[Geologist]

I'm installing aftermarket tube steps on my RL. There are 6 plastic plugs on each side of the truck, underneath. You have to remove them to bolt the brackets on. Anyone have problems removing them?

Mine are all stuck, or broken inside. Any idea on how to get them out without damaging the threaded holes? I was thinking of using a torch and heating up the holes and melting them out ( using a screwdriver to remove plastic )

Anyone else have this problem?

My RL never had steps installed, and it's a 07

 

[pgmartin]

These type of plugs have a plastic pin in the middle. you need to push in the pin to release the plug

 

[Heli ATP]

Here are some pics of the plastic ones I removed when installing my Romik Running Board Side Steps. As pgmartin said push on the middle to release them, then pull them out. I ended up pushing one into the rail so its in there forever. No big deal Easier to remove them when its warm outside. The plastic gets brittle during cold spells. It was 30 degrees when I tried to remove mine and I had to pull some out with a pliers.

 

[Geologist]

Yeah, I know how they are supposed to come out :act006:

Mine are corroded and broke off in the hole.. I'm going to warm up the area with a heat gun and use a tap and clean up the threads in the hole.

Did it on 2 so far, working now..

the tap is m8x1.25 if anyone else needs to do this. I guess 7 years of salt took it's toll on the plastic

 

[captainh00k]

Same boat as you. I pushed them through and then ran a tap in each hole.

 

[Geologist]

I'm glad to hear someone else had the same problem. Hopefully this helps someone else

 

[Benjamin_Beard]

All the plugs broke off or were damaged during extraction, but i didn't worry about it.

The side steps, were probably the easiest piece of any of my mods to install.