Looking for the best overall manufacturer nerf bars/sliders/running boards...

Who is the go to? What is a good price?

 

Well I already gave you the luxury of axing 2 categories. Sliders are the way to go.

 

Main concern is armor for my side doors

 

Sliders. It's all opinion from there. I like my SOS concepts, other people like whatever they chose to buy. I'd look for whoever is running a sale.

 

OP, I'd also do some research and figure out which Slider company may happen to be closest to you location wise and go with them.. unless you don't mind paying out the butt for shipping costs.

For me on the north east / east coast.. I'm going to end up going with Mobtown Offroad when I get mine. As far as I'm aware, they're the closest to me being somewhere in Maryland.

 

I went with Mobtown also even though I'm on the west coast. The main reason was their well thought out full bolt-on setup. Everyone else's need to drill a couple of holes in the frame to be full strength (actually BAMF didn't need the holes either but they had a very long lead time).

 

I ended up going with Tyger Auto Nerf bars.

$399 Tyger Auto Star Armor Compatible with 2005-2023 Toyota Tacoma | Double Cab | TG-AM2T20048 | Side Step Rails Nerf Bars Running Boards

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AH5IEO6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dGNszbS967YE1

 

These are also what I'll be going with. I like the less-bulky look of them and can't beat the price.

 

I was hesitant to buy from Tyger.... don't hesitate. I LOVE my steps and literally just about every day someone comments on how awesome and functional they look (esp. on my silver)! Good build quality and the semi-glossy powder coat is pretty awesome looking (with frequent coats of 303 to keep it looking good).

 

Magnum RT steps. Purchased from Auto Everything. Very heavy duty. Easy install. Included step light kit. $371.00

 

No offense but Nerf bar/running boards aren't "functional" in the aspect of protecting the truck. Bolted to the body and not the frame.

For the kind of money they are I'd spend a little more on actual sliders that can protect the rocker panels, undercarriage, and fuck up some serious mall-door swingers.

 

What about ground clearance?

One thing I like about sliders, is that they are typically angled up 15-20 degrees and really hug the bottom of the truck.

 

function is based on the utility you need from the truck. I needed a FUNCTIONAL step that: protected my doors from dings (check); was a wide enough step and high enough to function as a comfortable platform to stand on for loading/unloading of gear on my Prinsu; nice to have if it would provide a bit of protection from minor scrapes (which it does). I'm not rock sliding, do light offroading - generally on farms or nat'l forest fire roads. For my "function" they were perfect. They also catch a ton of things that would otherwise hit my paint on the sides which is a plus.

But no, these do not bolt to your frame and thus are not intended to support the weight of the truck. Need sliders if that's your primary use case.

 

And ground clearance isn't impacted - the lowest point on these steps is almost exactly the same as the bottom of the truck's frame.

 

More power to you. My point is that for almost $300 if you spend another $100-200 you can have sliders that work both as steps and protect.

 

I'm pretty sure only a few steps will be good enough for door ding protection as they try to tuck them closer to the body. Some sliders are that way too. The steps themselves will protrude. You'll still get whacked on the upper door if there's a taller truck or suv by you.

I added door moldings to help cover that and then I had sliders made to poke out some more to cover the doors.

I admit I'm a mall crawler at this time and some steps can be as pricey as sliders (oem predators) so that's something to consider too.

Here's my vid that i jumped to the spot showing my moldings and how it protrudes more

https://youtu.be/LYJciP14M2M?t=845

 

Another option is to find a local weld/fabrication shop and design your own slider/step/board so that it meets your needs.

 

If you decide on SOS Concepts, message me for a discount code

 

He said they compliment how functional they look, so I guess that's probably accurate.

 

Sliders hands down! Plus you're supporting a small business and they will be made in the USA!! Most running boards are going to be made in China, even NFab stuff. I recently ordered a set of sliders from SOS Concepts. You can't beat Eddy's prices or even shipping prices for that matter.