n-fab side steps for 2015 PW

[RACKMAN]

Hello All,

Looking for some info from those that may be using the n-Fab side steps..the one with 3 steps on each side. How do they mount...to the frame or to the body? Can I still use a front mudflap? Overall impressions on quality/fit and finish? And if possible, can I get the part number that would be for a 2015 PW? Thanks for any help.

P.S. Yes, I am aware of the White Knuckle Sliders but I don't really need that level of protection so I do not wish to add that much weight...if I decide to wheel the truck more hardcore in the future I will definitely consider the White Knuckle Sliders. Mainly I just need a good looking, quality side step so my wife and little boy can get in the truck a little easier. Thanks,

RACKMAN

[Limamikemike]

I had n fabs on my 06 ram they mount to the body and rust like mad. Pulled mine off and had them blasted and recoated but the rust came back. buy some cheap steps if that's what you want and save for sliders later

P.s I also had to drill holes in the pinch weld to mount them which I was not impressed with.

[Ducky's Dad]

I have the N-Fab three-step units on my '05 PW and on my '08 Tundra CrewMax. I also have an N-Fab light bar on the Tundra. N-Fab quality seems to be slipping. The steps on the PW are actually pretty good and are holding up well, with the exception of a lot of rust on the inside of the tubes. Problem seems to be related to the fact that they do not dip or coat the tubes after assembly/welding, and the front of the main tube (right behind the front fender arch) is wide open with no good way to plug it. The back end of the tube has a plastic cap, so any water/mud/snow/salt that gets in at the front is basically captured and stays in there. Re the pinch weld mounts, they are OK for the mall but I bent my mounts a couple of years ago and had to take the steps off and straighten things and reinforce the mounts. I used all stainless steel hardware on my original mounts (they come with cad-plated fasteners) and put a dab of clear silicone in all the body holes before I mounted things, and after painting the raw edges of the new body holes. All that was fine, but while the steps were off the truck for repairs, I decided to flush out the insides of the tubes. There were big lumps of mud coming out the back of the tubes, followed by a lot of rust and big chunks of rusty metal. Lifetime warranty, so I called N-Fab and told them about the rust problem. Their response was that the warranty only applies to the outside finish on the tubes, and rusting from the inside out is not covered. Odd, because when I had SmittyBilts on the same truck, and they started rusting from the inside out, 4WParts honored the Smitty warranty, swapped me for the N-Fabs, and I paid the difference. I expected the N-Fab warranty to be at least as good as the SmittyBilt. Disappointed, but reinstalled them on the truck after shooting a bunch of Rust-O-Leum down the tubes from both ends. Temporary fix at best. The reinforcement to the mounting system required drilling the inside of the PW rocker panel box from under the truck, drilling matching holes on the vertical extensions of the N-Fab mounts, and then installing steel nutserts into the rocker boxes with stainless hexbolts into the 1/4" nutserts, again with paint and a dab of silicone. That fix seems to be the way to go from the start if you decide to install N-Fabs on the PW. It made the steps much more stable and may allow you to lift the truck by the main tube of the steps in an emergency.

The N-Fab nerf steps on the Tundra were made by N-Fab and private labelled for Toyota, and bought from a Toyota parts department. Finish quality is better than the set on the PW, but that's probably because they have the Toyota label on them with Toyota QC standards. The N-Fab light bar on the Tundra is not a Toyota part, and it is a complete piece of crap. Welding is sloppy with spatter everywhere, weld beads are ugly, tube bends are kinked, and the bar just flat did not fit the truck. It was close, but required multiple R&Rs with a lot of grinding and drilling on the truck and on their brackets to get the holes to line up. N-Fab has captive nuts welded on the backside of some of their brackets and the welded nuts were not even lined up with their own holes. I had to redrill and retap some of the nuts on the brackets just so that I could redrill some of the factory holes in the truck to get things to line up. Having done all that, the bar is neither level nor square to the front of the truck. I called N-Fab and they told me that because I had "modified" their bar, I was stuck with it. My advice: If you decide to go with N-Fab, make sure you can return for refund or replacement if it does not fit or if the finish is crappy. And if it does not look good or fit right out of the box, don't waste any time on it. Just take it back.

[boydjt1]

I have them on my 2015 Power Wagon. They have clips that go into existing holes in the body. The holes are taped over from the factory. Easy install in 30 minutes/ one person. I really like them.

[adeluca73]

WhiteKnuckle Off-Road...measure twice, spend once.

[RustyPW]

WhiteKnuckle Off-Road...measure twice, spend once.

Yep! Why spend money twice. Do it once, and be done with it.

