Buying guide
Stainless Steel and Chrome Running Boards: Grades Named in Listings and Road-Salt Reality
Stainless does not mean one thing. Most listing titles say stainless with no grade, one says 201, and Westin names 304 on its polished lines. In road salt, that grade matters. For a 2019-up Silverado crew cab on Amazon, start with the COMNOVA 6-inch stainless. If you want a named 304, you are shopping Westin's polished bars. None of it is corrosion-proof.
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Straight answer
Read the grade first. Westin names 304 on its polished R5, PRO TRAXX and E-Series bars. One VEVOR title names 201, and a metals datasheet advises against 200-series grades around chlorides. Most stainless titles name no grade. De-icing salt can stain even 304, so stainless is corrosion-resistant, not corrosion-proof. Chrome is a plating and not a grade. Check your exact year and cab on the listing.
Stainless sells on one idea: it looks good for longer in bad weather. That idea is partly true, and it depends on a number most titles leave out. Here is what is actually named, and what we can and cannot back up.
Where to start on Amazon
COMNOVA
COMNOVA 6" Stainless (2019+ Silverado)
The stainless version of the 6-inch COMNOVA board for the same trucks.
Why here: It names stainless steel, the width, the years and the cab, though not the grade.
- Fits, according to the listing
- 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado 1500, 2020-2026 Silverado/Sierra 2500/3500HD Crew Cab (as of November 2, 2026)
- Style
- Running board / step bar (as titled)
- Material
- Stainless steel (title)
- Weight rating
- Not stated in the title
- Install
- Not stated in the title
- Price class
- Budget
Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Why it makes the list
- Title names stainless steel
- Title gives width, years and cab
Watch out for
- Stainless grade is not stated in the title
- Sierra 1500 is not named in the title
- Listing data only
Best for: Silverado crew owners who want stainless named on the listing.
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 hold no maker sheet for it and the title gives no grade. It names the Silverado 1500, and mentions the Sierra only for the 2500 and 3500HD, so a Sierra 1500 owner should not assume. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Which grade is actually named?
Read on November 2, 2026. Grades come only from the title or the maker's page.
| Part | Source | Stainless grade named | Listed for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westin R5, polished | Maker | 304 | Per Westin's list, by truck and cab |
| Westin PRO TRAXX, polished | Maker | 304 | Per Westin's list |
| Westin E-Series 3, polished | Maker | 304 | Per Westin's list |
| Westin HDX Drop, stainless | Maker | Page says 401 in one place and 410 in another | Per Westin's list |
| VEVOR 6-inch | Title | 201 | 2007-2018 GM 1500 crew; 2019 HD and 1500 LD |
| COMNOVA 6-inch stainless | Title | None | 2019-2026 Silverado 1500; 2020-2026 HD crew |
| COMNOVA for new-body Ram | Title | None | 2019-2026 Ram 1500 crew |
| COMNOVA Double Cab | Title | None | 2007-2018 GM extended; 2007-2019 HD |
| APS 6-inch, black stainless | Title | None | F-150 SuperCrew 2015-2026 and Super Duty crew |
So the one named 304 we can document on a truck step is from Westin, and it is not a budget buy. Westin backs its polished lines with a lifetime warranty per its pages, with the terms that come with it. We cannot explain the 401 and 410 mismatch on the HDX Drop page, so ask Westin if the grade decides it. More on that lineup is on the Westin page.
Road salt: what the sources say
We found no road-salt data on any of these boards. Here is the closest evidence we read, and it comes from outside the truck world.
The Construction Specifier reports that de-icing salt will cause at least superficial corrosion staining on Type 304 and less-resistant stainless steels. It says rough surfaces hold more salt, and that smoother finishes accumulate less and clean up more easily. It also says sodium chloride becomes continuously corrosive above about 50°F and 76 percent relative humidity, and that calcium and magnesium chlorides corrode at lower humidity. That article is about building materials, not running boards.
On 201, Aalco Metals' datasheet covers the 201, 201L, 202 and 204 group together. It lists chromium at 16 to 18 percent and nickel at 2 to 5 percent, with manganese at 6.8 to 8.5 percent. It says these grades perform about like 304 in low-corrosion use, and it does not recommend them in chloride environments. Road salt is a chloride. We found no measurements of 201 on a truck, so that is as far as this goes.
Chrome, polished and black
Chrome. Chrome plating is a thin layer of chromium electroplated onto a metal part, per Wikipedia. It is a coating and not a grade of steel. None of the titles in our data names chrome, so we have no chrome part to send you to. If you search "chrome running boards" and want the shine, the option we can document is polished stainless, and Westin names 304 for those lines.
