Buying guide
Truck Steps for Older Passengers and Shorter Riders: First-Step Height and Step Width
Buying a step for an older passenger or a shorter rider comes down to two numbers on your own truck: how high the first step sits and how much room it gives a foot. A drop step or two-level board moves the step lower, a 6-inch board adds width, and a power step comes down with the door. We compare what makers state. This is not medical advice.
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Straight answer
Measure your truck's first-step height, then compare shapes. On a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab, start with the Tyger LanderX drop step. Westin states a 4-inch drop on its Outlaw and three inches on its R5 XD. No listing here states a drop figure. We found no source saying which step suits older riders. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
If you are shopping for someone else's climb into your truck, you want a part that does the job and straight answers about it. So here is the limit of this page: we compare what makers publish about step height, width and install, and that is all.
Measure first
No listing below gives a ground-to-step height, and that figure changes with tires, suspension and lift anyway. Your own truck is the only number you can trust.
- Park on level ground with the door open.
- Measure from the ground to the top of the door sill.
- If the truck has a step, measure from the ground to the top of it, and note how wide it is front to back.
- Write it down, and ask the rider which part of the climb is the hard one.
Keep one federal number out of this. 49 CFR 399.207 sets a first step of no more than 24 inches, but it covers high-profile cab-over trucks and truck-tractors. We found no such rule for pickups, and this is not a legal opinion.
Four shapes, and what each one states
| Shape | What it changes | What the source states | What it does not state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop step | Puts the pad below the rail | Westin: a "4” drop" on the Outlaw, and the R5 XD "lowers the stepping surface by three inches" | The Tyger and other listings here give no drop figure |
| Two-level board | Adds a second height | COMNOVA's title says "Two-Stairs" | Heights, cab, sheet |
| Wide flat board | More foot area | Titles give width, such as 6 inches, against 3.5 inches on a slim rail | Any height change |
| Power step | Comes down when the door opens | RealTruck: extends "down and out" with the door, stows after a 2-second delay, stops if something is in the way | Step height in the guide we read |
Westin's page says the R5 XD lowers the step "for easier entry". That is the maker's claim about its own part. We have no Amazon listing for the Westin parts, so check Westin's table for your truck. More on the shape itself is on drop steps.
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: It puts a lower pad on a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab, the title names the years and the cab, and we could read a manual for the part number.
- 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. It shows 4 brackets per side, says "ASSISTANCE IS RECOMMENDED" and does not mention drilling. Its header says 2019-2024 for the 1500, while the listing title says 2019-2026, so a late truck needs a question to the seller. It states no drop figure and no weight rating, so we print neither.
If you drive a 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab and want a lower pad → 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 2019-up Silverado or Sierra 1500 and want two step levels → COMNOVA Two-Stairs (2019+ GM 1500) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado/Sierra 1500 (no cab in the title). 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 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab and want a 6-inch step → Tyger Riser 6" (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 2019-up Silverado or Sierra crew cab and want aluminum → Aluminum nerf bars (2019+ Silverado and Sierra) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: Crew Cab ... 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado & GMC Sierra 1500 (Excl 2019 Ld/Lt), 2020-2026 2500 HD 3500 HD. 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 the step to come down with the door on a 2022-up GM 1500 → AMP PowerStep (2022+ GM)
Fits, according to the listing: Listing: 2022-2026 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra. Maker sheet 76255-01A: Silverado 1500/Sierra 1500, All Cabs, 2022-2026. 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 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 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 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 Amazon
| Spec sheet | Listing data onlyTyger LanderX (2019+ GM) | Listing data onlyCOMNOVA Two-Stairs (2019+ GM 1500) | Listing data onlyTyger Riser 6" (2019+ GM) | Listing data onlyAluminum nerf bars (2019+ Silverado and Sierra) | Our pick: power steps, 2022+ GMAMP PowerStep (2022+ GM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits, according to the listing | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado/Sierra 1500 (no cab in the title) | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab | Crew Cab ... 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado & GMC Sierra 1500 (Excl 2019 Ld/Lt), 2020-2026 2500 HD 3500 HD | Listing: 2022-2026 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra. Maker sheet 76255-01A: Silverado 1500/Sierra 1500, All Cabs, 2022-2026 |
| Style | Drop step (as titled) | Two-level running board (as titled) | Running board / step bar (as titled) | Running board / step bar (as titled) | Powered retractable step (as titled) |
| Material | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Aluminum (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 | Guide 76255-01A: 3-5 hours, professional installation recommended, drill 19/64-inch holes through the pinch weld, OBD II plug |
| Price class | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range | Budget | Premium |
| Best for | GM crew cab owners who want the step lower than a straight rail. | 2019-up Silverado or Sierra 1500 owners who want two step levels and will confirm the cab with the seller. | GM crew cab owners who want a wider Tyger step. | GM crew cab owners who want aluminum and an explicit LD exclusion on the listing. | Owners of a 2022-up Silverado or Sierra 1500 who want a step that folds away and accept a harder install. |
| 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 options, one at a time
Tyger LanderX (GM crew). Look here if the rider says the first step is the hard part. You get a pad below the rail, on a part with a readable manual. The trade-off is what you don't know: there's no drop figure, so your before-and-after is a guess until you ask the seller. It's listing data on fit, and the title leaves out the 2019 LD/Limited, so check before you order.
