Steps for Trucks - What are Your Options?

There are several reasons why you might consider upgrading or installing truck steps on your rig. Maybe you just got it lifted or installed taller tires, which makes it harder to step into. Or, maybe you have family members who regularly ride in your truck and they have trouble stepping up into a tall vehicle. Steps for trucks make life easier with a tall truck by providing a convenient way of getting in and out.

Truck steps come in different styles that may have some slightly different functions. Let’s take a closer look at what options are available today.

Step Bars

Truck step bars are probably the most common type of truck step and they’re known by many names, including nerf bars, sidebars, and side steps, among others. These bars are tubular pieces of metal that are installed below the entrance of your truck doors. 

Compared to running boards, which are the second most popular type of side step, step bars are narrower and leave space between the step and the vehicle.

Step bars will also reduce your ground clearance by a few inches. Step bars and nerf bars come in stainless or aluminum for the shiny look or black painted or powder-coated steel or aluminum.

Running Boards

Running boards for trucks are the second most popular type of steps for trucks. Unlike step bars, truck running boards provide a wider stepping surface and usually mount flush to the vehicle, without leaving any gaps.

Step bars generally provide custom foot pads on the tubular metal right where you enter the truck. However, running boards are designed with tread along the entire length of the board.

Running boards usually offer more ground clearance than step bars, which makes them useful, even on lower vehicles. Another nice feature of running boards is that they provide some protection against dings from car doors in parkinglots. The boards are usually about flush with curbs on lower vehicles, so you’re more likely to have the running board hit the curb, rather than your door if you get too close.

Powered Running Boards

As you might suspect, power running boards are running boards that operate using your truck’s electrical power. Each side extends automatically when a door on their side is opened and closes when the door shuts.

When the door is closed, they fold back up to hide beneath the door. This allows you to have a step when you need it, while maintaining your truck’s factory look and ground clearance

Some power running boards also have extra features like LED lighting to help you see the step in the dark.

Bed Steps

Bed steps are exactly what they sound like - steps that help you reach or step into your truck bed. Bed steps are specifically made for each truck application, as well as to be mounted either at the rear corner or on the side of the truck, in front of the rear wheel.

These side steps can really come in handy if you have a tall or lifted truck with a toolbox installed. A rear bed step can also help you climb into the bed of your truck – especially handy for lifted trucks and old knees.

Bed steps come in both powered and manual versions, however, most truck bed steps are manually retractable. Simply nudge one with your foot and it folds back up and tucks in beneath the truck.

Rock Sliders

Rock sliders are technically a type of truck step, but they’re more for protection against rocks when you go off-road. Rock sliders maintain your truck’s ground clearance and keep the side profile to a minimum.

These steps might also be called rock guards. Some rock guards also double as side steps, and there are side steps that also feature a rock guard below the step. Another key feature of some rock guards and rock sliders is the recovery jack point. that, depending on the model, they may be used as jack points.

These jack points make it easier to make emergency repairs or swaps while in a remote off-road area. The point of rock sliders is mainly to take the brunt of any impact with an obstacle and not cause irreparable damage to your rocker panels.

Hitch Steps

Hitch steps are a type of truck step that installs into your hitch’s receiver. These have a similar function to bed steps in that they allow you to more easily reach into your bed, without having to stepp on the rear bumper.

However, they can also be installed on Jeeps or SUVs to help you reach the roof. For example, if you need to remove a lot of snow from your roof, having a hitch step can help make this job much easier. You might also use a hitch step to reach a roof rack or truck rack tent or something similar on the top of your vehicle.

In choosing between these different types of steps for your truck, Jeep, or SUV, you’ll want to consider what you need it for and how you use your rig. For example, if you go off-road often, you’ll want to mainly look at steps that preserve your ground clearance or double as rock guards or have built-in skid plates underneath.

Explore a wide selection of different side steps and running boards for trucks, as well as many other parts and accessories for trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs at H&H Truck Accessories. It's easy to shop online or you can visit your local well-stocked H&H store to find what you need. We also provide installation for many of our parts and truck accessories at our stores.