Thread: what do you do to protect your running boards

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hey guys with trucks that have running boards. after you get that fancy paintjob what are you doing to protect the boards? I see a 50 ford on ebay right now with chromed running boards, that just seems like invited scratches, but is kinda cool. I see some truck have pates on them, where do you get those?

thanks guys.

If you are talking about painted running boards, I would try a clear adhesive plastic, Like the materials used to add signage to commercial vehicles. When it gets scuffed up, peel it iff and recover with new material. You can buy it at sign supply stores.

Dago
you can get the steel step pads at LMC truck or http://macsautoparts.com/
both online. sacramento vintage ford...I'm looking into putting black rubber pads on mine to protect them after it gets paint. I'll look around and see if I can find out who sells the rubber kits. Steve.

Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT

If you are talking about painted running boards, I would try a clear adhesive plastic, Like the materials used to add signage to commercial vehicles. When it gets scuffed up, peel it iff and recover with new material. You can buy it at sign supply stores.

That is what I did ...got it off Ebay

I like the clear plastic adhesive idea. my coworker used to work for a sign shop and still knows them, he should be able to help me out.

of course my uncle has a say in it, he may like the steel ones. I just imagine that they'd leave you with different problems, i.e. color variation due to sun exposure, rust etc.

Red

I step over them........my legs are long enough. My wife has the short little legs and steps right on them...........

Anyways, I made up some covers from Diamond plate aluminum...........it covers the whole tread area.........and covers some rusty parts too.....LOL

picture doesn't show them real well........

The folks on this Forum have been polite to me but I have gone totally vulgar using aluminum diamond plate covers. The diamond plate idea could be done in steel (stainless?) which is probably better than aluminum. I already have some scratches in the aluminum mainly from the drill bit slipping when I made holes for the (stainless) bolts but so far the diamond plate is protecting tool drops and foot print scratches as I squat to work on the inside of the car. I am a shameless fan of shiny stuff and the folks on this Forum have politely avoided the obvious criticism of my vulgar running boards, but the more I look at them the more I like them. One cop out would be to possibly remove them and have them covered with truck bed stuff and if I get tired of the glare I may yet do that. The main take home point is that the diamond plate ridges take the wear while the main surface is protected whether it is shiny or dull black and the early Model A trucks had corregated surfaces like the diamond plate. I have some sensitivity to peer pressure and if people start to vomit on my running boards I will get the message and put truck bed stuff on them but then the wear points will be shiny after a while. I have many other problems before getting the car running so I will put off the decision about the running boards until whenever I get tired of the glare!

Don Shillady
Retired SCientist/teen rodder

Don,

No offense, but I just can't look at diamond plate on anything but a trailer floor or a truck bed. It makes my eyeballs hurt. A defective gene, I suppose.

I approached the problem two ways:

1. I painted the running boards on my '31 A-bone. I stepped over them, and informed anyone riding with me that stepping on a running board would be grounds for summary execution.

2. My '34 coupe has no fenders, hence no running boards.

Problem solved.

Henry, thanks for the polite comment. I recently got new glasses that darken with light so maybe that is why I can handle the glare! It was a surprise to me that the running boards produce a strange herring bone reflection in the sides of the body, that is one feature that does not please me but most rods are changed again and again over the years so maybe the running boards will be changed/covered in the future. As an aside your comment about having a running car and tooling around the loop (discouraged by the local officers) at Virginia Beach has been a great inspiration to me to get my car running and maybe with garage heaters I can get the wiring done over the Winter. The guy at It's-A-Snap asked me if I would be working on it this weekend as if it can be done in a few days. It probably can by an experienced person but I have to reason out every step so If I get done by March that would be good for me. Then it will be able to get inspected and driven without a top until I can wait in line at the shop I have chosen for final upholstery and a top in the Summer or early Fall.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

with the clear tape....




FIL truck with step pads.....

Has anyone used rhino lining on them? I'm all for the rubber pads on top. Hell running boards are meant to be used!

I spend a lot of time yelling at little kids to "Get the Hell off there!!!!"

I do mine like Henry!

first off, iceburgh I love that paint man!! too cool!

I have back problems and he is needing a hip replacement, so stepping over them probably not gonna happen. i talked to him about it today, he likes the way the plates look, he said maybe with the ford logo.

Red

I mention this all the time on this subject, my dad has rhino liner on his car. The painter either tinted the rhino liner or painted over it to match the rest of the car. Looks dynamite and very subtle! I would not do anything else after seeing his car.