As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
Those running boards and fenders disappeared back in the day when Frank Roosevelt was stealing America and they should have stayed gone, along with pick ups that you need a ladder to climb in. Running boards returned though and on Fords the cheap bolts always rust out due to road salts in the winter.
So the Ford got it's running board busted off and I had like most people no idea what to do with the thing. I found a Mexican who was drilling holes in the top and long bolts and that just looked like a problem in the making, and I figured that it would cost 150 bucks at least to get this thing remounted, so did some more looking on Gaytube and discovered Rivet Nuts as that is the reasoning behind mounting these stupid running boards.
So for 36 bucks, I got a kit and tool.
Fortunately Ford shit breaks off, save in the mounting brackets which I put a socket on or vice grip and got the old rusted bolts out.
This is an easy process, but I'm dense on new things. This Vevor tool kit made no sense to me, even got the AI to provide insights and it sounded all kosher, but when it came down to it, I got everything about ass backwards so nothing was working as easy as it said.
Basically the short version is, you unscrew the holding nut. This reveals the ram and another nut on the inside that is loose. That is where I got confused as this nut, screws into the other nut on the OUTSIDE. Once that was dealt with, everything was not in any need of adjustment, and seriously, you can just move the lever arms of the tool to where you can feel it snug up, and I just stopped. Everything expanded and all was set into place solid.
Below is the tool, with these nuts in METRIC. The Ford uses an M 6 size, with a 1.00 thread, and it is a 10 mm socket. Makes no sense except to Eurasians in those measurements.
This is the mounting bracket on the pick up. Had allot of rust. I oiled it before putting the running board back on.
This is the running board from the underside. I don't know what 5 bolt holes are for. I put in 3. As you can see the rivet nuts mount easy in the holes and snug up. As a warning. this Ford running board is hollow and was packed full of allot of road dirt. It was heavy and I was in a hurry and had no idea how to get the thing apart, so the dirt is there and I guess extra traction for the weight.
Here is your million dollar knowledge. I do not have a torque wrench handy. But you must be super careful to not twist these rivet nuts loose as they are not exactly built for a 1968 moon landing. This is the hint.
I was using a 3/8's inch ratchet. I prefer a 1/4 but the garage sale kit did not have the adapter. For all of this stuff, especially on vehicles, the MANDATORY thing is to palm the ratchet top in your hand. DO NOT use the handle as that will give you too much leverage. In most cases, if you tighten to where it feels snug in you hand and do not bear down on it, it is tight enough for these small bolts, which twist off in vehicles allot with novices.
This was kind of fun except for the shit day and the problems in figuring out the instructions and what to do. I have a junk Triton that both running board are wired on, and I might see about remounting them if all is kosher with them, as I said, this is kind of fun providing everything is working. I just need to get some more M 6 1.00 rivet nuts first. Farm store had none, or any tool, or anything. So it is probably an Ebay visit to see what appears there as I hate having an assortment and one item is gone as that is the one you are going to need again.
Nuff Said
agtG
