Ali Mansour
Brand Manager, 4WD & Sport Utility
Most of the upgrades we place on our trucks are purely functional. We save the frilly and shiny stuff for other so-called truck magazines, as our focus is on parts that will make our pickups work better, harder, and last longer. One of the key upgrades that most of us gravitate to is a lift kit or performance suspension system. A suspension upgrade usually has few downsides from a performance perspective, but sometimes performance can interfere with practicality.
Since our pickups serve as daily drivers, tow rigs, and people movers, they need to stay in the realm of the practical. While towing and commuting are no sweat with a raised 4x4, sometimes people moving becomes more of a challenge. Sure, you and your brawny buddies can all climb in and out unassisted, but trust us, your significant other won’t be overjoyed at having to do a gymnastics routine every time she enters and exits your rig. And if you’re a parent, then you understand the challenges the little ones face too.
For many, basic bolt-on step bars work fine, but they are not without their drawbacks. Traditional steps often bolt just below the door line and stick outside of the body line, which makes them still pretty high up and easy targets for dirt and debris. This can equate to a dirty pant leg or a slick surface, especially during the winter. Fortunately, the basic step has evolved, and Bestop has a great example of just how much.
Bestop’s Power Board is a retractable step that lowers automatically when you open your door. Once the door is closed the step simply retracts and tucks neatly either under or along the bottom of your pickup. With the step tucked up and out of the way, it helps prevent dirt from sticking to the step surface. And since the Power Board extends 6 inches down and 2 inches out when actuated, it provides an even lower step-in height than a conventional step does.
The Bestop Power Board kit comes with a complete wiring harness that’s loomed and fitted with all of the necessary electrical fittings. On many of the pickup applications the board’s power module receives a signal pulse from your door when it opens. This requires popping off your door panels and tapping into the appropriate power wire.
We recently stopped by our local 4Wheel Parts store in Raleigh, North Carolina, to check out what it takes to install the Power Board on a ’12 Chevy 2500 Crew Cab 4x4. While it took every bit of the manufacturer’s suggested four hours, the install was very straightforward and the upgrade extremely worthwhile. A crucial and simple step that many people overlook when installing the Power Board is reading the instructions carefully. Even if you’ve helped a buddy install a set of these “a while back,” they often revise the instructions in an effort to make the process more installer-friendly. For more info on the step visit the product page at www.bestoppowerboard.com.
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