running boards off...sliders? (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Mar 19, 2005
Threads
18
Messages
81
Location
Michigan
this is going to be old stuff for most. I took the running boards off last night. aside from the bloody knuckles due to rusy bolts and a slipping ratchet, and the swolen fingers the next day, everything went pretty well. took me a little longer than i thought, about an hour and 15 min on the first board, and less than 30 min on the second, but that was mostly due to tinkering and getting to know the underside. ran into a little problem with the rear bracket. i couldnt get it off because there wasnt enough room for a ratchet, or even a cresent wrench. so i left it on and the others came off nicely. so the running boards are off, and im left with a bracket sticking out at the bottom part beneath the passenger doors. not a big problem, i dont forsee me doing any serious wheeling anytime soon, but it sure would be nice if i could find a way to get it to come off. Any suggestions?

Im not sure why i took off the running boards...I guess i wanted to see what it would look like (bad excuse) but i also had a few scratches and patches of rust that i should paint over (yet another bad excuse) now that they are off, i kinda like it. (No front mudflaps though..pa had a few words about that. something about stones and a new paint job just didnt sit well with him...) front mudflaps for sale anyone?

Now im starting to think im going to leave them off instead of putting them back on like i had originaly planned. but then i run into the issue of ground clearence and not wanting to damage a body that is in great condition. sliders. do i really need them? probably not. would i like them? you bet. can i justify spending $500 for a pair? not a chance. for this, i would like to turn to my welding experience and craft them myself. so. anybody have any plans that they are willing to share? if not.... the rusty bolts will come out of their Diet Coke bath and back on the running boards will go.

Thanks for any help,
-Trev
 
The new FAQ Romer put together / reorganized is fantastic. You should check it out.

1. Goto the FAQ at the top of the page
2. Click the "Modifications" link
3. Click on the link about Sliders

You'll find a a lot of info on sliders, both home-made and commercial.
 
Sliders for $500, only if your good at making them yourself. Do a search with the name George and slider and plans. Lots of people have copied them.

Do I think you need them? I saw the picture below and decided not to wheel without them. Depends on where you are wheeling though. One mistake and you have a several thousand dollar repair. Not like an FJ40 where you just pound the sheet metal back.

This person thought they didn't need them when they went wheeling. My apologies to the owner of the rig.
whysliders2.jpg
 
ran into a little problem with the rear bracket. i couldnt get it off because there wasnt enough room for a ratchet, or even a cresent wrench. so i left it on and the others came off nicely. so the running boards are off, and im left with a bracket sticking out at the bottom part beneath the passenger doors. not a big problem, i dont forsee me doing any serious wheeling anytime soon, but it sure would be nice if i could find a way to get it to come off. Any suggestions?

-Trev


Toyota recommends a crows foot wrench for that nut. I remember wrestling with it myself.

Tom
 
i just used the open end of a wrench to get in there. it took a while, but came off easily enough. i got both of my running boards off in about 40 mins. I'm going to fab up some sliders, too. I'm planning on using the plans george has online, as they are really well laid out.

:cheers:
 
Leave the brackets for the running board on.
Use them to position your new sliders on for tack welds.
Beats trying to wrestle it without.
 
pigbuggy said:
... front mudflaps for sale anyone?

dclee has a set of front mud flaps that are available.

-B-
 
I would recommend taking the running boards off before wheeling too much with them. In Moab this week I caught a rock at the front of the passenger side running board, bent all the brackets back, pushing the running board into the rear tire. Taking it off in the garage has to be easier than taking it off in the snow and mud. And, I probably could have sold them had I taken them off at home, now they aren't worth a thing. 20 minutes later another rock took care of the driver's side too.
running board.jpg
 
LIVERUST said:
I would recommend taking the running boards off before wheeling too much with them. In Moab this week I caught a rock at the front of the passenger side running board, bent all the brackets back, pushing the running board into the rear tire. Taking it off in the garage has to be easier than taking it off in the snow and mud. And, I probably could have sold them had I taken them off at home, now they aren't worth a thing. 20 minutes later another rock took care of the driver's side too.

yes, except that I'd rather have the RBs take a hit than the rocker panels... they will serve usefully as limited protection or built-in rock alarm systems...
 
e9999 said:
yes, except that I'd rather have the RBs take a hit than the rocker panels... they will serve usefully as limited protection or built-in rock alarm systems...

You wheel your rig?














:D
 
Beowulf said:
dclee has a set of front mud flaps that are available.

-B-


shhhhhhh!!!







no matter...I already PM'd him :D
 
NorCalDoug said:
You wheel your rig?














:D


no, why? I don't need to anymore, I can live vicariously through Mud...! Except I'm missing the back seat action, of course... :D
 
e9999 said:
yes, except that I'd rather have the RBs take a hit than the rocker panels... they will serve usefully as limited protection or built-in rock alarm systems...

I'm not sure. I don't think I would have hit my rocker panel with the rocks I went over. The running board sticks out and down so much further. I'm almost thinking the likelyhood of the running board pushing up into the rocker panel was more likely to cause damage than the rock itself would be. In either case, sliders are the answer. Just looking at which ones to get.

well, the other option of course would be web wheeling. No sliders needed.

troy
 
e9999 said:
yes, except that I'd rather have the RBs take a hit than the rocker panels... they will serve usefully as limited protection or built-in rock alarm systems...

Actually, the RBs could cause more damage than not having them at all :D


Course, you could try an experiment. One side on, the other off and go against a big boulder and see what side is more damaged.
 
e9999 said:
no, why? I don't need to anymore, I can live vicariously through Mud...! Except I'm missing the back seat action, of course... :D

If you don't wheel yur rig, why are you here givng other people advice. Someone might think you know what your talking
blah.gif
blah.gif
about and go boulder bashing with their RB's
 
Last edited:
You definitely want the running boards off. They don't protect anything.
 
e9999 said:
no, why? I don't need to anymore,


Hold on, you mean there was a time when you did?????:confused:

Romer said:
If you don't wheel yur rig, why are you here givng other people advice. Someone might think you know what your talking
blah.gif
blah.gif
about and go boulder bashing with their RB's


Excellent point sir.:D
 
I was always wondering why my lexus didn't look as high with J's up front as others did. When I pulled the RBs it looks like I got another few inches of lift. Rig looks much better without them. I do feel sorry for my wife though struggling to get in.

troy
 
Romer said:
Actually, the RBs could cause more damage than not having them at all :D


Course, you could try an experiment. One side on, the other off and go against a big boulder and see what side is more damaged.


Agreed, b/c the running boards hang low and stick out there is no benefit of limited protect of leaving them on but rather an added risk of them hanging up, bending and then trashing your rocker panels.

Mine is stock, and at LSLC Roundup last year I pulled the running boards off in camp before taking it out to crawl. They have never been put back on.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom