“A 'Step' in the Right Direction...”

mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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With an Eight Foot Long Truck Bed on my Y2K Silverado… I’ve had to load and unload a great many heavy things in batches from time to time. And having to deal with a “Gamey” Left Leg has made for occasional problems with keeping my balance. So it recently occurred to me that installing this inexpensive 2” Square Steel Welded Trailer Hitch Step with a Non-Skid Black Stainless Steel Foot Pad made by DNA, would be a “Step in the Right Direction...”

I was right. It does have the Quality in Manufacture and the Tubular Strength I was hoping for to more than handle my weight and whatever I am carrying. I’ve had nothing but pleasant, personal, hands-on experience with purchasing a Complete S/S Exhaust System from DNA and have been very satisfied. This New Thing has added “One Small Step for A Man...” leading up to the GM OEM Plastic Bumper Pad of my Truck and THAT has really made a BIG difference. So if you need to frequently climb in and out of your Truck Bed when carrying, loading and unloading weighty Cartons, etc… Keep this Item in Mind:

DNABUMPERSTEPY2KSILVERADO1.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP1.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP2.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP3.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP4.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP5.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP6.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP7.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP8.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP9.jpgDNABUMPERSTEP10.jpg

It has an ordinary, uncomplicated means to Attach and Detach with a Fat, snugly fitting S/S Through Pin secured with a S/S Spring Wire Clothespin Lock. It also sports a “Vibration-Rattle Damping” Black Plastic Hand Screw Clamp tugging against a sturdy Spring Clamp that solidly grabs and secures the Black Square Stock Steel Insert Section of the Step onto the Belled Flange area on the bottom front of the 2” Hollow Truck Trailer Hitch Tang. And when not needed ...This Rig can be Quickly Removed and will fit comfortably behind the Truck Seats for occasional use. Not Bad as a decent problem solver for only costing around $80.00 on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07483QB21/?tag=gmtnation-20

FWIW… One additional side benefit is the fact is that when this thing is installed... it can look a bit Menacing when viewed head-on by Careless Drivers who tend to “approach and encroach” whenever they appear directly behind your truck by getting right on top of your Steel Truck Bumper in Traffic. This will no longer be possible because the mere presence of this thing should discourage most drivers from following you a bit too closely. Perhaps painting the subliminal image of a Red Dragon with White Teeth on it might just enhance this “BACK OFF” effect. }> (
 
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mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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I've given some additional thought to this issue of how far out the Step can protrude and I've decided to invest in some Adhesive-Backed, Reddish-Orange and Yellow Highly Reflective Warning Tape. I'll get a little creative in Dressing Up the prominent sections of the Black Satin Steel Pieces that make up the observable areas of this "Step" and then render some Digital Images in a follow up post to illustrate-demonstrate how this thing looks at a distance at night.

I think that anything that prompts getting the attention of Drivers before they can carelessly Bust up the Ass End of "My Favorite Pick Up Truck" is probably worth doing. These 2" X 20' Wide Rolls are available (among quite a few other Designs and Coloration) on Amazon for around $10.00 Per Roll:

REFLECTIVEWARNTAPE.jpg
 
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HARDTRAILZ

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Nov 18, 2011
49,665
Looks kinda like the step I built back in 01 for my suburban cause it had the roll down window and with the lift it was tough getting shit in and out of it. Really handy little things to have back there.
 

Maverick6587

Member
Dec 16, 2018
730
Sterling Heights, Michigan
@MRRSM You know what... Engineering a nice plate of steel with rod/hook on it to catch at those steps and of course on the ground (rough image below, so you understand what I am trying to point out). That could be exactly what I'm looking for to be able to put in/remove very heavy objects from the rear of the 9-7x!

Two hooks, a decent base, and a properly curved top end to just roll over the bumper cover and that would be absolutely amazing!

Asking the GF to help lift a generator out of the back gets a little annoying. I thought about using those tractor lifts but they're hundreds of dollars (and not very easy to fit in a vehicle to load a generator), vs the $80 for that step bar and a piece of steel that could all just stay in the back and make it easy to load the generator as well.

Sheet1.jpg.png
 

mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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With some modifications added on via 3/8" Flat Steel Segments welded on to "Beef" it up and bring it above its advertised 250# Limit... For around $90.00 courtesy Amazon ...perhaps THIS version of 'The Step' would be a better fit your present requirements?

 

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Maverick6587

Member
Dec 16, 2018
730
Sterling Heights, Michigan
Thank you for the introduction of these hitch devices @MRRSM !

I think I found one that is near perfect for what I need! It will hold generators for sure and possibly a dry 5.3/6.0 L engine with accessories. It eve has a nice drop-down ramp.

I was looking into getting a slide out cargo tray, but those are way too expensive! I'm going to need to be moving engines and generators fairly frequently to build some money for that race car, which honestly may have just gotten taken over by the newer 9-7x.

I know I should just buy a truck, I'm just not a fan having all of that unused space most of the time.

 
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mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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Done ...with the "Finishing Touches" Applied... Not "Dragon's Teeth" per se ...But Close Enough to send the "Back OFF" Message whenever The Step is secured to the Silverado:

REFLECTINGSTEP1.jpgREFLECTINGSTEP2.jpg
 

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