Running boards..... Your opinion

[Kingstonlake]

I'm seriously considering removing them. Feel it gives the T4R a better look. It's summer and don't think it will be a big deal. Could always put em back on in the winter. I just feel the boards take away from the ground clearance "look". What do you guys think?

 

[jstim]

Are you going to do any other mods? Are you going to wheel this at all?

IMHO, if the answer to the above question is yes, TAKE'EM OFF, sell'em and dont look back.....

Just my opinion....SURVEY SAYS???

 

[DogtorM]

Mine is identical, and I have the same question. Can we get some users to post with and without? Advantages to removing them?

 

[Kingstonlake]

Are you going to do any other mods? Are you going to wheel this at all?

IMHO, if the answer to the above question is yes, TAKE'EM OFF, sell'em and dont look back.....

Just my opinion....SURVEY SAYS???

I would say light wheeling. Maybe three trips annually to the U.P. Trails do get rutted and there are some moderately steep climbs getting to and from the bear and deer blinds. The occasional deep sippy hole (up to bumper), river cross, and logger made moguls I like to go over when they try to block a trail. Cherokee Sport and Silverado do bottom out over them.

 

[thor999]

No question remove them, makes it look less like a soccer mom vehicle. You will not replace them unless you sell it.

 

[Kingstonlake]

No question remove them, makes it look less like a soccer mom vehicle. You will not replace them unless you sell it.

I like you line of thinking......

 

[DogtorM]

I like you line of thinking......

If you do remove them, PLEASE post a pic.

 

[Kingstonlake]

If you do remove them, PLEASE post a pic.

Removing now. will post a pic when i get one of them off.

 

[jstim]

I would say light wheeling. Maybe three trips annually to the U.P. Trails do get rutted and there are some moderately steep climbs getting to and from the bear and deer blinds. The occasional deep sippy hole (up to bumper), river cross, and logger made moguls I like to go over when they try to block a trail. Cherokee Sport and Silverado do bottom out over them.

Yeah....just get rid of them. If you read some of the build threads you will get dual purpose out of getting sliders if you really WANT/NEED a step. Throw a solid set of sliders on, lace it up with some grip tape protect the 4R and have a place to step.

And from reading build threads...this is the gateway drug...

 

[shootmymime]

I keep mine.
Being lifted around 5" my wife needs them when she wears a skirt,
Yes it helps with making the truck look taller.
In the snowy winter here I put them back on to keep snow off the side of my vehicle. But generally I take them off in the summer.

 

[Dee3]

Sure.. May give it the look of being higher, but too bad it does not actually gain any clearance. I left mine on my 02

 

[nodakker]

One of the reasons I took mine off was each time I got out of the car going to work my pant legs would always rub against them = dirt on the back leg of my pants. Plus I liked the looks of 4runners without them on.

 

[Kingstonlake]

With/Without

 

[Super-G]

A buddy of mine is a tech at a local Toyota dealership and I told him to keep his eye out for a decent 4 Runner. One day about 2 years ago, he called me and told me that they just took a nice clean 02 Sport in on trade and that it was a clean, low mileage truck.

When I checked it out, it didn't have the running boards and MAN was I happy because they would be coming off anyway. Personally I HATE running board on any vehicle. Take them off and be done with them.

Here's mine this winter with no running boards...

 

[Supermoney]

A buddy of mine is a tech at a local Toyota dealership and I told him to keep his eye out for a decent 4 Runner. One day about 2 years ago, he called me and told me that they just took a nice clean 02 Sport in on trade and that it was a clean, low mileage truck.

When I checked it out, it didn't have the running boards and MAN was I happy because they would be coming off anyway. Personally I HATE running board on any vehicle. Take them off and be done with them.

Here's mine this winter with no running boards...

Think I will take my running boards off our 01 sport, looks much better OP.

 

[smithTR4]

Sure.. May give it the look of being higher, but too bad it does not actually gain any clearance. I left mine on my 02

Well.. Taking off the running boards makes it easier to jump the concrete curb to get out of highway traffic and onto the feeder road. And it makes it easier for us heavy set guys to work underneath the truck without jacking it up so it does give a little more clearance :behindsofa:

 

[T4R2014]

Running boards do not look bad. No one will think you are any less manly if you have them.

 

[Brique]

I planned on keeping mine, but took them off for a road trip just to see how I'd like not having them on. Two days later i was certain they won't be going back on.

 

[Nunyabiz]

4Runners look way better WITHOUT the running boards.
Best thing is to replace with rock sliders that way you have best of both worlds, you still have protection even if just against Cadillac doors in parking lots, you still have a step to get into truck with and the rock sliders do not hang down like running boards do, in fact from the side you can hardly tell they are there.

 

[Twan]

Sliders > running boards