Member Since: 03 Oct 2005
Location: The Toon
Posts: 698
Side Step Removal
I have just made this up and it may help someone.
Put Disco in high suspension mode.
Remove the 6 X 10mm nuts holding the top of the side step to the 3 brackets.
Lift off the top of the side step complete.
Remove the bottom screw (under) the front mud flap to allow the small plastic trim at the bottom of the wing to move a little.
Remove the two screws in front of the rear wheel holding the plastic sill trim, using a dumpy screw driver or posidrive bit in a small 1/8 drive socket, as it's only a couple of inches to the tyre.
Remove three bolts holding the plastic trim and step mounting bracket underneath the vehicle, these have a small spacer under the washer so don't loose them.
Remove the 4 plastic push fit rivets under on the same line as the bolts, with a screw driver outer fat plastic head first and then the inner created bit in to the sill.
Open both doors and start at the rear wheel and pull the plastic sill trim away from the vertical white clips pull away from yellow pips on sill.
When this plastic trim is floppy on the 3 brackets, you have to wiggle it off the three brackets and out of the front wing plastic trim that it slides out of.
The dealer had butchered the holes out of the plastic trim so I cleaned them up and made them very slightly bigger to aid removal and fitting.
You will now have exposed the sill and brackets, remove the remaining bolts holding the brackets to the sill making a note of where each bracket fits, Front Middle Rear etc.
Slide the plastic sill trim into the small plastic trim at the bottom of the wing and start from that end and clip the trim back on.
Fit the screw at the bottom of the front mud flap and the two in front of the rear tyre.
Fit the 3 bolts (with small ring spacers and washers) and the 4 plastic push fit rivets to the bottom of the plastic trim.
You now have no side steps.
Fitting is the reverse of this but make sure the top side step fits in to the brackets before you tighten the brackets to the sill and fit the trim as if they are out a bit the plastic trim will have to come off and the brackets have to be slightly moved.
This worked for me I hope it's a good guide for others.
If you break any of the yellow / white clips they are £4.64 for 5 pair’s part number DYC101420Arctic Frost Discovery 3 TDV6 SE, Active Rear Diff, Adaptive Head Lights, Tow Pack, Ebony Leather, Roof Rails, Mantec Guard. Tasmod Stainless Sill plates. Grabber AT's. Home made mud flaps. Side Steps back on until the next time.
24th Sep 2007 3:10 pm
SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
and how long did it take??? end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
24th Sep 2007 3:13 pm
DiscoStu
Member Since: 09 Apr 2006
Location: London
Posts: 11412
Member Since: 03 Oct 2005
Location: The Toon
Posts: 698
Yes I did take mine off it only took me about 1 hour for both sides, but I have taken them off before and replaced all of the bolts and washers with stainless. So first time it may take 2/3 hours but it's more fiddly than difficult.
Stu I have sent you a PM with these instructions and my phone numbers if you get stuck.
I am putting some pictures in my gallery.Arctic Frost Discovery 3 TDV6 SE, Active Rear Diff, Adaptive Head Lights, Tow Pack, Ebony Leather, Roof Rails, Mantec Guard. Tasmod Stainless Sill plates. Grabber AT's. Home made mud flaps. Side Steps back on until the next time.
24th Sep 2007 3:26 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
Chesters, great instructions
I considered replacing mine with stainless bolts, but chickened out as I didn't want to put in some that were too brittle - what grade did you use?
I also covered the holes in the sill covers with duck tape to keep the mud out - this didn't work even a little bit.
For an extra smug feeling use a permanent marker to number the brackets, and to leave an alignment line from the bracket to the bodywork - then there's no re-alignment required when replacing the steps...
Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
24th Sep 2007 4:25 pm
chesters
Member Since: 03 Oct 2005
Location: The Toon
Posts: 698
Not sure what spec bolts are and can't ask because of where I got them, don't ask.
