[Red-man]

Iv'e been thinking of putting step rails on my 05 Crew Cab, weighing the pros and cons. Can anyone add to my list to sway me either way?

Pro:1. They offer a step up, for those who need it (my wife?, or little kids)
2. Protects the bottom areas of the paint on the sides from stone chips (I have so many little chips after only three months!)
3. Someone else pointed out to me that car doors in parking lots will hit the step rails, not the doors or rocker panels of my truck? ... I haven't parked next to one to verify that.
4. They look cool.

Con: 1. They can get your legs dirty getting in and out, if the step rails are dirty (as pointed out by a previous posting here)
2. They limit the access space if you can't open the door all the way to get in, like in a tight parking lot space, and also in my garage. You have to "lead" with the opposite foot you normally would, then you are in an awkward position to get the other foot in and sit down. They work great when the door's wide open. (I know this because I went and checked out another truck that had step rails at a dealer.) This is a point I can't seem to get past, as I like a warm garaged truck and my garage is narrow!

Right now I am leaning towards not getting them, even though I have 4 pros, and 2 cons, but that last con is something I would face every time I'd get in the truck. On the pro side, the only one I face all the time is the cool looks, and in my book form follows function, so if it looks great, it better work great.

 

[beastfrontier]

That's a great list of pros and cons. My list was the same, but ultimately I got them...not for me, but for the kid and the pregnant wife. I sort of wished I waited until there were some SS steps, but the mrs. wanted to get them immediately.
I hardly use them to get inside or out of the truck and yes they do make your pant legs get dirty if you forget that they're there, but you'll learn the technique after a while. I use them also to wash on top of the truck. \
again function was my (my wife's) reason on getting them.
good luck on your decision.

 

[05_NISMO_4X4]

One more pro, and the main reason I got them...

Easier access to the roof of the truck while your washing it! I hate having to open the door and step up to clean the center of the roof and leave a wet foot print on the door sill. The step rails give you a step up for the entire length of the cab while washing and drying the truck!

 

[OkieScot]

Pros

Red-Man,

There have been a few post on the seat edge wearing out from dragging across it when entering the truck. After retraining myself on how to enter the truck the step
rails let you get up and over the edge of the seat with out dragging across it.

I put the polished ss Manik step rails on my truck and they look so good that even
if they were of no other value I would have them just because of how nice they
look.

Good luck with your decision.

OkieScot

 

[Red-man]

Hmmm...good input on the step rails...thanks! Still thinking, but I may wait until I see a few more different kinds. Do the SS Manik rails bolt to the 6 stock mounting studs that are on the inside of each rocker panel?

 

[OkieScot]

Manik nerf bars

Red-man,

You can see the step rails at www.manik.com. On the opening page there is a good shot of the bracket that is welded to the step rail. They make a bracket that bolts
directly to the factory bolt holes. Tthat bracket has a nice gloss black coat of paint.
The bracket that is welded to the step rail is stainless steel,but that part is not polished.

I had that bracket polished and it certainly dressed up the step rails. The mounting bolts are all painted black, but I purchased stainless steel bolts and had them polished. I have
not seen any step rails that looked as nice as these do.

The black end pieces you see are screwed into the tube part of the step rail. It gives
a nice tight fit that looks better to me than most of the other step rails I looked at.

They were well worth the money to me.

Good luck.

OkieScot

 

[05_Electric_Blue_Nismo]

pics

okiescot:
do you have any pics of your truck with the step rails (nerf bars)? Also where did you purchase them from and how much(if you dont mind)? If you have pics can you post them thanks.

 

[OkieScot]

Manik step rails/nerf bars

05_Electric_Blue_Nismo,

I do have pictures of my truck, but unfortunately I do not know how to put them on the internet. I have been trying to get a friend to come show me how, but we have not been able to find a time when we are both free.

I purchased them from 4 Wheel Parts here in Oklahoma City for $335.99 plus $35 shipping. I think 4 Wheel Parts is a chain and you might check to see if there is one in your area.

My nerf bars are for a KC and they are polished stainless steel. They have two step pads on each side. I like the way the end pieces screw into the tubes rather
than having screws to keep them in place.

OkieScot

 

[tsacain]

Step rails will not stop someone from hitting your truck with their door since they someone hit my door with their on my truck.

 

[AirborneNismo]

I say get them

I mentioned www.shrockworks.com in another post about rocker panel protection. Shrockbars are extrememly tough...the sales rep emailed me saying, "the entire truck could be resting on only one side ..."

In my opinion, step rails have more utility then hassle though.

 

[OkieScot]

Pictures of my truck

05_Electric_Blue_Nismo,

Look at the post just under this one and you can see pictures of my truck. Unfor-
tunately the Manik bars are not show cased. They look as nice as any I have seen and with the little bit of extra I went to they are nicer than any I have seen so far.

OkieScot

 

[DivaLisa]

I'm planning on putting them on my truck. Because mostly I'm 5'2" and I'm sliding out of it stock, but I plan on putting on bigger rims & maybe a lift too, so when that's done I'll have to jump in and out :lol: So the nerf bars come first.... and they look good

 

[jojo]

i bent the crap out of my stock step rails. im getting rid of them and getting rocksliders.

 

[DivaLisa]

Getting mine this week maybe

So my husband is buying them for me for xmas... though he could not find them in stock locally. So we're going to get them this week sometime, as long as the weather doesn't get really cold again I'll put them on right away. I'll post pic's when I get them on.

 

[OkieScot]

Re: Getting mine this week maybe

So my husband is buying them for me for xmas... though he could not find them in stock locally. So we're going to get them this week sometime, as long as the weather doesn't get really cold again I'll put them on right away. I'll post pic's when I get them on.

What brand are you getting? I got the Manik polished stainless steel ones.

OkieScot

 

[DivaLisa]

Not sure he's getting them on ebay I think. SS, but I'm not sure what brand they are. I think he's still waiting to order them to hear back from the seller because he wants to know what their return policy is, just in case. Some place he's getting a DVD installed in his Red LIne said they could get them but wanted $400, I don't think so. When I get them I'll post.