Step bars...

[87V20Kansan]

I have found out lately, especially in the ice, that owning a truck with a 7" lift and 37" tires is not a walk in the park for my 6'2" frame to jump up into. Let alone my 5'7" wife. So I am doing what any enterprising young lad with a welder would do. Melt metal with electricity! Contents are as follows:
1-12' stick of 1/8" wall 1"X3" tubing.
1-12' stick of 1/8" wall 1"X2" tubing.
Random scraps of 1/4" plate and 10g plate.
2' of 3"X1/8" wall angle.
All of this is being welded with a 120v 100A Lincoln weldpak 100 from 2001, with a mig conversion kit and .025 wire because it's all I have!

The bars are 6' long each and extend from just behind the front tire to just under the fuel filler door, with the intent to provide a step to gain access to the toolbox that will eventually be there.

First: Create the toolbox steps. 8" long 1"x3" pieces that have been cut on a 30 degree angle front and back. Capped and smoothed.


Next: Create the 6' bars from 1"X2", cap and smooth.


Then: Melt them together and smooth:



Next: Create step supports for cab steps from 1/4" plate. I simply designed these on cardboard until I was happy with the rise/run then transferred the pattern to the plate and hit the bandsaw to cut 'em out. They are sitting on top of the cab steps themselves. 14" long, 30 degree cut, 1"x3" tube.


Fit them and weld:


Weld to bar, step back with adult beverage, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.


I will build tubes that go from the bars back under the cab to the frame that will weld to angle iron plates that will bolt to the frame itself. Then they will be epoxy primered and painted satin black like the frame. More pics to come.

[LTZ C20]

Hey those look great man! I love the overall design and build. They look great and strong and sturdy.

I think it's hard to find steps that look right on these trucks. Those nail it! I think they would look killer coated in line-x or some other spray bed liner.

Very fine work.

[87V20Kansan]

Thanks! I agree with you. Round tube steps just don't look right on square trucks. Fortunately we the people can buy rectangle and square tube also! I have thought about Linex. Linex does need to be applied to a coated surface of some sort so I will go ahead and primer and paint first. It fits the current budget much better also. The truck will get a Linex bedliner at some point in the not so distant future. Maybe I'll pony up and have them done to match.

[LTZ C20]

That would be a smart decision, especially if it's already under the gun for the bed.

[87V20Kansan]

Found some time to work on these again. So basically the bars are built. Now I just need to figure out how to mount them to the truck. I wanted them to bolt on and off should I need to recoat them or should they get bent in some fashion. I decided to use some 18" long lengths of the 1"X3" tubing laid flat to run from the bar back toward the frame where they will then join to 1/4" plate.  The mount for the forward bar is no big deal, it hits a wide open spot on the frame. The tricky part is getting a spot to mount the rear bar. There is a large bolt in crossmember located in a the spot where the frame turns up toward the back of the cab. Using some 1/4" plate and some 1x3 here is what I came up with. A set of drop tubes that will allow me to attach the 1X3.



I cut the same angle the frame runs at into the drop tube so they will sit plumb when installed on the truck.

[Greybeard]

I'm looking forward to seeing these on the truck, have they been completed yet?

I am also wondering how well a 120v welder does attaching steel of that thickness together?

[87V20Kansan]

Unfortunately not yet Grey. I got a little side tracked on getting rid of the runflats in the hummer tire package, tidying up the bed so I can actually use it as a truck, and rebuilding my niece's first car for her. I will get on them again soon and show all of the pics though.

That little welder does just fine! More power would be nice so the prep time would be less. It takes a lot of chamfering to get the right penetration results. You also have to alter your technique and just absolutely hang in the puddle to drive the heat into any unchamfered flat surfaces. I welded up a set of 1/4" thick hinge plates for a friend's boat dock walkway 4 years ago with that machine. They have been through all of the stress a boat dock can put on them with no issues.  One day I'll move up the food chain and get a bigger machine, and eventually a TIG. I'll always have this one though. My G-pa bought it new.

[Greybeard]

Well, thanks, take your time and do what's needed before what's wanted.

I just started using my Hobart 140 after years of using an industrial sized wirewelder at work. I am NO welder by any stretch of the imagination but I can sometimes get two pieces to stick together.

The first project I did was to weld up (repair) a center pull hitch for my old JD 14T baler that broke off a mounting ear. 1/4" steel with a radiused type broken area, think a 'C' shape with a 'L' attached. There was no way to chamfer the break and still get it to line up correctly so burned it whole. I did what you suggested and slowed the wire speed down and just let it burn until the filler created a good bead. When I got to the edge I could see that the penetration was about halfway through so I just did the same on the back mounting surface then ground it down smooth again. I haven't put 5 tons of hay behind it yet to see if it will hold.  I will get that done by Wednesday because I just cut 4 acres of heavy hay today...

[timthescarrd]

Did you ever finish these? I'd love to see how they turned out...

[87V20Kansan]

I just got the mounts made about a month ago, and they test fitted fine. I can't fit this truck into a garage so during the winter work on it ceases. Then I got swamped with work, which is good. But it severely cuts into my project time. I need to get these off to the powder coater sooner rather than later. When they are on I will post some pictures. They look cool on the truck in bare steel. I'm sure they will look really cool in satin black.

[LTZ C20]

Haven't forgotten about this topic. I'm still watching to finally see the end product.

[Militiaman55]

Bump, in hopes of an update!  Really curious how these turned out.  Looks great so far!

Rob.

[80Chevy4x4]

I need some step bars for mine but could never find ones that i liked until now....good job and thanks.