Are you having issues with your AMP Research running boards, and you want to know what you can do to fix it? You’ve come to the right place, for we have researched this question, and we have the answer for you.
There are several possible reasons why your AMP Research running board is getting stuck. If you installed a new battery in your truck or SUV before you had the problem, just locate the fuse for your running boards. Remove it for 15 seconds and put it back in, and your AMP Research running boards should work without a problem once more. Here are other possible reasons that can cause problems on your AMP Research running boards.
- Dirty or rusty linkages
- Failing motor
- Uneven linkage
Let’s talk more about the different issues that can cause problems for your AMP Research running boards in the succeeding sections.
Read on!
What is a running board?
Tall vehicles and even trams can be a challenge to get into—especially for children or the elderly. This is why you’d often see a narrow piece of metal that serves as an extra step that can help passengers board the tall vehicle or tram. This helpful piece of metal is called a running board or a footboard.
All automobiles during the early 20th century had running boards.
Most roads at that time were unpaved, making it necessary to equip vehicles with tall wheels. Tall wheels led to tall cars, and this made them challenging to ride without the aid of a running board.
It wasn’t until almost the end of the 1920s that the first car without a running board was made.
What is an electric running board?
Electric running boards or electric retractable running boards take the running board technology one step further. The electric running board deploys automatically once any of the doors of your truck or SUV opens. Then, once you close all the doors, the electric running board will automatically fold under your truck after a delay of around three seconds.
Electric running boards are better than stationary running boards because they have the luxury of going lower. They will fold under your truck once you no longer need them anyway. So, designers can make them lower than a stationary running board since they will not interfere with your offroad driving once they retract.
The downside to having an electronic running board is cleaning them—especially if they are an aftermarket electronic running board. If it is an aftermarket electric running board and it doesn’t have a “car wash” mode, then you’d have to wash your truck or SUV with the doors open because that is the only time that they will deploy. And you wouldn’t be able to clean them properly without deploying them.
How to fix running boards that are getting stuck because of rust or dirt?
Rust and mud getting to the hinges of your running boards will cause them to get stuck. If you haven’t been cleaning your running boards regularly and you live within the Salt Belt, then this is likely the reason you’re having stuck running boards.
Fortunately, the solution to this is to clean and lubricate the hinges.
Follow the steps below to clean and lubricate the hinges of your AMP Research running boards.
Cleaning Your Running Boards
- Clean your running boards thoroughly with mild soap and water.
- Use a brush to remove any stubborn dirt.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Let your running boards dry completely.
Amazer Scrub Brush is available on Amazon through this link.
Removing Rust
- Spray a rust penetrant on the hinges. Spray sparingly and let the hinges absorb and soak the rust penetrant.
- Spray all the contact areas.
- Try to close and retract the running boards, helping them to fold and deploy. Moving it back and forth will help it absorb the rust penetrant.
- Spray more rust penetrant into the hinges.
- Repeat the steps above until the running board becomes loose.
- Spray a final coat and let it soak for half an hour.
Free All Rust Eater is available on Amazon through this link.
Lubricating And Protecting The Joints
- Spray a lubricating protectant in the joints and contact areas.
- Open and close the running boards a few times, then spray another layer.
- Wait for a few minutes for the joints to absorb the lubricant.
- Spray a layer of rust protectant over the joints and contact areas.
WD-40 Specialist Dry Lube is available on Amazon through this link.
Finishing Up
- Clean the surface of the running board with a clean rag. Dip the rag into a solution of mild soap and water. This is to remove any excess lubricant from the step surface to prevent it from being slippery. Leaving the step surface slippery can be a safety hazard for anyone who will get into your truck or SUV.
- Wipe the soap with a clean rag. Rinse the rag in a bucket of water, then wipe the area once more to remove any soap.
How to troubleshoot and replace a failing motor?
If your AMP Research running board has had the problem of getting stuck for a long time and you’re not doing anything about it, the motor will eventually fail. Once you open or close the door and you no longer hear the motor running, then it could mean that you need to replace the motor.
Here are the simple steps to remove and replace the motor on your AMP Research running board.
Removing The Motor
- Slide under your truck with the running boards out.
- Remove the motor cover. This is often a plastic cover that protects the motor.
- Disconnect the power cable from the motor.
- Unscrew the motor using a Torx head for your wrench.
- Unscrew the gearbox using the same Torx head. The gear board is responsible for distributing the force from the motor to deploy and fold your AMP Research running board.
- Clean and lubricate the gearbox. Cleaning and lubricating it makes sure that it will not have any issues after you replace the motor.
- Reinstall the gearbox.
REXBETI 24 Piece Torx Head is available on Amazon through this link.
Replacing The Motor
- Install the new motor.
- Reconnect the power cable firmly to the new motor.
- Reinstall the cover for your motor.
- Test your running board.
How to troubleshoot uneven linkages?
Your AMP Research running board has two separate linkages, one near the front wheels and another near the rear. The rear linkage connects directly to the motor.
Although the two linkages are separate, their axis of movement must be on the same plane. What this means is that their rotation should happen along a single straight line that passes through the two linkages.
This is like the hinges on your front door. If the hinges are not on the same plane, or they’re not level, you will have problems closing the door. It will feel like it is getting stuck.
The same thing happens on the linkages of your AMP Research running board.
To prevent this problem, always connect the linkages to the board first before you install it on your truck or SUV. Position the running board under your truck or SUV and check if you can fasten the linkages without any problem.
Start by connecting the linkages with just one bolt each. Try to fold and deploy the board and make sure that the board can move freely. There must be no hesitation in the movement of the board.
Next, check that the board can fold under your truck without hitting anything.
If there are problems, check if a washer can help align the linkages.
Once you can fold and deploy the board without issues, finalize the installation by reinstalling all the bolts for the linkages.
Do not forget to check the AMP Research manual to get the correct torque for the bolts. Follow the correct torque for the bolts to prevent stripping them.
Conclusion
There are a few possible reasons why your AMP Research running board is getting stuck. Check the possible causes until you fix the issue.
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