Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I
used to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.

The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on
the "bad" days.

Anyone know of a brand that hangs a tad bit lower than the others?
Dropping a good 6 inches would be nice and would still be only slightly
lower than the frame (I don't intend to need super high clearance for
off road stuff)

*metalworking content* I could fab my own but I'm not sure it's worth
the hassle consdering the bolt-ons available (assuming I can find a
slightly lower set). The other option is modifying a mount spacer to
make an off the shelf unit sit a little lower. Anyone built their own
or have any comments on the mount/system to lower the step up? I'd love
to use a lineal actuator to make a lowering step but I think that's a
project that would never get past the planning stage due to time. RV
versions of this tend to be a little spendy and will probably be a bit
of a hassle to mount.

Koz

I have seen folding steps which might be the ticket for you - they hang down
pretty low but then fold up out of the way.. Not being a "truck guy", I
don't remember where I saw them but I'm betting they're common.

Peter

"Koz" wrote in message
...
Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I used
to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.

The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on the
"bad" days.
Anyone know of a brand that hangs a tad bit lower than the others?
Dropping a good 6 inches would be nice and would still be only slightly
lower than the frame (I don't intend to need super high clearance for off
road stuff)

*metalworking content* I could fab my own but I'm not sure it's worth the
hassle consdering the bolt-ons available (assuming I can find a slightly
lower set). The other option is modifying a mount spacer to make an off
the shelf unit sit a little lower. Anyone built their own or have any
comments on the mount/system to lower the step up? I'd love to use a
lineal actuator to make a lowering step but I think that's a project that
would never get past the planning stage due to time. RV versions of this
tend to be a little spendy and will probably be a bit of a hassle to
mount.

Koz

Koz wrote in news:Vt6dnap38oCMaP7fRVn-
:

Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I
used to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.

The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on
the "bad" days.

Anyone know of a brand that hangs a tad bit lower than the others?
Dropping a good 6 inches would be nice and would still be only slightly
lower than the frame (I don't intend to need super high clearance for
off road stuff)

*metalworking content* I could fab my own but I'm not sure it's worth
the hassle consdering the bolt-ons available (assuming I can find a
slightly lower set). The other option is modifying a mount spacer to
make an off the shelf unit sit a little lower. Anyone built their own
or have any comments on the mount/system to lower the step up? I'd love
to use a lineal actuator to make a lowering step but I think that's a
project that would never get past the planning stage due to time. RV
versions of this tend to be a little spendy and will probably be a bit
of a hassle to mount.


The problem with lowering is that you have less ground clearance and the
running board is likely to snag on stuff. Have you looked at the kits for
the powered ones?
http://trucktoys4less.com/pobybe.html



--

Dan

D Murphy wrote:

Koz wrote in news:Vt6dnap38oCMaP7fRVn-
:



Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I
used to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.

The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on
the "bad" days.

Anyone know of a brand that hangs a tad bit lower than the others?
Dropping a good 6 inches would be nice and would still be only slightly
lower than the frame (I don't intend to need super high clearance for
off road stuff)

*metalworking content* I could fab my own but I'm not sure it's worth
the hassle consdering the bolt-ons available (assuming I can find a
slightly lower set). The other option is modifying a mount spacer to
make an off the shelf unit sit a little lower. Anyone built their own
or have any comments on the mount/system to lower the step up? I'd love
to use a lineal actuator to make a lowering step but I think that's a
project that would never get past the planning stage due to time. RV
versions of this tend to be a little spendy and will probably be a bit
of a hassle to mount.




The problem with lowering is that you have less ground clearance and the
running board is likely to snag on stuff. Have you looked at the kits for
the powered ones?
http://trucktoys4less.com/pobybe.html





Perfect on all accounts except the price. Not sure I can swing the $
1300 considering that it's not the car she will be driving very often.

Thanks for the link though as it's something to consider

Koz

How from another vantage point:
Instead of fooling w/ the running board, fashion semi-drop down *handgrips*
from inside the cab to help get inside? Nylon hand thingies for cable-style
weight lifting can be had real cheap ($5?), just need D rings, an attachment
point(s) inside. This is actually handy for *anyone*!
They bang you pretty for truck accessories, in general.

On the running board itself, which are often large diam. tube-like things
to begin with, mebbe you could drill thru, at about 30 deg or so, for a pair
of 1" SS tubing, which, if detented, could slide out/down via gravity/hand
like a mini-ladder, and then detente/lock back up w/ a kick. IOW, just a
pair of tubes sliding perpendicularly out of bigger tubes.
Could also just make a manual release pin, like what adjusts squat
seats'n'stuff in gyms. MSC has all of this hardware.
----------------------------
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"Koz" wrote in message
...


D Murphy wrote:

Koz wrote in news:Vt6dnap38oCMaP7fRVn-
:


Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I
used to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.

The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on
the "bad" days.
Anyone know of a brand that hangs a tad bit lower than the others?
Dropping a good 6 inches would be nice and would still be only slightly
lower than the frame (I don't intend to need super high clearance for
off road stuff)

*metalworking content* I could fab my own but I'm not sure it's worth
the hassle consdering the bolt-ons available (assuming I can find a
slightly lower set). The other option is modifying a mount spacer to
make an off the shelf unit sit a little lower. Anyone built their own or
have any comments on the mount/system to lower the step up? I'd love to
use a lineal actuator to make a lowering step but I think that's a
project that would never get past the planning stage due to time. RV
versions of this tend to be a little spendy and will probably be a bit of
a hassle to mount.



