Rock Rail + Stirrup Step

[Brian_B]

So my Big Bend didn't come with anything, and not knowing any better, I had just got a cheap Chinesium nerf bar and threw on the thing to start with. Its your standard oval side step

With the height of the Bronco (35" with 2.5" lift), they never really worked as I wanted. I'm a bit older and have lost some spring in my step, my wife has issues getting in too, and my inlaws can't get in the truck at all (not necessarily a bad thing, mind you...) - the nerf bar wasn't low enough to really help as a step.

I'm not a serious wheeler, but do like to go up in the mountains from time to time, and I've come to realize two things:

The nerf bar cuts into my ground clearance - I've only banged it a couple of times so far, but it's just a matter of time (I have ruined quite a few on F150's just out and about in the field on stumps and such)

But

It's not low enough to be a comfortable step

So basically, I'd like to replace it with a rock rail that doesn't impede ground clearance significantly and still protects the body. And I'd like a removable stirrup step - something that drops down and makes it comfortable to get in and out, but it halfway easy to pull off in the field when I go off road.

Most steps I see are more or less even with the rock rail. I've seen a few that drop like a real stirrup step, but most seem to be roughly at the same level as the rock rail, which would be no different or maybe even worse for getting into the Bronco than my existing nerf bar.

The Ford OEM hoop step is an option I suppose, but it doesn't attach to the real rock rail. It isn't clear if that comes with the rail (it does say the rail isn't a real rock rail - no idea how durable that thing would be), or if it requires a not-included OEM rail to mount to.

I was looking at the RC SR2 - but that doesn't look like you can really pull the step out in the field without dropping the entire bar down. It's also aluminum so I don't know that it would hold up very well if it did take a hit.

The RSE ones look nice, but wow are they pricey.

IAG has removable steps for the OEM rail, but they aren't stirrup steps and I'd still need the OEM rail.

Any other suggestions? I don't wheel hard, so the rock rail doesn't necessarily need to be bulletproof, but something that would take a hit or two without being disposable would be nice. Throwing a step stool in the back end is not an option (we already do that for the inlaws if we have to).

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[Copperhorse73]

I know a lot of folks runNing the @Mountains2Metal steps on factory rock rails and love them. Black Friday sale 15% with code MACARONI going on now.
https://mountains2metal.com/BR6SS-SK/

 

[Brian_B]

I know a lot of folks runNing the @Mountains2Metal steps on factory rock rails and love them. Black Friday sale 15% with code MACARONI going on now.
https://mountains2metal.com/BR6SS-SK/

Those are nice. Looks like they require this if I’m not mistaken:

https://accessories.ford.com/bronco-4dr-2021-2023-rock-rails

 

[Copperhorse73]

Those are nice. Looks like they require this if I’m not mistaken:

https://accessories.ford.com/bronco-4dr-2021-2023-rock-rails

Yeah they mount to the factory rails and come off easily for off roading. Factory rails are easy to find on FB marketplace or here for a decent price

 

[GroovyGeek]

Since I am cheap, I got the used ones here
https://www.amazon.com/Broaddict-EZ-Steps-2021-2024-Replace-Running/dp/B0BXH6JK9N/

The M2Ms look great but $100 is $100.

 

[IAG Performance]

So my Big Bend didn't come with anything, and not knowing any better, I had just got a cheap Chinesium nerf bar and threw on the thing to start with. Its your standard oval side step

With the height of the Bronco (35" with 2.5" lift), they never really worked as I wanted. I'm a bit older and have lost some spring in my step, my wife has issues getting in too, and my inlaws can't get in the truck at all (not necessarily a bad thing, mind you...) - the nerf bar wasn't low enough to really help as a step.

I'm not a serious wheeler, but do like to go up in the mountains from time to time, and I've come to realize two things:

The nerf bar cuts into my ground clearance - I've only banged it a couple of times so far, but it's just a matter of time (I have ruined quite a few on F150's just out and about in the field on stumps and such)

But

It's not low enough to be a comfortable step

So basically, I'd like to replace it with a rock rail that doesn't impede ground clearance significantly and still protects the body. And I'd like a removable stirrup step - something that drops down and makes it comfortable to get in and out, but it halfway easy to pull off in the field when I go off road.

Most steps I see are more or less even with the rock rail. I've seen a few that drop like a real stirrup step, but most seem to be roughly at the same level as the rock rail, which would be no different or maybe even worse for getting into the Bronco than my existing nerf bar.

The Ford OEM hoop step is an option I suppose, but it doesn't attach to the real rock rail. It isn't clear if that comes with the rail (it does say the rail isn't a real rock rail - no idea how durable that thing would be), or if it requires a not-included OEM rail to mount to.

I was looking at the RC SR2 - but that doesn't look like you can really pull the step out in the field without dropping the entire bar down. It's also aluminum so I don't know that it would hold up very well if it did take a hit.

The RSE ones look nice, but wow are they pricey.

IAG has removable steps for the OEM rail, but they aren't stirrup steps and I'd still need the OEM rail.

Any other suggestions? I don't wheel hard, so the rock rail doesn't necessarily need to be bulletproof, but something that would take a hit or two without being disposable would be nice. Throwing a step stool in the back end is not an option (we already do that for the inlaws if we have to).

