Sport running boards >> nerf bars?

[Hokie]

I broke the front plastic cup friday and took off my running boards thinking they were crap.... Has anybody mod'd their Sport running boards to make nerf bars/rock sliders? I was planning on junking them, but they are soo heavy that now i'm considering how to make real nerf bars out of them. I'm looking for something to protect the lower sheet metal, but won't kill as much ground clearance as the Sport pipe ones do. I was thinking of maybe using the brackets to hold some box steel or something... any ideas?

 

[becker69]

I know the idea has been discussed in the past. Their was a guy with a first gen Ex that had square tubing on his pinch-weld (the attachment point for your- and my side-steps)... that was at the THaven run but I can't remember who
I think the consensus has been that the pinch-weld is probably not a strong enough point to mount anything designed suitable for 'sliders'. Most sliders are bolted or welded to the frame... providing a high-lift jack point to boot. I have looked into alternatives also (I have the side steps on my sport-trac.... and they act like an anchor when I go wheeling )