SixPonies
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- February 19, 2015
- Messages
- 238
- Reaction score
- 44
- City, State
- Mahomet, IL
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2017 Ford Explorer Sport
So as we all know, sun, weather, and time are hard on the exterior plastic trim on our Sport Tracs. My 2010 Limited is no exception to this. The black plastic on my side steps was badly faded, so I tried repainting it with the rattle-can black trim paint a few years ago. Since I was planning to "de-chrome" my Limited by replacing the grille with a black one and removing the roof rack, I decided to try spraying over the chrome strip on the side steps with Plasti-Dip to see how they'd look totally black. Unfortunately, neither the paint nor the PD lasted very long before beginning to flake off. So I removed the steps and took them to a body shop owned by a friend and had them professionally painted. He totally blasted off all of the chrome on the bottom strip and painted the entirety of the steps in a satin black. I reinstalled them and they looked great. I thought that I now had a permanent solution and that that would be the end of it.
Unfortunately, the paint started to flake off the formerly-chromed strip on one step about three months later. I removed the step and had my friend repaint it. Then, this spring I noticed paint beginning to flake off of both sides. At that point I was done with these steps and began to look for a replacement solution. I really like the look of the OEM steps, because they don't stick out too far from the side of the truck like most aftermarket options. But they're ridiculously expensive, and not readily available anymore.
So after looking at a bunch of different aftermarket steps and tube bars, I decided to give the "iBoards" a try that are sold on Amazon and eBay. I'm extremely pleased with them. I love the simplistic design and how they look on the truck. The only thing I didn't care for was the mounting brackets and how they look on the truck with them. Like most aftermarket steps, they stick out a bit further than the OEM steps. So after I ran with them on the truck for about a week, I decided to try using the OEM mounting brackets to see if the iBoards would stick out less. I was able to use an existing bolt hole on each of the OEM mounting brackets and then just drill an additional hole for the second bolt on each bracket, and the iBoards worked perfectly with the OEM brackets! They sit closer in to the truck, and up a little higher, and they practically look like the came on the truck from the factory. And one of the best things about these "iBoards" is that they're only $159 for the set! That's MUCH cheaper than anything offered by Westin or other aftermarket vendors.
If you're interested in them, they're available for Gen 2 Tracs, and they use the stock side step mounting locations. Just do a search for "iBoards" on Amazon or eBay. They're available in widths of 4", 5", and 6". I installed the 4" boards.
Here are some pictures, first with the brackets that came with the iBoards, and then after I mounted them on the OEM brackets.
iBoard Side Steps
Unfortunately, the paint started to flake off the formerly-chromed strip on one step about three months later. I removed the step and had my friend repaint it. Then, this spring I noticed paint beginning to flake off of both sides. At that point I was done with these steps and began to look for a replacement solution. I really like the look of the OEM steps, because they don't stick out too far from the side of the truck like most aftermarket options. But they're ridiculously expensive, and not readily available anymore.
So after looking at a bunch of different aftermarket steps and tube bars, I decided to give the "iBoards" a try that are sold on Amazon and eBay. I'm extremely pleased with them. I love the simplistic design and how they look on the truck. The only thing I didn't care for was the mounting brackets and how they look on the truck with them. Like most aftermarket steps, they stick out a bit further than the OEM steps. So after I ran with them on the truck for about a week, I decided to try using the OEM mounting brackets to see if the iBoards would stick out less. I was able to use an existing bolt hole on each of the OEM mounting brackets and then just drill an additional hole for the second bolt on each bracket, and the iBoards worked perfectly with the OEM brackets! They sit closer in to the truck, and up a little higher, and they practically look like the came on the truck from the factory. And one of the best things about these "iBoards" is that they're only $159 for the set! That's MUCH cheaper than anything offered by Westin or other aftermarket vendors.
If you're interested in them, they're available for Gen 2 Tracs, and they use the stock side step mounting locations. Just do a search for "iBoards" on Amazon or eBay. They're available in widths of 4", 5", and 6". I installed the 4" boards.
Here are some pictures, first with the brackets that came with the iBoards, and then after I mounted them on the OEM brackets.
iBoard Side Steps
