N-fab Nerf Steps. 2" or 3"? Gloss or Textured Black?

[SICKwidIT]

Wanting to upgrade my factory steps to Nerf Steps. $400 budget and only light trailing.

Requesting feedback from owners on your selection.

Why did you choose 2" vs 3"? vice versa.

Besides aesthetics, difference in quality longevity between the Gloss and Textured color? Rust an issue?

Thanks in advanced.

 

[El Dusty]

Wanting to upgrade my factory steps to Nerf Steps. $400 budget and only light trailing.

Requesting feedback from owners on your selection.

Why did you choose 2" vs 3"? vice versa.

Besides aesthetics, difference in quality longevity between the Gloss and Textured color? Rust an issue?

Thanks in advanced.

Ran the 2" version, textured black and was happy. I dont believe there was a 3" option at the time? After almost 2 years the showed minor specks of rust on the steps and undersides where I assume they were scratched up by rocks being thrown by the tires.

As a note, they are not intended as sliders and they bolt to your body not to your frame. For sizes, 2" does have a thicker wall but the 3" tube will be slightly stiffer. Pretty minimal differences here though. The material is still very thin, less than 1/10th inch and will bend/crimp pretty quickly if you go hard on them. I think the 2" looked fine but it would have looked a little beefier with the 3"s.

I ended up selling mine to a coworker and before the end of the season all the steps were bent one way or another and the tubes connecting to the steps crimped and bent in places. Convincing argument to just go straight to slider IMO.

 

[SICKwidIT]

Ran the 2" version, textured black and was happy. I dont believe there was a 3" option at the time? After almost 2 years the showed minor specks of rust on the steps and undersides where I assume they were scratched up by rocks being thrown by the tires.

As a note, they are not intended as sliders and they bolt to your body not to your frame. For sizes, 2" does have a thicker wall but the 3" tube will be slightly stiffer. Pretty minimal differences here though. The material is still very thin, less than 1/10th inch and will bend/crimp pretty quickly if you go hard on them. I think the 2" looked fine but it would have looked a little beefier with the 3"s.

I ended up selling mine to a coworker and before the end of the season all the steps were bent one way or another and the tubes connecting to the steps crimped and bent in places. Convincing argument to just go straight to slider IMO.

Appreciate the feedback. When you had them, were you heavy on the trails to cause the crimp and bends?

My 4R will be a daily driver, light/medium trails in Socal and need the steps for my short girlfriend. Don't think I can throw down $700-$1000 on steps right now.

 

[El Dusty]

Appreciate the feedback. When you had them, were you heavy on the trails to cause the crimp and bends?

My 4R will be a daily driver, light/medium trails in Socal and need the steps for my short girlfriend. Don't think I can throw down $700-$1000 on steps right now.

NP. I didn't do any of the damage to them myself and they probably never came in contact with the ground while I owned them. At the time I wasn't trying to modify or wheel my financed vehicle.

I have witnessed some of the damage done to these and they do hang down quite a bit from the vehicle. If you are planning on wheeling a stock height vehicle then they pose a risk of damage/getting you hung up on some trails depending on terrain. Alternatively, if you don't have any form of protection your door panels would be the first the meet the obstacles.

 

[NW.OH.T4R]

I have the 3” textured black. I think they are good for what they are and as long as you know going in that they will likely rust eventually (steel) and they aren’t a suitable alternative to sliders, you shouldn’t be disappointed. My wife is happy with the added step and I haven’t been on trails that these were the limiting factor yet.


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[patkelly4370]

I have 2" textured. They were on the truck when I bought it.
They are a very sturdy step. I Googled "4runner slider reviews" and they listed the Nfab, noting that it is not a slider, but decent protection for a nerf bars/step.
Mine has no rust, I live in the desert.
No damage on them yet. I'd like to keep it that way as I'd eventually like to sell them towards sliders.

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[BobsTrail]

I have the 2 inch, on for 7 years. Had to repaint them a few years ago due to rust and they are due again. I may use bed liner next time. They are 14 inches above ground so not much clearance problem.

They look like this:

 

[Ronin61945]

I put the 2" N-fab Nerf Steps on my Limited just after I purchased it new in 2017. I painted the steps with POR 15 protective paint and have had no problems with rust. I have done only minimal off roading, but drive a fair amount of unpaved roads. I live in upstate New York so there has been snow, ice and some road salt exposure. They have held up very well and have been very useful for short people. I also like the way they look.

 

[Sconnie]

If I were to buy the nerf bar could/should I coat them in POR15 right away? Which POR15 product should I use? I've never dealt with preventative rust maintenance before and do not know which products I need. I found this on Amazon. POR 15 Glossy Black TopCoat.