Polished. Westin's R5, PRO TRAXX and E-Series come polished in 304. The same lines also come in black, and the black ones are not stainless: aluminum on the R5, e-coated steel on the PRO TRAXX, and powder-coated steel on the E-Series. Finish decides the metal, so read the line you are ordering.
Black stainless. The APS title says black stainless steel. It gives no detail on the coating or grade.
Plain steel
If you got here searching "steel running boards", steel and stainless are different buys. Westin's Grate Steps are e-coated steel with a textured black finish and a 3-year warranty. Its black PRO TRAXX is e-coated steel too. Retailers list the Go Rhino RB20 as galvanized steel. Those are coated, and their coating is doing the corrosion work. If you are weighing metals, aluminum running boards and aluminum vs stainless cover the trade.
Which one for which truck?
If you drive a 2019-up Silverado 1500 crew cab and want stainless named → COMNOVA 6" Stainless (2019+ Silverado) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado 1500, 2020-2026 Silverado/Sierra 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 the same truck and care less about stainless → 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 → COMNOVA 6" Stainless (2019+ Ram 1500) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2026 Dodge Ram 1500 Crew Cab New Body Style (Excl. Ram 2500/3500/Classic). 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 SuperCrew and want a black finish → APS 6" Flat (F-150 SuperCrew) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: Ford F150 2015-2026 SuperCrew Cab & F150 Lightning 2022-2026 & F-250 F-350 Super Duty 2017-2026 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 2007-2018 GM crew cab and accept the 201 grade → VEVOR 6" 201 Stainless (2007-2018 GM crew) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2007-2018 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab, 2019 2500HD/3500HD/1500 LD. 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 2007-2018 GM Double or Extended Cab → COMNOVA 6" Double Cab (2007-2018 GM) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: Double Cab ... 2007-2018 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab, 2007-2019 Silverado/Sierra 2500HD 3500HD. 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 named 304 grade
Side by side
| Spec sheet | Listing data onlyCOMNOVA 6" Stainless (2019+ Silverado) | Listing data onlyCOMNOVA 6" Stainless (2019+ Ram 1500) | Listing data onlyAPS 6" Flat (F-150 SuperCrew) | Listing data onlyVEVOR 6" 201 Stainless (2007-2018 GM crew) | Listing data onlyCOMNOVA 6" Double Cab (2007-2018 GM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits, according to the listing | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado 1500, 2020-2026 Silverado/Sierra 2500/3500HD Crew Cab | 2019-2026 Dodge Ram 1500 Crew Cab New Body Style (Excl. Ram 2500/3500/Classic) | Ford F150 2015-2026 SuperCrew Cab & F150 Lightning 2022-2026 & F-250 F-350 Super Duty 2017-2026 Crew Cab | 2007-2018 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab, 2019 2500HD/3500HD/1500 LD | Double Cab ... 2007-2018 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab, 2007-2019 Silverado/Sierra 2500HD 3500HD |
| Style | Running board / step bar (as titled) | Running board / step bar (as titled) | Running board / step bar (as titled) | 6-inch step bar (as titled) | Running board / step bar (as titled) |
| Material | Stainless steel (title) | Stainless steel (title) | Black stainless steel (title) | 201 stainless steel (title) | Stainless steel (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 | Budget | Budget | Mid-range | Budget | Budget |
| Best for | Silverado crew owners who want stainless named on the listing. | New-body Ram 1500 crew owners who want a wider step. | F-150 SuperCrew and Super Duty Crew owners who want a flat step. | 2007-2018 GM crew cab owners who want the grade named on the listing and can live with what 201 means in salt. | Owners of a 2007-2018 GM truck with the shorter rear doors. |
| 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 boards, one by one
COMNOVA 6-inch stainless for the Silverado
Listed for the "2019-2026 Chevy Silverado 1500, 2020-2026 Silverado/Sierra 2500/3500HD Crew Cab", with "Stainless Steel Slider" in the title. Budget class. No title we read names the 2027 Silverado 1500, and that truck stays unverified. The title also says nothing about the 2019 LD, so check that if you have one.
Its sister listing* has the same width and truck wording, but no stainless in the title. Do not assume it is the same metal.
Strength: a clear title in the budget class. Weakness: no grade, no sheet, no load figure.
COMNOVA 6-inch stainless for the new-body Ram 1500
This one* is titled for the "2019-2026 Dodge Ram 1500 Crew Cab New Body Style (Excl. Ram 2500/3500/Classic)". It tells you who it is not for, which is the most useful line on a Ram title. See the Ram 1500 page for the Classic split.
Strength: a clear exclusion. Weakness: no grade named, and listing data only.
