stainless steel sidesteps for 120 series

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

I've just picked up a pair of stainless steel sidesteps for my 120 for a good price from eBay.. do a search for "prado 120 sidesteps" and they come up. Seller is in Harvey bay, qld.
Apparently the brackets need some modification to get the best fit to the car, I'll post details when I receive them and fit to my car. Asking price is $175 plus postage, but the seller has given the option to make an offer.
I'll also post some extra pics showing the brackets when received..

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

Steps rocked up today.. nicely packaged, and looked to be reasonably well made. The brackets are 3mm powder coated steel. The step itself is 75mm stainless steel tube, although I think it is pretty thin steel because the weight of each step (minus brackets) is only 4kg.

This isn't really a problem for me as I'm not intending for them to act as rock sliders. I just want steps that have a bit more clearance than the stock plastic/alloy ones. I also see these as essentially 'disposable' because I'll keep the original steps to put back on the car when it is eventually sold.

Will post more pics when fitted up to car - I'll be modifying the brackets to fit them up high to the sills.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

I see you have an '08 with option pack like I do therefore you have side airbags. Are these sidesteps side airbag compliant?

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

Hmmm.. good question. I think I'll get back in touch with the seller and see if they can tell me. The seller seems to be running a store out of QLD that does a ton of nudge-bars and side-steps for lots of different makes of car.

I'm not sure what makes a step (or rock slider for that matter) interfere with the airbag system, but looking at these I can't really see how they would differ greatly from the stock steps in the case of an accident - they use the same vehicle mount points, and as said the steel tube is light, so would likely bend and break just as easily.

Of course, I'm sure airbag-compliance comes down to whether or not they've been tested and certified...

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

There is not specific test or standard for a sidestep to be air bag compatible. If you want have it "certified" you have 2 choices, either a full side impact vehicle test which only tests that it meets the ADR's around side impact, which would involve aibags but is not specifically for air bags. This test costs over $100,000.

The other option is a step only test and if the step folds in the desired direction with more than 3000kg of side impact at a given speed (insert complicated mathematical formula) you can get an engineer to sign off saying that they won't affect the airbag, once again it is not a specific test to prove they wont affect the airbag rather an engineer giving an opinion and therefore covering the manufacturer from liable in the case of an airbag malfunction.

Nobody uses the first method due to the cost, the second test still runs to 3-4 grand, so not likely that is done either.

Cheers Andrew

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

I can't see that what your side steps are made out of will really affect whether or how the side curtain airbags go off. Correct me anytime but aren't the sensors used , an inertia spring type setup which will be triggered by side impact inertia forces and not the crumbling of the car itself . It might matter to the cheaper insurance companies that will use this as an excuse to avoid a payout , but it should really have no bearing on anything what the sidesteps are made of .

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

I tend to agree Kav, its not about making sure the airbags aren't affected as much as it is covering everyones ass in case something goes wrong with the airbag.


Cheers Andrew

[mybo Member Find all posts View Profile Close mybo]

Just got the response from the ebay seller - he can't confirm whether or not these are airbag compliant.. I'm guessing this means they are likely an import, and almost certainly have not been checked for compatibility.

I'm not particularly concerned about whether my airbags will function correctly with these installed, because like I said they don't appear to be structurally or functionally all that different to the stock steps.. of-course I would be pretty damn unhappy if I had an insurance claim rejected because these were fitted.. that's the risk I have to accept though.

[jimmy91 Member Find all posts View Profile Close jimmy91]

pretty sure if a car gives you a decent hit in the side your ####ed anyways

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Not in all cases jimmy, that's the idea of the side airbags which as you would know is to protect the occupant/s from mainly head damage. We paid extra in the wifes car for side airbags in the seats plus full curtains the full length of the side of the interior of the car. If you get Tboned hard enough your definitely likely to receive some injuries or possibly be killed but id rather have that extra safety to give me or my passengers a better chance.........Cheers Steve