I live in SE WIS and we have a lot of salt on the roads Nov-Apr usually so rust is a great concern.

If I'm going to apply my own finish to the nerf bars right away am I better off buying the textured black or glossy black? Or doesn't it matter?

Can someone explain this to me like I'm five. Thank you.

EDITTED FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS:

Has anyone taken these to a PRO and had them sprayed with bedliner? Or, perhaps, done this themselves with off-the-shelf products?

Should I coat the contact points where the nerf bars mount to the frame? Anything in-between to help prevent rust? Some type of anti-seeze product that also prevents rust?

I really am oblivious to rust prevention. My previous rig was an Xterra I bought new in 2012 and I didn't do anything to help her. It was a rusty mess when i finally traded it in this past January for my '21 T4R.

 

[PhillySilver]

I have the 3” textured black on mine as an interim step before eventually going to sliders. Happy with them so far and they feel sturdy and steps well placed.

I went with 3” because I wanted them to be a little closer to the body and though the extra diameter would fill in the space better. They seem to be the top rated nerf bars for the runners which drove my choice because I don’t want them rusting in the near future. They will eventually though.

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[BobbyZee]

3" Textured

I have 3" inch textured and happy with it.

My 4Runner is still stock suspension and sometimes, I feel 3 inch feels too bulky. Perhaps with a little height (lift) it will be fine.

Overall very sturdy and was easy to install.

 

[Sconnie]

I have 3" inch textured and happy with it.

My 4Runner is still stock suspension and sometimes, I feel 3 inch feels too bulky. Perhaps with a little height (lift) it will be fine.

Overall very sturdy and was easy to install.

good info. Im stock and plan to remain that way so I'll likely go for a 2 inch then. Thats where my gut was leaning anyway

 

[Fermn]

I have the 2 inch ones and I'm very happy with them. I've had mine for about 7 months.

 

[Sconnie]

I just ordered some via Amazon. I should have them Sunday 3/7.

 

[TrueTexas]

I just bought a '21 TRDORP and It came with the Toyota "Trail Rails". I want to switch to some kind of step as my wife is 5'2" and slides off the seat to get out of the T4R. I dont plan on wheeling it anytime soon as I have more dedicated trail rigs for that so I am not concerned about catching the steps on any rocks.

Regarding these steps, on the installation videos I have seen, it looks as though only one of the two bolts are used on the front of the nfab steps to secure it to the vehicle. I emailed NFab and they confirmed that.

However, in the images for the product page for the 3" bars, it looks as though the bracket was redesigned to accomodate both front bolts (using all 6 per side).

Can anyone who has bought them recently confirm whether it uses only one or both of the bolts on the front bracket? If not, are there any steps on the market that do use all 6 bolts or should I be looking for a set of take off Toyota Predators?

 

[crawlingjunk]

Look for Toyota predator. They are made from aluminum


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[TrueTexas]

Thanks. I figured that would be what I need to do.

 

[timothylynn7]

Ran the 2" version, textured black and was happy. I dont believe there was a 3" option at the time? After almost 2 years the showed minor specks of rust on the steps and undersides where I assume they were scratched up by rocks being thrown by the tires.

As a note, they are not intended as sliders and they bolt to your body not to your frame. For sizes, 2" does have a thicker wall but the 3" tube will be slightly stiffer. Pretty minimal differences here though. The material is still very thin, less than 1/10th inch and will bend/crimp pretty quickly if you go hard on them. I think the 2" looked fine but it would have looked a little beefier with the 3"s.

I ended up selling mine to a coworker and before the end of the season all the steps were bent one way or another and the tubes connecting to the steps crimped and bent in places. Convincing argument to just go straight to slider IMO.

I have these on my 4R and ran these on my rebel. They are not a true slider but they do get the job done considering what type of vehicles were operating here. When I had my jeep I had to rock sliders use them and needed them. If I was planning on running black trails are reds in a Toyota forerunner that I would just rebuild the whole thing


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[laceofbase]

Should I do something to prevent rust?

Just got a set of 2" NFab sliders (changed my mind from 3" at the last minute). They arrived with a few spots of exposed metal, and I'm wondering if I should do something about it now.

I got a great deal on them and really dont want to spend $100 each to get them LineXd or similar... Any advice from those who've dealt with rust on this thread welcome! :noidea:

 

[drumcycle007]

Wondering if there is a ground clearance difference with the 2" vs the 3"
i.e. are the steps lower on the 3" version due to the 1" diameter larger tube?