The importance of choosing the right Nerf bar for your truck is beyond words especially when your primary concern is safety. A huge range of Nerf bars is available here in the market, making your decision even more difficult. So here is our highly informative review of the top 10 best Nerf bars for Tacoma.
A strong and sturdy Nerf bar not only eases entries and exits of the truck but also prevents damage to the vehicle when crossing rock-off roads. When you are the owner of a quality motor product like the Toyota Tacoma, you need to be even more careful while choosing it.
Various metals like stainless steel, chrome, powder-coated steel, etc are used. By now you must have understood why it is not children’s play to select the right Nerf bar and go through all the details and buying tips.
Top Rated Tacoma Nerf Bars Comparison Table
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
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Lund 23884295 Oval Curved Steel Nerf Bar |
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Check on Amazon |
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Tyger Auto TG-AM2T20048 Star Armor Kit |
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Check on Amazon |
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APS iArmor 6.5inch Nerf Bars |
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Check on Amazon |
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APS Auto 6 inches Black Nerf Bars |
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Check on Amazon |
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TAC 4.25″ PNC Oval Bend Side Steps |
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Check on Amazon |
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HD Ridez Aluminum Drop Steps |
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Check on Amazon |
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Tyger Auto TG – SS2T35038 Nerf Bar |
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Check on Amazon |
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YITAMOTOR 6 inches Nerf Bars |
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Check on Amazon |
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Westin Pro Traxx 4 Oval Nerf Step Bars |
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Check on Amazon |
Top 10 Best Nerf Bars for Tacoma Review
A perfectly designed Nerf bar for your truck, this pair is one of our favorites. The product is that combination of style, strength, and functionality that we all desire. The product is available in polished or black powder-coated stainless steel or black powder-coated steel finishes. These larger-sized oval bars are a perfect fit for your Toyota Tacoma. The curved bars provide your truck with a modern integrated look. The virtual corrosion-free, highly- polished appearance repels dirt and grime for easy maintenance and detailing. The 5-inch wide bars are built with marine–grade T-304 Stainless Steel. To ensure secured footing, the flat step pads provide advanced traction. Designed to be compatible with the 2005-52020 Toyota Tacoma crew cab pick up the bars are molded with high-quality hard plastic on the end caps. The bars are pre-assembled for stress-free installation, including all mounting hardware for a direct, no-drill installation. Even the brackets are matched to your vehicle’s exact make and model. Users reported that they didn’t need more than 45 minutes to install those. Customers from the USA praised how “everything is clearly marked” for installation and how the process is “super easy”. They described the product as “sturdy, well-engineered and great value for money”.
1. Lund 23994295 Oval Curved Steel Nerf Bar 5 Inch
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2. Tyger Auto Star Armor TG-AM2T20048 kit
When you find a top-quality product from a “not-so-legendary brand” at a very affordable price it’s a real win-win situation. This Nerf bar cum side step from Tyger Auto Star provides solid support to your Toyota Tacoma and eases the installation process for you as well.
The house of Tyger Auto Star Armor usually focuses on good-looking yet sturdy products. The same goes for this set of Nerf bars. The bars will surely make your truck stand out on the street.
The Tyger patented unique SAR metal step pads serve as a helpful step in and out of the truck. It is designed as a dual grinder system that provides maximum protection for the underside from damaging impacts.
The smartest thing that the designers of this have done is to seal the end caps of the tubes to protect it from dirt and water. It helps to solidify the durability of the bars as well.
The customers that we have encountered are in love with the perfect aggressive style and good step height of the Nerf bars. They also praised the door protection that they look for without impacting ground clearance at all. Some also are happy with the unique glass blend that pops against the silver Tacoma.
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3. APS iArmor 6.5inch Nerf Bars
APS iArmor has achieved a special reputation for producing quality running boards, nerf bars and rocker steps. This set of 6.5-inch wide Nerf bars, designed for Toyota Tacoma is different from other typical tubular side steps that you see every day on the road. With a rugged good look and plate design the bars stand out.
Made of aircraft-grade Aluminum these bars are ideal for keeping excessive weight off your truck. They come with a unique square design and slotted step pads. The step pads make the entrance and exit extra easy and comfortable.
The customers complimented how even their 5 or 7 years old children can easily climb into the bars. Another user-friendly feature of the product is its dual grider system to serve in favor of extra protection. The aggressive off-road look makes your car stand out on the road.
The product is prepared to support up to 300 lbs of weight. Aluminum as material and the matte black powder-coated finish help for superior UV, rust, and corrosion protection.
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4. APS Auto 6 inches Black Nerf Bars
One of the sturdiest and most stylish Nerf bars present in the contemporary market are these bad boys from the house of APS. This set of cab-length bars, made of premium Carbon steel offers a much better footing in a much stronger step than other products.
