Running Board Suggestions

Hello. Ordered some Ionic Factory Style running boards for my truck. Of course it didn't say how they mount to the truck. Recieved them today and realized they bolt to the rocker panel as well as the pinch weld. I am sending them back as I am not bolting anything to the pinch welds as I have had issues in the past doing this (rust). Can anyone recommend some running boards/nerf bars that bolt just to the rockers? Looking for something at a reasonable price. Thanks

Following this one.
I am looking to replace my bars with more of a factory looking step bar.
The ones that came on my truck are a westin knock off brand,

They all bolt to the inner rocker and pinch weld.

The sliders I removed from my truck attached to the pinch welds. My replacement boards do not, and they are sturdy.

These mount to the Frame as do the Ones made by Maple

Dredger said:

The sliders I removed from my truck attached to the pinch welds. My replacement boards do not, and they are sturdy.

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This I find hard to believe. I just removed a set of steps that only mounted to the inner rocker because they flexed so much. I had a set of oem that mounted to the inner rocker and pinch weld snd they were solid. My new tyger steps mount like oem and are rock solid. If they don't mount to the pinch weld, you'll likely experience a failure of the rocker panel from constant flexing whenever using the step. The pinch weld mounts stop the flexing.

As to the OP worrying about rust, oem steps mount on the pinch welds and rocker and nearly every new truck is doing the same thing. There aren't many options for steps that mount to the frame. Your truck, if it's built after 2013, should already have the holes in the pinch weld. If you're worried about rust, spray some paint in the holes and rinse the rockers off regularly to keep salt off. I purposely went looking for steps that mounted to the pinch weld for rigidity and to keep the bolts from ripping out of the rockers.

hunterdan said:

I just removed a set of steps that only mounted to the inner rocker because they flexed so much.

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I have another set (the first replacements I purchased) under my deck that mounted to the pinch welds and flexed beyond belief. Poor quality.

hunterdan said:

The pinch weld mounts stop the flexing.

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Sometimes. Experience tells me quality steel brackets stop flexing at all times. My current boards have three thick mounting brackets with three bolts to the rocker per bracket. They don't move. I was pleasantly surprised!

I just put on a set of go rhino d4 steps and they mounted to the rockers but also have a tab coming off the mount with another bracket that goes up and mounts with the cab bolts. They are pretty solid for being a "double step" type of bar.

Dredger said:

I have another set (the first replacements I purchased) under my deck that mounted to the pinch welds and flexed beyond belief. Poor quality.

Sometimes. Experience tells me quality steel brackets stop flexing at all times. My current boards have three thick mounting brackets with three bolts to the rocker per bracket. They don't move. I was pleasantly surprised!

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How did they bolt to the rocker? Did they use rivnuts like oem, or did they use the bars that slide in behind the rocker? The ones I took off would have been solid had they mounted to the pinch weld to keep from flexing or rocking at the rocker panel. But mine were bolted on using the oem rivnuts which don't have a whole lot of surface area behind them. If yours used the bars that slide in behind the rocker, then I could see that being more solid since there is more surface area to apply the force to.

I'm looking for running boards right now. Are the bolts and holes already there under the frame or is drilling involved?

hunterdan said:

How did they bolt to the rocker? Did they use rivnuts like oem, or did they use the bars that slide in behind the rocker?

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These utilized both. The top bolt went to a factory rivnut and the two bottom bolts went to bars with nuts welded to them that slipped in behind the rocker through oblong holes. Manufacturer included clips to hold those bars in place until I could get the bracket held up and the bolts started.

I went from (I think) Westens to OEM, and it is a night and day difference. The old steps where held on by the plate that slides inside the rocker and had alot of flex.
The OEM steps that I installed have a much beefier bracket set up, they attach using the rivnut and pinch weld. They don't flex at all under my 230 lbs.

following this as I'm looking at getting something different as well. Anyone have any experience with Tyger bars?

bigred2211 said:

following this as I'm looking at getting something different as well. Anyone have any experience with Tyger bars?

