side step bars

[Nicholas DeMarco 2]

i drove up a large curb and i grounded out the brakets on my platinum step bars. does anyone know if the brakets on the westin are higher up like a lower profile bracket? or know which step bars don't lose too much clearance?

 

[Johnny O]

As far as I know, the factory bars have the best clearance unless (maybe) you get the moulded fiberglass steps. Aftermarket bars and factory accessorie bars are lower.

The Ranger I had before had step bars and they were mostly just good for getting my pants dirty in the winter, so I purposely got a Trac without them and the wife just has to deal with it.

 

[Nicholas DeMarco 2]

i just don't understanf y it looks like the brakets drop below the bars. hell might as well just do a tt & shackle

 

[2]

D Mac, it depend on the year. My 01 had brackets that were flat square looking brackets, they could hold up the weight of the truck. My 03 had the flat metal "C" (for lack of a better description) brackets and they hung down a couple of inches. They would bend whenever I would get hung up on something. I think Ford went with the cheaper bracket to keep down costs. The original brackets were 100% better.

 

[Richard Kolb]

My westins are a lot lower then the stock ones, 3 inches maybe? But they're built like a brick outhouse too.

 

[Tim Turner]

I'd say the Westins are at least 2" lower than stock, probably more. The highest step bars I've seen are stock ones.

 

[Nicholas DeMarco 2]

Olaf W, thats wut i have on the 05 it's like a C and it's about a inch or so lower than the bar. i wonder if the older ones would fit tho

 

[CountyMounty]

I have grounded out the side bars a couple times so far but have not noticed any damage to them from it. I have now found out what JohnnyO is talking about with the dirt pants issue. Anytime there is snow/slush on the road the side bars get completely covered and it gets my pants/boots all dirty. I had considered taking them off but I like the looks of them too much to do that. Im hoping when I put on front mud flaps (that Santa is supposed to bring for Christmas) it will help.

 

[Nicholas DeMarco 2]

yo Olaf W, were u able to bend them back or replaced them? if u replaced them how much were they?

 

[2]

D Mac, the old ones will fit if you can find them. I just left mine, that truck was such a lemon I traded it in right after the warranty expired, they never noticed that my bars were bent right up flush with the body molding. I remember that I did ask for a price on replacement at the dealer and it was something ridiculous like 100 cnd per bracket. You could always try to take them off and try to straighten the brackets in a vice or something.