Getting in and out of our pickups is something we take for granted—until they’re lifted, sporting bigger tires, or both. And when we want more ground clearance, a set of stationary running boards just doesn’t cut it. That criteria led us to our latest upgrade for Project 6.7L Power Stroke: a set of Amp Research PowerSteps.
| project 6 7 L Power Stroke Part 6 ford Super Duty Drivers Side
With just three hours invested, we had the electric, retractable steps installed on our ’11 Super Duty. The F-350 now has the kind of maximized ground clearance you would expect a lifted, oversize-tire-equipped truck to have, yet it has instant entry-exit functionality once you open any door. Follow along as we take you through our short, Sunday afternoon install.
| Amp Research now offers removable, stainless steel trim pieces with its steps. If you don’t like the look, they can be removed by simply sliding them off the step. As for us, we think it complements the black and chrome look of our Super Duty.
PowerStep Strength and Durability
- Die-cast aluminum-alloy (high-strength) linkage arms
- Anodized and Teflon-coated linkage arms for corrosion resistance
- Extruded aluminum steps with 600-pound load capacity per side
- Textured powdercoated finish on steps for maximum grip
- Weatherproof, OEM-quality electric motors
- Weatherproof wiring harness with weather-tight (sealed) connectors
- 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty
| Amp Research’s PowerSteps come with everything you need for installation. Four linkage assemblies (two front drive units, two rear idler units), two motors, a step controller, an emergency brake cable reroute bracket, and all wiring and hardware were included.
Project 6.7L Power Stroke’s Suspension System
After receiving several emails and letters from readers, we decided to give you our ’11 Super Duty’s suspension lift recipe. Known as Icon Vehicle Dynamics’ 4½-inch Stage 1 system, it came with dual-rate coil springs, front and rear Icon Series monotube shocks, radius-arm dropdown brackets, an adjustable track bar, bumpstop spacers, and 5-inch rear blocks. However, we decided to install One Up Offroad’s traction blocks in the rear, which incorporate a lift block (shown) with each traction bar. Having the traction bars mounted to the traction block effectively removes the leverage exaggeration from the taller block, and the factory ride and load capacity isn’t sacrificed for the taller ride height. Thanks to the lift, we have no clearance issues with the 325/55R22 Nitto Trail Grapplers mounted on the truck.
| project 6 7 L Power Stroke Part 6 rear Lift Block
