Had my 4R almost a week now and am spending too much free time thinking about mods (you know, rubbing chin and saying "hmmmmm" a lot) I liked the looks of my old 88 4R without the boards and am currently going, you know, hmmmm.

 

If you take the boards off, it will make the rig look a little higher

Also there is info on the board here for putting on some mudflaps to keep crud off after taking the boards off.

I believe Phong has some mudflap info on his website, and there is also some info in the Tech section as well on flaps.

 

take em off. thats the first mod i did and everyone thought i had the rig lifted

 

Take em off, then try to sell 'em. I got $100 for mine. Went straight to the mod fund.

 

Easy to do, just a coupla bolts right?

 

Take em off. I got $129 for mine on ebay. And, like Tom, the $ when straight to the mod fund.

 

Good point about the mudflaps!

 

I think mine looks a little funny w/o them because of the silver-painted fender flares & how they end abruptly w/o the boards.

I'm not sure how it'd look on your 2003. Try taking them off just to see if you like it or not.

 

hell it only takes 15 min, take off one side and see how it looks.

dan

 

Take em off and come out to play with the BIG boys!

 

Just took mine off and the truck looks much taller and more sporty. I couldn't be happier.

 

Toss 'em (actually, remove them carefully, find a box suitable for shipping and sell them on Ebay)

 

One thing all the "take 'em off" guys didn't tell you is about all the schmutz that will now be thrown onto the side of your 4Runner.

I left mine on. It keeps the side of the 4R pretty clean, no paint chips and I have have yet to ding them up.

Wait...there was this ladder that fell off a construction truck and bounced into my wife's lane...

Keep 'em on.

 

I second Cebby's post~ Take them off and sell them to some UAV (Urban Assault Vehicle) owner. If your rig likes dirt then you should lose them. Running boards scream "Mini Van!" IMHO.

-or-

Just take them off and burn them....

 

To me they scream '31 Pontiac.

 

Aren't your running boards lighted?

 

I have to laugh at guys that still have their running boards. Its like going into the military when you shave your head. Your not official until you do it. Guys that still have em are guys that just own the Runner but hate to admit they wanna offroad. Guys that tore them off can happily say I AM an offroader. Even if your still learning you are official. I mean running boards on a factory height Runner is goofy. If I can climb into my Runner that has the 4 inch suspension lift aswell as 35 inch TXR tires then fatory set up Runner owners better be able to just fall into their Runner. No offense to you factory height guys but once you lift it its hard to imagine ever having a "baby" Runner. I took the running boards off when I was still small just to look big. I took em off added 35 inch MTs and called it good til I got the lift. "I SAY PLEASE SIR TAKE THEM OFF AND THROW THEM IN OUR SACRIFICIAL PILE".

 

Hi Ant, if you are selling your running board please email me, i am interested in getting them for my 03 sr5, my wife has been nagging me about getting them on as she is only 5 foot tall. Thx

 

Take them off for sure, install, in my opinion, Roger Brown's rock sliders, and new mud flaps for the front. Then you'll have added clearance, awesome protection while off-road, and nothing will be spit up on the truck with the new mud flaps just like you had the running boards on.

Chris

 

I say if this is your DD then Keep them on. They keep your rig clean and your wife(or short psngrs) happy. Also I have found them usefull for getting into/loading the gear I have on the racks for long trips. I have taken mine off twice for off roading, but I also have a dedicated trail rig(its a built 69 CJ5...Yea I know the "J" word. ). If you wheel that sucker every weekend then go ahead and yank em for good. If not then I would keep em and undo the 10 bolts when you get that "wheelin feelin" .IMHO.
98 SR5 3.4 Auto E-locker