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Can running boards be removed and eliminated?

Discussion in '4th Gen 4Runners (2003-2009)' started by OutOfApplication, May 26, 2021.

  1. May 26, 2021 at 7:06 PM
    #1
    OutOfApplication

    OutOfApplication [OP] New Member

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    This is a silly question, I assume so, but I don't actually own one of these yet to crawl under and look. My wife and I test drove a 2008 limited today, it was rough, nothing I'd buy, but the wife said those running boards had to go if we are going to consider one of these. We have two Grand Cherokee's now 2005 with 5.7 Hemi's now. One of them actually even runs :). Anyway similar size/height to the 4 Runner and the running boards just seem to be in the way. My research keeps pointing to these 4runners as good replacements to our Jeeps, but I'm afraid todays test drive may have poisoned my wife's impression of the 4runnner. I'm willing to test drive another one, but my wife spent the whole drive home talking about how nice our Jeeps are. The one we drove was a V6, I'd prefer the 4.7 V8 if we can find one here in New England that has not rusted away.
     
  2. May 26, 2021 at 7:38 PM
    #2
    SlvrSlug

    SlvrSlug Slightly bent.

    Joined:
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    Welcome to the forum.
     
  3. Jul 20, 2021 at 9:42 PM
    #3
    bmgreene

    bmgreene New Member

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    Brian
    Vehicle:
    2008 V8 Ltd
    3" lift, 34" Nitro Ridge Grapplers, Relentless front bumper, Victory rear w/tire carrier, Demello Sliders, more TBD
    It's 6 bolts per side to take the mounting brackets off of the body on the limited, but they're pretty easy to remove (if they're not rusted).

    Recently did that on my 2008 V8 Limited (which spent 6 years in Boston and 6 in TN before getting shipped out to CA). The before/after is pretty dramatic on mone since I'm building it up for crawling (want to do Rubicon some day) and the baseline LTD trump is basically a T4R dressed up like a minivan.

    I did have to cut the wires for the lights on the running boards, just didn't feel like wrestling the connectors off for a circuit that I didn't intend to reconnect. Didn't give it much thought at the time, but it may have cost me a dome light fuse already. Trying to work out how to wire up some underbody LEDs to make the sliders a bit more visible while getting in at night, and to solve the shorting issue.
     
  4. Jul 21, 2021 at 4:52 AM
    #4
    Bonitobob

    Bonitobob New Member

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    06 V8 Sport
    Coming off the Hemis I would hold out for a low mileage V8. The AWD torque management is awesome like the more expensive option on the Jeep. The sport model also comes with OEM tubes which don’t stick out much so you can slide in and out without touching them (stock tires). They are still out there. When I found mine I thought it was priced a little high but now the paper value has doubled. Every time I look at a new one I feel I am downgrading.

    0FDBFAA5-88C1-426B-B243-15BA22CF988A.jpg
    5AF34C95-6ECE-448F-A0CF-0A72476A76B6.jpg
     

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