How To Put Running Boards On A Truck After You've Lifted It Up To Go Off-Roading

Posted on: 13 May 2016

Lifting up the suspension of a truck is essential to get it ready for off-road driving, but lifting the truck up also makes it a lot harder to get into the truck. A few inches in height can be the difference between easily stepping into the truck and stretching your legs to get into the truck. You can solve this issue by adding running boards that you can step on to help you and your passengers get into the truck. Installing running boards is a task the average do-it-yourselfer mechanic can do on their own in an hour or two. If you have recently lifted up the suspension of your truck and you need to add running boards to help you get into it, here is an overview of how you can add them to your truck.

You Will Need:

  • Running Boards
  • Brackets
  • Mounting Hardware
  • Plastic Washers

Mount Brackets

The mounting holes for the brackets are located underneath both sides of the truck on the inside of the frame walls between the front and back wheels. You want to make sure you get brackets that are specially designed to fit your truck. You will see three holes formed into a pyramid shape on the frame. One large hole is near the top of the frame and two smaller holes are underneath it.

There is a short flat bracket piece with a bolt stud welded onto one end of it and a threaded hole drilled through it at the other end. Slide the piece into the large hole in the frame while holding onto the stud. Put a plastic washer on the stud. This plastic washer will keep the bracket piece from falling into the inside of the frame.

Align the threaded hole on the bracket piece to one of the bottom holes on the frame. Use the bottom hole that allows the bracket to stay vertical to the inside of the frame (this ensures that the platforms for the running boards will be level with each other on the outside of the truck).You can twist the stud to properly line up the threaded hole on the piece of the bracket inside the frame to the hole in the wall on the frame. Slide the main bracket over the stud at the top hole and align hole at the bottom of the bracket with the hole you are using on the frame. Connect the two bracket parts together by sliding a bolt through the main part and frame, and screwing it into the threaded hole on the piece of bracket inside the frame. Just hand-tighten all the nuts on the bolts for now. Repeat this process for all the brackets on both sides of the vehicle.

Mount Running Boards

The running boards are usually the same for the driver and passenger sides, but they must face in the right direction. Check how the board is marked so you know how to place it on the platforms of the brackets. Set the running board in place and the bolt it to the platforms. Make sure the bolts are tight, and then tighten the rest bolts on the rest of the bracket.

Test the running board by stepping on and off it a few times to make sure everything holds together. 

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