On my vehicle (1984 fullsize 4x4 Blazer) I don't have, nor do I want them.

On a truck my dad is basically giving me, there will be a pair on there, against my will.

Here's the story. My mom bought a 1995 Jeep Wrangler new in the fall of 1994. She had it for about 2 years and had nerf bars installed at the dealership. Come time to get a new Jeep (a 1997 model) the dealership told her there would be no value given for the bars, so they came off. They wouldn't fit on the new jeep (1997 was the newer body style) so they sat on a shelf at our farm for 9 years before my dad got a 1994 Dodge 4x4 3500 really cheap this July. This ton truck has some hieght to it. Sure enough, my mom came down to take a look at it and complained about how hard it is to get in (she's 5'5"ish). Sure enough, my dad whips out the welder and some steel plate, and throws those suckers on there. I bitched about them the whole time. I still don't like them, but since he is practically giving me the truck, and he worked really hard putting them on, I've been keeping my mouth shut.

Are they functional? Sure.

Would I survive without them? Without a doubt.

I don't do the same sort of serious 4x4ing that some guys do, but I do like to get out in the field and get a little rowdy from time to time. I don't think I'll have to worry about these hanging up.

Anymore, 4x4 is more of a tool, not much of a toy anymore. I use it when I need it.

WIZZO

do i think the nerf bars look cool...yes

is it because i wanna be like everyone else...no

will i go out and drop $200+ on a pair because they didnt come with the truck...no, they arent that important to me.

they do serve a purpose or they wouldnt be around, its for the individual to decide what purpose they want to use them for.

as for the 4x4 in the city, i live about 7 miles from DC and i just bought a new full size 4x4 truck.  will i use it a lot...probably not.  

but will i need it eventually...you're damn right.

also i bought it now with the intent of moving to Texas with it in a couple years.  with the pay cut im taking by moving down there i wouldnt be able to afford a new truck so i bought it now while i can.  it'll be mostly paid for and can refinance to get a lower monthly payment by then.

its personal preference...cant really argue with that.

I think the low side steps are just a way to cause some grief for the mechianic that has to pick up the vehicle to work on it. Some of these things are mounted in the most pain in the butt ways.

I see assholes put the steps on 2wd trucks. I had a dodge 2500 4x4 and I didn't need help getting in. Well I am 6" tall that helps. people just like to waste money on stupid things.

I have these steps on my Chevy. Mine is only lifted four inches, but that was enough to make it very difficult for my five foot tall girlfriend to get in, so I installed steps.  I didn't really need them, but it has helped her. I figure if they get torn off, than oh well!



I assume the steps you are talking about are like this one pictured on mine?

Edit to add, no I don't live in the city, or anywhere close to a city.  I am a farmer and use 4wd regularly.

I wasn't talking about those small ones like yours. I was talking about those rediculous chrome tube ones that run down the whole length of the cab and hang down about 8 inches that totally destroy whatever ground clearance the truck might have had.

Quoted: Quoted: Well i got them for my wife's SUV, because she's not very tall & they actually help her out a lot when she's stepping in & out of her truck. Why didn't you just buy her a car then? Does she actually need an SUV? If some sort of SUV was really necessary for her there are plenty of car based ones that sit lower. I'm not trying to be an ass, I'm really interested to know what leads to some peoples automobile purchases like someone buying a truck that they can't even get in or out of.

Only buying stuff because you need it is a tenet of communism, buying stuff you WANT is capitalism, what kid of society do you live in?


besides, why do you care what other people drive? I have had people yip and yell at me for owning a truck (2 actually but I digress) but their tunes sure change if they need furniture or other stuff moved.

It also makes getting my deer and elk out of the bush easier, or hooking up the Horse trailer, hauling Hay and Straw....



just because you do not see a need to own a larger vehicle or SUV does not mean there are none for other people

I have had strucks with them [85 Nissan 4x4, 90 Mazda 4x4], and without [99 Dakota].  There is one situation that they are useful in and has guven me cause to sorta want them on the Dakota.  Imagine you are out on a sloppy, muddy trail, for whatever reason, and you want to access either your truck bed or you want to change your shoes after getting muddy.  Running boards /nerf bars give you an extra place to step  that's not on the ground, but also not grinding mud and glop into your carpet.  Granted, I am not talking about mudbogging here, but since you can't hardly get a newer truck without carpet and enough electronics to mahe hosing out the cab a bad idea, having an extra plase to put your feet is nice.  They also give you an extra place to stand while cleaning the windshield or messing with your CB antenna.

Standard Tacoma pic:



They're handy if you want to get to the roof after washing or for waxing.  I got mine mainly for looks but they're functional.

I dont take my truck mudding, I bought the 4x4 mainly for the occasional snow and ice storms we get, I'd be stranded without the 4x4.  Oh, the 4x4 is great for cruising the beaches too, doesn't get stuck in the sand.

ETA: example of "occasional snow and ice":

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Well i got them for my wife's SUV, because she's not very tall & they actually help her out a lot when she's stepping in & out of her truck. Why didn't you just buy her a car then? Does she actually need an SUV? If some sort of SUV was really necessary for her there are plenty of car based ones that sit lower. I'm not trying to be an ass, I'm really interested to know what leads to some peoples automobile purchases like someone buying a truck that they can't even get in or out of. Only buying stuff because you need it is a tenet of communism, buying stuff you WANT is capitalism, what kid of society do you live in? besides, why do you care what other people drive? I have had people yip and yell at me for owning a truck (2 actually but I digress) but their tunes sure change if they need furniture or other stuff moved. It also makes getting my deer and elk out of the bush easier, or hooking up the Horse trailer, hauling Hay and Straw.... just because you do not see a need to own a larger vehicle or SUV does not mean there are none for other people

Man I swear, some of you seem to be purposely missing the point. I know people can buy whatever they want and it should be that way. My point is this, a woman wants an SUV but she can't even get in the fucking thing so she needs side steps that hang down so low it turns it basically into a car. That makes no sense at all.