There’s nothing worse than stepping on a bar that bends and you wonder if it is going to hold your weight. But these two with extra heavy-duty brackets and hardware will always carry your weight with style and ease.
So, strength and sturdiness are the reason behind it being considered as one of the best Nerf bars for Toyota Tacoma in the USA.
Extremely stylish and thoughtfully designed are the most important features of this set of bars. Three stage matte black powder coat finish lends the product its durability to serve you for many years. The steps are extra wide and deep enough to fit size 12 shoes easily on them.
The package that you will receive consists of a pair of two running boards, support brackets, a mounting kit, hardware, and DIY instructions. Customers from the USA praised mostly the fitting of the bars, high-quality welds, and solid construction.
Some patients with lower back pain described how stock runners didn’t work for them and these worked as lower-back friendly steps for their truck. The bars screw into pre-threaded holes that exist on the Tacoma’s underside. Thus the installation process becomes extremely easy for the users.
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5. TAC Oval Bend Texture Black Nerf Bars
If you are counting on your budget yet want to purchase a smart-looking set of Nerf bars for your Toyota Tacoma, then TAC’s oval bend bars are made for you. This meticulously designed product is specialized in off-road design. Made with alloy steel, the bars ensure outstanding protection and excellent appearance.
The UV-resistant anti-slip poly wide steps are extremely heavy-duty. The coating matte finish is useful for anti-scratching quality, easy cleaning, as well as in proving an aggressive look to your truck.
The heavy texture outer finish will ensure rust and corrosion protection. It will also free you from the tension of rust under the bar.
The customers appreciated how the finely finished mounting brackets and coated bolts make the installation process as breezy as possible. Most of them praised the toughness and great look of the product. Another benefit of this product is its budget-friendliness.
The package includes a pair of 2 side steps Nerf bars, mounting brackets, mounting hardware along with installation instructions. Users also love the amazing fitment of these steps with Tacoma and how there are neither too weirdly big nor too small for the vehicle.
The users also noticed the protection these bars provide to the truck because if someone opens their car’s door next to the truck, it will hit the steps, not the truck. They mentioned how the steps sit high and don’t impact the clearance too much for off-road driving.
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TAC Oval Bend Texture Black Nerf Bars Video Review
6. HD Ridez Aluminum Drop Steps
When comfort and sturdiness are your primary demand from the Nerf bars of your truck, HD Ridez can be a real solution for your truck’s entry and exit. The body of these Nerf bars is made with Aluminum and designed with special care. With 6.5 inch wide structure, the bars can support up to 300 lbs of weight.
To make your steps comfortable the bars come with pocket-style drop steps. The drop steps won’t dangle your feet in the air and instead, provide you with secured footing. To provide a better grip to your feet during entry and exit, the steps are structured with non-skid threads with raised edges.
Using Aluminum as a material also serves to fulfill some other objectives, like – keeping the bars corrosion and rust-free. Being examined the metallic body of the tubes reveal four layers where the first layer of Aluminum is covered with a second layer of pre-treatment, then an anti-corrosion timer, and at last the powder coat.
The depth of the oversized steps on the bars is 3.8 inches. During the manufacturing of the bars, an automatic Robot welding system is used to ensure flawless high-precision manufacturing.
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7. Tyger Auto TG – SS2T35038 Nerf Bar
The series of Tyger Rider from the house of Tyger Auto belongs to our next product. Like other Tyger Auto products, this one also comes with a pretty affordable price tag. The product is 3.5 inches wide but designed and executed in a very meticulous manner.
The bars are structured as oval tubes and made of Forged carbon steel. The distinctive oval tube design allows the bars to be extra stable and more comfortable than their single-round tube counterparts.
For easy access and extra side protection for your truck, you can trust these bars. As far as the meticulous structure is concerned, even the brackets of the side steps come in powder-coated texture to ensure rust resistance.
If you are worried about bad weather and rain, then let us assure you, the bars go through cylindrical welding. The end cap protects them from dirty water.
Usually, products get only an outer layer of coating but these bars are protected with a special E-coat on both inside and outside.
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8. YITAMOTOR 6 inches Nerf Bars
Designed and structured in a completely different way, these bars from YitaMotor have won the hearts of many users. Finished with rust-resistant Aluminum alloy of the finest quality, the product is compatible with access cabs, unlike others that go with drive cab/crew.
The makers cover the Aluminum bars with top-quality ABC plastic. And these two elements with their slip-resistant quality turn the product into a strongly non-slippery. Both experts and users agree that this product is one of the best Nerf bars in Tacoma available in the market.
