Retrac - Luverne nerf installation - This description is long and detailed. If you have a question that's not addressed here, feel free to PM me. It may take a ...

This description is long and detailed. If you have a question that's not addressed here, feel free to PM me. It may take a day or two to respond if I'm traveling.
You guys who’ve already installed these may already know all the details, this document is for those new owners (like me) who’ve never installed tube steps.
I’ve been working on vehicles of all sizes for 35 years, so I’ve covered a lot of different repairs and modifications. Tube steps were new to me.

The box actually fit in the short bed if it was on it's side and corner to corner.
The name on the step is Retrac. Some digging on the web revealed that Retrac is a Division of Luverne Truck Equipment.
They ended up being an imported set at $299 (in stock) vs the American Made Luverne's at $399 (5 days to order and receive).

Suggestion:
If you use a ratchet to spin the body bolts, do so carefully to avoid damaging the captive nuts in the upper body mounts.

Lower Body Mount Donuts:
The front and center body bolt donuts were cupped, and they had an embedded metal washer on the bottom.
The rear body mount had a larger curved washer with a hollow donut (note which side of each donut is up).

1. Identify all the parts in the box.
Locate the markings on each bracket
DF (Driver Front)
PF (Passenger Front)
DR (Driver Rear)
PR (Passenger Rear)
The center supports were not marked.

2. Locate the tools you'll need.
A 2 foot 1/2 drive breaker bar
A click type torque wrench at 55 foot pounds
13/16ths socket for the factory body bolts
20mm wouldn't fit, 21mm fits too loose
16mm socket
19mm socket
9 inch extension

3. Remove the front body bolt and the donut.

4. Insert the body bolt into the top of the bracket.
Slide the donut onto the body bolt on top of the bracket.

5. Re-insert the body bolt in the chassis ear.
Carefully rethread it by hand and spin it up snug, don't tighten it yet.
Leave it loose enough to wiggle the bracket a little.
On the driver side, be careful around the parking brake cable.



6. Remove the center body bolt and the donut.

7. Insert the body bolt into the top of the bracket.
Re-insert the body bolt in the chassis ear.
Carefully rethread it by hand and spin it up snug, don't tighten it yet.
Leave it loose enough to wiggle the bracket a little.
Note the orientation in the picture.



The center bracket may touch the chassis ear, I wasn't comfortable with that. It would wear on the ear and the bracket after a few years, not to mention the risk of a squeak.
I used two 5/8 fender washers between the bracket and the donut for a 1/4 inch spacer.
Slide the donut onto the body bolt on top of the spacer washers and bracket.

8. Re-insert the body bolt in the chassis ear.
Carefully rethread it by hand and spin it up snug, don't tighten it yet.
Leave it loose enough to wiggle the bracket a little.

9. Remove the rear body bolt and the donut with it's lower curved washer.

10. Insert the body bolt into the top of the bracket.
Slide the lower curved washer and donut onto the body bolt on top of the bracket.

11. Re-insert the body bolt in the chassis ear.
Carefully rethread it by hand and spin it up snug, don't tighten it yet.
Leave it loose enough to wiggle the bracket a little.



Now comes the fun part. I used the styrofoam packing material to hold up the ends of the Tube Step/Nerf Bar.

12. Remove the plastic shipping caps from each end of the Tube Step/Nerf Bar.

13. Attach the front of the Tube Step/Nerf Bar to the front bracket with a 19mm bolt.
Use a lock washer and a flat washer from the kit, snug up the bolt.
Be carful not to scratch the chrome on the center bracket. The dog is not a suitable helper.

14. Attach the rear of the Tube Step/Nerf Bar to the rear bracket with a 19mm bolt.
Adust the position of the Tube Step/Nerf Bar around the center bracket.
Use a lock washer and a flat washer from the kit, snug up the bolt.

15. Attach the center bracket to the Tube Step/Nerf Bar with a 16mm bolt.
I had to apply shoulder pressure to seat the bottom center bolt to the tube.
Use a lock washer and a flat washer from the kit, snug up the bolt.

Center Mount Lower.JPG

16. Adjust the front and rear brackets so that the tube end meets the bracket square on.
Don't let the tube ride off the bracket on the bottom.
The tube must be supported properly on the bracket.



17. Tighten all bolts, starting with the body bolts.
The factory body bolts should be torqued to 55 foot pounds (if you find a different specification for your vehicle - use it, please make a note of it here for future reference by others).
Tighten the tube end bolts, then the center bottom bolt.

18. Attach the Tube Step/Nerf Bar to the other side of the vehicle using the same steps.

19. Enjoy your Tube Step/Nerf Bar....
A side benefit I hadn't thought of until they were installed, I can now reach the top center of the windshield.

Here's the picture of the center bracket on the tube.
I missed it in the previous post.

Or you can do what I did....weld the brackets to the frame!

Great how-too post! Nicely done.

Well written! I just bought a set of 2" ars I intend to put on during the week in the evening. Your write-up helps a great deal.
Thank you!
Glen

Thank you for the kind words.....

Awesome write up

+1 on a good write up. That's pretty much exactly how mine went on. I still have to replace the bushings though, as they were shot to sh*t..

One question though, what happened with the dog? lol

I didnt have anybody to help me so I got creative, The jackstand with shop rags on it held the bars perfect while I got them in place, figured I would pass that on for anybody who is doing this alone

recently did mine what do ya'll think? Westin 2' bars. http://www.silveradosierra.com/gallery/image.php?album_id=1476&image_id=5174