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Sat Sep 06, 2003 2:57 pm

Anyone ever bolted on a pair of these aftermarket bus steps from Empi?

http://www.actionimport.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=EMPI-15-2002-0

A friend of mine bought one and I thought it bolted up to the side bracket of the body for the bumper, but there is no way that it can fit. Ihave no idea where the two big holes in the step bolt up to. Am I stupid? The only thing I can think of is to make a bracket to attach to the body mount. My friend wants to drill a hole though his bumper, but I am against that.

Sat Sep 06, 2003 3:01 pm

I've seen those rubber steps on tons of busses and never noticed how they mount. :?:

Sat Sep 06, 2003 3:08 pm

mine aren't empi but there is a slot that they fit in and mine were welded("were" being the key word here)into these slots somehow. whether that is correct, i am unsure.

Sat Sep 06, 2003 3:45 pm

I had a pair on my '67 cru cab when I bought it. I went to the garage to get something one evening and when I walked by the truck, caught my leg about equadistant between my ankle and knee. Oh pain!!! I had a black and blue spot about the size of a softball for weeks afterward. They were off the next morning. They were real Engineered Motor Products Inc. steps from Riverside, Ca :shock: . (real ones)

Sat Sep 06, 2003 4:18 pm

oldnslow, since you took your steps off, how were they attached to the bumper / body? Or were the originals a lot different from the ones they make today.

Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:07 pm

I hate to say this but I bought my cru-cab in 1978 (yeh, I really am old). It did bolt up to the outer bumper bracket but didn't look anything like the one you linked to. As best as I remember it was a piece of steel that came down and then curved out to where the rubber step was. Are you sure that bracket isn't for a Bay window? I know what they say, but it doesn't look right to me. :?

Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:42 pm

They go between the body mount that bolts the bumper on----and the inside of the bumper----you don't have enough clearance to slide the steps in with bumper in place--so you have to take the bumper off--put steps in place--and slide it back in place--bolt bumper back on---has holes for two bolts but only 1 hole in bumper ---bill

Sat Sep 06, 2003 11:43 pm

Bill, thanks. That makes sense. I tried to see how it fit with the bumper already on and the bracket was so big I couldn't see how it attached on top of the body mount. But if it goes between the body mount and the bumper, then the problem is solved. I hope my friend hasn't drilled through his bumper yet...

Sun Sep 07, 2003 1:38 am

Before you take off your bumper, check to see if you can't fit the steps first. Mine went on without removing the bumper. And don't get the idea that you can actually use them to launch yourself into your bus. If you are a woman or a child they work fine. If you are, shall we say, hefty, the whole assembly moves an alarming amount.

Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:41 am

I know EMPI is remaking these steps. My question is, will they bolt up to the earlier Buses with the pre 1958 pressed bumpers? Thanks.

Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:29 pm

Old thread alert!!
I have a set of these steps and did a search on how to mount them and saw this pic! I love it! Putting out butts with a lowered bus :lol:

How are these steps for getting in and out of a bus? My wife is short and has a bitch if a time (bitches every time!) she gets in or out. Will this help?

banana split wrote: I know EMPI is remaking these steps. My question is, will they bolt up to the earlier Buses with the pre 1958 pressed bumpers? Thanks.

Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:35 pm

You can actually step on these?
I figured cheap step + chintzy bus body bumper mount = bent things.

Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:57 pm

Culito wrote: You can actually step on these?
I figured cheap step + chintzy bus body bumper mount = bent things.

That's the question! Can you? do they help?

Wed Oct 08, 2025 9:26 pm

Hey! It’s been awhile - did you ever install the steps? Thinking about it for my ‘64 split… thanks Bill for how to attach them, I was a bit stumped. Would Love to see more pics if anyone has them

Thu Oct 09, 2025 8:23 am

ritchiet002 wrote: Culito wrote: You can actually step on these?
I figured cheap step + chintzy bus body bumper mount = bent things.

That's the question! Can you? do they help? I'm short, and never use mine. They do look cool, and are a conversation piece, that's about all.

Yesterday 6:19 am

Stocknazi wrote: ritchiet002 wrote: Culito wrote: You can actually step on these?
I figured cheap step + chintzy bus body bumper mount = bent things. That's the question! Can you? do they help? I'm short, and never use mine. They do look cool, and are a conversation piece, that's about all. The front step is not really in the right place to be a lot of help getting into the cab of the bus. The grab handle on the dash does a lot more to help people getting into the bus, and it isn't in the best place for that either.

Yesterday 8:22 am

Lind wrote: The front step is not really in the right place to be a lot of help getting into the cab of the bus. The grab handle on the dash does a lot more to help people getting into the bus, and it isn't in the best place for that either. This has always been my take; they are in the wrong place, being too far forward of the seat position. The dogleg tab/bumper attachment is not the strongest area for a hefty individual either.

Yesterday 9:36 pm

Wifey and the kids like/use it to get in. So you all know how that goes…