Anyone heard of/dealt with IAG off-road? Add on steps for Rubi rails.

[Jerhemi]

I came across IAG on Reddit and they are about to offer some add on steps for the factory Rubi rails...Wondering if anyone has ever used their stuff. The add on steps look half decent...

Steps

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[Aleph]

I was about to say that if these are easy to put on and take off, sign me up. But then I saw the price.

 

[Jerhemi]

I was about to say that if these are easy to put on and take off, sign me up. But then I saw the price.

Price is for 4 pieces at least.

 

[NXTGENAutomotive]

We are a proud actual member of the Jeep community ( not mostly a Bronco company) and we’ve been working on hard on a great removable step product coming soon for factory rock slider rails.

You can see more details here: https://nxtgenautomotive.com/xterrain-steps-for-wrangler-gladiator-factory-rock-slider-rails

We’d also appreciate your consideration and we’d love to add you to the NXTGEN Family

- The NXTGEN, Inc Team

 

[Jerhemi]

We are a proud actual member of the Jeep community ( not mostly a Bronco company) and we’ve been working on hard on a great removable step product coming soon for factory rock slider rails.

You can see more details here: https://nxtgenautomotive.com/xterrain-steps-for-wrangler-gladiator-factory-rock-slider-rails

We’d also appreciate your consideration and we’d love to add you to the NXTGEN Family

- The NXTGEN, Inc Team

I appreciate your work, I don’t care for the drop down style of your step. I asked in your thread if you would be building a style like I posted above.

 

[NXTGENAutomotive]

I appreciate your work, I don’t care for the drop down style of your step. I asked in your thread if you would be building a style like I posted above.

@Jerhemi We actually started with that concept and went with the drop down. When we first started looking into this over a year ago, AR was still making a very costly, yet similar style to IAG. Feedback seemed mixed (see below) but it was the only option.

The style you posted is vastly and I mean exponentially easier to engineer and produce for these vehicles. We also found it to be inferior and lacking in a lot of ways versus the drop down style, so we took the hard route.

Have you ever used/lived with a step like the Archetype or IAG concept you posted?

Here were our observations living with a tester, why we went a different direction and why that style is not on the board for us as of now.

• Inferior as an entry and exit step. Being level with the rail there is still a rather large step up or down for shorter people, especially on lifted vehicles. The drop down style as an aid to entry and exit is far superior.

• It protrudes out much further from the rail. Despite being fairly similar in depth, it will stick out about 6 inches, where ours only sticks out about 3 inches and the amount of area to step on remains the same. Not everyone needs a step. I myself am actually on the taller side. So for anyone who doesn't need the step when entering or exiting the Jeep or leaning into it, that is a big difference. The style you posted absolutely became something you needed to be mindful of and avoid if not using, or it could trip you up getting out and it was also good at rubbing dirt and stuff on your pants.

• The roll cage is a fixed height, so step in height is a consideration. When your step-in height is the same height as the rail, it is a good way to launch your head right into the roll cage. My wife is 5' 1'' and she can use our step without the need to duck. But for most people, even those on the shorter side, being at the same height as the rail can require some gymnastics to not bang your head.

When we say we are Jeep people and we thoughtfully designed these, we do sincerely mean that. The two companies who are offering the style you posted, started them on the Bronco, then simply switched the connector and came to Jeep. There are some big differences between the rails and living with these vehicles daily between Wrangler and Bronco.

We do understand that not everything will be for everyone, and if you hate our concept, we're not offended and there will soon be an option for you as posted. If you've never lived with something like them, the above points are food for thought.

- The NXTGEN, Inc Team

 

[DRMX]

IAG is legit, I first came to know of them as a performance parts/engine builder for Subarus. Looks like they've expanded their offerings. The price of these steps are better than some of the few other offerings out there.

 

[Jerhemi]

@Jerhemi We actually started with that concept and went with the drop down. When we first started looking into this over a year ago, AR was still making a very costly, yet similar style to IAG. Feedback seemed mixed (see below) but it was the only option.

The style you posted is vastly and I mean exponentially easier to engineer and produce for these vehicles. We also found it to be inferior and lacking in a lot of ways versus the drop down style, so we took the hard route.

Have you ever used/lived with a step like the Archetype or IAG concept you posted?

Here were our observations living with a tester, why we went a different direction and why that style is not on the board for us as of now.

• Inferior as an entry and exit step. Being level with the rail there is still a rather large step up or down for shorter people, especially on lifted vehicles. The drop down style as an aid to entry and exit is far superior.

• It protrudes out much further from the rail. Despite being fairly similar in depth, it will stick out about 6 inches, where ours only sticks out about 3 inches and the amount of area to step on remains the same. Not everyone needs a step. I myself am actually on the taller side. So for anyone who doesn't need the step when entering or exiting the Jeep or leaning into it, that is a big difference. The style you posted absolutely became something you needed to be mindful of and avoid if not using, or it could trip you up getting out and it was also good at rubbing dirt and stuff on your pants.

• The roll cage is a fixed height, so step in height is a consideration. When your step-in height is the same height as the rail, it is a good way to launch your head right into the roll cage. My wife is 5' 1'' and she can use our step without the need to duck. But for most people, even those on the shorter side, being at the same height as the rail can require some gymnastics to not bang your head.

When we say we are Jeep people and we thoughtfully designed these, we do sincerely mean that. The two companies who are offering the style you posted, started them on the Bronco, then simply switched the connector and came to Jeep. There are some big differences between the rails and living with these vehicles daily between Wrangler and Bronco.

