Running Board Finish-What have you done?

[600remguy]

I know the debate amongst Trac owners about either having or removing the running boards. I like mine and want to keep them. On my '04, the originals have rotted beyond reasonable repair and I have another set that I picked up cheap in awesome shape. I had them blasted and primed with industrial primer. The next decision is what to do for a finish. I'm up for options if you're apt to offer any. Trac is Silver Birch with original wheels. The old boards are the darker almost army grey. Was thinking seriously about coating the inside (mine are the open bottom type) with a heavy coat of gravel guard, but open to suggestions there too.

Thanx in advance

 

[N2FORD]

I did mine in bed coating on my last two ST's. The first one I had professionally done and they went over the pad also. I did not like that so much so on the ST I have now I did it myself. I pulled the step pad off before spraying them with bed coating from Auto Zone. I then put the pad back on and painted it all with a satin black spray paint that showed safe to use on plastic. Holding up good so far.

 

[rmcalis]

I used bed liner coating to paint the top areas (after good prep). I cleaned the underside (inside the hollow) with navel jelly, then painted with a couple coats of flat black rustoleum. Used Mother's back to black on the step pads and the support covers. Still looked good when I traded the truck two years later.

 

[05dakotatrac]

Bed lined mine till they rotted then switched to aluminum hunter running boards

 

[01STrunner]

I used Rustoleum protective enamel in gloss black. I also painted all of my plastic cladding gloss black with Krylon Fusion. I'm not a big fan of bed liner unless it's in the bed but I've heard it holds up pretty well. A lot of Tacoma enthusiasts use it on everything from the rockers down. I'm not too keen with flat paint on vehicles either. I like them to shine when I wash them but that is purely a personal preference. As for how mine are holding up, 4.5 years and there's still no rust on the steps after priming and painting them.

 

[LONO100]

i also used bedliner, two seasons later, this is how they look:

<a href="http://s1229.photobucket.com/user/LONO101/media/runningboard%20refinish/WP_000074.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee480/LONO101/runningboard%20refinish/WP_000074.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo WP_000074.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1229.photobucket.com/user/LONO101/media/runningboard%20refinish/WP_000075.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee480/LONO101/runningboard%20refinish/WP_000075.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo WP_000075.jpg"/></a>