COMNOVA Two-Stairs*. The only listing in our data that says two levels in the title. It names the 2019-2026 Silverado and Sierra 1500 and no cab, so confirm yours. We read no sheet, no step height and no weight rating. Pick it for the layout, and get the heights from the seller in writing first. If the seller cannot give them, it's hard to compare with anything.
Tyger Riser 6-inch (GM crew)*. A wider step. The title gives 6 inches, and it names the 2019-2026 Silverado and Sierra 1500 crew cab. Nothing in the title says it changes the height, so look here if the rider wants room for a foot and not a lower step. Listing data only.
Aluminum crew (GM)*. The title says "Black Textured Aluminum" and excludes the 2019 Ld/Lt. It gives no width and no height, so ask for both. Listing data only.
AMP PowerStep (2022-up GM)*. The one with the clearest paperwork, and the most work. RealTruck's guide states 3-5 hours, skill level 4 and professional installation recommended, and it calls for drilling through the pinch weld and connecting an OBD II plug. It also says to keep hands away while the board moves. Premium price class. The guide names no step height. For the wider field see power running boards.
What to check before you buy
- Your first-step height, before and after. Ask the seller for the part's height or drop in writing. If there is no figure, you are buying on shape alone.
- Foot area. Titles give width on many boards. A pad and a full board are different things, so look at the shape.
- Weight rating. No shared rating exists. Take it only from a maker document for that exact part. Westin states 300 lbs. of weight capacity per side for the Pro-e, and that says nothing about other parts. Ignore numbers in seller titles. See how much weight running boards can hold.
- Install. Read the sheet. Some call for a helper, and some kits call for drilling.
- Year and cab. Same rule as every part on this site. Start from all trucks.
Mistakes to avoid
- Taking "drop" as a number. The word in the title does not tell you how far.
- Assuming a step replaces a handhold. We have no data on this either way. Check what your truck already has.
- Buying for a lifted truck on stock-truck thinking. A lift changes the climb, so read running boards for lifted trucks first.
- Ordering before asking the rider. The person climbing in knows which part is the hard one.
What do you drive?
Start with the truck. We only show what a listing title or maker states for it.
Bottom line
Measure your truck, ask the rider, then choose the shape. On a 2019-up GM crew cab, start with the Tyger LanderX for a lower pad, or step up to the AMP PowerStep if the budget and install work are not a problem. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy. For how we read every source above, see how we verify fitment. The full truck picker is on the home page.
If grip on an existing step is the concern, see running board pads.
Tailgate questions
What are the best truck steps for elderly passengers?
We found no independent test or study of truck steps for older riders, so we name no winner. We can tell you what makers state. Westin lists a 4-inch drop on its Outlaw and three inches on its R5 XD. The drop-step listings here state no figure. Measure your truck and ask the person riding in it what they need.
How do you get into a truck with running boards?
Open the door fully, put one foot on the step, and use the truck's grab handle if it has one, then bring the other foot in. If the rider has a health or mobility concern, ask their doctor or an occupational therapist what suits them. That is their call, and it is not something a parts page can settle.
How high should the first step be on a pickup?
We found no pickup rule. The closest federal number, 24 inches from the ground for the first step in 49 CFR 399.207, covers high-profile cab-over trucks and truck-tractors only, so we do not use it as a target. Measure what you have now and compare it with what the person riding can manage.
Are there handicap steps for pickup trucks?
This page covers ordinary truck steps, and they are not mobility equipment. We read no document that presents any of these parts as an aid for a disability, so we make no such claim. If someone needs a lift, a transfer seat or a vehicle modification, talk to their doctor or an occupational therapist first.
How much weight can these steps hold?
Only a maker document for that exact part can tell you, and we found none for the listings here. The Tyger LanderX manual pages we read show no rating. Westin states 300 lbs. of weight capacity per side for its Pro-e. Figures in seller titles do not count. Ask the seller for the maker's document before you buy.
Where this comes from
- Westin Automotive: R5 nerf step bars (R5 XD)
- Westin Automotive: Outlaw Drop nerf bars
- Westin Automotive: Pro-e power running boards
- Tyger LanderX manual TG-LX3C82318 (ManualsLib)
- RealTruck AMP Research installation guide IM76255 (PDF)
- 49 CFR 399.207, truck and truck-tractor access requirements (Cornell Law School)
Keep reading
- Fitment guideHomeFind running boards for trucks by year and cab. Every fit line is marked as the listing or maker states it, with one clear place to start for each truck.
- Buying guideDrop stepsDrop steps put the first step lower. Compare drop-down rails by truck and cab, with fit as the listing states it, what the sheets say and the clearance question.
- 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.
- Question & answerHow Much Weight Can Running Boards Hold? Maker Ratings, Per-Side vs Total, and What Is UnratedThere is no standard weight rating for running boards. What makers actually state, per side or static, and why dealer and listing title figures do not count.
- 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.
- 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