Hey Guys-
I am thinking about taking off my running boards. I have a 2nd gen. They are in great shape. Just wondering if they look better without the boards. Any info, or opinions on looks would be great. Is this easy to do?
Let me know.

Brad


how do you get your name on info of your truck at the bottom of your post? stupid question, I must have missed it when signing up for the forum.

 

oh yes, take em off!!! show us what you got underneath all that!!!

 

Yeah go ahead and take them off...it makes your 4runner look a lot higher. Everyone kept asking me how much of a lift I had on mine even though I'm still at stock height. The only bad thing is that a good portion of the frame is still visible. That's why I got chrome nerf bars. I wanted a different look that would dress my 4runner up more. The running boards are extremely easy to take off by the way. And if anyone wants a set with chrome inlay let me know...I"m ready to get rid of them.

 

Hello Brad, yes it will look better IMO without running boards.
I do like the Toy boards, they are the best of any SUV out there, very high quality.

But your rig will look taller and more rugged without them.
Here are a few old pics of mine with them on.
http://www.pnw4runners.net/tando/pics0b.jpg
http://www.pnw4runners.net/tando/pics4.jpg

And now without, but with sliderz.
http://www.pnw4runners.net/runs/8302/61024.jpg
http://www.pnw4runners.net/runs/8302/221024.jpg
http://www.pnw4runners.net/runs/91402/241024.jpg
http://www.pnw4runners.net/pics&vids..._2002/bos3.jpg

You gain a lot more clearance with them off.
Taking them off though exposes your rigs sides to rocks easier.
I have info on my site in the mods section on putting '89 to '95 truck mud flaps on which will help with that.

To put your name below your posts you need to go into your Control Panel and look for the signature area and fill in the text.

 

I have a 1990 4Runner and i just took mine off last night and i think it looks much much better..and like they said it was hard to do at all..

 

I am going to defend the running boards. Only because I still have mine on and I like using them. I don't know if they look good, but they are functional. I always use them to throw the blue light on top of my 4Runner when I go on a fire call, so without them, I would be SOL. I like them, but the Runner will look taller w/ them off. :fireman:

 

I agree with you Ryan. I like the look of the 4Runner with the boards. To me it looks beefier with them. And without them, it tends to look naked and skinny. I don't do any rock crawling with mine so I am not concerned with smashing them when I'm four wheeling. Heck, I'm 46 years old and I just enjoy getting to my favorite camp site here in Colorado, going off road on trails and river beds, and especially when the snow starts flying! Which should be very soon. I did my ROCK CRAWLING / ROCK SMASHING days when I was in my 20's and early 30's. Beat up a bunch of Jeeps doing so. Now, I'm kinda past that.

Whitey

 

I took mine off a little over a month ago and put on a pair of manik tube steps. While it looked cool without the running boards, it looks much better with the tube steps.

 

i am also thinking about getting some tube steps...any one know of some good web sites to look at?

 

Guys,

RandyM over at ODW took some Xterra step tubes, cut them down to fit and bolted them onto his 3rd gen. I'm doing the same, but a very cool person from this board (Thanks...you know who you are!) is designing some custom arms that will allow me to fit them to the stock 4runner hangers.

You might try going over to the Xterra boards and see if anyone might want to sell them to you for cheap---or free!

FYI: for a 3rd gen, cut off exactly 5" from the tip (w/ the plastic bumper removed) and it will fit like a charm.

Bob

 

Would the tubes fit on a 2nd Gen 4runner?
That would be cool.
Thanks Bob

 

Versus getting tubes, why don't you just get sliders? They both can function as a step, however, only the sliders will give you substantial frame protection. Just a thought, if you are not going to be doing any wheeling, then yes the tubes should be fine, however, if you are going to go off-road, maybe the sliders would be more beneficial.

 

I gotta defend the boards too. Makes the runner look better. I've seen them without boards and she just looks naked w/o em

 

If you are going to take them off, soak the bolts/nuts in liquid wrench for a little bit before attempting to screw them off. If it's an old one, it can be "seized" (for lack of a better term) a bit and this will help in screwing them off. And not to insult your intelligence, but a breakover bar is like Pamela Anderson and works beautifully in giving torque to break the nuts loose.

 

Has anyone tried to put the Limited Boards on a 2nd Gen. Will they fit? I was going to put the Bushwacker flares on but our boards have issues with them. The Limited Boards don't look like they would.

 

I have a 2000 Sr5 with no running boards, just the chrome trim around the wheels. Is there much involved with putting on Limited fender flares?

 

I have a 2nd gen and I vote to keep the boards. The Runner looks nicer with them on. It looks unfinished with them off. Also, since I take my Mom food shopping it is a lot easier for her to get in and out. The boards also protect the doors from road grim and chipped paint. Then again, I don't do serious off-road riding.

 

Toss them in thetrash and add some sliders. You can get pretty cheap ones at www.Kongs4x4.com

 

I guess no one has tried to mount the limited RB's on their 2nd gen with flares. I was going to get the Bushwacker flares, but I figured I'd have to loose my RB's. So I wondered if the 3rd Gen limited RB's would fit... Oh well I guess I could pick up some after market RB's.

 

JSB, check out this guy's homie.

He's Bushwacked and runs the running boards still.

Also check out Chris's page.

He too is flared with rb's on.
Corey