Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/93727
INSTALL boards that open and retract with the open- ing of the doors. It's also safe to say wives and girlfriends love them as well. Power running boards are an excellent O convenience item, providing those of shorter stature just the right amount of mid-step to make getting in/out of a pickup easy. They are also great if you have young ones around. Such running boards also provide a modi- cum of rocker protection and added aesthetic value to any pickup they grace all without decreasing break-over ground clearance. So we replaced the fi xed nerf bar-steps on Bestop PowerBoards give our 2011 GMC Sierra Crew Cab 4x4 an added level of practical convenience STEP IT By Bruce W. Smith ne pickup accessory that always catches the appreciative nods from onlookers is automatic running Project Bedrock with a set of Bestop Power- Boards to give our 2011 GMC Sierra Crew Cab 4x4 more form with practical function. The PowerBoards, which run about $1,100 retail, hide underneath your truck when the doors are closed and extend to meet your foot when either the front or rear door on one side opens. Bestop's kit includes two extruded-and- powder-coated aluminum steps, wiring harness with controller, weatherproof mo- tors, LED light kit and hardware. Everything needed for the upgrade is there including easy-to-follow instructions. They also come with a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. Each PowerBoard step can hold up to 600 pounds and they are designed to be pinch- proof so errant feet and hands are not going to get caught or hurt when they retract under the body. In a nutshell, the actuator and support arms bolt to the body, and the Bestop controller and wiring harness connect to the truck's bat- tery. Then you attach and plug the LED lights into the harness and away you go. Daniel Parker and David "Chops" Adair, two great techs at Truck Supply & Outfi tters in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, handled our Bestop PowerBoards install. Now when any of Project Bedrock's doors are opened, there's a hint of a whir and a six- inch-die step is at the ready. Close the door and the step quietly and quickly folds up under the body until the next time it's needed to provide a handy step up. – (Editor's Note: To see the complete step-by- step installation, go to propickupmag.com/ project-trucks/bedrock and click on the "installs" page.) SOURCES Bestop's PowerBoard installation on late-model GMCs uses the "door ajar" module under the dash as the tap point for the activation circuit. The step's arms, which bolt to the body, are made from very high-quality components and carry a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty as does the rest of the kit. Bestop: bestop.com; 800-845-3567 Truck Supply & Outfi tters: trucksupplyandoutfi tters.com; 205-553-4203 propickupmag.com PROPICKUP