Anyone else have the 4" Putco Boss Bars?


I've got the wheel-2-wheel stainless ones on my crew cab short bed. They look fantastic and are very sturdy. However, I've noticed that they're noisy (it took me awhile to figure out the noise was coming from them).


When I turn into a driveway, and the frame is put under tension (as each wheel undergoes a change in "elevation" at a different time), the bars creek/groan/clunk, depending on my speed and the severity of the change in "elevation" I'm driving over.


I checked all the fasteners, which had come loose. I snugged them down to the instruction-provided torque setting (65 lbs). Noise went away altogether, and I was happy.


Couple thousand miles later, the noise returned (subtly at first, then more noticeably). So, I snugged down the fasteners again to where the washers started to deform. Noise was gone again.


It came back, so I re-snugged and used some blue lock-tite this time. Noise went away, but is starting to come back.


I want to do something that will permanently fix my problem. Any ideas? I think the crew-cab length is tough on step-tubes. They're bolted to the frame, which flexes when it's put under tension. The tubes need to flex with it, which puts strain on the fastners and hardware. I hope I can get around it.


Any ideas are welcomed (returning them is not an option--already checked).


~Terel

terel,


I've got the boss bars on my Extended Cab but I haven't noticed any noise. But I wasn't looking for any either I'll try and listen a little better tomm and I'll also double check the hardware to see if it loosened up. But I didn't torque them to spec, I just torqued them till the rubber isolator's were squished a fair amount.


Do your bars mount through the frame to body bolts that have the big rubber washers?


I would think the rubber doughnuts would have a little flex and help the bars move a little.


Diesel Dragon http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cool.gif

I've got the Boss Bars on my crew cab and they've been quiet. The only problem I see is that they scratch very easily. I had a set of Smittybilt's on my old truck and they looked better after 5 years than these ones do after 6 months!

The noise and feeling you might have could be attributed to the bracket position and where it aligns on the frame - look to see if it is binding anywhere and causing flex - ive seen some with wrong brackets and as a result the corner will rub the frame when turning and going over bumps

Jderk,


Yeah, they do scratch easily--a function of being polished stainless steel versus chromed steel. Great grips on them, though.


Tbone,


I'll get under the truck again and take a look. I might try adhering some neoprene rubber between metal-to-metal contact points. Don't know if this will help, but it's worth a try.


I might also try getting some new, quality fastners--stainless steel bolts, washers, and nuts to swap into the hardware. I may try red locktite, too, which will hold better than the blue. If I ever want to take 'em off, will the red locktite screw me?


~terel