Smity Built Tube Steps (Nerf Bars)

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Was at the dealer today and saw that they sell the Smity Built steps as an alternative to the Mopar ones for guys that aren't made of money. They also had a set installed on a new Ram in the showroom. They looked sturdy and bolt on using the existing bolts in the body mounts with a brace to existing holes in the frame. No drilling required, looks to be a simple bolt on. Looked pretty good. May get a set (not necessarily from the dealer) if I don't hear any bad press here. I am having to eat a little crow here guys. In October, when I got the truck my wife said we need steps. I said, those are only for sissies and sissy trucks. After a couple of months, I think I may need steps too. I am too short in the leg, with a long body. Makes getting in and out tough at the end of a long day. I have to basically jump or hop, both up and down. Don't tell my wife I caved in, just tell her that the truck will be more classy.

Thanks for any comments or opinions.

Shelby

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2001. 5 2500 QC LB 4WD, ETH, DEE, 3. 54 gears, Laramie SLT, Camper Special, Trailer Tow, Travel Convenience Group, Power Driver Seat, Alarm System, Remote Keyless Entry, Fog Lamps, Cab Clearance Lamps, HD Transfer Case, Bright White with a Gray Interior. Built 09-15-00, took delivery on 10-06-00, 1749 miles as of 11-25-00. Custom aluminum work body / flat bed. Coming soon: E-Brake and gauges.

 

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I have a set of Smitty nerf bars. These install using the cab mount bolts to hold them in place. Two of the drawbacks with this are 1- they will flex,with the weight of someone standing on them,and can tend to loosen up with time 2-they will clunk when pulling into a parking lot or driveway due to body flexing. These do not have a brace going to the frame or rocker. I may weld one on for additional support.

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2001 HO 6spd,Quad cab,LWB,4x4,Flame Red,all options except for leather,Westin Brushguard/Push bar,Painless wiring,Radio Shack CB( so what it works},my own designed CB mount,Smittybuilt nerf bars,NW Custom rocker covers,Custom built stainless rocker light bars(more to come)

 

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I love my Stainless Steel Smittys!!!

 

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Mike,

The Smity's I looked at had a brace or support going up to an existing hole in the frame both front and rear. I stepped on them and they seemed prety solid. Does yours only hook to the cab mounts?

Shelby

 

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I have a set of smitybuilt tube steps and I like them, I weigh 260lbs and they don't flex when I step into the truck, I have the ones with two steps for the Quad Cab. Jack

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00, 4x4,ISB,Quad Cab,LWB,Bed Rug,Smitty Built Side Rails, Century Canopy,Westach Combo Gauge, Bill K's VB,TC

 

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Shelby, purchase them from www.carparts.com it will be a special order but you can get 33% off by punching in code number 1963005 should be around 250. 00 for the SS bars. Buy the best I love mine!

PS The part number for the Quad Cab is DN230-S4S Stainless Steel

[This message has been edited by Bob Wagner (edited 12-06-2000). ]

 

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I have the black Smitty Bilts and I love them. The two most important reasons I wanted them was: my 'ol '96 Ram had a problem with people in parking lots swinging their car doors open and into my rocker panels... no problems with the bars in place.
The other was when 4wheelin. I had gotten my old F-150 and '96 Ram on some steep angles and bottomed out the cab and ended up denting the lower rockers/flanges on the F-150,and dragged the '96 across a stump. I have bottomed out my '00 Ram and the Smittys' have done the job I wanted them for.

-Mike

 

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My neighbor has chrome smitty nerf bars on his truck. They look pitiful as the base metal has really rusted out on them.
Go with SS

MO

*JE*

 

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I installed the black "drill to install" Smittybuilt bars on my '99 for the same reasons you want to. I've had no problems. The install went smoothly with no problems. I used a cobalt drill to go thru the frame easily. Took me about 2 1/2-3 hours to do the job and they are rock steady with no flex

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'99 Ram 2500 QC 4x4 Shortbed SLT A/T ISB5. 9 Cummins
K&N, Westech pyro/boost Line-X bed liner Rancho 9000 shocks Midland CB 285/75. 16's w/Abbott ERA JRE 4" exhaust JRE Stage I injectors

