Simply said, nerf bars and running boards make it simpler to enter and exit a high-up vehicle.
Even though full-size trucks and SUVs are taller than crossovers and compact trucks, shorter people or those with restricted mobility may still find it difficult to climb into these vehicles, therefore they may put running boards on these cars.
Additionally, many truck or SUV owners love the robust, rugged appearance that aftermarket running boards provide their vehicle. As a result, many running boards come in a variety of finishes, including chrome, black, and brushed metal, and are intended to improve a truck’s or SUV’s outside appeal.
In This Article...
What Types of Running Boards Are There?
The three forms of aftermarket stairs for cars are side steps, nerf bars, and running boards.
A running board is a totally flat step that attaches to a truck or SUV’s side, just inside the doors.
However, nerf bars include cutout areas for the passengers’ feet and mount to the side of a truck or an SUV behind the doors instead. These areas typically include textured surfaces or rubber grips to provide the user with additional grip when getting in and out of the car.
A narrow, single step known as a side step accomplishes the same task as a running board. To make it simpler for the user to reach the bed, these can be mounted on the side of a truck or SUV behind the rear axle or underneath the passenger doors on a vehicle.
How Do I Install Running Boards?
The process of installing running boards is often straightforward, but if your running boards are particularly heavy, you might want to enlist the assistance of a buddy.
Many aftermarket side steps, nerf bars, and running boards will come with installation instructions. Running boards are typically pre-drilled with mounting holes in the frame, so all you have to do is install them and secure them with the hardware that came with your running boards.
You will need to drill the holes yourself if your car doesn’t already have them. However, if the holes aren’t pre-drilled, we’d advise hiring a professional to install them because you don’t want to jeopardize your car’s structure.
To install your running boards, simply adhere to the directions that came with them. You can also search online for instructional videos like the one on YouTube below.
How Much Weight Can Running Boards Hold?
Although they aren’t often specified, weight ratings range from 300 to 500 pounds. You can use two or three brackets on some side steps, which can assist tighten up a set if they are sagging. Weights are not standardized, and no manufacturer tests every single model. Though you probably won’t be able to, or need to, place triple brackets under a single cab truck or two-door Jeep, more brackets holding your step bars to the frame will generally hold more. A full-size crew cab pickup’s long run may bend despite additional brackets, especially if two large persons are loaded onto it at once. Although overloading rarely results in a break, doing so frequently increases the likelihood of developing tiny fractures or other wear that can result in rust.
What Are Running Boards Made From?
Step bars are typically composed of aluminum, coated mild steel, or stainless steel. Although there are a few knockoff carbon fiber running boards, we couldn’t locate any from well-known producers. They all have benefits and drawbacks.
The best goods are side steps made of stainless steel. They frequently carry lifetime warranties against material faults and weight ratings of up to 500 pounds. Because of stainless steel’s excellent strength, they may be made thinner and lighter, which makes installation simpler. Even though rust may eventually occur, stainless steel is particularly resistant to corrosion, which is why brackets and fasteners are typically constructed of another material. Stainless steel nerf bars are typically more expensive than an equivalent set of mild steel step bars since both the materials and production are more expensive. Because stainless steel is more difficult to weld than mild steel, simple designs like bends in tubes or rectangular bars are more common than complex ones.
Unhardened steel is referred to as mild steel. In comparison to hardened steel, which might be used to make mounting brackets with great strength, it has more flex and is less likely to shatter. It will corrode right away if it isn’t coated. The best steel running boards are galvanized, which electrically attaches a rust-resistant zinc coating to the steel. The galvanized finish is then protected with additional layers of coating. They must be completely coated. All of these coatings may chip off or lose their integrity where fasteners or stairways are located or are exposed to road debris. It is fairly easy to repair and weld mild steel. Look for running boards made of coated steel with a five year warranty.
Step bars made of aluminum won’t rust, but they will corrode with time. Aluminum is difficult to weld, just like stainless steel, hence these frequently come in straightforward extruded and bent configurations like ovals, tubes, and rectangular bars. They typically cost more when manufactured in more intricate shapes. Since aluminum weighs roughly the same as or even less than stainless steel and requires more thickness to produce the same strength, one person can install them more easily. Aluminum can be coated, brushed, or polished to a brilliant luster. Direct contact between aluminum and steel can cause galvanic corrosion, which weakens the metal and rusts the steel.
Will Installing Running Boards Void my Vehicle’s Warranty?
No. The Magnuson Moss Warranty-Federal Trade Commission Improvements Act is a Federal rule in the United States that mandates that a dealership or manufacturer must demonstrate that an aftermarket part is to blame for a failure. They have the burden of proof. This doesn’t mean that a dishonest dealership won’t treat you unfairly, and if your running boards inflict damage to your vehicle, the warranty won’t cover it. However, they are unable to assert, for example, that your step bars hurt the transmission.
