Acceleration improve after running boards off???

cmoney

New member
I just took them off out of curiosity of how it will look. I know numbers wise it makes no sense, but i swear i feel a slight improvement. Is it just in my head?

I even weighed them in my bathroom scale and each one weights 14.5 lbs, i know that can't be enough to make a difference. Anyone noticed this too? Or what might be a better test is whether people who installed heavy sliders noticed an slight loss of power when accelerating from a complete stop.
 
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4runner is such a big and heavy car with lots of power so do you think 30 lbs will make a difference in power or acceleration, even my VW golf won't notice a 30lb decrease.

But technically you are correct, but is it measurable? It is so minute difference that it's not significant.


It's all psychological, just like when I wash my 4runner and change the oil I feel better about it and to me it feels smoother, even though it is not.
 
Is it just in my head?

Yes.

I could (almost) see what you're saying if you were talking about an empty fuel tank vs a full one (the difference being 100lbs+ of fuel) but 30lbs in running boards? Not a chance your butt dyno is that sensitive.
 
Removing running boards in theory could make it slower, more drag now that more air is flowing under the truck and hit te rear wheels.
 
It's all psychological, just like when I wash my 4runner and change the oil I feel better about it and to me it feels smoother, even though it is not.

I too feel like my 4Runner or my other car is much smoother after getting washed or getting the oil changed.
 
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If you remove them with the hitch, spare, roof rack, light weight battery, etc then yes the gains will be much more noticeable but by themselves it might be worth a couple hundredths of a seconds in the 1/4 if your a consistent driver.
 
Gecko123 - thanks for the reply. thats probably it, just something you're conscious since you know you took some weight/drag off (oil change, using 91octane, etc.)

Dr. Gonzo - didn't need your response. you're one of the funnier, tougher guys on the forum huh? lol
 

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