Step It Up With Power Running Boards
Bestop PowerBoards give work trucks an added level of practical convenience
By Bruce W. Smith
One accessory that always gets appreciative nods from pickup owners is automatic running boards that open and retract with the opening of the doors.
Power running boards are an excellent convenience item that provide just the right amount of mid-step to make getting in/out of a pickup easy.
They also provide a modicum of rocker protection and added aesthetic value to any pickup they grace all without decreasing break-over ground clearance.
We installed a a set of Bestop PowerBoards ($1,100) on a 2011 GMC Sierra Crew Cab 4×4 just for those reasons.
Bestop’s kit includes two extruded-and-powder-coated aluminum steps, wiring harness with controller, weatherproof motors, LED light kit and hardware. Everything needed for the upgrade is there including easy-to-follow instructions.
Bestop also covers their product with a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.
Bestop’s PowerBoard arms, which bolt to the body, are made from very high-quality components and carry a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty as does the rest of the kit.
Each PowerBoard step can hold up to 600 pounds.
They are also be “pinch-proof” so errant feet and hands are not going to get caught or hurt when they retract under the body.
In a nutshell, the actuator and support arms bolt to the body, and the Bestop controller and wiring harness connect to the truck’s battery.
Then you attach and plug the LED lights into the harness and away you go.
The professionals at Truck Supply & Outfitters in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, handled our Bestop PowerBoards install in a couple hours time.
RELATED: Click HERE to see the step-by-step install.
Now when any of this GMC’s doors are opened, there’s a hint of a whir and a six-inch-wide step is at the ready. Close the door and the step quietly and quickly folds up under the body until the next time it’s needed to provide a handy step up.
SOURCES
- Bestop: bestop.com; 800-845-3567
- Truck Supply & Outfitters: trucksupplyandoutfitters.com; 205-553-4203
