Not happy

I bought the side steps from eBay… but you buy cheap and you get cheap crap. They are on the car, but have had two bolts snap, and a mounting bracket bend. Cheap bolts and cheap metal.

I’ve ordered some high tensile m6 and m8 bolts and will replace them all, and also ordered a bolt extractor set.

I’ll persevere with my search for the motorised set I really want… and these will have to do for now. Currently driving: 2012 L322 SE Overfinch 4.4 tdv8

Past rides:
2014 Audi Q7 3.0d (good riddance)
2010 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged
2011 L320 HSE 3.0 sdv6
2014 Jaguar XF-RS 5.0 supercharged
2007 BMW 535D
2005 Mini Cooper S

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic59478.html

I still need to sort my side skirts following a jacking incident, but this is how they look…

I'm going to be honest here ffrr, ditch them and put the side skirts back on. It looks awful and you've taken away the overfinch originality. I was thinking the same putting side steps on, but now I've seen yours, that plan is well and truly shelved. Unless you can get the deployable ones, which unless you are very lucky and come across some somewhere for sale, I'd go back to original.

They look worse without a suitable side skirt to let them sit flush. My (damaged) overfinch ones won’t fit with these sidesteps.

So, while I agree with you that the car looks better without them, the family love that I have them.

If I source a suitable side skirt, this is how I expect them to look…

Finally, I have a set of deployable side steps fitted, and also refitted my side skirts that were damaged.

The car needs a clean, but am pleased with them. BarmyBrummie, you’ll be happy now I’ve gotten rid of the crappy ones!

well done - cracking


where did you get the deployable steps from ?

I have been on the hunt for some for many months, but its the cost of the side step brackets puts me off every time !

Well done ffrr lover, now that looks much better. But I'm sad to say that I've totally up my steps big time. I stripped them down yesterday to look at the motors as they was really slow, got the brackets moving freely and with ease, plugged them back in, still very slow. So decided I'll be brave and strip the motors and they both fell apart. None of the screws and bolts would budge, all sheared and rounded off so decided to drill them and it went down hill from there. So I'm just going to sell the brackets and try and recoup some money. My bargain of the century has caused me nothing but grief. I'll leave all the wiring looms in just in case I come across another 'bargain'.
Just keep them well lubed and hopefully yours will last a lot longer than mine. I trust everything I sent you fitted and works well now. Looking good.

Well that’s just bloody annoying… I’ve gone out in the car only to feel that the car isnt siting right, and then get a suspension fault. Luckily I was less than a mile away so drove back home.

Sure enough she’s not sitting right. Clearly didn’t like being jacked up and manhandled

pcourtney wrote:

where did you get the deployable steps from ?

I was fortunate as I found them on Facebook Marketplace for £100 but with broken rear brackets. I know someone who can weld aluminium and he did just that. BarmyBrummie helped with a spare loom and ECU for a good price, which was greatly appreciated

They are expensive, but sometimes a bargain does come up. Keep an eye on the various selling places… and good luck! Currently driving: 2012 L322 SE Overfinch 4.4 tdv8

Past rides:
2014 Audi Q7 3.0d (good riddance)
2010 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged
2011 L320 HSE 3.0 sdv6
2014 Jaguar XF-RS 5.0 supercharged
2007 BMW 535D
2005 Mini Cooper S

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic59478.html

Barmybrummie wrote:

Well done ffrr lover, now that looks much better. But I'm sad to say that I've totally up my steps big time. I stripped them down yesterday to look at the motors as they was really slow, got the brackets moving freely and with ease, plugged them back in, still very slow. So decided I'll be brave and strip the motors and they both fell apart. None of the screws and bolts would budge, all sheared and rounded off so decided to drill them and it went down hill from there. So I'm just going to sell the brackets and try and recoup some money. My bargain of the century has caused me nothing but grief. I'll leave all the wiring looms in just in case I come across another 'bargain'.
Just keep them well lubed and hopefully yours will last a lot longer than mine. I trust everything I sent you fitted and works well now. Looking good.

Ah sorry to hear that!
After all that effort to get them working too! Is it worth holding on to them as the motors do come up at times? I’ll keep my eye out for anything of any use to you.

Note to self… don’t touch the motors!  Currently driving: 2012 L322 SE Overfinch 4.4 tdv8

Past rides:
2014 Audi Q7 3.0d (good riddance)
2010 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged
2011 L320 HSE 3.0 sdv6
2014 Jaguar XF-RS 5.0 supercharged
2007 BMW 535D
2005 Mini Cooper S

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic59478.html

They joys of owning a fatty eh lol? If it's not one thing it's another.
It's my own fault really, I got impatient when I bought them and fitted them straight away instead of giving them a good clean up and making sure the brackets were moving freely. When I connected it all up, the steps folded out nicely so thought nothing of it. But you learn by your mistakes.
The motors are stupidly expensive and don't fancy the Chinese ones, so I'll just cut my losses and get rid, I won't even contemplate used ones now just in case I have the same trouble.

Oh gosh that's not good ffrr, there's always something to go wrong it is a range rover after all. I'm still expecting one to go on mine, I raise and lower mine once a week just to keep everything moving. Hope you get it sorted and nice easy fix.
And thanks for that looking out for me if any come about. Ideally I'd still like some but it's the waiting game now.

Earlier this afternoon I tried to raise the suspension enough to get a jack under there. Compressor was buzzing away, the front hissing, and *just* managed to squeeze the jack under the front subframe to lift the car.

With each pump of the jack the strut squeezing more air out (or in?) as the car lifted. I couldn’t see any point of leakage, and didn’t want to get the compressor running while on axle stands as I didn’t want to upset the balance. I’ve had one jacking incident with this car… don’t want another one!

I’ve had a look and a new strut is £420 from island 4x4. I think I need a gasket also…
That’s a fair few sheckles this near Christmas, so will do just this one with the other side early next year. Currently driving: 2012 L322 SE Overfinch 4.4 tdv8

Past rides:
2014 Audi Q7 3.0d (good riddance)
2010 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged
2011 L320 HSE 3.0 sdv6
2014 Jaguar XF-RS 5.0 supercharged
2007 BMW 535D
2005 Mini Cooper S

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic59478.html

Good news…
I managed to nudge the left hand step slightly and now it goes in and out without issues.

Ideal. The kids can now climb into a car I’m unable to drive  Currently driving: 2012 L322 SE Overfinch 4.4 tdv8

Past rides:
2014 Audi Q7 3.0d (good riddance)
2010 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged
2011 L320 HSE 3.0 sdv6
2014 Jaguar XF-RS 5.0 supercharged
2007 BMW 535D
2005 Mini Cooper S

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic59478.html

I might be wrong here, but can't you just buy the airbag on its own. If the strut is ok then it's just the airbag you can replace. I think they are around the £150 mark.
That's something I wouldn't dare tackle myself unless I had my own 2 post ramp.

I believe it is possible, but quite involved… although hopefully someone will clarify that soon I’m sure. Tbh she’s covered nearly 130k now so new shocks probably aren’t a bad idea. Currently driving: 2012 L322 SE Overfinch 4.4 tdv8

Past rides:
2014 Audi Q7 3.0d (good riddance)
2010 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged
2011 L320 HSE 3.0 sdv6
2014 Jaguar XF-RS 5.0 supercharged
2007 BMW 535D
2005 Mini Cooper S

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic59478.html