Along with the material, the technology also works to turn the bars into stunningly strong and non-slippery. High-quality polymer is used to make them textured non-slip steps with additional traction So the sturdiness and durability of the product come from both its engineering and materials, no wonder!
The manufacturers claim that the product can withstand repetitive corrosion of salt spray and UV radiation without any kind of discoloration. Even the bolts of the bars are made from stainless steel so you don’t need to worry about those getting rusty and making the structure weak.
Another measure that the designers took to make your work easy is, structuring the bottom with a slide mount to eliminate the need to punch holes. As a result, the side steps are able to adapt better to your car and the assembly process becomes much easier.
The width of each bar is a whopping 6 inches which enables the passengers a convenient entrance into the truck. The customers who have used this for a long time used one single phrase to describe “awesome”.
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YitaMotor Nerf Bars Install/Review
9. Westin Pro Traxx 4 Oval Nerf Bar Steps
This product from the house of Westin is the perfect specimen of oval shaped running board AKA Nerf bar. The body of the bar is 4 inches wide and coated with a black powder finish. This model from Westin Pro Traxx is widely popular among Tacoma owners from different regions of the USA.
The bars are designed with 30 degrees OE style bend. Not just that, both ends of the bar are fully welded domed ends. The material used to build the product is T-304 stainless steel. This E-coated Steel with a black powder coat finish turns the pair of bars supremely sturdy and long-lasting.
The step pads are made of injection-molded polymer step pads. The bars continue to be equally anti-slip even during rain. The 30-degree bend on both ends of the bars adds extra charm to your Tacoma’s stylish look. And to say the truth, the look is the first thing that users talk about when we ask them about this product.
Another feature the users praised is its fitment with Tacoma. They described it in the following words – “good fit and looks sharp”, “fit good and looks awesome”.
The installation process is also easygoing. Without any drilling, you can assemble them. For off-road journeys the bars are great. The channel on the steps is used to drain excessive water. The ends of the tubes are sealed to keep road debris and moisture far away and protect them from corrosion.
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10. Comnova Autopart 3 inch Nerf Bars
Another newly launched drop-step style Nerf bar for you is this one from Comnova Autopart. The width of the tube-sized bars is 3 inches but they include separate steps so you don’t need to worry. The step pads are made non-slippery for safe entry and exit into the truck.
Unlike the straight Nerf bars, this product handles your safety-related issues in a great way. The step pads are the reason behind that. The pads are able to carry more than 350 lbs, so you can use them to easily enter the truck without any fear of accident or slipping.
The matte black finish on the outside layer of the tubes ensures the anti-slip and rust-resistant quality. The non-slip treat make provides superior traction. Even heavy rain and an excessive amount of dust cannot take away this feature from the waterproof dust-resistant bars.
The products from Comnova have been extremely trusted by customers for a long time. Most of the customers described the product as a “great addition” to their truck and a “great look for the price”. They usually praise the sturdiness, the diamond footstep, and the nice welding of the bars.
Another feature of the product praised by the users is its no-drilling installation process. They mentioned how the younger and inexperienced members of their family could easily put them on in just 30 minutes.
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Best Nerf Bars for Toyota Tacoma Buying Guide
If you are not sure about the process of choosing the right Nerf bar for your truck then you just need to go through our buying tips. With our review of the top 10 best Toyota Toyota nerf bars, we have also listed the buying tips and pre-purchase cautions that you should keep in mind.
Unlike every other time, this time we are going to ask you purchase-related questions and then provide answers of those. In this way, you can understand what kind of careless customers make and what kind of preparation you should have before selecting the product.
Do you want a Nerf bar with drop steps? What kind of material do you want?
Usually, nerf bars with stepping pads are much more useful than plain ones. The pads help you in a balanced comfortable entry and exit. But still, it is your choice so check carefully before purchasing if they have got drop steps or not.
As far as the material of these steps is concerned, rubber or plastic are the most popular choices of manufacturers. Plastic has a tendency to get worn out with time so rubber is a better option here. But be sure that they are wide and long enough for your feet.
For the main body of the bar, you can go for either Aluminum or Steel. Both metals are long-lasting and strong compared to ABS plastic. Aluminum is extremely good – looking and Steel is trusted for its survivability.
What is your budget range?
Nerf bars or side steps are one of crucial parts of your truck and not a luxury item. So, you must think of a specific amount of money that you want to spend on that. But before that try to enlist your favorite products and decide your preferred budget range based on their price.
Usually, a pair of decent step sides or Nerf bars made of Steel will cost you $150-$300. But if you want an extremely heavy-duty set to support heavier weight then they may cost you up to $450-$500.
What is your preference about the length and width of the bars?
You will get multiple numbers of bars in the market based on length and width. Check the compatibility of the product and the ‘wheel to wheel” distance of the truck.
