Raptor Series Running Boards with 5 Inch Step Pads and 400 lb Weight Rating

  Raptor is known for quality, durability, and competitive pricing. You’ll get all that a more with their Tread Step running boards. These boards feature a long step area covered in a textured step pad that is 5 inches wide. The No Drill Install is super easy and utilizes factory mounting on your rocker panel. Backed by Raptor’s 10 year limited warranty and made of corrosion resistant aluminum with a black e-coated finish, these TreadSteps are built to last.

Bullet Point Breakdown of the Raptor TreadSteps Nerf Step Bars

        No time to read this whole article? Just want the quick and dirty dets? “Too long; didn’t read” your fav acronym? Don’t worry. We hear ya. Here’s our Midwest Aftermarket Bullet Point Breakdown of the Raptor TreadSteps Nerf Step Bars:

• Aluminum Running Boards that won’t rust
• 400 lbs weight limit each, for a high weight capacity
• Mounting hardware included for easy DIY install
• Large step area for even the biggest of feet
• Matte black e-coating protects the board from dents and dings and scratches
• Superior corrosion protection over chrome and steel boards and nerf bars
• Slip resistant tread style step area helps keep your shoes on the board even in slippery weather
• Custom mounting solutions are specific to your make, model, and year vehicle
• Anti-Slip tread is what makes the TreadStep superior to other running boards on the market
• Tread you can see right on the product that runs nearly the whole length of the board
• Backed by Raptor’s 10 year limited warranty.
• Made of light weight but extra durable aluminum that will not rust in wintery conditions.
• One of the best running boards on the market, especially if you live in an area that has harsh winters.

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Raptor TreadSteps Nerf Bars

When it comes to selecting the right running board for your ride, you need to take a few different aspects into account. You need to consider where you live, what you want the boards or bars to look like, and what material you want the bars to be made from.

As usual, if I’m shopping for a product that is going to be on my truck, I want to start with the looks of it. If the part fits and makes my truck look cool, I’m more likely to buy it. And there’s nothing wrong with starting there. I’m assuming that if you’ve found your way to this page, it is partially because you like the look of the TreadStep from Raptor Series.

I like it too. The treads on this running board are particularly defined and run nearly the entire length of the board. This not only adds great texture to help you get friction when stepping up onto the board, but it also adds some depth to the look and feel of the running board.

The black e-coating finish acts as both a protective barrier and a stylish finish, making the board match with most OEM matte black trim as wall as many popular styles of aftermarket accessories today.

From afar, these boards might look like they are matte black oval steps, but once they get up closer, the textured step area pops, showing the hidden style of the running board and step pad itself.

And all of these features, whether it be the 5 inch wide step area or the e-coating, are both functional and appealing to the eye. So in this case, you really could have your cake and eat it too, so to speak.

I like a running board that works, fits my larger sized boots, and looks good while doing it. And the Raptor Series TreadStep does just that.

But looks are really just the first step to picking out a potential running board or nerf step bar. Next you should really ask yourself some serious questions about how much you want to invest in a bar and where you live.

That second part I think throws people too often. Why does it matter where I live? Doesn’t a step board work fine whether I’m in Florida or Marine? New York or Alabama? Texas or Michigan? Oregon or California?

Yes, to a certain extent, a running board is a running board. The TreadStep is going to be able to do its job just fine wherever you are. But that isn’t always the case exactly. Most step bars when you first install them, yes, they will be just fine no matter where you are. But once that board or bar gets exposed to the elements you will start to notice some differences.

And after you’ve gone through a Midwest or Northeastern or Northwestern Winter or too, you’ll start to notice some changes to your step bar if you’ve chosen the wrong running board for your particular climate.

I know. I know. You didn’t know you were going to get a talk about weather and climes today. So let me explain what I’m getting at.

Too many common running boards and cheap nerf step bars on the market today are made from steel and / or a polished chrome finish. Heck, my own personal truck came with some OEM chrome steps. And the fact of the matter is, those steel and chrome steps might not be the best choice for those of us who live in an area that gets harsh winters.

The issue has little to do with the quality of the boards, really. This is more of a material design issue, at the heart of the matter.

