Installing running boards on your SUV, pickup truck, or van can noticeably change the appearance of your vehicle as well as provide the all important benefit of making it easily accessible to you and your passengers. Choosing a running board that is right for your vehicle is another thing. Let’s look at some options you can take to help you accomplish the job.

Essentially, there are two types of running boards on the market: Those that come with lights, and those that do not. Which type you choose will depend partly on your personal tastes, but lighted running boards can be useful especially if you park in dark areas – if you have a remote starter for your truck all of your lights can be turned on, including your running board lights, before you get to your vehicle. Running boards are a safety bonus and add an aesthetic value to your vehicle.

Running boards can be made from a variety of materials depending on the model selected. They include:

Heavy duty polymer materials

Rugged ABS molded board

Heavy duty aluminum

Durable fiberglass

Chrome or diamond plated

Other things to consider when selecting your running boards:

Do they come with non-slip treads?

Are aluminum or galvanized steel support brackets included or do I have to purchase a separate mounting kit?

Are they paintable so as to match the color of my truck’s exterior?

Are the running boards custom fitted [OEM] to my vehicle or are they a universal fit?

Light kits are typically sold separately and can be positioned anywhere along the board and wired to come on when your door opens. Lights are very bright, long lasting, and kits usually include four sets of lights, two for each board.

You can save money on high quality running boards by ordering directly from an online wholesaler such as Car Parts Stuff. The best brands on the market include Lund, Westin, and Dee Zee. Shop and compare to find the set that is right for you.

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts. You can find a wide selection of car-stuff.com/runningboards.htm running boards including car-stuff.com/lundrunningboards.htm Lund running boards and car-stuff.com/westinrunningboards.htm Westin running boards right online.