There was once a time when all trucks and most cars were designed with a running board that ran from fender to fender. The intent of the design was to provide the occupants with a step to make getting in and out of the vehicle much easier. As time passed, this design fell from the design plans which led to creative minds in the aftermarket manufacturing a step or running board that could be attached to the vehicle. Primarily this product was for trucks since they usually require more effort to get in and out of due to their overall height. For decades the running board was very popular.
But design mogul Horst Leitner from AMP Research decided it was time for a change. Using his engineering prowess Horst developed a mechanized hinge system that allows for step boards to provide the right stepping height while retracting to the underside of the vehicle when not in use. Specialized motors attached to the multi-link hinges extend or retract the high-strength extruded aluminum step boards via a wiring harness which taps into the wiring for each door of the vehicle. Open the door and the Power Steps extend. Close the door and the Power Steps retract to an ergonomic position under the body. When it comes to the Power Step, it truly is matter of well executed form and function.
Installing the AMP Research Power Step s is easy and something most people can do at home in their own driveway should they choose. To show you what is involved in the process we visited AMP Research to document the installation of their Power Steps onto a 2007 Toyota Tundra Double Cab. The hinge assemblies bolt to the bottom of the cab using factory mounting locations under the rocker panel. A wiring harness is ran from the battery and down passed the firewall to the under side of the cab. After attaching and mounting the hinge mechanism and motor, the harness is connected to the motor, then a single wire for each door is ran through a factory cab floor plug and connected to the vehicle door wiring harness found under the sill plates. The directions come with a list of the wire colors you will need. Each make of vehicle is different. Follow along with the provided steps to see just how easy it is to install the AMP Research Power Step s.
AMP RESEARCH
2552 McGaw Avenue
Irvine, CA 92614 USA
phone 949-221-0023
fax 949-221-0043
toll-free 1-800-309-6823
 Step one is to begin by attaching the Power Step wiring harness to the controller. |  Place the controller into a secure location inside the engine compartment, preferably on the driver's side behind the vehicle ABS system and secure with provided straps. |  Route the driver and passenger side harness cables to their respective sides along with routing the power supply cables to the battery. |
 Using the provides tie straps, secure the harness under the firewall, then route the ends down through the fenders to the underside of the vehicle. |  Before connecting the power and ground wires, remove the in-line fuse from the battery cable. |  In the case of this Toyota Tundra, remove the factory ground cable from the inner fender. |
 Install the controller harness ground cable to this ground point and install the factory bolt. |  Connect the power cable to one of the accessory posts on the factory battery connector. |  With the harness installed and secured under the hood, the vehicle is then hoisted using a quality lift to gain access to the underside for the installation of the AMP Research Power Steps. |
 The key element behind the success of the Power Steps are the technologically advanced linkages and motor assemblies that attach to the hinges. The motor must be bolted to the linkage assemblies. |  Install the gear assemblies together then line up the bolt holes to secure the motor and linkage together. |  Using the provided hardware, bolt the motor plate to the linkage as shown. |
 The Power Steps utilize factory bolt holes on the underside of the cab. On this Tundra there are two near the rear of the cab and two towards the front of the front door. Remove these bolts. |  Place the linkage assembly on the mounting point and check to make sure there are not obstructions. |  Using the provided mounting hardware, bolt the linkage assembly to the cab points the factory bolts were removed from. |
 Here we see the Power Step linkage permanently installed. It is important to check to make sure the linkage lines up square to the body. Some vehicle, particularly off road vehicles might have some slight damage under the cab which could alter the mount area which in turn could prohibit the proper function of the linkage. Be sure to make sure the linkages open and close properly while lining up square to the body. |  Plug the harness connection into the linkage motors. |  Two adjustable extrusions can be found on the under side of the step board. These extrusions can slide back and forth which allows for correct positioning of the step. |
 Carefully place the step onto the linkages. |  When the proper position of the steps have been determined, secure the boards to the linkages using the provided allen head bolts. (note: AMP provides positioning measurements for all makes of vehicles to help you locate the most ideal position) |  Install the plastic protective motor covers onto all four motors. |
 There are various ways to route the trigger wires into the vehicle. The best way is to locate one of the factory grommets in the floor board and feed the wire up through the grommet hole and into the cab. |  Inside the cab, remove the sill plate and lift up the carpet to locate the trigger wire. |  Put a small slice into the factory grommet then slide the wires through the grommet. Slide the grommet down the wires to the floorboard and install it back into the original hole. |
 Each wiring harness is specific for each make of vehicle. In the case of this four door truck, two trigger wires per side are required, one for each door. The instructions for each make of vehicle will include which color wires under the sill plate to tap into. |  Replace the sill plate once the connections have been made and the wires secured back in the factory wire track. |  Replace the power wire fuse to check the function of the system. |
 With those easy steps, you can now check to make sure the Power Steps extend and close when each door is opened and closed. | | |
