DARK STAR OFFROAD Mercedes Sprinter Running Board Steps Installation Guide

DARK STAR OFFROAD Mercedes Sprinter Running Board Steps

Product Specifications

• Est. Install Time: 4 hrs
• Manufacturer: DarkStarOffroad.com
• Contact: Logan@DarkStarOffroad.com | 385-354-4181
• Material: Steel
• Coating: Zinc-Coated/Yellow Zinc/Stainless
• Hardware Included: Yes

Product Usage Instructions

Driver Side Step Installation

A. Ensure the bracket labeled DF is at the front and DR is in the rear of the step.

B. Attach brackets to steps using (2) 1/4-20 stainless flat head bolts (J) and (2) 1/4-20 zinc nylock nuts (K) with qty(2) 1/4 washers (L) under each nut, per bracket. Use a 5/32 hex driver bit tool for the bolt and a 7/16 wrench for the nuts.

C. Hoist the assembled step and brackets into place under the van, which is easier with a partner but can be accomplished with a floor jack too.

Hole Placement + Marking

A. Place the rear running board bracket in front of support and on the underside of the van rail. Ensure that all of the lower step brackets are in contact and flush with the outer wall of the van rocker panel.

B. Measure 1.75″ from the lower B-pillar brace to the rear edge of your driver rear bracket.

C. Mark upper mounting point holes with a sharpie or marker for drilling positions.

Drilling + Rust Prevention

A. Drill all the marked holes on the undercarriage side of the van, as well as the inner rocker panel first with a 1/4 pilot bit, and then a final time with a 3/8 drill bit.

B. Use a rust prevention coating on all holes that have been drilled to prevent corrosion.

Installing Plus Nuts

A. Thread plus nut installation tool into provided plus nut. Insert extended plus nut and tool into nut into drilled hole.

B. Using the appropriate wrench for your plus nut installation tool, tighten the bolt in the plus nut while holding the bolt stationary. Do not overtighten.

Installing Step & Bracket Assembly

A. With the help of a partner, hoist the step and bracket assembly back under the van to line up the bracket mount holes with the newly installed plus-nuts. If no partner is available, a floor jack can be used.

B. Use blue Loctite or similar thread locker on 1/4-20 black stainless buttonhead bolts (H) to prevent loosening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need any special tools for installing the Sprinter Step?

A: Yes, you will need a powered drill, an additional person for holding the step, a sharpie or marker, plus-nut setting tool, 7/16 wrench, 5/32 hex driver bit, and a 3/8 drill bit. Additionally, it is recommended to use Loctite rust prevention coating during installation.

Q: Can I install the Sprinter Step alone without assistance?

A: While it is recommended to have a partner for easier installation, it is possible to install the step alone using a floor jack as support.

EST. INSTALL TIME: 4 HRS

DarkStarOffroad.com | Logan@DarkStarOffroad.com | 385-354-4181

PACKING LIST

• (1) SPRINTER PASSENGER SIDE STEP
• (1) SPRINTER DRIVER SIDE STEP
• (1) DRIVER REAR STEP BRACKET
• (2) PASSENGER REAR STEP BRACKETS
• (1) DRIVER FRONT STEP BRACKET
• (1) PASSENGER FRONT STEP BRACKET HARDWARE: (SEE BELOW)

HARDWARE

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

• POWERED DRILL
• ADDITIONAL PERSON FOR HOLDING STEP SHARPIE OR MARKER
• PLUS-NUT SETTING TOOL
• 7/16” WRENCH
• 5/32” HEX DRIVER BIT
• 3/8” DRILL BIT*
• LOCTITE
• RUST PREVENTION COATING

DRIVER SIDE STEP INSTALL

• ENSURE THE BRACKET LABELED “DF” IS AT THE FRONT AND “DF” IS IN THE REAR OF THE STEP.

• ATTACH BRACKETS TO STEPS USING (2) 1⁄4”-20 STAINLESS FLAT HEAD BOLTS (J) AND (2) 1⁄4”-20 ZINC NYLOCK NUTS (K) WITH QTY(2) 1⁄4” WASHERS (L) UNDER EACH NUT, PER BRACKET.
  USE A 5/32” HEX DRIVER BIT TOOL FOR THE BOLT, AND 7/16” WRENCH FOR THE NUTS.

• HOIST THE ASSEMBLED STEP AND BRACKETS INTO PLACE UNDER THE VAN IS EASIER WITH A PARTNER, BUT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH A FLOOR JACK TOO.
  THE ASSEMBLED STEP WILL ACT AS A TEMPLATE FOR DRILLING MOUNTING HOLES.

HOLE PLACEMENT + MARKING

• PLACE THE REAR RUNNING BOARD BRACKET IN FRONT OF SUPPORT AND ON
  THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VAN RAIL.
  ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE LOWER STEP BRACKETS ARE IN CONTACT AND FLUSH WITH THE OUTER WALL OF THE VAN ROCKER PANEL.

• MEASURE 1.75” FROM THE LOWER B-PILLAR BRACE TO THE REAR EDGE OF YOUR DRIVER REAR “DR” BRACKET.

• MARK UPPER MOUNTING POINT HOLES WITH A SHARPIE OR MARKER FOR DRILLING POSITIONS.

• AFTER ALL HOLES ARE MARKED, LOWER THE STEP/BRACKET ASSEMBLY BACK OUT FROM UNDER THE VAN.

DRILLING + RUST PREVENTION

• DRILL ALL THE MARKED HOLES ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE SIDE OF THE VAN, AS WELL AS THE INNER ROCKER PANEL FIRST WITH A 1⁄4” PILOT BIT, AND THEN A FINAL TIME WITH A 3/8” DRILL BIT.

