They may be an option, but I didn't know about them.

 

Damnit Sar ive looked at them all and these are the only nerf bars i like and its all your damn fault. The steps look a little low in the picture (im sure its the angle) can we get a picture with somone standing or stepping on or beside the truck.... please? What a fricking pain in the *** now i gota find a set of dodge rivnuts and i better get extras cause i hear they can be a bitch to install. Then i gota order the bars have them shipped to a powder coating shop wait 2 weeks and spend ~$200.00 for 5lbs of custom color matched power coat to be manufactured. Then pay to have them powder coated and shipped to me then i have to install the damn things. I knew i didnt like you, I bet you showed these to me just to screw me over
they look great and those holes dont look near as scary as i had envisioned. Please post that picture i dont want to go thru all this crap and find out i dont like the height.
Thanks (i guess)
Lee

 

I will post a pic for you. They do cut ground clearance, I would not recommend them for rock crawling without a lift kit!

They do cost a bit but they are worth it. My dad has been welding most of his life and is highly respected by his customers, I know what quality fabrication looks like and these step bars are it. The welds are great, every hole lined up, they are just good quality. You will not regret getting them.

 

My cheap GO RHINO steps came with a t-bracket looking thing that had 3 nuts welded to them at the end of each leg. I had to peel off the tape above this hole and feed it into place. They basically did the same job without drilling a hole, and it allowed them to use three fasteners in this location. I can't believe they made you drill a hole for that. Also did you happen to primer the hole you drilled? Just checking.

The steps look great and I'll be getting a pair after I get a lift kit, probably about the time all you guys are trading your trucks in. Not crazy about the holes though. You have some steel ones my friend.

 

It was wet out when I put them on. Paint would not have stuck. I am going to takes them off and paint them soon. I don't need the truck rusting from the inside out.

I am not crazy about the holes either, that is why I posted the pics. I don't want people to buy these without having the knowledge. I bought them without knowing.

You say you are going to get the steps when we are all trading in? I am keeping this truck for a long time. My next car is my 1971 Dodge Dart that I am going to restore. Plus, I am sick of car payments. If gas skyrockets, I may buy a cheapo Neon/Civic/****ty 4 cylinder, but I am keeping this truck.

 

This is my son's first vehicle and he's 18 months. I was saying I probably won't be able to afford a lift kit for about 10 years or so.
Every time I have a payment I say I'm going to get a beater for my next car. Every time I have a beater, I want something I don't have to work on. It's a vicious cycle. hahaha

Thanks for the heads up on the nerfs, when I get them I'll probably fab a bracket like the ones I referred to.

 

Question - so they had you drill a 1" hole to retain the "speed nut" bracket as shown in the pic. What I'm wondering about is the threaded "nuts" in the bracket just slip into the existing two holes? So when you tighten the mounting bolts what keeps them from pulling out when you hit something. It appears the middle bracket section that fits into your 1" hole is what is taking the load or is there something on the back side of the speed nuts that compresses like a rivnut and clamps itself to the sheetmetal?

If what I'm seeing is correct, I'd consider dimounting the step, painting the bare metal, taping/sealing the 1" hole and using some rivnuts in the existing oem holes or accessing the existing oem holes from the upper big oem hole after the tape is removed and using some fender washers and nuts from the inside if there is room for your fingers.

Just my .02, spend it anyway you want.

 

I don't know what Rivnut your referring to, but when I added the Amp Research Power Step to my truck they supplied "Nutserts" that had the same size hex on them as the ones in the body and they fit into the existing hexagonal hole. These went in and seated very easily.
These are fairly large bolts and a Rivnut that large would be difficult to set. The Nutsert just sets with the size bolt that your using....Very easy!

 

BK1 - Sound like you had the right part of the job with the nutsert's matching hex section fitting into the oem hex hole. Very nice.

Rivnuts come in smooth round shapes with or without splines to fit round holes and use a tool to compress them although there are ways around not having the tool which uses a nut on the back side - just don't put a twisting motion or torque on the rivnut when you tighten and clamp it. The hex does that for you.

Those are great looking steps btw.

 

Are those Grade 2 bolts that they included, or just one you were using for mockup?