Deezee: crappy nerf bars?

[DK5]

So I bought a set of these Deezee nerf bars designed to fit older chevy trucks and installed them because people were having a hard time getting in the truck.

But I don't like how they flex so much... they bolt directly to the frame, 4 bolts on each mount with extra support brackets for under the frame too.

Now they are made of aluminum so that might have something to do with it, but it looks like it is twisting the frame when I pull up and down on it.

anyone else have this problem with nerf bars? any suggestions? my father tells me to put a crossmember between the frame rails.. i don't know if I want to do that..

 

[DK5]

and should the frame twist like that? the truck isn't rusted out or anything. just seems odd

 

[k20]

Its flexing the truck frame or the frame that the bars are mounting to? If its flexing the frame of the truck then......how much force are you pulling up/down on them to make them flex? If they are flexing your frame that isnt dee-zee's fault and doesnt have any bearing on them being made of aluminum, and if it is your frame flexing are you sure none of your x-members rivets are loose?

 

[DK5]

not sure on the crossmember being loose, does that normally happen? The truck frame is definitely twisting a bit on both sides of the truck when I stand on the nerf bar. Doesn't seem as solid as the nerf bars on my dad's duramax.

its dark outside now, but tomorrow i will check out that crossmember

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

There's a lot of distance from the frame to the outside of the body(2-3 feet?), this creates lots of leverage on the frame.

Wouldn't surprise me if the frame flexed a lot when weight is applied.

 

[abig84]

There's a lot of distance from the frame to the outside of the body(2-3 feet?), this creates lots of leverage on the frame.

Wouldn't surprise me if the frame flexed a lot when weight is applied.

mine did. i had some homemade ones out of steal and they would go down a inch or so when getting on them... alot more with my 350lb friend would get in on the other side

 

[k20]

Yeh I would just check any and all xmembers in thearea for loose rivets, or the t-case crossmember for loose bolts. Other than that not a whole lot you can do besides putting in another x-member to try to stiffen it up.

 

[DK5]

thanks for the replies everyone

mine did. i had some homemade ones out of steal and they would go down a inch or so when getting on them... alot more with my 350lb friend would get in on the other side

is that safe? I only ask because I have a friend that weighs around 300lbs and I'd feel bad if he fell because the nerf step broke

are they weaker if made completely of aluminum? I bought the aluminum ones because they won't rust.