Here’s a shocking fact: steel, and most other metals for that matter, rusts.

There. I said it.

In fact, this comes up so often it ought to be our number 1 question in an FAQ on nerf bars and running boards.

We hear it all the time from customers. They love the look of this board or bar, but they want to know: will it rust?

There’s really no beating around the bush here. The answer is probably yes, if the board is made of steel.

But what about that powder coats and e-coats we hear all about?

Those are great and provide an added layer of protection on top of the metal. But the truth is, if that finish gets damaged in any way, whether from a tiny scratch to a minor dent, the metal underneath will become exposed. And once it is exposed, if that metal is steel, it will start to rust.

To make matters worse, we try to emphasize that this is an important consideration, what your steps are made out of, if you’re in an area that gets harsh winters regularly. And what we mean by that is if it snows or you get ice regularly during the winter where you live, steel boards and step bars will be even more likely to rust over time than if you are somewhere that is dry and warm most of the year.

Firstly, that’s just the nature of the beast. Rust is caused by oxidation of metals, which occurs when a metal is exposed to moisture (water) and air (oxygen).

Now for the most part, this is going to be inevitable. Wherever you are, it’s gonna rain sometime, even if only occasionally. And you’ll likely wash your truck. The bars are going to get wet.

Don’t worry: the powder coats and e-coats have you covered there.

The issue really becomes apparent when you start dealing with snow and the chemicals we northern folks love to put on the roads when it snows or we get ice storms and the like.

You see, salt only exacerbates the issue. And many of the other chemicals that are often dumped on the highways and by-ways here in the Midwest all winter long also only make this issue worse.

So the salt and rocks and ice can damage the powder coat, and before you know it, you’re dealing with exposed steel. Next, whereas water from a rainstorm or car wash will just run right off your bars and down the drain, slush and snow often get caked up around your wheel wells, and you guessed it, on your running boards.

Prolonged exposure to moisture will of course cause those steel boards to rust.

Now here’s the good news:

Raptor TreadSteps are not made from steel. They are all aluminum steps. This means they are lightweight, durable, and they will not rust.

Alright, alright, smarty. Let me slow down a minute. Technically, aluminum, like just about every other metal I can think of, will oxidate when exposed to moisture and oxygen. So you got me there. But when aluminum oxidizes, it turns into aluminum oxide, a metal alloy which is just as strong and durable if not more so than aluminum already is. This is a stark difference from steel and most other metals that become brittle and turn orange or brown when they rust. Aluminum actually just darkens up a little typically, so you might not even notice if your aluminum boards have started to oxidize a bit.

And again, you have that superior e-coat to help add to that great durability.

So at the end of the day, you should go with these great TreadSteps if you like their style, are looking for a wide step pad that extends over the majority of the board, and especially if you live in an area that has harsh winters.

We don’t want you getting a product that isn’t going to last because of the weather conditions where you live. Those of us in the Midwest and the North of the country know that our winters are no joke. Make sure you have a running board that can stand up to those harsh winters. Get your Raptor TreadSteps today.

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Our Promise of Exceptional Service and the Lowest Prices on the Interwebs

When you’re ready to order your Raptor TreadSteps Running Boards, we hope you’ll get yours from us here at Midwest Aftermarket. We only promote products we believe in and sell them at the lowest prices, shipping quickly to you for free if you’re in the lower 48 states. We have an excellent return policy and strive to get you the right product in perfect condition the first time.

What are you waiting for? Give us a call or place an order directly through our website. We’ll get your product out to you ASAP so you can enjoy your vehicle and make it your own. If you have a vision of what your truck or Jeep could be, let us help you achieve that image, that goal. We put aftermarket right at the tip of your fingers on your smartphone, web browser, and even via various apps, making ordering the parts you need super easy.

Let us help make your aftermarket dream possible. Let us help you build your dream machine. We want you to drive the truck or Jeep of your dreams right now. So when you get it installed and love it, make sure you share us some pics on social media so we can live vicariously through you. Because we too are aftermarket enthusiasts, truck and Jeep owners, who love and own many of the products we sell. In other words, we don’t just work aftermarket--we are aftermarket.

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