Removing the Step Bars - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Removing the Step Bars - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Our long-term 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel came with step bars, but they aren't ideal for off-road use, so we removed them.

Read the full story here

s197gt

i like it both ways. (snicker snicker).

but seriously, i actually do. i mean, about the truck...

quadricycle

Travis Langness said:

I always find it a bit strange and annoying when a company uses both metric and standard bolts on the same vehicle, especially in such close vicinity to each other.

Amen, but the blame probably rests on the amount of suppliers involved in vehicle manufacturing. I wouldn't mind them consolidating the number of different size hardware either though.

adamb1

Looks much better without rails.

adamb1

I like retractable running boards on F150 Titanium best of any of these running boards/rails.

bankerdanny

For a truck like your Ram that isn't very high the running boards are more a source of dirt on the legs of my pants than a useful assist for entrance in egress from the truck.

igve2shtz

I wonder if the phantom set of holes are where the running boards would bolt if you only had the extended cab model.

300zx_lover

I know this is absolutely useless information, but how much did the two rails + mounting hardware weigh?

tlangness

300zx_lover said:

I know this is absolutely useless information, but how much did the two rails + mounting hardware weigh?

I didn't have a scale on me at the time, so I can only estimate for now but I'd guess about 15 pounds each. I'll be sure to weigh them before we put them back on.

north52

Umm, last time I checked, a 10mm bolt and a 3/8" bolt are one and the same size. (Using the conversion factor of 25.4mm/in, 10mm = 3/8").
Did the 3/8" bolts have a larger shank? Also, depending on wrench, socket and bolt brand, you should be able to use the same tool for both sizes. Maybe one of your bolt sizes was different from what you noted?

speednet

I have a 2014 Laramie myself, and I think the full-length step is just great. Ram is the only US truck to offer a full-length step, as far as I know. Not only is it very convenient, but it looks great too. Also, Dodge says that the full-length step actually makes gas mileage a bit better.

darthbimmer

It looks better without the steps. I've never considered buying a truck with step boards.... In addition to looking goofy they're just an expensive thing that will rip off-- and cause expensive body damage-- when I take my truck off road.

explorerx4

Don't complain when the lower silver paint gets sand blasted off in front of the rear wheels.

actualsize

I think it comes down to who takes their truck off-road and who does not. Also stature. I'm tall and I like to explore off-road when I get the chance, so running boards are not something I look for.

Now, if I needed steps, these full-length ones are nicely conceived. Full coverage makes it easy to get to a tie-down point in the front corner of the bed. But Ram's claims of a fuel economy benefit -- which I have heard from Ram PR staffers myself -- are hard to take seriously. I wonder how many decimal points it takes to measure the effects. 0.01 mpg? 0.001 mpg?