We do understand that not everything will be for everyone, and if you hate our concept, we're not offended and there will soon be an option for you as posted. If you've never lived with something like them, the above points are food for thought.

- The NXTGEN, Inc Team

Good observations. To each their own. I am sure yours will sell, as will these.

 

[NXTGENAutomotive]

Good observations. To each their own. I am sure yours will sell, as will these.

Having options and choices is good for everyone!

We were just curious why you seemed to dislike the drop down style so much, given it is a superior step and easily removable?

We're not trying to change your mind, just genuinely curious about your personal opinion and preference.

 

[Jerhemi]

Having options and choices is good for everyone!

We were just curious why you seemed to dislike the drop down style so much, given it is a superior step and easily removable?

We're not trying to change your mind, just genuinely curious about your personal opinion and preference.

Not looking for steps for short people. Looking to gain access to the top of the Jeep mostly. I don't want to take the steps off when I am offroad.

 

[NXTGENAutomotive]

Not looking for steps for short people. Looking to gain access to the top of the Jeep mostly. I don't want to take the steps off when I am offroad.

Makes sense!

Our step isn't really a short person step, it will give the same access to the roof as any other running board or step product.

In regard to offroading, from a purely mathematical and engineering standpoint, I don't believe your thought process is totally accurate.

That is also why our patent pending design is 3 pieces and not a fixed unit. Depending upon what terrain you need to cross, you can remove nothing, part of it or all of it.

This unit does extend below the rail a little bit. But most importantly, clearance is not purely about height, it is also very much about angle and depth. These stick out a lot, and if you are doing any kind of moderate offraoding, your clearance as a whole will 100% be impacted. There is simply no way around that, and that is also why they are removable like ours. Using either beyond the street or light trails would be beyond the intended use.

Where they start to differ is the strength and the design.

These brackets, should you catch something, are not particularly robust.

We designed our patent pending clamp system to stay on for moderate offroading, and they are also 1.2 inch thick pure steel on the lower part that might contact things. They are much stronger than the rail itself, as the rail is hollow.

Again, we are not trying to persuade you one way or another. But 15 months or R&D, as well as lot of real world testing on Jeeps tells us you don't want that other step on anything other than light trail use. Either way you are going to want to remove either step, luckily it is just a few simple screws.

 

[NXTGENAutomotive]

Not looking for steps for short people. Looking to gain access to the top of the Jeep mostly. I don't want to take the steps off when I am offroad.

@Jerhemi

One other important point I failed to add, but an important one.

As first mentioned, we started initially with a design like you're asking about. When we switched to the drop down in April, we had a very similar connection style to IAG on our initial testers, where it partially went over the top, hung and had a bracket on the bottom.

Respectfully, we were a bit more precise in our engineering on the hanger fitment, but the function is essentially the same.

When you put weight on it, the step was very solid because the downforce held it firmly on the rail. You could stand, bounce, jump, whatever and it was rather solid.

When you pushed up on it, hit something or road debris like a shredded tire applied upward force, that partial hanger with a bracket showed its weakness.

There was a lot of flex, it was not solid like the very complex patent pending clamp we eventually did. And in our testing, anything I did that caused upward force caused it to flex and move.

The spacing is pretty tight between the Jeep and the rail

And that flex of the hanging design with a bracket absolutely mangled my Jeep. Our clamp strongly grips the full rail and it will not do this.

One other thought to keep in mind while planning to offroad with that type of fasting system. The rubber inside will keep your rail pretty, but it could absolutely eat your Jeep up.

 

[Jerhemi]

@Jerhemi

One other important point I failed to add, but an important one.

As first mentioned, we started initially with a design like you're asking about. When we switched to the drop down in April, we had a very similar connection style to IAG on our initial testers, where it partially went over the top, hung and had a bracket on the bottom.

Respectfully, we were a bit more precise in our engineering on the hanger fitment, but the function is essentially the same.

When you put weight on it, the step was very solid because the downforce held it firmly on the rail. You could stand, bounce, jump, whatever and it was rather solid.

When you pushed up on it, hit something or road debris like a shredded tire applied upward force, that partial hanger with a bracket showed its weakness.

There was a lot of flex, it was not solid like the very complex patent pending clamp we eventually did. And in our testing, anything I did that caused upward force caused it to flex and move.

The spacing is pretty tight between the Jeep and the rail

And that flex of the hanging design with a bracket absolutely mangled my Jeep. Our clamp strongly grips the full rail and it will not do this.

One other thought to keep in mind while planning to offroad with that type of fasting system. The rubber inside will keep your rail pretty, but it could absolutely eat your Jeep up.

All good points. Guess I better buy better sliders with a step build in….like Rockhard.

 

[NXTGENAutomotive]

All good points. Guess I better buy better sliders with a step build in….like Rockhard.

We’re enthusiasts not sales people.

If you genuinely don’t want to remove any sort of product when going off road, that’s probably a better solution for you.

Especially if the step function is not a major priority. Those aren’t necessarily a great step, but it’ll get you up there!!

- The NXTGEN, Inc Team

 

[RudeJeepin]

I came across IAG on Reddit and they are about to offer some add on steps for the factory Rubi rails...Wondering if anyone has ever used their stuff. The add on steps look half decent...

Steps

Wished I'd of seen these sooner. Pretty close to what I was looking for. But I ended up buy full step/slider thingys.

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