Automatic sidesteps with lights for 2022 Jeep gladiator

[WILDHOBO]

You ordered it with automatic rock sliders?

If that question is for me, no. The steps just have an optional extra armor you can get. If you rock crawl and expect to bash them frequently, it’s a good idea. But not necessary for basic off roading, mud, etc.

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[NC_Overland]

If that question is for me, no. The steps just have an optional extra armor you can get. If you rock crawl and expect to bash them frequently, it’s a good idea. But not necessary for basic off roading, mud, etc.

Not directed toward you. I was asking about automatic side steps being an option.

Are you talking about the Mopar enhanced sliders? I got those brand new for $20 for my JKU Rubicon in 2008 when our (dealership group) Jeep dealership went out of business. They look like the same design.

I paid it forward and sold my stock sliders for $20 when everyone else was charging $150-$200.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Not directed toward you. I was asking about automatic side steps being an option.

Are you talking about the Mopar enhanced sliders? I got those brand new for $20 for my JKU Rubicon in 2008 when our (dealership group) Jeep dealership went out of business. They look like the same design.

I paid it forward and sold my stock sliders for $20 when everyone else was charging $150-$200.

I was talking about rock slide. I gave my stock sliders away.

 

[NC_Overland]

I was talking about rock slide. I gave my stock sliders away.

Oh ok. 2008 was a different world. 4 door wranglers were new a big deal to some and controversial to others. Free rubicon rock sliders were unheard of.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Oh ok. 2008 was a different world. 4 door wranglers were new a big deal to some and controversial to others. Free rubicon rock sliders were unheard of.

Admittedly, when the JL came out, I hated it. I was a two door person through and through. And now, I have a gladiator. Oops. Clearly 4 door jeeps are the genuine article. It just took me time to evolve.

 

[Deleted member 52902]

Mbrein,
Just reading your post. I have the AMP RESEARCH PowerStep XL installed on my Gladiator Diesel..
I bought this Gladiator used from a neighbor., who purchased it new in 2022. His trailering needs grew and needed a full size truck.

When we completed the transaction, he brings out the PowerStep components and loads them into the bed of the Gladiator; tells me here, these go with it. He had never installed them, except for the rock bars. Cool. Except I'm not a fan of having electric motors under chassis. I was planning on having fixed steps bars iI would install as I have done before. Mostly for my wife who is shorter than I am but I make use of them too. I figured I would just sell the PowerStep XL and use that money to buy bolt on 's. After weeks on Facebook where I lowered the price to $900 and no sale, I decided to install them anyway. Actually very impressed and glad I did. Why?

I am 71. I don't off-road anymore. Command Trac and limited slip rear diff suits me fine if I need to call it into action for on-road ice and snow. And with getting older vs the Rubicon wheel and tire set that are on my Sport S, I might find some day, steps that are a bit lower than fixed-mount steps will be a good assist. vs the higher mounted fixed steps. My reasoning anyway. So I killed the FB Marketing ad and installed the PowerStep XL. Over two days but the actual man hours were roughly 5 hours. would I recommend self-install? No. Not at all, particularly for the electrical. also for the mechanical if you're just not versed in that arena with different size bolts and torques. But that said, the mechanical is really easy. Back to the electrical and particularly in the diesel equipped Gladiator:

The kit instructions are pretty good. The wiring harness is top-notch. But the issue for the installer is how to route the wires across the firewall AND get the wires down the driver side to be connecting to the motor two motors, on that side of the JEEP. It helps if you have something like a thin fiberglass rod such as some electricians use to fish wires inside stud walls. Once I got my rod down to the ground, I attached parachute rope and pulled it back up into the engine compartment. A little patience and effort to guide the rod down to the tope and then easy to pull back up. But the passenger side....

its a bit more of a hassle. for one person to get the wires routed down. I suggest a helper that can lay on the floor to lightly pull the rope with the attached wiring in its loom, slowly down until it's fully brought down. to the floor. I emphasize slowly, because there are motor connectors that if they get hung up coming down, don't forcibly pull them. Work them back and forth with two people at each end. If it won't go, you need to re-do this rope path either by finger pushing the obstruction or start all over with another path.

