AMP Research PowerStep XL: Extra Drop for Lifted Trucks and the Conflicting Published Figures

Short verdict

Consider the XL if your first step is the real problem and your exact truck is on the application list. Do not buy it on a number you read online. It is a premium-class part with a 3-5 hour install, and the spec that would justify it, how much lower it goes, is the one nobody states cleanly. The whole lineup is on AMP Research.

Skip it if your truck is stock height and a drop step would do, or if your cab is not on the list. The XL makes the most sense on a lifted truck where you have already measured the first step.

What the guides state

Read November 2, 2026. Application wording is AMP's.

Three things to take from that table:

• Cab matters. The F-150 guides say the application "works only on the Super Crew model Vehicles", and the Ram and Super Duty guides say the same about the Crew Cab. A SuperCab owner should not assume anything.
• Years move. Search results show RealTruck titling 77138-01A for 2013-2015 Ram 1500 and 2013-2017 2500/3500, while the guide says 2013-2017 for both. RealTruck's title for 77338-01A runs to 2026, while the guide says 2022-2023. RealTruck's product pages came back empty when we read them, so we could not settle either one.
• The word XL. The two F-150 guides print "PowerStep XL" in the page header. The other three print "PowerStep", and we tie them to the XL through RealTruck's XL product titles and URLs. Confirm the part number with the seller.

The conflict over drop and load

Our research logged two load figures and two extra-drop figures across RealTruck pages, older pages and retailers, so we repeat none.

Then there is ampresearchco.com. It looks official, but the page we read never mentions RealTruck, it participates in the Amazon Associates program, and it makes three different statements about drop height. Treat it as an unverified third-party page.

RealTruck's blog on steps for lifted trucks, updated August 19, 2026, gives ranges for the standard PowerStep and does not mention the XL, so those figures do not transfer.

The maker documents we read are silent, and everything louder than them disagrees. How much weight running boards can hold applies the same rule across the category.

The install

All five guides call it a 3-5 hour job at skill level 4, "Experienced", with professional installation recommended. The F-150 guide IM77151 shows you the scope:

• A motor and an idler linkage per side, a rail and mounting brackets, with torque values for each step.
• A wire harness run to the battery, with a controller mounted near it.
• An OBD II plug and module in the kit, attached with supplied connectors.
• A running board with a cut dimension in the parts drawing, so read that page before you touch the saw.
• A cycle check once the linkages are tight, to confirm the steps deploy under their own weight.

The guide warns that a bad install could put occupants in a potentially dangerous situation, and it tells you to re-check the work afterward.

Warranty and origin

All five guides print a 5-year limited warranty. The full text in IM77151 runs five years from date of purchase, with normal use and proper maintenance, for the original purchaser only. You keep proof of purchase, and damage from misinstallation or misuse is not covered.

These guides say manufactured "in the USA". Newer RealTruck guides we read for standard PowerSteps say "Made in Mexico". The dates differ, so ask if that matters to you.

Alternatives

Fit sheetOur pick: power steps, 2022+ GMAd

AMP Research

AMP PowerStep (2022+ GM)

The powered step with the clearest paperwork in our data: a maker install guide that names cabs, tools and time.

Why here: This is not the XL. It is the standard PowerStep with the clearest paperwork for a 2022-up GM truck, so you know what the job involves before you buy.

Fits, according to the listing and maker sheet

Listing: 2022-2026 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra. Maker sheet 76255-01A: Silverado 1500/Sierra 1500, All Cabs, 2022-2026 (as of November 2, 2026)

Style

Powered retractable step (as titled)

Material

Not stated in the title

Weight rating

Not stated in the title

Install

Guide 76255-01A: 3-5 hours, professional installation recommended, drill 19/64-inch holes through the pinch weld, OBD II plug

Warranty

5-Year Limited Warranty (guide)

Price class

Premium

Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.

Why it makes the list

• RealTruck's install guide states a 5-year limited warranty and connects through an OBD II plug
• The guide lists every cab: 79-inch board for Crew, trimmed for Double and Single Cab

Watch out for

• The guide calls for drilling through the pinch weld and rates the job skill level 4 (experienced)
• Professional installation recommended; the guide states 3-5 hours
• The title gives no part number, so match 76255-01A on the listing
• Premium price class

Best for: Owners of a 2022-up Silverado or Sierra 1500 who want a step that folds away and accept a harder install.

View on Amazon*(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonLearn more

On a 2015-2020 F-150, the standard AMP PowerStep^* is the Amazon listing we have, and F-150 power running boards sorts it by year and part number. Other powered options are on power running boards. If a moving part is the sticking point, read whether power steps are worth it first. Owners of the trucks above can also check Ram 2500 and 3500, Super Duty and the 2022-2026 Tundra. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.

Our fit rules explain why this page prints fewer numbers than the competition.