Mounting Factory Step

So I finally got around to mounting the original steps. I had to make a plate to span the metal where it bolts on the floorboard due to metal around the bolt holes starting to split. The passenger side went pretty fast, but on the driver's side, where the support bolts to the frame, there is an obstruction on one of the holes. It appears to be a plate or something where the rear clutch cross shaft is. Before I start messing with thing, has anyone run into this before?

 

On my '56 by looking underneath that is clearly the mount for the outboard axial support of the clutch shaft.

It was simply drilled though at the one step mounting hole that slightly interferes with it, exactly the same as yours appears to do

 

I've got to crawl under and see if I can just drill it out and get a nut back there. I guess the factory would have just put one bolt on.

 

When I put mine on I just drilled through the mount.

 

Can anyone who has their OEM factory steps mounted take a couple of pics of where the top of the steps mount to the underside of the floorboards on each side? I need to get these holes in before I move on to paint.

 

Here are the steps that I have, bought off eBay many years ago and just pulled out of storage. One looks to be totally factory, the other looks like the vertical mounts are Bubba. On the "factory" one, one side is 6" and the other is 6.75". Is that correct? When I bolt the "factory' one to the frame on the LH side holes (already in the frame rail), it lines up just aft of the hat channel supports I welded into the floor, but because the two vertical sections are not the same length, it is not level.

What have I got going on here?

For reference - here is an insanely expensive set of "factory" steps:
1950'S WILLYS JEEP CJ5 PAIR OF OEM SIDE STEP STEPS ORIGINAL FACTORY PAINT NICE | eBay

 

Maybe one is supposed to mount through the hat channel?

 

yep . buddy's 55 tub

step installed

 

Here’s mine on 1970 cj5

 

The original hat channel has two threaded inserts welded inside to accept the bracket for the step, so that bracket is 3/4" shorter than the other one that bolts to the floor.
-Donny

 

Thanks you guys!

 

On my original ‘56 the side steps are mounted identically on both sides. The bolt heads above the floor drain are the front step mounting bolts - same on both drivers and passenger side.

 

Nice tub on that Jeep!

 

thx - not sure why the pics multiplied when uploading from mobile. Hopefully the edit removed the duplicates.

 

Well I took a closer look at my steps after work and it looks like I was sold two RH steps. Bummer. So I guess I either have to cut the vertical supports off the Bubba one and fabricate new ones or go looking for a LH side step.

 

Very hard to find those original steps

 

Yes. They all got demolished Day One on the trail. Hence the bubba-weld. Mine were on a jeep literally owned by a "little old lady" and even they are beat up. I took them off and stored them.

One as nice as your good one should be in a museum.

 

Thanks. My first jeep I bought new in 1973 was a 1974 V8 3 speed. I used it hard for 30 years with 125k miles. Finally just rusted apart. Engine and tranny were still solid. This one I just lucked into, 40k original miles, second owner, Colorado jeep.

 

I got my RH step put on last night. What's interesting is that in the Q&A section on the page for the repro version of these at KW, someone asks if they are supposed to be angled to the back and the answer is "yes they are angled to the back because you approach the vehicle from the rear in a parking lot." Smells fishy to me - looks like they are level in all of the OEM pics above. And mine sits level as mounted through the floor support channel (aft) and the floor (front)

https://www.kaiserwillys.com/side-s...both-sides-fits-46-71-cj-2a-3a-3b-5-m38-m38a1