Buying guide
Truck Side Steps: Which Style Suits Your Cab and What the Listings Promise
"Side step" is not a style. Listing titles use it for slim rails, 6-inch boards and drop steps alike, so go by the width and shape in the title and the truck, years and cab it names. For a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab, we start with the Tyger Rider 3.5-inch, because a maker sheet backs it up.
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links (marked with *). If you buy through them, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Straight answer
Truck side steps are sold by truck, year and cab, and the name tells you little about the shape. A rail is commonly 3 to 3.5 inches wide, a board about 6 inches, and a drop step sits lower than its rail. Our pick for a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab is the Tyger Rider 3.5-inch. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
A running board is a step mounted below a truck's doors that makes it easier to climb in and out. "Side step" is mostly another name for it. The Tyger title for part TG-SS2C35068 says running boards, side step, rail and nerf bars all at once. So do not shop by the word. The name is no guarantee of the style. Look at the shape and width in the title, then at the truck, years and cab.
Tyger Auto
Tyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ GM)
A 3.5-inch rail whose title names the Silverado and Sierra years, the HD split and the cab.
Why here: It has the clearest paper trail of any side step for this truck: the part number in the title leads to Tyger's own instruction sheet.
- Fits, according to the listing
- 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab (as of November 2, 2026)
- Style
- Rail / nerf bar (as titled)
- Material
- Not stated in the title
- Weight rating
- Not stated in the title
- Install
- Bolt-on with 8 brackets; no drilling step in the sheet; assistance recommended
- Price class
- Mid-range
Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Why it makes the list
- The part number in the title (TG-SS2C35068) ties the listing to Tyger's own instruction sheet
- That sheet bolts 8 brackets to threaded holes behind plugs in the rocker area and has no drilling step
- Title separates the 1500 years from the 2500/3500HD years
Watch out for
- 3.5 inches wide per the title, narrower than the 6-inch boards
- No weight rating in the title, so none is printed here
- The title does not mention the 2019 LD/Limited; a sister Tyger listing groups that truck with the older body, so check before ordering
Best for: Crew cab owners on the 2019-up GM full-size who want a rail with a readable install sheet.
Which side step for which truck?
Fit comes first, so this list goes by truck. Each line shows what the listing states. "Listing data only" means the title is all we could read.
If you want a slim rail on a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab → Tyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ GM)
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 want a wider step at the budget end on a 2019-up Silverado 1500 crew cab → COMNOVA 6" (2019+ Silverado) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado 1500, 2020-2026 Silverado/Sierra 2500HD 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 Rider 3.5" (2019+ Ram 1500)
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 a Ram 1500 Classic or an older crew cab Ram → Aluminum crew (Ram older body and Classic) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: Crew Cab ... 2009-2018 Dodge Ram 1500, Ram 2019-2024 1500 Classic (New Body Style Not Fit), Ram 2010-2026 2500 3500. 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 2015-up F-150 SuperCrew → Tyger Riser 6" (F-150 SuperCrew)
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 → COMNOVA Aluminum (2005-2023 Tacoma) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2005-2023 Toyota Tacoma Double/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 2007-2021 Tundra CrewMax → Aluminum 6" (2007-2021 Tundra CrewMax) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2007-2021 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Cab 4 Full Size Doors. 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 Colorado or Canyon crew cab → Tyger Rider 3.5" (Colorado and Canyon)
Fits, according to the listing: 2015-2027 Chevy Colorado GMC Canyon | 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 something else
Each of the big five trucks has its own page with its year blocks and cab names: Silverado, Ram 1500, F-150, Tacoma and Tundra.
The styles, by shape
| Style | What the title usually tells you | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Rail or tube | Commonly 3 to 3.5 inches wide | You want a slim look along the cab and are fine with a narrower step |
| Board | Commonly about 6 inches; one title says 6.75 | You want more foot area, or your passengers want a surer step |
| Drop step | A rail with a step section lower than the rail | The first step is the problem, usually on a taller truck |
| Hoop step | One step per door; many titles give no truck | You want a step at the door only, and you can confirm the fit yourself |
| Power step | A motorized step that comes out with the door | You want it tucked away and accept a harder install |
The hoop step titles we read gave no model years or cabs, and one named no truck at all, so no title settles a hoop step. Our one hoop step pick rests on a sheet that lists trucks by year, and it is on hoop steps. Otherwise, ask the seller for your exact truck. Power steps have their own page: power running boards. The tube end of this table gets more detail under nerf bars.
Side steps compared: 2019-up GM crew cab
This is the widest set in our data, so it makes a fair side-by-side. All five titles name the 2019-up Silverado crew cab. Look at the wording differences, not only the shape.
| Spec sheet | Our pick: Silverado and Sierra crewTyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ GM) | Budget optionCOMNOVA 6" (2019+ Silverado) | Listing data onlyAluminum nerf bars (2019+ Silverado and Sierra) | Listing data onlyTyger LanderX (2019+ GM) | Listing data onlyTyger Trax (2019+ GM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits, according to the listing | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado 1500, 2020-2026 Silverado/Sierra 2500HD 3500HD Crew Cab | Crew Cab ... 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado & GMC Sierra 1500 (Excl 2019 Ld/Lt), 2020-2026 2500 HD 3500 HD | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab |
| Style | Rail / nerf bar (as titled) | Running board / step bar (as titled) | Running board / step bar (as titled) | Drop step (as titled) | Rail / nerf bar (as titled) |
| Material | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Aluminum (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 | Bolt-on with 8 brackets; no drilling step in the sheet; assistance recommended | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title |
| Price class | Mid-range | Budget | Budget | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Best for | Crew cab owners on the 2019-up GM full-size who want a rail with a readable install sheet. | Silverado 1500 crew cab owners who want a wider step and a budget price class. | GM crew cab owners who want aluminum and an explicit LD exclusion on the listing. | GM crew cab owners who want the step lower than a straight rail. | GM crew cab owners comparing Tyger rails. |
| 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 five, one at a time
Tyger Rider 3.5-inch
This is our pick, and the reason is paperwork. The part number TG-SS2C35068 in the title leads to Tyger's instruction sheet. It uses 8 brackets on threaded holes behind plugs in the rocker area, and it has no drilling step. Assistance is recommended. The title also separates the 1500 years from the 2500 and 3500HD years, so you can see the split at a glance.
The downsides: 3.5 inches is narrow next to a 6-inch board, and neither the title nor the sheet gives a weight rating. The title does not mention the 2019 LD/Limited, and a sister Tyger listing groups that truck with the older body. Price class: mid-range. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
COMNOVA 6-inch
If you want a wider step at the budget end, this is the one to look at. The title gives the width, the years and the cab. It is listed for the 2019-2026 Silverado 1500 and the 2020-2026 Silverado and Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD crew cab.
Read that closely if you drive a Sierra 1500: the title names the Sierra for the HD trucks only, so it does not state your truck. We have no maker sheet for this part, so install details and weight rating are open. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Aluminum step with the LD exclusion
The textured black aluminum step* has one useful line that most titles skip: "Excl 2019 Ld/Lt". If you own a 2019 Silverado, that kind of clarity is worth something. It also covers 1500 and HD years separately.
The title gives no brand, which makes follow-up harder, and we have no maker sheet. Price class: budget. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Tyger LanderX
The LanderX is the drop step of the group, listed for the same trucks as the Rider. Look at it when the first step is the problem and a straight rail leaves your foot too high. The title carries Tyger's part number, TG-LX3C82318.
Tyger's sheet for this part would not load for us, so we know nothing about its install beyond the title. That is why it is an option here and not a pick. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Tyger Trax
The Trax is a textured black rail, also listed for the same 2019-up GM crew cabs, under part number TG-TX7C29758. Pick it over the Rider only if you prefer its look. We could not read a sheet for it either, so the Rider has the better paper trail. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
What to check before you order
Year block. Trucks change at different times. One title says 2019-2026 for the Silverado 1500 and 2020-2027 for the 2500 and 3500HD.
