subject: Always By Your Side: Here's to Running Boards [print this page] Always By Your Side: Here's to Running Boards
From ice and snow to oil, road grime and mud, the surface you step onto as you climb in and out of your vehicle can be treacherous. And if that first step is a big one, the risk of slipping and cracking open your skull increases exponentially. Your dog may roam. Your buddy may abandon you for the leggy girl at the bar. But, there's one thing that will never leave your side: a sturdy set of running boards.
Running boards are known by a number of names, including nerf bars, step bars and side steps. They're forged from durable aluminum or stainless steel and feature treaded pads to provide a non-slip surface to channel water away from the stepping area as you climb in and out. Plus, the bent metal tubes are sealed against the elements in chrome, polished stainless steel or black powder coating.
Running boards are tailor-made for most popular trucks and SUVs and come in varying cab sizes to run the length of your bodyline. Extending wheel-to-wheel, they create a buffer zone around your bodyline that stops carelessly-flung car doors or runaway shopping carts before they can connect and ruin your finish.
While running boards, like Tahoe running boards and Suburban running boards, are highly similar to nerf bars, the one difference is also incredibly important to consider: weight limitation. Nerf bars, like Sierra nerf bars, support up to 300 lbs of evenly distributed weight while running boards will heft up to 500 lbs. Regardless, each provides the strength and durability required for heavy-duty, all-weather use.
Custom-manufactured to fit your specific make, model and year, running boards and nerf bars come with custom mounting-hardware and bolt directly onto the pre-existing mounting position on your vehicle, providing a quick, no-drill installation.
When comparing models, select the one with mounting hardware that's constructed of stainless steel. Many manufacturers will use high carbon steel with a coating of black paint over the top for the mounting hardware, including mounting brackets, nuts, bolts and washers. Many people prefer these parts for appearance-sake and the fact that they blend with the exterior. However, this option isn't always the best for lasting durability. The hardware on a set of running boards is continuously exposed to corrosive elements, like rain, road salt and loose gravel. These forces can eat through the metal, weakening the mounting hardware and paving the way for catastrophe. So make sure the mounting hardware is as durable as the running boards themselves and you'll be set for a lifetime of reliability.
