Opinions Wanted.

[Rosco]

I have a '04 Q/C 4X4 on order and I will be adding steps after I take delivery. My current regular cab '03 has the Westin Oval Tube steps and I am very unhappy with them. Therefore, I would like to hear from you fellows as to what you like/dislike about you steps.



Note: I prefer tube steps over running boards and I like the "no drill" option.



I know this has been discussed at length before and I will search the archives, but by bringing it up fresh I figure I will get feedback regarding how the different brands are holding up after 6-12 months in the elements.



Thanks in advance,



ED

 

[lduffner]

Would you expand on why you were unhappy with your Westin Tube steps. I just installed a pair and while I have no experience with them I'm wondering if I should be looking out for something in particular i. e. finish, durability, rust, looks etc.

 

[Rosco]

I have the Westin "Oval" Tube step which is a fairly recent offering from Westin. It uses the same "step" for many different applications and you buy the proper "mount kit" seperatly for your particular truck model. Anyway, I had to grind down the rear brackets considerably so they would not contact the frame which in turn caused noise to resonate in the cab. Basically I feel Westin did a poor job designing the mount kit and at nearly $400 I should not have to modify anything.



On my '01 2500 gasser I had the regular Westin tube steps and I was quite pleased with them. If the regular old tube steps mount on a '03 with no modifications I would consider them.

 

[TBrennan]

I put the MAAP (Steelhorse) Challenger Stainless Steel Oval Tube steps on a few months ago and the attach to the body using existing holes. No drilling, No modiifying, Easy Adjsutment.

 

[Rosco]

Originally posted by TBrennan

I put the MAAP (Steelhorse) Challenger Stainless Steel Oval Tube steps on a few months ago and the attach to the body using existing holes. No drilling, No modiifying, Easy Adjsutment.

Do those mount in the holes on the backside of the rocker panel with the rubber plugs in them. I am concerned about crud getting in the body. Where I live they use salt and sand in the winter and I would hate to have the salt get in there. I looked at a set of

mopar steps on a truck and I really liked them however they were mounted in the above mentioned fashion and I was turned off by it.

 

[smithinc]

i got a set of the westins for my truck. they were easy to install and fit perfectly. maybe the new models are different. you have to buy the mounts and tubes in one box and they are specific to your application.



They are mounted by removing an existing bolt front and rear and re installing a supplied bolt to the same location. very easy and no cutting or drilling. took about 30 minutes for both sides.



gary

 

[ralphr]

I to purchased and installed the westin tube steps. had no problem, everything went together fine and I am happy with them so far. rear mounts did require a double take, as they would not fit correctly if installed as initially thought, only slowed me down for about 5 mins as I surveyed the problem.

 

[lschultz]

I had the Westin nerf bars on the ones I had in the past and they worked great,were good solid mount. But you know what the paint is like on these trucks on the sides,poor. On my 03 I put on Lone Star running bars. All it really is is a long nerf bars with diamond plate welded on top. And it protects the sides very good. No drill. They give you longer bolts(3 I think)to replace the ones in your cab mounts. And the rear hanger goes over the rear spring eye. Very solid. I had them sprayed with bed liner. They are about 10-11 months and are holding up very good. Picture of them on my truck in the classifieds. Email me or PM and I will send you a bigger better picture of them. Heres where I got them

http://www.lonestartruckequipment.com/about.html

There are some other places down here that make them which have probably the same thing. But one has to be welded to the frame and I wanted something that just bolts on and no drilling.

There under Express Products Inc. link on there site.

 

[Rosco]

So you guy's with the trouble free Westins are they the "regular" tube steps or are they the "Ovals" which have the channeled underside to mount the brackets to.



As I said before if the good old Westins work then I will probably buy those.

 

[CKruse]

Rosco, check my readers rigs pictures. I installed the Putco wheel to wheel Boss Bars on my 03. About the only place I can fault them is the rather high price. The brackets are first class and they look great. There was a little trick to mounting the brackets but it wasn't a hard install at all. Check them out. There is also link to the best price. It takes about a month to get them, but worth the wait.

 

[Rosco]

CKruse, Those are sweet bars. How do they mount, to the body or the frame.

 

[CKruse]

Rosco, they mount to the body. The brackets are very heavy steel powder coated units. They utilize several of the oval openings on the back side of the rocker panels. It also seems like one of the bolts on the rear bracket passed through one of the factory cab mounts. I would have to climb back under and take a look! Anyway, the mounts were VERY solid and secure. Also quite simple and don't stand out. Happy Shopping!

 

[Sfarris]

Westin nerf bars

I had these installed, by the Dealer on my '00 Ram, and they were rusting around the plastic insert by '02. I may not wash the truck as often as some, but that was reeediculous, considering how little off roading I do.



My '03 has the Dodge running boards, and they look and feel nice. A bit more civilized than the Nerf Bars, but they seem more maintenance free, too.



Since this truck is the law firm's company truck, I guess I had to suppress my inner Redneck more this time around!

 

[Shooter]

I have WAAG wheel to wheel bars. They clamp to the frame and the rear hanger uses the bed to body bolt above the front ol spring pad.



If wesin is so good how come they have to chrome plate stainless, unless it it really cheesey cheap ss that will rust???

Why do you have to pay for ss AND chrome??

 

[AKsmoker]

I have the Stull Super Tubes. They look great and install via the cab mount bolts so no drilling.

 

[ralphr]

westin tube steps

I do have the Westin ovals!

 

[RMH]

side steps

Gents. . has anyone installed the aluminum sidesteps using the small biz (on the jobpkge) $54. AM thinking of it.