Side steps on or off for 4wding?

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

Hi guys, I'm off to Wahalla (near Baw Baw) this weekend and I'm wondering whether I should take the side steps off before going to save damaging them. They hand down quite a bit an I will gain a bit of clearance by taking them off. I guess the down side is that it'll leave the door sills a bit more at risk but they're pretty high and I should be able to avoid damaging them with the right wheel placement.

Thoughts?

Cheers, Sam.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

I would imagine with no side steps on a gravel road, a lot of stones would flick up onto the doors and rear quater panels, I imagine paint damage would be pretty bad without the steps.

Cheers Andrew

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

leave the steps on and if they get bent up thats some good ammo for you to get a lift. cheers samo :lol: :wink:

[BenTas Member Find all posts View Profile Close BenTas]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

I've had mine off for 9 months, and it's the best thing I've done ! Much better clearance, and even looks better. I'd wished I'd taken them off prior to when I bent them up off road, as they protrude 2 inches lower than the top of the step, and the pissy little brackets bend up.

If I need to paint the undersides when I go to sell, well that's just life !

Hopefully I can straiten the original ones to reinstall before moving on. They were convenient for my 5yo getting in and out of vehicle though. I think they're only purpose is for the soccer mom's.

Cheers

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

I would imagine with no side steps on a gravel road, a lot of stones would flick up onto the doors and rear quater panels, I imagine paint damage would be pretty bad without the steps.

Cheers Andrew

Also they are a good early warning system

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

Leave them on. Helps you get stuff off the roof too. When you damage them, AJ120 can make you a set.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

Leave them on. Helps you get stuff off the roof too. When you damage them, AJ120 can make you a set.

Not for the 150 :wink: ive got more than enough to do making the 120 and 90 series ones. I am pretty sure one of the 150 guys has a set for sale though.

Cheers Andrew

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

Leave them on buddy! Just remember they are plastic and wont take the bashing a steel set will, so pick the lines carefully... They'll still protect the side panels though, and I believe some of the guys that bent the 120 side steps did manage to bend them back into shape - more or less...

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

I took mine off as a trial about a year a go - they won't be going back on till I sell ( mine's a 120 )
I considered all the arguments on here about the OE steps providing protection for the sills and panels. My conclusion - they might prevent some panel damage in certain circumstances, but a set of replacement Toyota steps ain't cheap either.
So as a risk decision, are you gonna leave them on and have say, a 80% probabilty of damage, cost say ~$2K to replace, or take them off and have say, a 10% probably of damage, cost much higher but probably into insurance claim territory anyway ?
All I know is, since having them off I seem to get caught up on things much less. ( I'm no way a hard core 4WDer )
I like the look with them off actually. And it's a lot easier for washing mud off from under the car.
I never used them as a step to get into the car - in fact they were a pain as I scraped my shins on them.
I was amazed at the amount of stones and dirt inside them - so I worried those stones would now hit the body panels
But I haven't noticed any more stone chips on the door panels. Something to keep an eye on.

The best solution if you're gonna go hard core is a set of good strong, low profile rock sliders.

One hint if you do take them off- put the bolts back in any holes they leave in the floor of the vehicle.

Anyway you'll have a great time on the tracks around Walhalla, which ones are you thinking of doing ?

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

So as a risk decision, are you gonna leave them on and have say, a 80% probabilty of damage, cost say ~$2K to replace, or take them off and have say, a 10% probably of damage, cost much higher but probably into insurance claim territory anyway ? I was amazed at the amount of stones and dirt inside them - so I worried those stones would now hit the body panels but I haven't noticed any more stone chips on the door panels. Something to keep an eye on.

One hint if you do take them off- put the bolts back in any holes they leave in the floor of the vehicle.

Anyway you'll have a great time on the tracks around Walhalla, which ones are you thinking of doing ?

Thanks everyone for the advice. Still in two minds whether to leave them on or not. I uses them to get into the car everytime (6'1" just lazy ) so would hate to damage them. I imagine the speed we'll be doing on the tracks won't throw too many stones up at the panels but's its just a risk vs risk in the end I guess. My mate in his 120 used to scrape his all the time whilst in the NS Pajero (no steps) I'd make it over with no worries.

Ozwapet - We haven't got any firm plans yet. Just got the Rooftop map today and have found a few suggestions in this forum. Do you have any suggestions? First trip out for the 150 so a bit of a shakedown run to see how she goes. Love steep tracks but trying to avoid big rocks and ledges at this stage until I get some underbody protection (and lift). Below are the suggestions I found. Any comments on these tracks?

