Just picked up a Tacoma double cab/ long bed and would like to put some stainless nerf bars on it. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Reasonable price and painless installation required...LOL.
Thanks in advance for your time in replying. This is my first Toyota....damn nice truck :)
I put Smittybilt nerf bars on my 2000 Tundra Access Cab just after I bought it. The stainless steel bars look just as good as the day they went on, are a dream to clean and handles 240 pounds of me standing on them to wax the top of the cab with no problem. They weren't expensive and were easy to put on.
I've heard some comments about how they don't stand up to hard off roading, something I don't do but, using the 4WD to cross fields or drive on rutted dirt roads - no problems.
Skip
If you want bars that are strong enough to actually protect the body, you do not want the standard 'nerf bars' that are literally made of tissue paper. The term to search for at the equipment suppliers is "Rock Sliders".
They are the industrial strength version that actually provide protection against rocks into the rocker panels, as well as a step you can stand on without bending, and a good strong place to tie down stuff in the front of the bed. And they aren't going to come in Stainless, though you might be able to get chromed ones.
If you do any moderate to gonzo off-roading, they're worth their weight - a lot of rocks out there that'll jump up and bite you.
-->--
First of all the question you need to ask yourself is, What am I really going to do with this truck? Will I take it off-road for some hardcore rockin, or will it mainly see some trail time? If your like most of us, then you will get by just fine with the great looks of Smittybuilt nerf bars. I had them on my 91 Toy 4X4 which saw minor rocks and MAJOR trail running. They went a long way at protecting my trucks from scraping on downed trees and I even slid off some boulders here and there. For my ROCK CRAWLER I had a custom rock slider made, a good bit thicker and a much better attaching system, Your nerf bars are attached to the frame with plate steel but only in two places, whereas my sliders were attached in four points. If your like others you want a GREAT looking "make em think this truck can drive over Everest" yet its nothing more than a grocery getter truck that will never see as much as a spec of dust. Yes believe it or not there are people out there that buy 4X4's and turn them into these MANLY MAN trucks. They are obviosly hiding a shortcoming somewhere! Or you can have a greatlooking but battle scarred truck!
Nerf bars for the ordinary about 150.00
Rock Sliders for the real off roaders Priceless!!
Searcher
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.