Bestop PowerBoard Install
Everything about Tim’s 2002 F-350 Super Duty was in pristine condition when he bought it used last year except the OEM chrome tube side steps, which had loose step pads and rust from hanging out at the coast. Off they came. Tim liked the look of the pickup without the side steps, but Lacey, his young bride, didn’t like the climb to get in. She deserved better.
Enter Bestop with a brilliant solution: the PowerBoard (www.bestoppowerboard.com). The PowerBoard is a well engineered system that uses heavy-duty motors to deploy a cab length step in less than a second when a door on that side of the vehicle opens. The step completely retracts under the vehicle as soon as the door is closed.
Most pickup step boards are mounted too high and too close to the vehicle to provide a natural step. Not so with the PowerBoard, which splits the distance between the ground and the pickup floor boards, making a comfortable step into the vehicle.
The key is the fact that the steps retract. They couldn’t be positioned as low or as far away from the vehicle if they didn’t tuck away while the truck is in operation. Now Tim has the look he wants on his pickup and everyone has a comfortable step for climbing aboard.
The components fit very well to the stock mounting points, the wiring harness was the right size for the crew cab and the kit included some nice details such as butt connectors, cable ties and connecting wires.
Lights on the Bestop PowerBoards are functional and look cool on "date night."
The operation of the steps is just cool. When you open any door, the step on that side deploys very quickly so you don’t miss a step getting in. When the doors are closed and the steps are up you cannot see them unless you happen to be two feet tall.
At 6 ¼” wide, the steps are comfortable and nearly skid-proof when clean. They appear to be thin, which helps them tuck away, but they are quite strong.
You can find several of the PowerBoard models on line for about $1,000 and save money by installing them yourself. When ordering the kit, be sure to research any information available on Bestop’s website about your specific pickup model. You can download the installation guide and scroll down until you get to the wiring guide. Find the page that is specific to your truck and look for any additional kits required. In Tim’s case he needed a different control module than comes standard with the kit.
Here’s how Tim got the install done on his 2002 Ford F-250 Super Duty Crew Cab:
