Buying guide
Drop Steps for Trucks: Drop-Down Pads, Two-Step Boards and What the Install Sheets Say
A drop step puts your foot lower than a straight rail does, which is the whole point on a tall truck. Most are built into a rail for one truck and cab, so buy by the title. For a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab, start with the Tyger LanderX. No listing here states how far the pad drops, so measure your own truck.
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Straight answer
A drop step lowers the first step below the rail or board. Start with the Tyger LanderX for a 2019-up GM crew cab, an F-150 SuperCrew or a 2005-2023 Tacoma Double Cab, or the Tyger Access for a 2024-up Tacoma Double Cab. Westin states a 4-inch drop on its Outlaw. The listings here state none. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
There are three things people mean by drop step. A rail with a lower pad at each door, built as one part for your truck. A pad that bolts onto a board you already own. And a two-level board, where the step comes in two heights. The first is what you will mostly find by truck and cab on Amazon, so most of this page is about that.
Where to start
Tyger Auto
Tyger LanderX (2019+ GM)
Tyger's drop-step rail for the same GM crew cab trucks as the Rider.
Why here: Its part number leads to a Tyger manual we could read, and the title separates the 1500 years from the HD years.
- Fits, according to the listing
- 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab (as of November 2, 2026)
- Style
- Drop step (as titled)
- Material
- Not stated in the title
- Weight rating
- Not stated in the title
- Install
- Not stated in the title
- Price class
- Mid-range
Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Why it makes the list
- Title names drop step, years and cab
- Tyger part number in the title (TG-LX3C82318)
Watch out for
- We could not read Tyger's page or sheet for this part, so this is listing data only
- No weight rating in the title, so none is printed here
Best for: GM crew cab owners who want the step lower than a straight rail.
Listing data only: We only have the Amazon listing title for this one, no maker sheet. It is an option, not a recommendation.
We call this a place to start, not our pick. We read the manual on a third-party manuals site and not on Tyger's own pages. It shows 8 mounting brackets and says assistance is recommended. It does not mention drilling.
One thing to know: the manual's header says 2019-2024 for the 1500 and 2020-2024 for the HD. The listing title says 2019-2026 and 2020-2027. An older sheet revision could explain that, but we do not know that it does. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Which one for which truck?
If you drive a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab → Tyger LanderX (2019+ GM) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you drive a new-body Ram 1500 crew cab → Tyger LanderX (2019+ Ram 1500) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2027 Ram 1500 (Not fit 19-24 Classic) | Crew Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you drive an F-150, F-250 or F-350 with the Supercrew Cab the title names → Tyger LanderX (F-150 SuperCrew) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2015-2027 Ford F-150; 2022-2025 F-150 Lightning; 2017-2027 F-250 F-350 SD | Supercrew Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you drive a 2024-up Tacoma Double Cab → Tyger Access (2024+ Tacoma) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2024-2027 Toyota Tacoma (Fits Hybrid) | Double Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you drive a 2005-2023 Tacoma Double Cab → Tyger LanderX (2005-2023 Tacoma) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2005-2023 Toyota Tacoma | Double Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf your truck is lifted
If you need the lowest, easiest step for an older passenger
Side by side
| Spec sheet | Listing data onlyTyger LanderX (2019+ GM) | Listing data onlyTyger LanderX (2019+ Ram 1500) | Listing data onlyTyger LanderX (F-150 SuperCrew) | Start here: Tacoma 2024+Tyger Access (2024+ Tacoma) | Listing data onlyOEDRO Drop Down (2005-2023 Tacoma) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits, according to the listing | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab | 2019-2027 Ram 1500 (Not fit 19-24 Classic) | Crew Cab | 2015-2027 Ford F-150; 2022-2025 F-150 Lightning; 2017-2027 F-250 F-350 SD | Supercrew Cab | 2024-2027 Toyota Tacoma (Fits Hybrid) | Double Cab | 2005-2023 Tacoma Double Cab |
| Style | Drop step (as titled) | Drop step (as titled) | Drop step (as titled) | Drop step (as titled) | Drop step (as titled) |
| Material | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title |
| Weight rating | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title |
| Install | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title |
| Price class | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Best for | GM crew cab owners who want the step lower than a straight rail. | New-body Ram 1500 crew owners who want a lower step. | SuperCrew owners who want a lower step and can confirm fit on the listing. | 2024-up Tacoma Double Cab owners, hybrid included as listed. | 2005-2023 Double Cab owners comparing drop steps. |
| On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon |
The drop steps, one by one
Tyger LanderX for 2019-up GM crew cabs
Listed for the "2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD", Crew Cab, part TG-LX3C82318. That semicolon matters, because the 1500 and HD change in different years. No title we read names the 2027 Silverado 1500, so that truck stays unverified. The title also does not mention the 2019 LD, and a sister listing groups it with the older trucks.
Strength: a clear title and a manual we could read. Weakness: no drop depth and no weight rating stated, so we print neither.
Tyger LanderX for the new-body Ram 1500
This LanderX* is titled "2019-2027 Ram 1500 (Not fit 19-24 Classic)", Crew Cab, part TG-LX3D82358. The manual shows four upper and four lower brackets plus two center supports and two center mounts, all on factory studs. It tells you to wire-brush paint and debris off the studs, and it wants a helper to set the board. It does not mention drilling.
The manual's header says 2019-2025 while the title runs to 2027, so that gap is worth a question to the seller. See the Ram 1500 page for the Classic split.
Strength: the plain Classic exclusion and a bracket setup you can read in advance. Weakness: no use on a Classic.
Tyger LanderX for F-150 and Super Duty
The Ford version* is listed for the 2015-2027 F-150, 2022-2025 Lightning and 2017-2027 F-250 and F-350 SD, Supercrew Cab. It names the SuperCrew, not the SuperCab, so read SuperCab vs SuperCrew if you are unsure which you have. We read no manual for this part number.
Strength: one part across the F-150 and Super Duty crew trucks, according to the listing. Weakness: listing data only.
Tyger Access for the 2024-up Tacoma
The Access* is titled for the 2024-2027 Tacoma (Fits Hybrid), Double Cab, part TG-AS2T24003, with "Textured Black Drop Step Rail" in the wording. The hybrid note is rare and useful. On a Tacoma, Double Cab sits in the crew group in the ARIES table, unlike a Silverado Double. We read no sheet for it.
Strength: names the hybrid and the generation. Weakness: Double Cab only, so XtraCab owners need another part. See the Tacoma page.
Tyger LanderX and OEDRO for the 2005-2023 Tacoma
The Tyger LanderX* and the OEDRO Drop Down* are both titled for the 2005-2023 Tacoma Double Cab. Pick on shape and on who you trust to answer a question, because we hold no maker document for either one. Listing data only. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Strength: they cover the older Tacoma in a single range. Weakness: no stated drop, no load figure from a maker, and one long range with no detail by trim.
Add-on pads and two-level boards
Own a Go Rhino RB10 or RB20 already? Go Rhino's straight RB Drop Steps, parts 69420000T and 69420000PC, bolt into the channel under the board with U-brackets. You pick the door position. Its sheet estimates 30 minutes and lists a wrench or a socket and ratchet. More on those boards is on the RB20 page.
Westin takes the other route. Its Outlaw Drop nerf bars state a 4-inch drop with a die-stamped plate meant to clear mud, and its R5 XD states a step 3 inches lower than the standard R5. Those are maker pages and not Amazon listings in our data. Its brand page has the lineup.
For two-stair boards, go to steps for seniors, where getting in matters more than the look.
What to check before you buy
| Criterion | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Cab | The maker's cab name in the title. A Double Cab on a Tacoma and one on a Silverado are different things |
| Years | The whole range, plus any "not fit" wording |
| Drop depth | Often missing. If it matters, ask the seller |
| Pads per side | Whether you get a pad at each door. Read the title and images |
| Drilling | Named per part. Some sheets have no drilling step, others warn about it |
| Weight rating | Only from a maker document. None of these titles carries one, and no rating is printed here |
| Lift | A lifted truck changes the math. See lifted trucks |
The clearance question
A pad that hangs lower is closer to the rocks. That is the trade, and you should make it with a tape measure in your hand. Measure from the ground to the bottom of your rocker at each door, on your truck, with your tires. Ford's 2026 F-150 sheet, for scale, lists 8.2 to 9.8 inches of ground clearance on common configurations. That is the truck's figure, and it does not tell you where your rocker sits.
We print no clearance-loss number for these parts, because none is published in what we read. If you wheel your truck hard, a drop step is probably the wrong tool. Look at side steps for a slimmer option and at nerf bars vs running boards for the shape question.
Mistakes that cost you a return
- Buying by the word. "Drop step" and "nerf bars" can sit in one title. Read the shape.
- Reading a Super Duty listing as a SuperCab listing. The F-150 and Super Duty part here names the Supercrew Cab.
- Assuming a sheet covers the title's years. The two LanderX headers we read stop short of the title's range.
- Assuming no drilling. Tyger's LanderX manual for the older Ram warns about it.
Find your truck
What do you drive?
Start with the truck. We only show what a listing title or maker states for it.
Bottom line
For a 2019-up GM crew cab, start with the Tyger LanderX. On a new-body Ram, an F-150 SuperCrew or a Tacoma, use the same logic with the part that names your truck. If you want the hard numbers before you pay, ask the seller for the drop depth and the load rating in writing. Our sourcing rules are on how we verify fitment. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Tailgate questions
What is the difference between a drop step and a nerf bar?
A nerf bar usually means a straight tube with a step area on it. A drop step adds a pad that hangs lower than the tube. Titles blur this: the Tyger LanderX title says drop step, side step, rail and nerf bars at once. Go by the shape the title describes.
Do drop steps reduce ground clearance?
The pad hangs below the rail, so it is the lowest part of the step. How much that costs you depends on the part and your truck. The listings here state no drop depth, and we found no measured figures, so we print none. Measure from the ground to your rocker before you order.
How much lower is a drop step?
It depends on the maker. Westin states a 4-inch drop for its Outlaw Drop nerf bars and a step 3 inches lower for its R5 XD. The Tyger and OEDRO listings on this page state no number in the title. If the figure matters, ask the seller for it before you buy.
Can I add drop steps to running boards I already have?
On some boards, yes. Go Rhino sells straight RB Drop Steps, parts 69420000T and 69420000PC, that bolt onto its RB10 and RB20 boards with U-brackets. Its sheet estimates 30 minutes. That applies to those Go Rhino boards. It says nothing about adding a pad to any other brand.
Do drop steps need drilling?
It depends on the sheet. Tyger's LanderX manual for the new-body Ram uses factory studs and does not mention drilling. Its manual for the older Ram and Classic says drilling may be required, and that 2009-12 models may need it. We read no sheet for the Tacoma parts, so check yours.
Where this comes from
Keep reading
- Buying guideSide stepsTruck side steps come as rails, 6-inch boards, drop steps and power steps. Compare styles by year and cab, with fit marked as the listing or maker states it.
- ComparisonNerf bars vs running boardsNerf bars vs running boards: usually a 3-inch tube against a 6-inch board, but titles mix the words. What differs, what no maker publishes, and which suits you.
- Buying guideLifted trucksA lift raises the first step with the cab. Measure it, then choose a drop or power step. Fit as the listing states it, and what makers do not say about lifts.
- BrandTyger AutoTyger Auto running boards sorted by line and truck: what each title names, what the install sheets say about brackets and drilling, and the warranty terms we read.
- Buying guideSteps for older ridersTruck steps for older passengers and shorter riders: how to measure first-step height, what drop, two-level, wide and power steps state, and where to start.
- About usHow we verify fitFit here is what a listing title or maker sheet states, marked as such. What we read, what blocked us and why you still confirm year and cab before you buy.
Who writes this
runningboardsfortrucks.com Editorial Team
Fitment, buying advice and explainers
We are the editorial team at runningboardsfortrucks.com. We read listing titles, maker pages and instruction sheets, then write down which truck, year and cab each one states and where we read it. We do not run lab tests and we do not own a test fleet, and we say so openly.
- Fit quoted from the listing or maker
- Sources and dates on every page
- No lab tests, stated openly
- Publisher details in the imprint