[Ducky's Dad]

I like the configuration of the N-Fabs for my use, and sliders are overkill because we don't have many rocks in the desert. But if I have to replace the N-Fabs due to rust or damage, I'll probably go with the White Knuckle stuff. I have a pair of house batteries mounted under the cab on the passenger side and those would interfere with the WK mounts. But I'm only about 50 miles from their shop so could roll in to see about custom fitment on that side. And I don't have to pay shipping.

[Ducky's Dad]

This is the stuck in the desert that bent the N-Fab mounts before I upgraded things. Truck was buried up to the axles and then some, with a lot of the truck's weight resting on the N-Fabs. That pressure rolled the step bars up and away from the truck, and bent the pinch welds a bit. The second pic shows the upgrade to the mounting system. The bottom two bolts (the silver ones) are the stainless bolts that go through the pinch welds, looks like I used 5/16 or 3/8. The top four bolts (the gold ones) are in the new holes I drilled through the N-Fab plates and into the rocker panel box. Installed 1/4x20 steel nutserts (because they were the biggest ones I could find) and then ran Grade 8 bolts (not stainless) into the nutserts. I'm pretty sure I used anti-seize on everything so I could get it apart later. I think the N-Fabs have three of those plates (might be four) on each side, so it took a while, but worth it. It's all pretty stable now (until the N-Fabs rust out).

[Ducky's Dad]

Just read OP's sig line:

Quote from a friend upon seeing my new PW... "you should have gotten the big one"

Reminds me of what my son said when he first saw my PW:
"Don't you feel like a complete redneck when you drive that?"

[israelstanage]

I have the 3 step on my 15. Decided to get them when my wife got pregnant. Love them. I'm in and out of my tool box quite a bit, and the third step is nice. I'm in the Midwest, so sliders aren't needed for my off roading. Installation is super easy; bolt right on with provided brackets in existing holes. Look pretty good as well.

[Adam_C]

Recently took them off my '13. Had them powder coated locally before I installed them and they have held up great. I never put the plug in the back of the tube so nothing to really get trapped inside. I've washed them out a few times and did not have the rust issue previously mentioned.....then again, not much of an issue in AZ I really liked them and the only reason I removed them was to prepare for rockers to be Line-X'd and I'm considering the White Knuckle sliders, or have some fabbed up locally. Other than that, having a bitch of a time selling them.

[Black Pearl]

N Fab are quite popular with lots of rigs and the step is nice. They do look good! But it seem like a big old hook or something trolling the ground for a rock, stump, or a nightmare in sand (as pictured) great shot btw...After seeing the white knuckles first hand it was a absolute game changer for me..still waiting for mine.
You get the step and the protection. Plus you can step into the bed. Tie rope for camp. Jack rig up or what ever with them.
And with a nice little dent in my passenger rocker panel (blamed my daughter for not giving me heads up on the rock). It was a no brainer. 45k for rig and 1K for insurance.
Wish I would have had them 2 months ago!!!!

[mcdozendriver]

I had a set of the steps on my Silverado for 5 years. They were a good step, but did get hung up on every thing. They started to rust on the inside of the tube due to the plug at the end as others have pointed out.

For the PW, I went with the adjuststep rails. They sparked my interest because the steps can be removed easily and have the rail remain on the truck. I have been extremely happy with them for the past 2 years. The steps are extremely stout, 1/4inch steel for the arms and mounted in doubleshear with 4 bolts a piece. The actual rail is mounted just the like standard steps to the body. I have dropped the truck on them multiple times. The first time I had the steps removed but a rock bent the step mount. Grabbed a sledge and a torch and bent it back in place.
I wasn't that lucky the last time I went out. I didn't grab the hex key that fit the bolts so I didn't remove the steps. A few collisions with rocks and dropping down on one large rock, left my passenger side steps bent back at a near perfect 45 degree angle.
Even with that abuse, the mounts on the body were intact and only slid up an 1/8 inch. No damage to the rails or body. I retightened then bolts and called it good. I will get pictures of the damage in the morning if anyone wants to see.

For the price, I can't complain. No they aren't white knuckle, but at a third of the cost, it's hard to argue.

[Bill2014]

WhiteKnuckle Off-Road...measure twice, spend once.

Yep! Why spend money twice. Do it once, and be done with it.

X3
I'm not one to "dis" a product that I don't have first hand experience with - but - I knew I didn't want any step that bolted to the rocker panel. And there were plenty of steps available that did just that. My wife had to work to get up into the truck without any sort of step or rail but we both agreed to wait for the White Knuckle sliders that weren't available yet. More than a year went by... Finally, I got the sliders and the wife is delighted with them and appreciates the step.

I guess what I'm suggesting is to wait for the final solution...