download the instructions. I just bolted up the linkages, mounted the steps and cycled them by hand.

I then mounted the motors and wired them up.

When I cycled the steps electrically they wouldn’t close all the way up front. That is when I decided to download the instructions and print them off.

As soon as I read the detail of the tightening sequence I knew I had screwed up. I took the motors back off, loosened the linkages and then tightened/torqued them in the sequence the instructions above. When I went to install the motors again, the only way I could get them back on was by selecting a half down position (essentially one tooth around on the motor), so while I had taken them off with the steps all the way down, they got remounted with the steps half way up. I then put the fuse in and the steps went all the way up and the gap up front was gone. Upon further cycling I got full motion up and down with a solid clunk when the boards finish their up motion.

Good luck.

Sponsored

 

[TJC]

Definitely much more time consuming than the GMC Sierra I did as well. The linkage alignment was one of the "re-do" items. I just bolted up the linkages and torqued them not in the specific order called out in the instructions (this would have saved me a LOT of time had I read the instructions ahead of time). I did hand cycle the boards to assure no binding after the first go round, but I did get the lack of final closure up front (about a 1" GAP). After the redo of the linkage torque sequence the boards closed up as they should on mine as well.

I did also fiddle a lot with the routing and the placement of the controller box, as well as spent a lot of time on strain relief and keeping the harness away from anything to hot when zip tying everything down.

It was funny as I noticed in the kit they sent me, there was no mention of "plug and play", probably because with the added tapping into the additional CAN bus wires on the Ranger it really isn't "Plug and Play". On the Sierra I did, there was only the two purple wires to butt joint to the ODB plug, so actually "Plug and Play".

I still can't figure why they bother with the ODB plug if we are tapping extra wires in the back of the ODB port. Why not just tap all four and leave the plug unused? I might actually go back and give that a try.

I actually purchased an OBD Y cable with 2 Ports. I removed the original from the port location and plugged the Y cable port into it. I used zip ties to insure the Y cable stays connection stays securely connected.

The Amp Steps are plugged into one, and I routed the other to the original standard port location using the same mounting hardware. The mounting hardware wasn't a perfect fit, but it was close enough to hold the port securely in position.

Makes using Forscan, or Diagnostics Tools very easy. And keeps auto techs from dinking with my work.

So I keep the stock port location available, and tuck the Amp port up under the dash well out of harms way. ~$10 on Amazon.

I think I used the one on the right (it has been over 2 years now), but the left one would probably be more convenient to install.

 

[BButah]

This. ?

When I did my install, initially I didn’t even download the instructions. I just bolted up the linkages, mounted the steps and cycled them by hand.

I then mounted the motors and wired them up.

When I cycled the steps electrically they wouldn’t close all the way up front. That is when I decided to download the instructions and print them off.

As soon as I read the detail of the tightening sequence I knew I had screwed up. I took the motors back off, loosened the linkages and then tightened/torqued them in the sequence the instructions above. When I went to install the motors again, the only way I could get them back on was by selecting a half down position (essentially one tooth around on the motor), so while I had taken them off with the steps all the way down, they got remounted with the steps half way up. I then put the fuse in and the steps went all the way up and the gap up front was gone. Upon further cycling I got full motion up and down with a solid clunk when the boards finish their up motion.

Good luck.

Thanks Guys!
Wow, that sounds like some crazy technical assistance from the folks at AMP:
" just keep repeating these over and over again" ?

I think I'll just leave them alone at this point; it's close enough and with my luck after repeating it over & over, it would be WORSE! ?

 

[deleriumtremor]

I actually purchased an OBD Y cable with 2 Ports. I removed the original from the port location and plugged the Y cable port into it. I used zip ties to insure the Y cable stays connection stays securely connected.

The Amp Steps are plugged into one, and I routed the other to the original standard port location using the same mounting hardware. The mounting hardware wasn't a perfect fit, but it was close enough to hold the port securely in position.

Makes using Forscan, or Diagnostics Tools very easy. And keeps auto techs from dinking with my work.

So I keep the stock port location available, and tuck the Amp port up under the dash well out of harms way. ~$10 on Amazon.

I think I used the one on the right (it has been over 2 years now), but the left one would probably be more convenient to install.

Thanks.

I used a similar Y cable on my GMC Sierra I installed the AMP steps on. I think I still suffer from PTSD from all the dicking around I had to do to get a proper bracket fabricated that fit in the Sierra and looked semi stock.

