How do you remove these stinkin' running boards?

[Matt300ZXT]

I searched here, the HAMB and Google and didn't really find anything that helped. Mostly just pics of guys running w/o them or how to put them on an S10 chassis swap.

I got under the truck today and saw the 3 brackets holding them on with 6 bolts total, but the only part of them I can get to at all are the backing of them with a 7/16ths square nut. There is no way an open ended wrench will work and I'd like to get them off to see about having them sandblasted and flat blacked.

[Matt300ZXT]

From looking at Brother's and seeing the bolts are likely rivet looking bolts and just have the nut holding them to the bracket, I guess I can break out the Dremel and cut off all the bolts, then just lift the running board off as I'd have to replace the bolts/nuts with new ones later on anyway.

[Clay54]

Matt300ZXT,

I had the same problem and I found that an 8 point and a 12 point socket will fit. Didn't have one so I took a 1/2 inch extension, that was messed up, and cut off the female end and then welded a nut on the cut end. Now I have a tool that works. I don't remember the nut size but just use the correct socket size on the nut and the 1/2 inch square socket works great. If you would like, I will try to find it and take a picture. Clay

[Matt300ZXT]

You inspired me Clay, and I got them off. I didn't have any 8 point sockets and very few 12 points, but this is what I did. Since the nuts on mine were 7/16ths, just baaaaarely smaller than 1/2", I was going to get a 1/2" drive socket and flip it around backwards, and find the correct size nut end of the socket to stick the drive from the ratchet in. I found a 16mm socket would work fine for this but my set didn't have a 16mm in 1/2" drive. It had 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, and 19...but no stinking 16. And it wasn't missing, the set just didn't come with that size, which is bull****!

Anyways, my dad's got a fairly odd collection of sockets from his dad who was a mechanic back in the day, and one was a about a 3" long very large flat tip screwdriver for a 1/2" drive. So I took that, and a large, long pair of slip joint pliers and put the socket on the square nut backwards and then put the pliers on the blade of the screwdriver portion, and broke the nuts loose! Lucky for me I had already Dremeled the excess of the bolt off and ground them down as close to the nut as I could with my cutoff wheel or I'd still be out there twisting on those rusty old bolts.

Thanks for inspiring me to be awesome lol

[Clay54]

Great!!! Whatever works is the name of the game. Same principal.

[Trekster]

This is what I have done on a few trucks. Take a pair of vice grips and clamp on the square nut and bend it back and forth and break the screw. You will want to put new screws on anyway and it only takes a few minutes and it does not hurt the running board.

[B_Hix]

Originally Posted by Matt300ZXT

I found a 16mm socket would work fine for this but my set didn't have a 16mm

I have this problem - it is called "the one specific odd-ball item you need will be the exact one that you do not have even though you have every other size - itis"


=D

[paulspickupparts]

I use the same method as Trekster. I sometimes use a torch, but lot of risks if not used to your torch. Also you never know which way sparks will fly when you hit the oxygen. Not recommended unless you absolutely have eye and ear protection. More than one eardrum has been lost using this method on other parts.

You should replace the bolts anyway and more than likely as they loosen they will start turning in the board. Also when you put new ones in you will be able to finger tighten most of the way. Thanks Paul

[mr48chev]

Those are special bolts specific to running board installs. It helps to soak them down with PB Blaster before attempting to take them off. The square nut/socket thing is the pits and I don't remember what I used but those nuts didn't go back on.
I think I used carriage bolts with a bit of the round ground off the top of the head to flatten it out a bit the last time I had mine apart.

[focusedontheprize]

Ha. I was in the same situation two weeks ago. The air chiesel and the cut off wheel helped me out here.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by focusedontheprize

Ha. I was in the same situation two weeks ago. The air chiesel and the cut off wheel helped me out here.

That's fine but when I did that I found that it's a pain in the tail feathers to come up with different bolts that work right in that spot like the originals do. I modified and used carriage bolts but that still isn't the best solution.

[focusedontheprize]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

That's fine but when I did that I found that it's a pain in the tail feathers to come up with different bolts that work right in that spot like the originals do. I modified and used carriage bolts but that still isn't the best solution.

The original design by Chevy was horrible. I noticed on the back of the running board mounts, the bolts could "slide" into the channel. I am going to rework that and weld a stud in there allowing me to use a regular nut on the side.

I knew this when I was looking at them before I cut them off thus the reason I wasn't worried about it.