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Door Step Repair on my 2015 320

This is not a fancy mod, it was purely functional in nature but there were a couple of things I ran into that might be helpful for any owners of T@b's around that year model...with a bent step 8^D
We purchased our 2015 320 from the original owner and it came with a "customized" step assembly, object in motion (camper) met with an immovable object while step was extended.  The step was still functional but it was stiff and cranky (like me) and I just couldn't get over the way I wanted to lean a little when I looked at it.
First "step" in this process was getting the rusted nuts off the bolts holding the step frame to the camper floor.  That process went swiftly as it only took about 2 minutes to realize that all 4 bolts holding the step frame would spin freely when the nuts were turned.
Step 2:  carefully try to peel up the vinyl floor just inside the door where I was sure I would find the bolt heads nestled underneath...alas,foiled again.  All I found was that the vinyl would not peel up without coming apart and once peeled up it only revealed the 1/4" plywood underneath (pic 1).

pic #1:                 pic #2: 

Step 3, I was able to generally locate the "neighborhood" of where the bolts would be but I didn't want to remove any more plywood than necessary.  In a rare moment of brilliance I thought to try using a couple of rare earth magnets stacked together and when placed near to where the bolt heads should be they politely snapped to attention and lined up perfectly over the bolt heads.  I traced around the magnet, make a jig to stabilize my hole saw bit without a centering drill bit in place and I was off to the races drilling out the plywood and revealing the bolt heads (pic 2).

Step 4, curse a little when I saw that the step was held on with carriage bolts (I couldn't find an appropriate mad face emoji to place here).  The bolt holes were drilled through aluminum framing members in the floor but the square head under the round carriage bolt head only crushed the aluminum and did nothing to bite into the frame which is why they just spun when I first tried to remove the nuts below...I was not happy, again.  I had to drill out the heads of the carriage bolts which of course wanted to spin as I drilled so I clamped them from below, then knocked the bolts out from above.

Step 5, I straightened the bent step frame and added a little reinforcement, sand blasted everything and applied several coats of black semi-gloss enamel.  I went back with stainless steel hex head bolts with flat washers and packed the holes with JBWeld to lock the bolt heads in place in case I ever needed to remove the step again.  
pic #3: 

I also removed 3 of the 4 stabilizer arms and cleaned, blasted and repainted them as well.  I also ran into the same "hidden carriage bolt" method of assembly as I did with the step so I cleaned and painted the 4th stabilizer arm in place.

DaveR middleTN - 2015 320S  /  TV 2003 Tundra 4x4
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