Misfitted With JL Side Steps

[Hawkeyes3312]

Can someone enlighten me? Has anyone EVER installed any kind of step assist for aesthetic purposes only? I am going to give a pass to those who install them for function (I am not here to judge), but I just, personally, think they completely detract from the look of any jeep regardless of the reason. Get a grab handle and call it a day if needed...

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[cajun charlie]

This brings up a total NOOB question I have been wondering on the step bars... With the Rubi rock rails that come standard, can you install step rails and keep the rock rails or do those have to be removed? Might be a dumb question but I wasn't sure if it was one or the other or if both would fit at the same time.

https://mountainoffroad.com/collections/wrangler-jl/products/hide-a-step-black-jl
@A-Surfs I bought these from @The4x4Guys . Got to keep my factory rails and gives my wife a boost into the cab. Hope this helps

Carl

 

[WXman]

Can someone enlighten me? Has anyone EVER installed any kind of step assist for aesthetic purposes only? I am going to give a pass to those who install them for function (I am not here to judge), but I just, personally, think they completely detract from the look of any jeep regardless of the reason. Get a grab handle and call it a day if needed...

Well, mine are functional because my wife is short and my son is 12.

BUT... if I was a single guy I would still have installed them because a JL or JT with no steps or bars is U G L Y. That pinch weld is hideous. It looks totally unfinished and cheap. I can't believe Jeep designed something like that. It makes some kind of step rail or rock rail a pure necessity.

 

[Jake]

Hey @cajun charlie please post pictures of these steps on your Gladiator. Wondering what happens to them once you step into your truck. I assume they stay down while you roll down the road, right? Looks to be an interesting option.

 

[Hawkeyes3312]

Well, mine are functional because my wife is short and my son is 12.

BUT... if I was a single guy I would still have installed them because a JL or JT with no steps or bars is U G L Y. That pinch weld is hideous. It looks totally unfinished and cheap. I can't believe Jeep designed something like that. It makes some kind of step rail or rock rail a pure necessity.

Cool! Like I said, functional I won't judge. I've always had rock rails on all my Jeeps so that takes care of the issue you described. My wife is short as well, hence the grab handles. Bad knees run in my family so maybe I won't make my boys' jump out as they get older. Thanks for the reply!

 

[cajun charlie]

Hey @cajun charlie please post pictures of these steps on your Gladiator. Wondering what happens to them once you step into your truck. I assume they stay down while you roll down the road, right? Looks to be an interesting option.

@Jake The steps are spring loaded. They retract up against the rail. They are also pinned. If you're gonna hit the trails, you pull the pins and stow the steps away. I really like the stealth look and they function as needed. Hope this helps.

 

[Jake]

Thanks @cajun charlie for those pictures. @WXman has a good point, makes me wonder about covering up the pinch welds. I can’t see the pinch welds in your pictures. Did you install some rock rails (that would now cover up the pinch welds) and then the steps? Love to know. Thanks

 

[cajun charlie]

Thanks @cajun charlie for those pictures. @WXman has a good point, makes me wonder about covering up the pinch welds. I can’t see the pinch welds in your pictures. Did you install some rock rails (that would now cover up the pinch welds) and then the steps? Love to know. Thanks

The rails are stock on the JT Rubicon

 

[Jake]

Cool beans. Thanks for the info. And fyi I just spoke with Mountain Off Road. They told me that they do in fact retract up once you have stepped into your truck, do not stay down while you are rolling down the road. So when you go to get out of your truck you have to feel for where the step is so you can step onto it and lower it so you can then step down and out of your truck. How difficult is that for you? Love to know.

 

[Jeepers!]

https://mountainoffroad.com/collections/wrangler-jl/products/hide-a-step-black-jl
@A-Surfs I bought these from @The4x4Guys . Got to keep my factory rails and gives my wife a boost into the cab. Hope this helps

Carl

Is that price for a pair or a single step?

 

[Jake]

Yes it is. See from their website: sold individually

 

[Jeepers!]

Ah, I missed that. Thanks.

 

[Jake]

It’s still a good deal. That’s about what you would pay for most any decent side steps. Just wonder about getting them down so you can use them to step out of a Gladiator. Really would be nice if you could have them locked in the down position for while you roll down the road so you can easily step onto them when you have gotten to where you are going to. Just my humble opinion mind you.

 

[cajun charlie]

It’s still a good deal. That’s about what you would pay for most any decent side steps. Just wonder about getting them down so you can use them to step out of a Gladiator. Really would be nice if you could have them locked in the down position for while you roll down the road so you can easily step onto them when you have gotten to where you are going to. Just my humble opinion mind you.

It may be possible to "lock" the step if you were to remove the spring prior to installation. My wife has no issues getting out of the cab. The step actually sticks out past the rail just enough to get a foot on it for an easy transition out of the cab.

 

[Jake]

Thanks @cajun charlie good to hear. And for everyone’s info I again spoke with Mountain Off Road and asked them if they could modify these steps so they could be used as a rear bumper side step. Have emailed them a picture of underneath the rear bumper to see if they could make it to bolt up to these 3 bolts under the truck. Will let y’all know what they say. Sooner than later someone will come out with such rear steps. Gotta be a big market for that. Or so I tend to think.

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