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I have tyger bars, very happy with the quality & how solid they are, I’m around 220 & their was no flex when I & my daughter stand on them. They have 3 supports per side, rockers & pinch welds. I’m getting Amp steps this fall, going up to PA to see Quick_Shifter for install & transmission flush, the only thing I don’t like about the steps is I didn’t realize how they would make my truck look lower especially with the 3rd bottom bar.

Bramic71 said:

Hello. Ordered some Ionic Factory Style running boards for my truck. Of course it didn't say how they mount to the truck. Recieved them today and realized they bolt to the rocker panel as well as the pinch weld. I am sending them back as I am not bolting anything to the pinch welds as I have had issues in the past doing this (rust). Can anyone recommend some running boards/nerf bars that bolt just to the rockers? Looking for something at a reasonable price. Thanks

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I have installed the Ionic Factory Style running boards on my 2016 Ram 2500, my 2016 Ram 1500 Sport, and I am in the process of installing them on my 2022 Warlock.

My main motivation for installing these is to protect the rockers and door bottoms from salt and snow in the winter.

As you know, the brackets that they recommend (Part #82080) bolt to the pinch weld. However, part #82067 bolts to the inner rocker and does not touch the pinch weld.

I did need to make some modifications that I don't think I had to make on the 2016 trucks. I had to cut down the vertical part of one of the brackets on each side because it was hitting the floor pan. I then had to bend it so it matches the other two brackets and drill a couple holes to bolt them to the rocker in the factory threaded holes.

I also shortened the horizontal part of the brackets that the running boards sit on so that I could tuck them in under the rocker a little so they completely protect the pinch weld on the bottom of the rockers.

I then bead blasted the brackets, scuffed them with Picklex-20, and gave them two coats of POR15.

My 1500's are quad cabs. The Ionic boards they specify for these are a little too short for my liking. They left the cab corners vulnerable. So I ordered the ones for a 2014 F150 supercab. The are slightly longer and shield the entire cab. I also have some mud flaps to install. This setup has worked great to protect the truck.

I also sprayed Transtar Amber cavity wax in the rockers (both the inner and outer) so it seeps into the pinch weld and solidifies. Doors too. Probably not needed where you are in Florida.

Thought I would add some pictures in case my description wasn't clear. The first 2 pictures are of one of the two longer brackets that I had to trim both ends. The third is the bracket loosely mounted on the truck. According to the instructions, these should be the rear most brackets but I used them in the front position.

The instructions (with part numbers visible) for the brackets I used.




These are the brackets that bolt to the pinch weld.




I believe the Ionic boards are only available through RealTruck. They were kind enough to substitute the Ram brackets in place of the Ford brackets that are supposed to come with the F150 boards I ordered.

After i bought my 2009 Dodge Ram

finding anything on the shelves in auto parts stores at that time was close to impossible.

I went to a muffler & accessory store & they had samples mounted on the walls

I wanted a 3 step nerf bar, but the factory told us that they were only making two step nerf bars, until inflation stabilized.

So i went ahead & bought the 2 step N-fab bars, they were on my 2009 right up until i switched them over to my 2016 & they are still in place

We cut off the rear step & bought some metal & shaped it to make a new longer rear step, then it went to a powder coating shop

Front mount

Middle Mount

Rear Cab Mount






I currently weigh 320 pounds , when i step on the bar, the bar does not move, just the truck does

Nice job! It looks like the holes in your rockers are threaded? Only the fronts are on mine.

bigred2211 said:

following this as I'm looking at getting something different as well. Anyone have any experience with Tyger bars?

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I have had Tyger Blade strps for a year. They have held up great through Chicago area winter. Also durable in that when a Corolla accidentally turned into me at kids school (when driver thought was in reverse) her bumper hood has major damage. My Tyger step had a smudge.