I was actually going to try tapping into the wires going into the ODB plug like the two CAN bus wires in the stock install, for the two purple wires. It dawned on me that the reason they likely didn't delete the ODB plug and have the user use two more taps is the gauge of the wire needed to carry the B+ to the motors. The current draw is probably too much for those sense wire style taps.

I think I will get another Y cable. I kept a few of the early tries I did for the bracket, hopefully one of those will work without a ton of fussy modifications for the Y cable.

 

[TJC]

I used the original Ford bracket and didn't need to do a lot to make it work in the stock location.

 

[Ace]

This. ?

When I did my install, initially I didn’t even download the instructions. I just bolted up the linkages, mounted the steps and cycled them by hand.

I then mounted the motors and wired them up.

When I cycled the steps electrically they wouldn’t close all the way up front. That is when I decided to download the instructions and print them off.

As soon as I read the detail of the tightening sequence I knew I had screwed up. I took the motors back off, loosened the linkages and then tightened/torqued them in the sequence the instructions above. When I went to install the motors again, the only way I could get them back on was by selecting a half down position (essentially one tooth around on the motor), so while I had taken them off with the steps all the way down, they got remounted with the steps half way up. I then put the fuse in and the steps went all the way up and the gap up front was gone. Upon further cycling I got full motion up and down with a solid clunk when the boards finish their up motion.

Good luck.

I too have a distinct "clunk" when the board closes but just on the driver side. I've tried to adjust numerous times but still clunks. The passenger side is quiet compared to the driver side.

 

[deleriumtremor]

I too have a distinct "clunk" when the board closes but just on the driver side. I've tried to adjust numerous times but still clunks. The passenger side is quiet compared to the driver side.

Both mine clunk pretty loudly. When initially it didn't close completely up front on both sides, there was zero noise upon completion. I have looked closely and the clunk comes from the linkage and not the boards hitting the body. They stop before they touch the body.

 

[Ace]

Both mine clunk pretty loudly. When initially it didn't close completely up front on both sides, there was zero noise upon completion. I have looked closely and the clunk comes from the linkage and not the boards hitting the body. They stop before they touch the body.

That's exactly what it is. I was afraid at first that the board was hitting the body panel and would damage/scratch the finish. But it's just on the linkage. I tried adjusting, lubricating, moving the linkage but to no avail.

 

[deleriumtremor]

That's exactly what it is. I was afraid at first that the board was hitting the body panel and would damage/scratch the finish. But it's just on the linkage. I tried adjusting, lubricating, moving the linkage but to no avail.

It sounds like it might be able to be adjusted out, given your passenger side is quiet. I just assumed if the boards were going to get all the way closed, I was going to have to live with the clunk.

My GMC Sierra also clunked, so I assumed that was normal.

 

[Ace]

It sounds like it might be able to be adjusted out, given your passenger side is quiet. I just assumed if the boards were going to get all the way closed, I was going to have to live with the clunk.

My GMC Sierra also clunked, so I assumed that was normal.

There is still a little clunk on the passenger side but its "quieter" compared to the driver side. Here's a quick video of the passenger side. You can here a distinct clunk when it closes. The driver side is much worse so I decided not to record it out of embarrassment lol!

 

[deleriumtremor]

There is still a little clunk on the passenger side but its "quieter" compared to the driver side. Here's a quick video of the passenger side. You can here a distinct clunk when it closes. The driver side is much worse so I decided not to record it out of embarrassment lol!

If it makes you feel any better, both my doors are embarrassing loud.

 

[Ace]

If it makes you feel any better, both my doors are embarrassing loud.

Well I guess everyone will know when we get in and out of our trucks lol! We can't sneak up on anyone anymore haha!

 

[deleriumtremor]

Here is my both sides sound. Compared to no sound and 1" clearance up front, I will take it!

 

[deleriumtremor]

I used the original Ford bracket and didn't need to do a lot to make it work in the stock location.

I will look at it again tomorrow. I installed a Y cable I had from a previous experiment. The bracket that came with the Y cable fit but was not wide enough to accommodate both fasteners. I used the right side screw to hold the bracket in place, all of the other stuff (original ODB port and Y cable with AMP ODB port connector) got stuffed up behind the left trim piece.

I lost the nut for the left side ODB port bracket, which will be fun trying to source...

It will be great if the OEM ODB port bracket can be separated from the ODB connector and the Y cable port can be inserted in that bracket. Looking at it tonight, it looked like one big piece.

Some fun.

Sponsored