Cab name. According to ARIES, an extended cab has smaller rear doors or a seat-forward layout, and a crew cab typically has four full-size doors. "Double Cab" lands in either group by truck. Extended cab vs crew cab sorts it out by maker.
Length. ARIES separates cab-length boards from wheel-to-wheel boards, which also cover the bed and cost more. Bed and cab fitment covers the second kind.
Drilling. "No-drill" is too broad a promise. Tyger's sheet for the F-150 Riser uses factory studs with no drilling step. Its sheet for the older Ram 4-inch step says drilling may be required.
Load. Only a maker's document counts. Most titles state no rating, and the Tyger sheets we read state none.
Material and salt. Titles name stainless or aluminum, usually with no grade. We found no corrosion measurements for these parts, so nothing here is called corrosion-proof.
Common mistakes
- Buying the word. "Nerf bar" in a title does not mean a tube. Read the width.
- Carrying a cab name across brands. A Tacoma Double Cab and a Silverado Double Cab are in different groups in the ARIES table.
- Assuming twin trucks share a listing. A title can name the Silverado 1500 and leave out the Sierra 1500.
- Trusting a number in the title. A load figure in a seller's title with no stated basis is the seller's word. We do not repeat them.
- Skipping the sheet. On a Ram or with a DEF tank, the sheet may ask for more than a socket set.
What do you drive?
Start with the truck. We only show what a listing title or maker states for it.
Bottom line
If you drive a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab and want one answer, take the Tyger Rider 3.5-inch*. If you want a wider step for less on a Silverado 1500, the COMNOVA 6-inch* is the alternative, with listing data only behind it. For any other truck, start at all trucks. None of this comes from installs of our own: how we verify fitment shows what we read. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Tailgate questions
Which is better, running boards or side steps?
Neither word settles it, because the words overlap. One Tyger title calls a single part running boards, side step, rail and nerf bars. Compare the shape instead. A wider flat step gives more foot area. A narrower rail looks slimmer along the cab. A drop step puts the step lower. Then check that the listing names your truck.
Do truck side steps need drilling?
It depends on the part. Tyger's sheet for its 2019-up GM rail shows brackets on threaded holes behind plugs and has no drilling step. Its sheet for the older Ram 4-inch step says drilling may be required. Most listings here gave us no sheet to read, so ask the seller before you order.
How much weight can side steps hold?
Only the maker's document can say for a given part. Most titles and all the Tyger sheets we read state no rating. Figures on dealer pages disagree, so we do not print them. A missing rating means it was not stated. It does not tell you what the part can hold.
Do side steps hurt gas mileage?
We found no published mpg measurement for side steps on pickups, in either direction. Claims go both ways. Without a measured figure we give no number. If mileage is your main concern, there is no data here to tell you which shape costs less.
Will side steps rust?
They can. We found no corrosion measurements for these parts, so we call nothing corrosion-proof. Titles name stainless or aluminum, usually with no grade. One Tyger sheet uses plastic retainers to prevent corrosion between an aluminum body panel and steel brackets. Rinse off road salt and look over the hardware now and then.
Where this comes from
Keep reading
- Buying guideNerf barsNerf bars for trucks by cab and year. What the name really covers, how wide the rails are, what the install sheets say, and our picks where we read a maker sheet.
- ComparisonBest running boardsThe best truck running boards are the ones listed for your year and cab. Our picks by truck and use, with no lab scores, only published fit and maker sheets.
- CompatibilityAll trucksWhich running boards fit your truck depends on model, year block, cab and sometimes bed. See the splits listings state for each truck and where to start.
- Buying guidePower running boardsPower running boards come out with the door and fold away after. See which trucks each listing names, what the install takes and which load figures hold up.
- 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