If I bought a new Corvette and then said "It's too fast for me" so I unplugged 2 of the spark plugs to make it slower so that I could drive it, everybody would say "If a Corvette is too fast for you, buy a slower car". It's the same thing. Buying a truck or SUV, which it's main advantage over a car is it's height, than putting stupid assed side steps that hang down 8 inches lower because you think it's too high is dumb ass hell.

I like mine. They came with the truck but they arn't coming off. Sometimes I just like to stand on them. I'm 6'2" an don't really need them to get in, but I use them anyway.

Oh yeah, sometime the mud kinda sticks there too.

My truck - sorry for the big pics.

Quoted: Those steps are great for scraping the mud off of your boots before you get in your truck.

There is something very sexy about that comment.

Must control my thoughts.......

Quoted: Quoted: I'll be buying a 4x4 to probably only use 2-3 times over the life of the truck, because I still hear about getting my 2wd truck stuck in a flat muddy parking lot at the Richmond gun show about 3 years ago. And yes I'll be getting the running boards on it as well. What for? See that's what I'm talking about, all of a sudden people think you have to have them even if they serve no purpose. How did people get by before the invention of the chrome tube side step?

I'll be getting them because I currently have a 2WD Ford truck and I use the running boards on it. The 4 x 4 will certainly be taller.

You get what you want on your $42 truck, I'll get what I want OK?

Side steps = GAY!!!!!!

Most of you guys don't use them, you're just embarrased to admit you're sheeple that have them or want them because you see other people with them. That's why they're GAY!

Quoted: Side steps = GAY!!!!!! Most of you guys don't use them, you're just embarrased to admit you're sheeple that have them or want them because you see other people with them. That's why they're GAY!

The same logic could be used against many things in your life I'm sure. I don't really see your point.

I still don't see the big problem against side steps.

It's more of convenience really.

Or for offroading.  

Why is it that you have a strong enough opinion to post for three pages about your disdain for an ACCESSORY that people choose to (or not to) apply to their vehicle?  Some people like spoilers on a car although they don't serve a real purpose.  Some people like fake hood scoops.  Some people like KC lites.  Some people like sidesteps.  WHO CARES?

wood paneling on the side of a jeep is GAY!!!

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=387046

Quoted: Most of the time I see them it doesn't even make any sense. It's like people are so stupid that once they see a few trucks with them they feel like they must have them too whether they actually use them or not. Why are people such sheep? There's a guy at my work that has a newer Chevy 4x4 that's stock, and you know how low Chevy 4x4's are to begin with, anyway he has these side steps that hang down about 8 inches below the door. I don't get it, he now has the ground clearance of a Crown Victoria because of those stupid assed steps. I saw them one day on a stock Grand Cherokee, yeah like that's real high and hard to get into. Maybe on a real high lifted truck...maybe, but on stock ones that aren't very high? If you can't get in the fucking thing buy a car, shit.

Just a thought - but Ford Explorers aren't exactly "high" either, yet my 80 y.o. grand Aunt can't get INTO mine w/o a "step" of some sort. And my 77 y.o. grandmother probably won't be capable of it in a couple of years, as SHE too is loosing some leg strength ). I choose to use a plastic step-up thingy, but for some folks that might be too inconveinient, and it WOULD kinda potentially suck in a SHTF scenario where we need to "bug out" really quickly. Also - they might have younger kids that can't quite "make" the leap - so to speak. Just some "possibilities".

Quoted: Side steps = GAY!!!!!! Most of you guys don't use them, you're just embarrased to admit you're sheeple that have them or want them because you see other people with them. That's why they're GAY!

My used Pathfinder came with them and I saw no reason to remove them. They come in handy for puting stuff on the roof. One day we wil all be super cool like you and think the way you do, but for now all we can do is hope for that day.

Because they don't actually off road them.

Quoted: wood paneling on the side of a jeep is GAY!!! http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=387046

No way! It's the wood that makes it a Grand Wagoneer.

Maybe you'd like it better if I had some big chrome tube side steps that were 5 inches off the ground. My girlfriend is about 5'5" and she gets in it just fine. Weird???

Quoted: They also make it easier to wash the roof

I hear that.  My new Silverado Z71 Crew cab doesn't have them, and I like the look w/o them, but it's a PITA to wash that big ole roof and they would help that out alot.  I hate dealing with a ladder to wash/wax that thing.

Kids

Why the hell would you put All-Terrains on a 4X4? If you buy a 4X4 because you need maximum traction wouldn't you want mudders?

Quoted: Why the hell would you put All-Terrains on a 4X4? If you buy a 4X4 because you need maximum traction wouldn't you want mudders?

Well first of all, the BFG AT gets great traction off-road, the BFG's aren't just a bigger passenger car tire. It never rains here so I really don't need mud terrain tires plus they wear much faster on the street. The Jeep spends the majority of the time on the street with some weekend off-roading when it's not too hot so the AT was the best tire for me.

I go off road with my F350 4x4.

Sometimes backing out of the driveway I run over the rocks....  

Jason