Swapped out side running boards

[redraif]

Well the stock it came with the trim colored side running boards. Yes they are nice cause they match and flow with the body. If I was going to lower it I would keep that style. But since I'm going the other route, lifting and beefing the look up, they were too...ummm... soccer mom looking... lol.

I wanted something a bit more beefy and rugged looking. So while we were at the junk yards looking for bits and pieces for it I saw the tube style on an earlier montero sport. So I snagged them for $17 a side.



Now bad for now.... yes they need paint. I will address that when the weather warms up.

A lot on the rig needs a facelift.

In stock form...






2 inch body lift w/o the running boards...



Now with the new old style...





I like it so much better now. I'm getting so antsy to get the tires on!!!!

Don't worry, if I ever get serious about off roading I will get REAL weld on side boards that will offer some protection.

[ES_97Sport]

$34? Nice! My '03 has the running boards. They're ok mostly. The big complaint - and mine, too - is that you can't get out of the vehicle when it's nasty out without dragging your leg on the gungy board. Much prefer the older tube style.

If you're REALLY gonna wheel it, then they definitely need replaced. If you're just going to tool up and down fire roads the tube style do offer some minimal protection. They are surprisingly strong for what they are. If you drop the vehicle weight on one of them or whack a rock real good, though, very ugly things will happen.

Besides the overall inability to take the vehicle weight - they're really not usable as a skid. Too many sharp edges - too much to hang up on underneath. Long before I managed to crunch one into a rocker panel, I'd hung up several times on the mounts.

Edward

[redraif]

Agreed Edward. I actually bought 2 sets. The extra was a damaged set I'm going to modify to run on the Scout. The Scout needed a shorter set and the damage was in the right place. And a half price discount was an added bonus. AGAIN just something till I get a real set of skids for it too.

THE Big Bonus I noticed is how light they are compared to the stock running boards.

[ES_97Sport]

Jan 26, 2015 23:39:36 GMT -5 redraif said:

Agreed Edward. I actually bought 2 sets. The extra was a damaged set I'm going to modify to run on the Scout. The Scout needed a shorter set and the damage was in the right place. And a half price discount was an added bonus. AGAIN just something till I get a real set of skids for it too.

THE Big Bonus I noticed is how light they are compared to the stock running boards.

Yea, the boards are wicked heavy in comparison. The tube style ones are just aluminum with a hollow aluminum tube.

Its too bad that they didn't do a honeycomb tube insert inside the shell. I'd be worth redoing the mounts at that point because the tube would be stronger than the 80 wall DOM everyone typically uses and the whole things would probably be lighter.

Edward