Running Boards

[Calidad]

2019 just had my first goofy running board issues. Read through this thread definitely helpful. I did notice a fine gritty stuff splashed on the fender and running board before it started getting stuck. Best guess someone rinsing fresh cement off equipment and I drive thru the gutter wash etc. The step
Took a light assist from me to retract and definitely had a gritty feel to it.
I hosed and cleaned the hinges off then soaked them good (rinsed them) in chain lube. Definitely made a difference no more issues but I had to do it twice over a 5 day period to get rid of the gritty feel.

I suspect the clearance on the hinges is just about right for hard slilica grit to bind things up. And if you go to long having the system fight with the binding I would expect it fries the control board due to the added power load.

The only way to protect against it is probably avoid use when your in a situation where high silica road grime is a issue like de icing treatment in the winter lots of cinder used on winter roads in the PNW. Etc

Then a really good cleaning and probably a couple of good lub rinses before you turn it on again.

Kinda lame but I can’t think of another way to avoid screwing these up otherwise

 

[duneslider]

I am having an issue with my passenger side too. Started after several miles of driving on dirt roads. I have washed mine multiple times, lubed them, washed them, lubed them, and still occasionally they don't go up. I am going to keep working on them but thus far my experience with them has not been great. I was also one who really thought that keeping them clean and lubing them is all you needed to keep them working...

 

[Calidad]

So I might be onto something that I hadn’t thought about. Heat/sun and expanding parts causing binding in the hinges. I’m pretty sure this is what’s going on with my rarely used passenger side which gets all the sun in my driveway. When I back in ie put it on the shady side the binding goes away. Sooo…. When I get a chance I’m thinking loosen the hinge bolt on points enough to let things shift, let it sit in the sun then re snug them. I’m betting the binding goes away.

 

[2020-MAX-Limited]

So here’s a different observation with my running boards. After starting to have intermittent issues with auto deploy and retract, I simply set them to OFF. But now when I open the driver’s door, I still hear the mechanism actuate as if the boards are coming out, but of course, the boards stay in. Afterwards, when driving off, I sometimes again hear the mechanism actuate as if trying to retract the boards above the threshold speed. Weird.

 

[IndyDave]

Available on Amazon

 

[2018ExpyPlatinum]

Available on Amazon
View attachment 79502

I think that's the stuff I bought and mentioned in another thread. I think it works pretty good.