 

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Shelby,mine are installed by removing the body mount bolts. This bolt along with a washer holds them in place. I bought them mainly for looks as Im usually the only one using the truck. They look good and arent rusting after 2 years of use. I bought these from Mike Clay. He had them on his 98. 5 and wanted different ones for his 01. Smittybuilt is a good product and Im sure they may have different styles. BTW,go to member links and check out Mike Clays truck on his website. He calls it the "mule" and has some great looking nerfbars

 

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i've got double step (quadcab) ss on mine. however mine flex at 240lbs. they look great and they work, the girlfriend likes them.

the only reason i can think of for going with the mopar bars is that they have intermediate supports so there may not be any flexure.

i think it's a solid buy.



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regards,

peter
1998 24v 4x4 QC, SLT, Sport, Leather, Linex, snug lid, center line wheels, Smittybilt side steps,color matched fender flares, stull grills, tow hooks----first diesel, dodge etc. i'm in love!

FREE CARL!!

 

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I have the black Smittys on a 97 standard cab and I like them very much. They flex the slightest for me, but I only weigh 170. They do make a creaking noise when
the cab flexes going in a drive at an angle, but I have learned to ignore it. Installation was easy!! I got them because my wife had trouble getting into the Dodge, which was harder to get into than my big rig. However, I found them very useful when cleaning the windshield--now I can stand on them and reach the center of the windshield.

 

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I put black smittys on my Quad Cab,me and my wife love em. I weigh about 240 lbs and they don't move. After just driving 8500 miles from Alaska to South Carolina they still look like brand new. And there was a whole lot of dirt and gravel roads in between. The trick is to properly hang a good set of flexible mudflaps on the truck. The nice thing about black is,if you ever scratch them you can easily touch them up.

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2K Dodge 3500,4x4,SLT,QC,PR4 Red,Auto Trans,354's,Posi,Trailer TowPack,BEEFED up Camper Pack,Factory Fogs,Rear Slider,Rancho 9000's,Rhino Spray In Liner,Smitty Built Nerf Bars,Alpine 60x4 Watt CD,Lance Cabover,BD Plug n Power,EGT Guage,And Enjoying The Ride.

 

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I put the smittys on mu qaud cab shortly after I bought it 2 years ago make sure you put on the mounting bracket that goes to the frame as you could as I did brake the cab mounting bolts. With the bracket this wont happen. One of the best features of the bars is they will save your seats from wearing out on the side from slipping out of the truck!

98. 524V, Qaud-cab short bed,5sp. Bd,EX,brake power modual, gauges rancho9's on allys with 315's and bushwacker fender flares.

 

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Shelby
Look at the westin bars they have a lifetime garauntee & are a sturdy mount,I like mine ,no problems so far. My 2c worth.

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2001,2500 q-cab,auto 4x4,4. 10 anti-slip rearend. All options except leather seats. Line-x bed & tool box. Slide-in -removable rack,BFG 295,s ,Fender flares. Westin nerf bars,billet grill & fog inserts. Isspro gauges on their way,more to come.

 

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I have a set of no name nerf bars on my "94". They were chrom and rusted rather quickly. I removed them and took them to a Rhino Liner dealer and had them coated. No I love them!!! Non-skid no matter where you step. .

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1994 4X4 2500 Auto.
1998 Harley FXDS
1998 Harley Sportster 1200

 

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I just bought and installed the black SmittyBilt nerf bars for my Quad Cab 2001 last night. Took me a bit more time to get the things together, about 2 1/2 hours total time. I weigh about 270, and when I stood on them and bounced up and down, they just flexed enough to notice, but I am confident they will work just fine. Got them on sale at Central 4WheelDrive in Sacramento for $200 including tax. The stainless steel ones were about $100 more, which is why I chose the black ones.



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Get outta the way: The Cummins is Cummin'!

Tom Golden
Godzilla: Patriot Blue 2001 2500 SLT QC 4X4 LWB ETH/DEE, Tow & Camper packages, 3. 54 Ltd. Slip, 4 wheel disc ABS
2001 Zinc Yellow SVT Mustang Cobra on order