The problem with lowering is that you have less ground clearance and the
running board is likely to snag on stuff. Have you looked at the kits for
the powered ones?
http://trucktoys4less.com/pobybe.html




Perfect on all accounts except the price. Not sure I can swing the $ 1300
considering that it's not the car she will be driving very often.

Thanks for the link though as it's something to consider

Koz

"Koz" wrote in message
...
| Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I
| used to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.
|
| The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
| climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
| available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
| inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on
| the "bad" days.
|
| Anyone know of a brand that hangs a tad bit lower than the others?
| Dropping a good 6 inches would be nice and would still be only slightly
| lower than the frame (I don't intend to need super high clearance for
| off road stuff)
|
| *metalworking content* I could fab my own but I'm not sure it's worth
| the hassle consdering the bolt-ons available (assuming I can find a
| slightly lower set). The other option is modifying a mount spacer to
| make an off the shelf unit sit a little lower. Anyone built their own
| or have any comments on the mount/system to lower the step up? I'd love
| to use a lineal actuator to make a lowering step but I think that's a
| project that would never get past the planning stage due to time. RV
| versions of this tend to be a little spendy and will probably be a bit
| of a hassle to mount.
|
| Koz

Something else to consider. Visit a local shop that sells crane and
rigging supplies. Get a few feet of 1" or so cable that's in decent shape.
The idea is to use the cable for the vertical part of the steps, and you can
make the actual steps out of whatever you like, but it has to clamp to the
cable rather than weld to it (bad.) Suspend it however you see fit, and
now you have fairly stiff steps that will handily bend out of the way and
"spring" back when you need them to. If you mount the top part of the cable
horizontally, the steps will point out some and be less likely to swing your
wife's shins into the door sill, depending on how stiff the cable is. The
shop might help you figure out what a good size or material would be. The
one I saw had the cable loop around and back up at the bottom step, which
reduced snagging possibilities from the rounded surface.
Personally, I never liked attaching anything to the body at the door
sill because of the possibility that whatever you hit will cause whatever
you attached to damage the body, but this idea tends to be a bit more
forgiving, although I'd still rather pick it up at the frame, but it is
farther away.

Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I
used to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.

The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on
the "bad" days.

Anyone know of a brand that hangs a tad bit lower than the others?
Dropping a good 6 inches would be nice and would still be only slightly
lower than the frame (I don't intend to need super high clearance for
off road stuff)

*metalworking content* I could fab my own but I'm not sure it's worth
the hassle consdering the bolt-ons available (assuming I can find a
slightly lower set). The other option is modifying a mount spacer to
make an off the shelf unit sit a little lower. Anyone built their own
or have any comments on the mount/system to lower the step up? I'd love
to use a lineal actuator to make a lowering step but I think that's a
project that would never get past the planning stage due to time. RV
versions of this tend to be a little spendy and will probably be a bit
of a hassle to mount.

Koz

I think, in your situation, you could purchase a nice (decent) set of
"nerf bars" which are the "tube" type steps which extend out from
under the truck and act as a step. I believe most are "bent down" a
little bit - and I was thinking you could :
1... Make up a spacer of sorts, to lower down the mounting point from
the frame, and it's thickness could be whatever you needed.
2... If (and I say *if* because I don't know for sure) the mounting
ends of the nerf bars are still tubular in shape, you could mount a
spacer to the underside of the frame, then a round "socket" for the
end of the nerf bar to slip into.... the nerf bar could be slipped
into place, your lady could then enter the vehicle, the nerf bar could
be removed (only for ground clearance problems) and stored in the back
of your cab. Upon arrival at your destination, you could insert the
nerf bar again for exiting the vehicle... because you are the
gentleman that you are - you will be there to open her door for her
anyway....
Ken.

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 10:57:32 -0700, Koz
wrote:

Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I
used to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.

The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on
the "bad" days.

KISS - buy or build a nice wide and sturdy footstool for truck
access on the 'bad days', and toss it in the bed of the truck after
she gets in. ;-) Between that and a running board/nerf bar step, she
should be fine.

Been There, Dealt With That, several times. E250, C3500, FJ-62.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

Something like this might work:

http://www.truckcustomizers.com/prod...4BLY209.2.html

http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/s...StepBars03.asp

Best Regards,
Keith Marshall


"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"


"Koz" wrote in message
...
Just got an F150 4wd extended cab that is a little higher than what I used
to drive. I need to add some running boards/steps.

The problem is the "wife to be" has rheumatoid arthritis which makes the
climb a little difficult at times. Looking around at commercially
available steps and running boards, it seems that you gain only about 4
inches in reduced step height. This may be a little too high still on the
"bad" days.
Anyone know of a brand that hangs a tad bit lower than the others?
Dropping a good 6 inches would be nice and would still be only slightly
lower than the frame (I don't intend to need super high clearance for off
road stuff)

*metalworking content* I could fab my own but I'm not sure it's worth the
hassle consdering the bolt-ons available (assuming I can find a slightly
lower set). The other option is modifying a mount spacer to make an off
the shelf unit sit a little lower. Anyone built their own or have any
comments on the mount/system to lower the step up? I'd love to use a
lineal actuator to make a lowering step but I think that's a project that
would never get past the planning stage due to time. RV versions of this
tend to be a little spendy and will probably be a bit of a hassle to
mount.

Koz