• RECOMMENDED
  USE OF RUST BULLET AUTOMOTIVE BRAND RUST PREVENTION FORMULA, OR SIMILAR RUST PREVENTION SPRAY PAINT ON ALL HOLES THAT HAVE BEEN DRILLED.

INSTALLING PLUS NUTS

• THREAD PLUS NUT INSTALLATION TOOL (NOT INCLUDED) INTO PROVIDED PLUS NUT. INSERT EXTENDED PLUS NUT AND TOOL INTO NUT INTO DRILLED HOLE.
  USING THE APPROPRIATE WRENCH FOR YOUR PLUS NUT INSTALLATION TOOL, HOLD THE MATING NUT ON THE INSTALLATION TOOL.
  TIGHTEN THE BOLT IN THE PLUS NUT WHILE HOLDING THE BOLT STATIONARY.

• DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN
  OVERTIGHTENING WILL RESULT IN A PLUS NUT THAT SPINS IN THE HOLE. A SPINNING PLUS NUT WILL NEED TO BE DRILLED OUT AND REPLACED.

INSTALLING STEP & BRACKET ASSEMBLY

• WITH THE HELP OF A PARTNER, HOIST THE STEP AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY BACK UNDER THE VAN TO LINE UP THE BRACKET MOUNT HOLES WITH THE NEWLY INSTALLED PLUS-NUTS.
  IF NO PARTNER IS AVAILABLE, A FLOOR JACK CAN BE USED.

• INSTALL THE (4) UPPER 1⁄4”-20 STAINLESS BUTTON HEAD SOCKET CAP SCREWS (H) INTO THE NEWLY SECURED PLUS NUTS. TORQUE UPPER BOLTS TO 8FT/LBS.
  THE INSTALLED BRACKETS WILL ACT AS A GUIDE FOR YOUR LOWER MOUNTING HOLES.

• DRILL LOWER 4 HOLES WITH 1⁄4” DRILL BIT. BE SURE THAT THE STEP BRACKETS ARE SNUG TO THE VAN.
  BE CAREFUL NOT TO DRILL INTO THE STEP AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PINCH SEAM.

• ONCE YOU HAVE DRILLED THE LOWER HOLES, INSTALL HARDWARE:
  (2) 1⁄4”-20 STAINLESS HEX DRIVE BRACKET BOLTS (H)
  (2) 1⁄4”-20 BLACK STAINLESS WASHER (L)(2) ZINC LOCK NUTS (K)
  USE A 7/16 SOCKET AND 5/32 ALLEN KEY TO TIGHTEN LOWER BOLTS.

RECOMMENDED TORQUE STRIPE ALL BRACKET BOLTS ONCE TORQUED TO 8FT/LBS

INSTALLING STEP & BRACKET ASSEMBLY

YOU WILL ESSENTIALLY REPEAT THE STEPS FOR THE DRIVER SIDE INSTALLATION.

• SIMILAR TO THE DRIVER SIDE, FULLY ASSEMBLE THE PASSENGER STEP WITH PROVIDED BRACKETS. ENSURE THE “PF” BRACKET IS LOCATED AT THE FRONT OF THE STEP (NEAR LOGO).
  USE THE TWO “PR” BRACETS FOR THE REAR OF THE STEP, THEIR ORDER DOES NOT MATTER.

• USE FOLLOWING HARDWARE PER BRACKET FOR ASSEMBLY:

  • (2) 1⁄4”- 20 STAINLESS FLATHEAD BOLTS (J)
  • (2) 1⁄4”- 20 ZINC NYLOCK NUTS (K)
  • (2) 1⁄4”- 20 WASHERS (L) UNDER EACH NUT.
  • USE A 5/32” HEX DRIVER BIT TOOL FOR THE BOLT, AND 7/16” WRENCH FOR THE NUTS.

• USING A PARTNER (OR FLOOR JACK) HOIST THE ASSEMBLED STEP INTO PLACE. LIKE THE DRIVER SIDE, THIS WILL ACT AS A GUIDE FOR DRILLING

• MEASURE 9.5” BACK FROM THE VAN FRAME SUPPORT | MARK THE 6 UPPER HOLES.

• DRILL 1⁄4” PILOT HOLES WHERE MARKS WERE MADE | FINISH USING 3/8” DRILL BIT

• RECOMMENDED: COAT DRILLED HOLES WITH RUST PREVENTION SPRAY PAINT OR FORMULA

• INSTALL PLUS NUTS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE

• INSTALL BRACKET ASSEMBLY ONTO PLUS NUTS WITH 7/16” WRENCH AND THE 1⁄4”- 20 STAINLESS BUTTON HEAD CAP SCREWS (H) WITH 1⁄4” WASHERS (L)
• RECOMMENDED: BLUE LOCTITE OR SIMILAR THREAD LOCKER ON 1⁄4”-20 STAINLESS HEX DRIVE BRACKET BOLTS (H) TO PREVENT LOOSENING
• USE PARTIALLY INSTALLED STEPS AS A GUIDE FOR DRILLING LOWER HOLWS WITH A 1⁄2”* DRILL BIT
• FINISH INSTALLING THE STEPS WITH (2) 1⁄4”- 20 STAINLESS HEX DRIVE BRACKET BOLTS (H), (2) 1⁄4”- 20 BLACK STAINLESS WASHERS (L), AND (2) ZINC LOCK NUTS (K)
  USING A 7/16 SOCKET AND 5/32 ALLEN KEY, TIGHTEN LOWER BOLTS.

THAT’S IT!
ENJOY YOUR NEW

DarkStarOffroad.com | Logan@DarkStarOffroad.com | 385-354-4181

References

• Dark Star Offroad | Van Parts For Sprinter, Promaster, and More!

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