As a result, it does make sense to exercise caution, especially in the areas where you connect to the frame. Ensure that every surface is spotless, and avoid scratching any coatings that serve as protection. After installation, we would spray any places that came into contact with rust preventive like Cosmoline or Fluid Film, wash it frequently, and touch up the spray coating a few times a year. It’s a good idea to check your bolts at the same time to make sure they haven’t loosened. You should also watch out for steel hardware coming into touch with an aluminum step bar or frame, or vice versa, since this can lead to galvanic corrosion.
Which equipment is required to install running boards?
Although we employed a lift to provide you the most accurate visuals of the installation procedure, you can do this installation in your driveway with the help of a creeper, padded mat, or even a substantial piece of cardboard.
Ratchet and socket set, first
Box End Wrenches 2.
3. Gloves and safety glasses
4. Climber (optional)
This component enables the brackets to be securely secured without the need for drilling.
The quantity of brackets depends on the year, make, model, and cab size of your truck.
A 3rd generation Tacoma is what?
The 2016 model year marked the introduction of the third generation Toyota Tacoma. We are still in the third generation since Taco generations last so long. In fact, it won’t likely happen again until at least 2024. Despite this, there are still updates.
For the new model year, for instance, we received the upgraded 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro. Moreover, a new Taco trail edition is also available. Toyota just recently unveiled a factory TRD lift kit. This truck receives insults such as “dated,” “old school,” and worse. But its simplicity is what we know and appreciate about it. The third generation of the Toyota Tacoma maintains the ferocious off-roading capability of its predecessors.
What distinguishes nerf bars from running boards?
Running boards versus nerf bars are attachments that offer a secure surface to step onto when getting in or out of your pickup truck. Both of them come in different lengths, can be built of different materials, and attach to the truck’s bottom. Although various vehicle additions serve similar purposes, there are some significant differences to take into account that may influence your choice when the time comes.
Running boards typically feature a stepping pad that extends the whole length of the board, according to Auto Anything. On the other hand, nerf bars offer a stepping surface at each entrance to your cabin. Nerf bars vs. running boards, however, come in a wide range of designs, dimensions, and kinds. It’s crucial to research each kind of accessory to decide which is best for you.
What are nerf bars used for?
The bottom left corner of a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac has a black nerf bar hanging from the body.
One-seat race cars that compete on asphalt or dirt oval courses generally have nerf bars attached to the side of the vehicle. A “nerf” is a minor, occasionally purposeful accident between two vehicles where one driver bumps the other to make a pass possible. The nerf bar shields the cars’ flanks and prevents their tires from tangling. One or both of the automobiles could lose control or possibly fly off the road if their rapidly spinning tires collide. The wheel pods behind the rear wheels of a Dallara DW12 INDYCAR are frequently referred to as “nerf bars” because of the identical function because they are frequently used on Modifieds like those utilized in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Series.
The convenience of the nerf bar on a pickup truck or sport utility vehicle is a more commercial use for it. It could serve as a step to make getting in and out of the car easier or as a way to lessen the risk of the car getting damaged when driving over rough terrain. On off-road vehicles, nerf bars can also be utilized as side bull bars. [Reference needed]
The phrase is occasionally used to describe a motorcycle’s footrests. Stainless steel, chromium, or powder-coated steel are the most common materials used to make Nerf bars, while there are many different styles and designs. [Reference needed] Happy Trails Products coined the name “P.D. Nerf” for motorcycle tank/engine protection systems on dual sport motorcycles for the Kawasaki KLR 650. Nerf bars are used on quad bikes to prevent the wheels from colliding with one another.
They are also referred to as step tubes, step rails, truck steps, step bars, step tubes, tube steps, and step rails.
[Reference needed]
The most popular nerf bar designs include wheel-to-wheel nerf bars, single steps, oval tube steps, and sport tubes. All nerf bars require the same installation, which includes universal or model-specific brackets. Either rocker panels or the vehicle’s structure are bolted together to form brackets. Some model-specific nerf bar brackets utilise pre-existing attachment holes in the car frame and do not require drilling.
Typically, they are constructed with thicker tubing and attached directly to the truck’s frame rails rather than the body if they are going to be used to slide over rocks and past trees. They can sustain the entire weight of the car because they are tied to the frame, and they can even be utilized as a jack point when changing a tire. They are now known as Sliders, Rock Bars, or a combination of the two, rather than Nerf Bars. [Reference needed]
Do running boards make sense?
Running boards are not only a fashionable addition to your car, but they also come in handy if you have young children or elderly passengers. They act as steps to make it easier for shorter or more unsteady people to board the car. Getting into your truck or SUV could be challenging without an additional step.
Running boards have the additional benefit of shielding cars from road debris. The wheels of moving vehicles throw up a variety of debris, including dirt, rocks, and nails. If this debris makes contact with the side panels, doors, or windows of your car, it may cause damage. Running boards aid in blocking the debris and safeguarding your car from harm.
Running boards also contribute to a tidy interior in your car. Before stepping into your vehicle or SUV, passengers can use them as a type of doormat to wash the dirt off their shoes.