Lubricating Power Running Boards

[Threesuns1]

I had power running boards installed several months ago at the dealership. Been reading post about lubricating the hinges on a regular basis. It got me thinking about installing grease fittings in the hinge to make it easier to lub. Has anyone tried this? Are there any reasons I should not do this?

 

[n8zcc]

My 2022 came with power running boards, driving in a winter climate and living on dirt roads, I've yet to have any issues with the power running boards. The rear deployable bed step, that's a different story. I've had, at times, a difficult time getting the bed step to deploy. I've tried lubricating all the hinge points but it doesn't make a difference.

 

[Conundrum]

Silicon spray lube.

 

[Brutal_HO]

There's 16 lube points on each running board hinge.

I'd use either White Lithium spray as specified by Ram, or one of my favorites is dry film PTFE spray lube. Use it on a ton of stuff, RV, etc.

 

[Threesuns1]

There's like 16 lube points on each running board.

I'd use either White Lithium spray as specified by Ram, or one of my favorites is dry film PTFE spray lube. Use it on a ton of stuff, RV, etc.

Did you take the hinge apart to clean and lub or just spray the outside edges? I figured if I had to take it apart I could drill the barrel of the hinge in the center and add a zerk fitting.

 

[utlong31]

There's like 16 lube points on each running board.

I'd use either White Lithium spray as specified by Ram, or one of my favorites is dry film PTFE spray lube. Use it on a ton of stuff, RV, etc.

I spray mine every couple of days with a garage door lube. I tried the white lithium and didn’t like it. It left a build up on them and attracted even more dirt. I drive on dirt roads every day and get in and out of my truck multiple times.


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[Idahoktm]

I spray mine every couple of days with a garage door lube. I tried the white lithium and didn’t like it. It left a build up on them and attracted even more dirt. I drive on dirt roads every day and get in and out of my truck multiple times.


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Every couple of days is way over the top. I agree, white lithium grease just attracts dirt. I use a dry molly lubricant. It goes on wet, but once the carrier evaporates it's very similar to graphite, so it will not attract dirt.

 

[Eighty]

People have lost their minds here. Zerk fittings…lube every couple of days…really?
I’d hate to ask how often y’all lubricate the door hinges at your houses.

 

[Cbty2050]

There's like 16 lube points on each running board.

I'd use either White Lithium spray as specified by Ram, or one of my favorites is dry film PTFE spray lube. Use it on a ton of stuff, RV, etc.

Listen to this, this is great advice!

 

[Brutal_HO]

Did you take the hinge apart to clean and lub or just spray the outside edges? I figured if I had to take it apart I could drill the barrel of the hinge in the center and add a zerk fitting.

Take apart? No.

Direct the spray end at the hinge pin on both sides at all points and it will flow.

Truck is a 2020 and I've lubed them exactly once. I don't put on a lot of miles, but it does sit outside 24x7x365 through Colorado summers and winters. Sees driving in inclement weather, hunting, logging roads, etc. Never had an issue with the steps.

 

[1BADRAMLIMITED]

Speaking of running boards mine are looking worn and old any one ever recondition them or apply a raptor liner type coating on there’s??

 

[Brutal_HO]

Here's the TSB for fixing/cleaning/lubing the steps.

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2023/MC-10241026-9999.pdf

 

[Brutal_HO]

There's 16 lube points on each running board hinge.

I'd use either White Lithium spray as specified by Ram, or one of my favorites is dry film PTFE spray lube. Use it on a ton of stuff, RV, etc.

garage door lube

Garage lube is PDMS (Silicone) suspended in mineral oil and other flash off carriers.

Both PDMS(Silcone) and PTFE (teflon suspended in silicone) sprays are light load, high slip lubricants. Both provide similar lubrication while having slight advantages and disadvantages to each other. Temperatures, washout, etc.

White Lithium is for higher working loads. Yes, the overspray is messy, and it will attract more dirt than either of the other 2, but it's what Ram and nearly every OEM recommends for all hinges.

I use Lithium on the door hinges and friction springs and PTFE on the steps (well, I did it only once). PTFE is recommended as the lube of choice for Schwintek gear driven RV slides (just the gear shaft) and I've found it works great on all kinds of sliding surfaces and low load hinges like RV baggage and entry doors. Works great to quiet those squeaky friction hinges they're putting on RV entry doors without reducing their effectiveness.

For God's sake, don't use (legacy) WD-40.