I won't do the fun instructions here. I will say another, separe four wire cable get run from inside the cabin about where a clutch pedal would be, through the firewall and then routed over to the passenger side near the battery. Where there is going to be a PowerStep electronic module that this cable has to be pinned CORRECTLY but the installation person and plugged into this module. Pay attention to the graphic and short instructions. The graphic is for the smaller of the two white connectors at the module. the wires of this new cable have pins that must be inserted correctly. If not experienced with pinning connectors, I recommend someone that has done this, do the work. Any mistakes here, new parts will have to be ordered.

The other end of the cable which stayed in the cabin-side, has a small plug. That is plugged into another cable that has to be routed from behind the glove box, through the center console just above the transmission tunnel. The driver -end of this cable has a connector that plugs into the CANBUS receptacle connector. At the glove box end, there is a small green connector that plugs into a specific connector of a green shell that is behind the glove box. That plug in has be plugged into the specific location noted in the instructions.

All of the details of the mechanical and electrical/electronics connections are detailed in the instructions that come in the kit. It is really quite simple. Including an addition of the optional remote switch into the dash so can control the steps from never deploying , or always deployed on both sides. Or left in Automatic mode for left or right side deployment whir doors opening, ir retraction of the steps, two seconds after door(s) closed on one or the other side of the vehicle.

One last point that is actually critical: When bolting on the steps, you must insure that they line up to the rock bar. Otherwise when the steps retract, it may bind during retraction into one of the end caps of the rock bar.

My installation worked perfectly the first time. It actually startled me when I opened a door the first time and bingo, the steps moved with speed. Has worked perfectly ever since too. For my work and personal use, excellent. But, if your planning or even thinking you might do some harsh off roading, my opinion is these are not the ones to install. That said, they do tuck up snugly. You will not even see the steps when retracted. Your skid plates and chassis frame are lower. But pointy rocks and branches can find and do damage to anything. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.

Just the rock bar which isn't really a super stout bar for smashing on rocks but it's probably decent. Definitely a first line, door protector for most cars that might park to close to your Gladiator.

I feel I will in my case, get 10 years of operation from the PowerStep XL I have. Longer certainly possible. I believe this entire kit is very, very well engineered. I have no experience or even seen other brands. Which are all less money from what I have see. all I can say is that while this is expensive, it has the quality to go with. Maybe a good place to point out it is not only engineered here, it's also indicated it is Made in the USA. Yeah!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Nothing other than the RSE power steps for us.
2022 JT,
2023 JLU Rubicon
and now my 2025 JTMX
They go down the exact right amount - not like some that make you still step way up high. They are smooth and reliable.

 

[bill61]

I think one of the best things about RSE is that they do not connect to the wiring of your rig other than to draw power from the battery. They do not void your warranty.

 

[AGladiator22]

Mbrein,
Just reading your post. I have the AMP RESEARCH PowerStep XL installed on my Gladiator Diesel..
I bought this Gladiator used from a neighbor., who purchased it new in 2022. His trailering needs grew and needed a full size truck.

When we completed the transaction, he brings out the PowerStep components and loads them into the bed of the Gladiator; tells me here, these go with it. He had never installed them, except for the rock bars. Cool. Except I'm not a fan of having electric motors under chassis. I was planning on having fixed steps bars iI would install as I have done before. Mostly for my wife who is shorter than I am but I make use of them too. I figured I would just sell the PowerStep XL and use that money to buy bolt on 's. After weeks on Facebook where I lowered the price to $900 and no sale, I decided to install them anyway. Actually very impressed and glad I did. Why?

