Running Boards - self install summary

[vertrkr]

The biggest problem with these is having to install two rivet nuts. You can do this yourself with a 8mm bolt and nut. Thread nut on first and then the rivet nut. Then holding the bolt head turn the nut until the rivet nut is secure and won't turn or come out. The problem with this method is you run a danger of pulling the threads out of the rivet if you tighten too much. I didn't do this so I don't know how much tension it can take but should be fine if you check often while tightening until the rivet is secure. I went to my Honda dealer and sweet talked them into letting me use their tool for 10 minutes. The Honda tool is basically the same concept of the bolt & nut but it has a big rubber stopper on it to help prevent from overtightening. Pretty sure places like H&A and CollegeHills will come up with a solution soon when you buy the running boards. Either find a place you can buy the tool or perhaps they'll include it and you return it when done else you have to buy it.

UPDATE: see this thread for someone who had success using bolt/nut method:
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/f...read.php?t=383

Once those rivet nuts are intalled it's easy going but a little tedious. Whole lot of bolts & nuts to screw down. There's some threaded holes on the underside of the truck which have caps in them you need to remove as the directions say but the threads have a bit of the undercoating on them which makes it difficult to start the bolt threading. I suggest clearing those out with a bolt by itself before trying to do it with the hardware in place. Other than that it's smooth sailing. I found the torque spec of 20ft/lbs to be a little cautious so I put threadlock on all the bolts and torqued to 25ft/lbs.

They look great and are very sturdy. They are made out of aluminium but the whole deal is coated in black rubber so it's very non slip.

[Blue]

thanks vertrkr,

you are an inspiration to all DIY Ridgeliners. But I would be too concerned about making a mistake on my baby.

[Keoni]

Tried the double washer and longer bolt thing, but that simply did not work--the rivet nut would spin no matter what I tried. The proper tool must be scored or has some way of keeping the rivet from spinning. In any case, here's what worked for me (and was easy!)...

1. I used one of the bolts that came with the running board kit, put one of the nuts in the kit and screwed it all the way in until it bottomed out on the head of the bolt. Of course, if you have a slightly longer bolt of the same size, that would be better--but not necessary.

2. I placed a thin washer on the bolt against the nut. A thick washer may not allow the bolt to penetrate the rivet enough to get a good grip on it and may strip the nut--if you are not sure, buy a longer bolt at the local hardware store!

3. Put a drop of red Loctite on the end of the bold (about 1/4" or so), then screwed the rivet on all the way against the washer. The flat face of the rivet goes against the washer, but that should be obvious once you see it.

4. Place the assembled unit into the proper hole and held the head of the bolt with a rachet/socket, while turning the nut in a tightening manner (towards the car, as if tightening a bolt). I stopped once it was decently hard to turn the small open-end wrench.

5. Loosen the nut until it is free and unscrew the bold, nut and washer from the rivet. NOTE: The loctite does NOT need to be cured to have this work--it causes the bolt to "bite" the rivet and consequently allows the rivet to do it's thing by turning the nut.

6. Once it was stug, I took a Q-tip dipped in brake cleaner (or whatever solvent you have handy) and cleaned out the rivet nut very well, as I didn't want the actual bolt to be used to connect the bracket to be locked to this nut! Imagine how difficult that would be to remove if the rivet nut started to turn in it's hole? Yikes! To be extra cautious, I cleand the bolt with brake cleaner, dried it, and brushed anti-seize compound on it before putting the bolt into the rivet nut permanently.

I hope this helps! BTW, the running boards look and work GREAT!

Aloha,
Keoni

[sfoster]

Well, I tried this and one side worked perfectly. Not so for the other side. I got it tightened half way and then it started spinning. It was all I could do to get the bolt out. Now I have a fitting which is installed so it will not come out, but I can't screw in a bolt because it spins around.

I guess I'm going to have to find a new fitting (any ideas where to order one?) and drill the old one out. I saved the bag that the fitting came in. It has "8mm steel nut, clm2--8125--3 0, PN 769" printed on it.

This really stinks, as the first one worked like a charm. I don't know what happened the second time.

[Whaleya]

It looks like the rear camera also uses blind rivet nuts.

On my old Grand Cherokee I fought and fought with those blasted things.

My game plan this time is once I receive the camera kit I'll going to find the proper tool to install the nuts!

[vertrkr]

Call College Hills Honda. They told me the tool cost $60 or so for theirs they got from Honda. I imagine they could order one for you, they also were thinking about some sort of loaner program for it if you buy an accessory from them that needs it which is the running boards of course, didn't know the camera takes it too but I didn't study the install docs in detail.

http://www.collegehillshonda.com/rid...lectronics.htm
1-888-244-6632

[Keoni]

Try this with clean parts:

1. On bolt, add the following in order: Nut, steel washer, rubber washer (home depot has them).

2. Hold the bolt head, turn the nut.

The rubber washer should help keep the rivet from turning. BTW, what kind of loctite were you using? I used the red one (I use this to lock internal transmission bolts/nuts).

Aloha,
Keoni

[sfoster]

I searched Ebay and found 8mm rivnuts with a tool to install them. It cost just $18 so it was worth the try.

http://stores.ebay.com/HOMEPRO-FASTENERS

If the tool works, then it's worth the purchase. I noticed that the frame is riddled with places to install 8mm rivnuts, so it would be good to have some extras and the tool on hand. I'll post when I get it to report if it works.

In the meantime, I'm going to drill out the damaged rivnut. If the replacement parts and tool don't work, I'm going to order a new rivnut from the Honda parts counter and I'll have them install it.

[vertrkr]

Originally Posted by sfoster

I searched Ebay and found 8mm rivnuts with a tool to install them. It cost just $18 so it was worth the try.

http://stores.ebay.com/HOMEPRO-FASTENERS

If the tool works, then it's worth the purchase. I noticed that the frame is riddled with places to install 8mm rivnuts, so it would be good to have some extras and the tool on hand. I'll post when I get it to report if it works.

In the meantime, I'm going to drill out the damaged rivnut. If the replacement parts and tool don't work, I'm going to order a new rivnut from the Honda parts counter and I'll have them install it.

Good find, much better than $60. I guess Honda's is so expensive as the sucker is huge and comes with the big oversized 23mm wrench and allen key wrench. I borrowed one from my dealer to get my on, I did slip the tech $20 bucks for the favor. Good luck with it, hope it all works out for ya.

[sfoster]

I thought about that rivnut all night and determined today to either fix it or get it out of there. I went to Home Depot to get a cutting wheel for my Dremel tool. While there, I noticed a vice-grip needle nose plier. I had an idea.

I was able to force a very small screwdriver under the rim of the rivnut. I bent up the rim slightly then spun it 180 degrees and did the same. This allowed enough of a lip for the vice-grip to bite.

Then I used the Dremel drill with the cutting wheel to cut the edge off two sides of three washers. I then screwed a nut on a bolt and then the three washers. I screwed the assembly into the rivnut until the nut was tight. Cutting the edges off the washers allowed them to nest inside the jaws of the vice-grip and provide spacing for the nut to not come in contact with the vice-grip.

I then tightened the nut while holding the bolt in place. The vice-grip stopped the rivnut from spinning. Within a few turns the rivnut was tight!

Everything then proceeded normally and the running boards look great.

After that ordeal, I think I would recommend bribing the mechanic at the Honda dealership.