APS 6-inch black stainless for F-150 and Super Duty
The APS* is listed for the F-150 2015-2026 SuperCrew, the Lightning 2022-2026 and the F-250 and F-350 Super Duty 2017-2026 Crew Cab. It uses Ford's cab names correctly. Not for a SuperCab, as the title reads. See SuperCab vs SuperCrew.
Strength: covers two Ford truck lines in one title. Weakness: no grade, and "black" tells you nothing about the coating.
VEVOR 6-inch 201 stainless for older GM crew cabs
The VEVOR* is titled for the 2007-2018 Silverado and Sierra 1500 Crew Cab plus 2019 2500HD, 3500HD and 1500 LD, and it names 201 stainless. Credit for naming a grade most sellers leave out. In a salt state, read what Aalco says about that grade before you buy. The title also carries a seller's load claim. No maker document backs it, so we do not print it.
Strength: it tells you the grade. Weakness: the grade it tells you.
COMNOVA 6-inch for older GM Double Cabs
This COMNOVA* uses both "Double Cab" and "Extended Cab" for 2007-2018 GM 1500s, and 2007-2019 for the 2500HD and 3500HD. That is a GM Double Cab, which ARIES files under extended. A Tacoma Double Cab sits under crew, so this part says nothing about a Toyota.
Strength: covers a cab many lists skip. Weakness: no grade named.
What to check before you buy
| Criterion | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Grade | A number in the title or on the maker's page. No number means unknown |
| Finish | Polished, black or textured. Smooth surfaces hold less salt |
| Years and cab | The whole range, including any "not fit" wording |
| Fasteners | Westin's XTS sheet says stainless fasteners need anti-seize to prevent galling. If your kit has them, check your sheet |
| Warranty | From the maker's page. Polished and black lines can differ, as they do at Westin |
| Weight rating | Only from a maker document. None of these titles has one that we print |
Care in salt country
Go Rhino's sheets give advice worth following on any board: wash often in cold areas to remove road chemicals, dry the surfaces afterward, and skip abrasive cleaners and polish compounds. Our rust page goes deeper on what corrodes and where.
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
On Amazon, start with the COMNOVA 6-inch stainless for a 2019-up Silverado crew cab, or its Ram sibling, and accept that no grade is named. If the grade decides it, Westin's polished 304 lines are the ones we can document. Neither one is corrosion-proof, and our fit rules explain why we quote titles and do not interpret them. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Tailgate questions
Do stainless steel running boards rust?
They can stain and corrode. The Construction Specifier reports that de-icing salt causes at least superficial corrosion staining on Type 304 and less-resistant stainless steels, and that rough surfaces hold more salt than smooth ones. We found no road-salt data on these specific boards, so read corrosion claims as seller wording.
Is 304 better than 201 stainless for running boards?
For salt exposure, the sources we read point that way. Aalco's datasheet says 200-series grades perform at a similar level to 304 in low-corrosion settings, but it does not recommend them for chloride environments. Road salt is a chloride. We found no road-salt data for 201 on a running board, so that is the closest evidence.
Are chrome running boards the same as stainless?
No. Chrome plating is a thin layer of chromium electroplated onto a metal object, as Wikipedia describes it. Stainless is the alloy itself. None of the titles in our data names chrome. The shiny option we can document is Westin's polished 304 stainless on its R5, PRO TRAXX and E-Series bars.
What does black stainless steel mean on a listing?
The APS title says black stainless steel with no grade and no detail on the finish. Westin's black R5 is aluminum and its black PRO TRAXX is e-coated steel, so a black bar is not always stainless. If the coating or grade matters to you, ask the seller, because the title does not tell you.
How should I care for stainless running boards in winter?
Wash the salt off, because smooth, clean surfaces hold less of it. Go Rhino's sheets say to wash often in cold areas, dry surfaces after washing and avoid abrasive cleaners and polish compounds. Those are care steps from a maker's sheet, and they carry no promise about any part's lifespan.
Where this comes from
Keep reading
- ComparisonAluminum vs stainlessAluminum vs stainless steel running boards: what salt does to each, how much lighter aluminum is, where coated steel fits, and what listing titles leave out.
- Question & answerDo Running Boards Rust? Steel, Aluminum and Stainless in Road SaltDo running boards rust? Steel can, stainless can stain, and aluminum corrodes without rusting. What makers' sheets and warranties say about salt, and what to do.
- Buying guideAluminum running boardsAluminum running boards by truck and cab, with fit as each listing states it. What aluminum buys you on weight and road salt, and what the titles leave out.
- 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.
- BrandWestinWestin's Pro-e, HDX, R5, PRO TRAXX and XTS lines, from Westin's own pages: materials, install wording, warranty, and the one load rating Westin states per side.
- 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