Who goes off road with Preditor steps ????

Being a newbie on the trail I am curious.
A few folks with experience advised getting rock sliders - which I did and I am glad I did (more on that later) But what puzzles me is I see lifted Tacos with 33s and they are sporting Preditor steps. Are these beach drivers or campers so clearance is not an issue to them. I just don't get it . . . you spend all the $$$ to lift your truck and put on bigger tires then leave the steps on the sides attached to the body hanging down on the sides probably as much or more than what was gained with the lift and tires. And yeah, my rock sliders saved me once so far . . . but then I'm new to off roading so probably didn't take the best line.

 

All depends, I do light to moderate trails often and would rarely bend running boards if I had any.

 

Most people lift for form not function. Tires, wheels, lifts, and steps are truck jewelry.

 

It's all good. Some people like the looks of their truck with the bigger tires and aren't going rock climbing. I mean if you want to really consider yourself a purist offroader/rockclimber you wouldn't really be using our very expensive vehicles anyway. Something fabbed up and purpose built like Trailmater's rigs. So, the people with the equipment you wouldn't select get enjoyment out of their trucks and you get enjoyment out of yours.

 

I wheel my third gen like crazy. It’s the only thing it’s really good at.

 

Good for you. But, can you climb up the walls like trailmater?

 

99% of lifted trucks with oversized tires will never see a trail. They do it for the appearance.

 

I generally consider my taco to be the jack of all trades and the master of none.

 

Wait a minute . . . . are saying something "fabbed" up for rock crawling is cheaper than my $40K used Taco? Where can I get said truck ?
I guess what I don't understand is . . . if you want it to "look" like an off road truck then why would you, you know, not make it look like an off road truck and take the Predator steps off and put on rock sliders (they can have steps)?

 

Yes. And I explained about enjoying yours and not worrying about others.

 

I am not worrying about others - I am morbidly curious - I mean they obviously want people to look at their truck so . . . . I look at their truck and well . . . then the question arises.

 

This. ^^^

In the sports car world the the term is poseur.

Here on TW, you'll see the term mall-crawler.

Same meanings.

It's decorated to look like something it isn't. But people like it and it keeps the economy stimulated.

 

It may help to quench your curiosity when you realize people have different tastes and reasons. They might not really go offroad and that's OK. They might still like the looks of a certain part and that's OK. It is just a truck.

 

I off road 4 to 5 times a week Sept to April for hunting purposes, not to wheel for wheeling sakes. P steps came on the truck new. They help shield the lower truck from gravel road rock missiles and brush ( I rarely step on them, if ever. Not lifted, but upgraded shocks 6112/5160). But, I don't rock crawl and likely never will.

 

My friend tried to with his 4runner, bent the shit out of them on a very mild trail (to this day I dont know why he thought it would work). Most people dont install those on their truck thinking they will actually be of any good 4wheeling, its for looks and just to use as a step.

 

Thank you for just answering my question - basically it's how you use your truck - makes sense.

 

The ones that have not destroyed them after their first trip. They look good but they will be done upon impact. Cheers!

 

Exactly how I feel about my tacomer.

 

My very first time out (this past May) on Wolf Den (rated easy) in Uhwarrie I still had them on I hardly got down the trail at all and they were scraping and grinding on everything. I guy in a lifted Wrangler came up behind me and said they looked like they were hanging down 3 or 4 inches. I had to turnaround. I went home and took them off - that's when a few people on here and who I talked to personally suggested the rock sliders. So, yeah, after that experience seeing them on lifted trucks confused me. And also I didn't realize how many people had $$$ to burn to just make a truck look like it is modded out for off road but they never intend to go off the hard ball. But now I am catching on . . . . but hey, I get it now . . . so yeah go for it.

 

I’ve got a set of sliders, nice ones. Cali raised, “trail” meaning not a step, no kickout. Powder coated black. I took them off because I thought my mileage would improve. And I don’t seem to use them.
I’m the type that “just goes down forest roads”. But the last time out I’m glad I had the trd skid, and actually forgot about the rocker panels being exposed. I didn’t damage anything other than the scratches on the skid and some pinstripes. To make to the story somehow have a point. My nice sliders are still in the garage.