I am 71. I don't off-road anymore. Command Trac and limited slip rear diff suits me fine if I need to call it into action for on-road ice and snow. And with getting older vs the Rubicon wheel and tire set that are on my Sport S, I might find some day, steps that are a bit lower than fixed-mount steps will be a good assist. vs the higher mounted fixed steps. My reasoning anyway. So I killed the FB Marketing ad and installed the PowerStep XL. Over two days but the actual man hours were roughly 5 hours. would I recommend self-install? No. Not at all, particularly for the electrical. also for the mechanical if you're just not versed in that arena with different size bolts and torques. But that said, the mechanical is really easy. Back to the electrical and particularly in the diesel equipped Gladiator:

The kit instructions are pretty good. The wiring harness is top-notch. But the issue for the installer is how to route the wires across the firewall AND get the wires down the driver side to be connecting to the motor two motors, on that side of the JEEP. It helps if you have something like a thin fiberglass rod such as some electricians use to fish wires inside stud walls. Once I got my rod down to the ground, I attached parachute rope and pulled it back up into the engine compartment. A little patience and effort to guide the rod down to the tope and then easy to pull back up. But the passenger side....

its a bit more of a hassle. for one person to get the wires routed down. I suggest a helper that can lay on the floor to lightly pull the rope with the attached wiring in its loom, slowly down until it's fully brought down. to the floor. I emphasize slowly, because there are motor connectors that if they get hung up coming down, don't forcibly pull them. Work them back and forth with two people at each end. If it won't go, you need to re-do this rope path either by finger pushing the obstruction or start all over with another path.

I won't do the fun instructions here. I will say another, separe four wire cable get run from inside the cabin about where a clutch pedal would be, through the firewall and then routed over to the passenger side near the battery. Where there is going to be a PowerStep electronic module that this cable has to be pinned CORRECTLY but the installation person and plugged into this module. Pay attention to the graphic and short instructions. The graphic is for the smaller of the two white connectors at the module. the wires of this new cable have pins that must be inserted correctly. If not experienced with pinning connectors, I recommend someone that has done this, do the work. Any mistakes here, new parts will have to be ordered.

The other end of the cable which stayed in the cabin-side, has a small plug. That is plugged into another cable that has to be routed from behind the glove box, through the center console just above the transmission tunnel. The driver -end of this cable has a connector that plugs into the CANBUS receptacle connector. At the glove box end, there is a small green connector that plugs into a specific connector of a green shell that is behind the glove box. That plug in has be plugged into the specific location noted in the instructions.

All of the details of the mechanical and electrical/electronics connections are detailed in the instructions that come in the kit. It is really quite simple. Including an addition of the optional remote switch into the dash so can control the steps from never deploying , or always deployed on both sides. Or left in Automatic mode for left or right side deployment whir doors opening, ir retraction of the steps, two seconds after door(s) closed on one or the other side of the vehicle.

One last point that is actually critical: When bolting on the steps, you must insure that they line up to the rock bar. Otherwise when the steps retract, it may bind during retraction into one of the end caps of the rock bar.

My installation worked perfectly the first time. It actually startled me when I opened a door the first time and bingo, the steps moved with speed. Has worked perfectly ever since too. For my work and personal use, excellent. But, if your planning or even thinking you might do some harsh off roading, my opinion is these are not the ones to install. That said, they do tuck up snugly. You will not even see the steps when retracted. Your skid plates and chassis frame are lower. But pointy rocks and branches can find and do damage to anything. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.

Just the rock bar which isn't really a super stout bar for smashing on rocks but it's probably decent. Definitely a first line, door protector for most cars that might park to close to your Gladiator.

I feel I will in my case, get 10 years of operation from the PowerStep XL I have. Longer certainly possible. I believe this entire kit is very, very well engineered. I have no experience or even seen other brands. Which are all less money from what I have see. all I can say is that while this is expensive, it has the quality to go with. Maybe a good place to point out it is not only engineered here, it's also indicated it is Made in the USA. Yeah!

I appreciated your comments, as I am going to check out a set up AMP Powersteps XL for my 2022 Gladiator Diesel today. Thanks for sharing some insights on the install. I’ve been wondering if I should try and do it solo or seek a shop that does this regularly to do it.

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