The width of the bars is completely your choice and in this case “the wider the better” should be the motto. If the bars come with dropping steps then a narrow bar also will do okay.
Are you going to install the product yourself?
Aftermarket Nerf bars are not that difficult to install if you go through the manual carefully. But if the bars are not pre-drilled then you may need to take the help of a professional.
Bolt-on Nerf bars are easy to assemble even if your experience is limited.
And most importantly, how much weight do your Nerf bars need to handle?
This is the most important matter to take care of before you buy a set of Nerf bars. You would never want a scenario where someone overweight steps on the stand and it breaks. So, be careful.
Check the suggested weight capacity mentioned by the manufacturers, but always tries to stay ahead. If you need the capacity to be more than 300 lbs, then don’t buy one with 350 lbs of capacity: instead, go for at least 400 lbs.
Expert Video for How to Install Nerf Bars on Tacoma
FAQs About Nerf Bars for Toyota Tacoma
How many types of Nerf bars are found in the market nowadays?
With advanced technology, various kinds of Nerf bars are finding their way into the automobile market. There are custom-made Nerf bars, lighted Nerf bars, power-operated retractable Nerf bars, etc.
Can Nerf bars affect the gas mileage of the truck?
Not really! Nerf Bars running Boards don’t increase or decrease gas mileage to a noticeable account. Even if they do a little bit, that doesn’t make any big difference.
How wide should the Nerf bars of my Toyota Tacoma be?
The width of the bars is completely your choice, depending upon your priorities but usually, 3-6 inches of width is preferable.
Are all Nerf bars vehicle specific or custom-made?
Not necessarily. There are many products in the market that are designed to be “universally fit”. But if you go for anything like that you must be extra sure and check width length, installation process everything thoroughly.
Go through the manual of any universally fit Nerf bar carefully and check if your vehicle model is found in its fitment list.
Except for Aluminum, What else can be used as material to build Nerf bars?
Except for Aluminum ABS plastic, Stainless Steel, and Fiberglass can be used to build a Nerf bar or step side. Fiberglass is durable yet lightweight. But Steel is loved for its durability, while ABS plastic, despite its weakness can be painted to a chrome-like appearance.
The Necessity of Nerf Bars on Work Trucks
One common question that our customers always tend to ask is “Is it compulsory to get a Nerf bar installed on my truck?” – The answer is no, but if the question is “Is it necessary and good for my truck” then the answer is a big fat “YES”!
If you also want to be sure before buying any one of the products from our list of the top 10 best Nerf bars for Toyota Tacoma then here are the reasons to install Nerf Bars –
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Comfort
Most of the trucks and SUV models are designed to sit higher off the ground, compared to cars. So it is definitely a comfort to have something to keep your foot on instead of just struggling to lift your leg to climb up to the truck.
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Truck Seat
When you are climbing up to reach the truck’s seat on e regular basis, it causes premature wear to the seat as well. Because of continuous sliding up and in or down and out, the outer edge of the truck’s seat will wear out for sure.
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Protection from Dirt
With the moving truck, all kinds of dirt and debris like pieces of rock and gravel come in contact with the wheels. The Nerf bar is capable of stopping road dirt from damaging doors, windows, and side panels to a great extent.
Nerf bars also work as a door mat for your truck by allowing passengers to wipe off the dirt while getting into it. This a considered to be a bonus gift from running boards and Nerf bars.
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Security
First of all, comes the primary function of Nerf bars and that is providing an easier, breezier, safer exit and entry to the vehicle. Without Nerf bars or other types of running boards, the entry and exit can be a serious risk.
Especially for children, shorter people, elderly persons, and physically weak or differently able persons.
Even if you swear on your fitness and can jump into your truck without any difficulty, still it is not safe to do so. It is harmful to both your backside and your vehicle’s seat.
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Aesthetic Reasons
Last but not least, nerf bars add extra glamour to your truck, especially Nerf bars made of Steel and oval shape. The pick trucks undoubtedly, look much more stylish with a Nerf bar.
Final Words
If you are a newbie in the world of truck accessories then our guide must have been a great help for you. In this complete guide and review of the top 10 best Nerf bars for Toyota Tacoma trucks, we have tried to cover all the necessary information to help you decide the most suitable product.
We have reviewed bars of all sizes, metals, and styles. So go through the details and you surely will find the right product for you. Just remember that the right Nerf bar should be strong enough to carry the desired amount of weight and stay rust-free for a long time but cost not more than your planned budget. Happy shopping!
References:
- https://youtube.com/watch?v=eLMza9e6ZGI
- https://www.ramforum.com/threads/nerf-bars.172488/
- https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/for-those-w-nerf-bars/
- https://www.forbes.com/wheels/accessories/best-nerf-bars/
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