I have also covered the holes with duck tape and not really expecting it to keep the mud out.
I have marked the brackets O/S, N/S front middle and rear, but did not mark bracket position with marker pen to the sill.
Nice one I will when I put them back on.Arctic Frost Discovery 3 TDV6 SE, Active Rear Diff, Adaptive Head Lights, Tow Pack, Ebony Leather, Roof Rails, Mantec Guard. Tasmod Stainless Sill plates. Grabber AT's. Home made mud flaps. Side Steps back on until the next time.
24th Sep 2007 5:22 pm
DiscoStu
Member Since: 09 Apr 2006
Location: London
Posts: 11412
DiscoStu wrote:
Did you do yours?
Actually I was talking to Spotter, 'cos I sent him a pm explaining how to remove the steps a couple of weeks ago. Reading his other post, it seems he did
I've removed mine 3 or 4 times now, got it down to 20 mins a side. I don't bother with tape, if you look at the underside of the sill water can get in easily enough anyway. I do however refit all removed bolts to keep the box section sealed.Disco 5 HSE Lux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peyiqaJrmMU
24th Sep 2007 5:42 pm
chesters
Member Since: 03 Oct 2005
Location: The Toon
Posts: 698
Sorry DiscoStu,
I am getting confused as I had a PM from Sturox thinking it was you.
Arctic Frost Discovery 3 TDV6 SE, Active Rear Diff, Adaptive Head Lights, Tow Pack, Ebony Leather, Roof Rails, Mantec Guard. Tasmod Stainless Sill plates. Grabber AT's. Home made mud flaps. Side Steps back on until the next time.
24th Sep 2007 5:49 pm
SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
I did indeed DiscoStu
looking forward to putting them back as you can tell
They will be going back on though..........Sufun got round with his still intact the other week so might leave them on next time
I didn't bother taping the holes as they are wide open fom the other side anyway......as all the mud that falls out when you first remove the sill cover will testify...............lots of waxoil on teh screws and bolts though....and will also replace the missing plastic ones!!! (obviously for some time as no evidence of there existence at all)end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
25th Sep 2007 6:32 am
StuRox
Member Since: 16 Mar 2007
Location: Wherever the beaten track takes us
Posts: 637
Cheers Chesters, although not sure when I may get time to do these now, since we are travelling down on Sat.
Would it still be better if I just removed the actually steps, but left the brackets in Situe - would that give better clearance, or is it better just to leave them where they are??
Cheers
25th Sep 2007 7:41 am
DiscoStu
Member Since: 09 Apr 2006
Location: London
Posts: 11412
StuRox wrote:
Would it still be better if I just removed the actually steps, but left the brackets in Situe -
Don't do that - it would be illegal on the road, and they'll get really bent up with no way of straightening them.Disco 5 HSE Lux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peyiqaJrmMU
25th Sep 2007 7:43 am
StuRox
Member Since: 16 Mar 2007
Location: Wherever the beaten track takes us
Posts: 637
DiscoStu wrote:
Don't do that - it would be illegal on the road, and they'll get really bent up with no way of straightening them.
will leave them alone
25th Sep 2007 11:08 am
sufun
Member Since: 22 Jun 2006
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 205
SPOTTER wrote:
They will be going back on though..........Sufun got round with his still intact the other week so might leave them on next time
Err ... have you seen the state of my side steps? It has dents, scratches and have had lots of people jumped on it before. I think it is always best if you can remove them. I am just too lazy and stupid to not do it. There was one occasion that if the step bent up any higher, I wouldn't have been able to get out of the car.TDV6 SE
25th Sep 2007 7:24 pm
SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
I'll agree they aren't immaculate............... end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
26th Sep 2007 5:49 am
Timmins_c
Member Since: 08 Sep 2020
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 85
Referred to this thread on the removal of my rusty side steps yesterday. Great write up 👍 sadly it didn’t help with my snapped bolts though 😂
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