We also offer a factory-style rock rail that works with our steps for significantly less than the dealer. Our Black Friday sale will start next week as well!

https://iagoffroad.com/iag-i-line-factory-style-rock-rail-2021-ford-bronco-four-door/

 

[fourdayoff]

I know the RSE are pricy but I had them in my shop before my Badsquatch arrived. After we had gone to the Offrodeo I knew we would need them. The DW is short and I'm old. Other benefits are protection from rock chips and door dings in parking lots from those "inconsiderate" Morons. Jim.

 

[Brian_B]

Since I am cheap, I got the used ones here
https://www.amazon.com/Broaddict-EZ-Steps-2021-2024-Replace-Running/dp/B0BXH6JK9N/

The M2Ms look great but $100 is $100.

I agree about the $100 part, only issue with these versus the M2M is the M2M appear to drop down a few inches lower. These don't look like they drop much, if at all. The drop on the step is what I'm really looking for. I don't know if the M2M drop is even enough - where my oval nerfs sit now is too high by about 3" because of the lift, and that would be about where I think the Broaddict would sit - roughly along the bottom of the rock rail.

That said, I'm just going off pictures - I would love to be wrong about that!

 

[Brian_B]

I know the RSE are pricy but I had them in my shop before my Badsquatch arrived. After we had gone to the Offrodeo I knew we would need them. The DW is short and I'm old. Other benefits are protection from rock chips and door dings in parking lots from those "inconsiderate" Morons. Jim.

Have to admit I'm thinking more and more about them. A powered step that can take a hit is tempting.

 

[fourdayoff]

Brian, They also have skids for even more protection PM [email protected] he has discounts now. Jim.

 

[GroovyGeek]

I agree about the $100 part, only issue with these versus the M2M is the M2M appear to drop down a few inches lower. These don't look like they drop much, if at all. The drop on the step is what I'm really looking for. I don't know if the M2M drop is even enough - where my oval nerfs sit now is too high by about 3" because of the lift, and that would be about where I think the Broaddict would sit - roughly along the bottom of the rock rail.

That said, I'm just going off pictures - I would love to be wrong about that!

You are correct. As pure steps the IAG/Broaddict/Chinazon designs are worthless. I am tall enough to get half my ass on the seat and then use them to slide myself into the seat. The M2M are definitely better in that respect. For my use mode that design is actually detrimental, and may require removal for even moderate wheeling. The step being level with the rock rail does not reduce ground clearance and can be left on the rail during moderate off-roading.

 

[vrtical]

You are correct. As pure steps the IAG/Broaddict/Chinazon designs are worthless. I am tall enough to get half my ass on the seat and then use them to slide myself into the seat. The M2M are definitely better in that respect. For my use mode that design is actually detrimental, and may require removal for even moderate wheeling. The step being level with the rock rail does not reduce ground clearance and can be left on the rail during moderate off-roading.

This goes completely in a different direction but that is why I put angled step sliders on with a top plate, but it reduces any positive effect in having an actual lowered step.

 

[Brian_B]

The step being level with the rock rail does not reduce ground clearance and can be left on the rail during moderate off-roading.

Yup, I totally understand that. It's part of the reason my current nerf bar is mostly useless - it's too high to be a good step, but it reduces ground clearance so it sucks out in the rocks -- and I can't just take it off after I get there (I could take it off and leave it in the garage, but ... I don't have that much foresight most times). So yeah, worst of all worlds, but at least it acts as something sacrificial so it'll ding up before my body panels will, so it's not ~totally~ useless... just mostly useless.

That's why I was looking for something I could use as a better step, but still be able to remove it in the field if I'm out in the rocks and throw in the back without leaving the pinch seams and such totally naked - M2M's appear to do that, and RSE avoids the issue entirely by folding up.

 

[Brian_B]

This is an older thread I started, but wanted to come back and close it up.

I ended up taking a lot of your advice here and got the Rockslide Engineering steps. I couldn't find anything else that could take a hit, or was easily removable and came down far enough.

If you have the paid subscription to Bronco Nation (I'm on the "First year's free"), they had a decent discount running on them through their store.

They were pricey, but they are very nice, and nothing else comes close to the step reach of a powered step.

Only 3 slight issues with the installation - none of which I would blame RSE on.

The body mount bolts that you need to slide a bracket underneath - the washers on mine had been "captured" with some threading to hold them on the bolt. The washers wouldn't slide up far enough for the bracket to slide on properly. I had to remove the bolts entirely (one at a time), file the threading down a little bit so the washers would drop further, then no problem.

The first step I had a bit of difficulty getting lined up - there's a bit of the plastic trim coming down off the rear fender liner that I just needed to trim back a bit. Once it did that, it lined up perfectly and no issue at all on the second step.

During the calibration procedure, it has you plug in and unplug a sensor. That worked fine. After that, I go to align the magnets, and I couldn't get the steps to do anything. Turns out, the On/Off switch works just fine, and if you have it "Off" the steps won't do anything. Make sure you have the switch "On". It doesn't actually say to do anything with the switch in the installation instructions other than to install it (or if it does I totally missed it, which is entirely likely). Although it should be obvious, I sure missed it and stressed about it for about 30 minutes while I walked through all the wiring and connections and everything.

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