If you live in a region that sees heavy snow, you already know the toll that winter salt, sand, and brine can take on your truck’s aftermarket accessories. Recently, one of our favorite truck enthusiasts, The Gearhead Woodshop, took to the garage to swap out a set of eight-year-old, weather-beaten nerf bars for a brand-new set of Outlaw Running Boards.
The goal? A cleaner look, better traction, and significantly improved ground clearance. Here is a breakdown of the installation process, the inevitable rust-belt wrenching struggles, and why the Outlaw Running Boards are the ultimate functional upgrade for your rig.
The Removal: Battling Rust-Belt Realities
Removing eight-year-old hardware in New England is always a gamble. The old nerf bars were a one-piece welded unit, making them a bit clunky to remove.
Pro-Tip From the Trenches: Always use jack stands to support heavy, one-piece bars while you back out the hardware.
At first glance, the hardware didn’t look completely doomed, but as any seasoned DIYer knows, the truck always fights back, and a broken bolt can ruin your weekend.
And unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened on the driver’s side front bracket. After two hours of battling with screw extractors, reverse drill bits, and a Dremel, the bolt had to be punched through entirely – after all, stripped or broken frame bolts are sometimes a rite of passage. The solution? A heavy-duty rivet nut tool. Installing a fresh threaded insert is a fast, permanent fix that brings compromised mounting points back to life.
The Westin Outlaw Running Boards Install
With the frame threads chased and cleaned with a tap, it was time for the fun part. Despite the heavy-duty nature of our Outlaw Running Boards, the bolt-on installation is incredibly straightforward.
Starting on the driver’s side, the brackets mount using the supplied 8mm bolts and pinch weld hardware. To make future maintenance a breeze, it never hurts to apply a generous coat of anti-seize to the threads.
Our hardware kits include handy plastic retainers to hold the backing plates in place inside the body panel, making it easy to slide the bracket over and thread the nuts without dropping hardware into the void. Once all three brackets are loosely installed, you simply lay the running board on top, align your fitment, tighten the brackets to the truck, and apply the final torque.
The Review: Are Running Boards Better Than Nerf Bars?
After stepping back to admire the fresh Outlaw Running Boards, the upgrade immediately solved the biggest pain points of the old nerf bars.
- Ground Clearance Gains: The biggest difference is the vertical clearance. The Westin Outlaw Running Boards sit just over 3 inches higher than the previous drop-step nerf bars. If you spend time off-road, those 3 inches make a huge difference.
- Tucked Profile: These running boards sit tighter to the rocker panel and don’t stick out quite as far, giving a much sleeker, more aggressive stance without sacrificing utility.
- All-Weather Grip: The stamped top plate provides traction, which is a handy safety upgrade when you are climbing in and out of the cab with wet or muddy boots.
- Paint Protection: A high-clearance, tight-fitting board acts as an incredible shield. It stops gravel, sand, and mud thrown by aggressive all-terrain tires from sandblasting your truck’s lower doors and rocker panels.
The final verdict? For a truck that pulls double duty as a daily driver and a weekend mountain explorer, swapping to the Outlaw Running Boards is an absolute win for the Gearhead Woodshop.
Nerf Bars and Running Boards from Westin Automotive
Ready to ditch your old factory steps and upgrade your ground clearance?
We’ve got a huge selection of steps and boards – no doubt you’ll find what you’re looking for in just a few clicks. While you’re there, browse our entire catalog of products – including tonneau covers, bumpers and more – for trucks, Jeeps, SUVs, and even ATVs and UTVs. Contact us if you have questions – and order today!
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