Flats track - north to south (nice rock ledge climb that you will struggle with , but there is a bypass)
Toombon
Toomstar
Army track- north to south
Fultons - west to east
Fultons creek track
Trig track - lots of switchbacks
Pheasant track
Beardmores (underneath the dam wall - not hard but good view of the spillway)
The deep creek tracks (1 to 5) - mostly pretty easy some rock steps coming out of the creek on deep creek 1 going south to north. Some of the others have some good bits as well
Mormontown track

Cheers, Sam.

[Bengineer Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Bengineer]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

Hi Sam,

I am also 6'1" and also use the side steps to enter/exit the vehicle. I don't do it out of laziness and actually find it easier not to use them. What I do find however, is if I don't use them, I tend to slide over the edge of the cushion, which I know over time is going to wear out, and eventually through, the fabric in that location. This may not be a concern for a lot of people but I thought it might be another tick in the box for retaining the side steps :?: BTW I find seat covers hideous (Can't seem to get over the nightmares of the K-Mart jobs the old man always used to have in his car when I was a kid! :| )

Enjoy your weekend!

Cheers, Ben

edit: this is probably not so much of a concern if they are only off for the odd weekend here and there.... ops:

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

Hi Sam, I am also 6'1" and also use the side steps to enter/exit the vehicle. I don't do it out of laziness and actually find it easier not to use them. What I do find however, is if I don't use them, I tend to slide over the edge of the cushion, which I know over time is going to wear out, and eventually through, the fabric in that location.

That's exactly why I started using the step. Now it's just habit but stops the scuffing on the edge of the seat. :wink:

Cheers, Sam.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

Any comments on these tracks?

Flats track - north to south (nice rock ledge climb that you will struggle with , but there is a bypass)
Toombon
Toomstar
Army track- north to south
Fultons - west to east
Fultons creek track
Trig track - lots of switchbacks
Pheasant track
Beardmores (underneath the dam wall - not hard but good view of the spillway)
The deep creek tracks (1 to 5) - mostly pretty easy some rock steps coming out of the creek on deep creek 1 going south to north. Some of the others have some good bits as well
Mormontown track

Cheers, Sam.

I've done quite a few of those tracks. ( and also been stonkered by a couple of them - namely Deep Ck 1 and Beardmores - both going up ) but that was after a lot of rain . If it has dried out you should be OK, but I'd be going with another vehicle. Flats Track short but exhilarating - O'Tooles Flat camping area is at the bottom which is a nice spot for the night - if the hoons are there try Little O'Tooles bit further west. Trig track not done but heard it is fun - will test your turning circle.

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

Any comments on these tracks?

Flats track - north to south (nice rock ledge climb that you will struggle with , but there is a bypass)
Toombon
Toomstar
Army track- north to south
Fultons - west to east
Fultons creek track
Trig track - lots of switchbacks
Pheasant track
Beardmores (underneath the dam wall - not hard but good view of the spillway)
The deep creek tracks (1 to 5) - mostly pretty easy some rock steps coming out of the creek on deep creek 1 going south to north. Some of the others have some good bits as well
Mormontown track

Cheers, Sam.

I've done quite a few of those tracks. ( and also been stonkered by a couple of them - namely Deep Ck 1 and Beardmores - both going up ) but that was after a lot of rain . If it has reasonably dried out you should be OK, but I'd be going with another vehicle. Flats Track short but exhilarating - O'Tooles Flat camping area is at the bottom which is a nice spot for the night - if the hoons have stopped doing circle work there. Trig track not done but heard it is fun - will test your turning circle.

Which ones would you say are the easier-medium tracks to start out on and work our way up to the harder ones if we have time? What are the Deep Creek Tracks like? How do they rate easiest to hardest?

Thanks a lot. Cheers, Sam.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Side steps on or off for 4wding?

Only done Deep Creek 2 sorry - others might advise on the rest of the Deep Creeks - I'd say 2 is medium to hard depending on how wet it is - just the short section near the top very steep and slippery if wet - others are probably about the same because they come out of the same ( steep ) gully.
Maybe put a separate post up asking on track conditions down that way - someone might have been through more recently. Or phone the rangers at Erica DSE - 03 5165 2216 they may be able to advise.
River crossings might still be a bit hi too. You have a snorkel ?