Buying guide
Truck Steps: Side, Drop, Hoop, Power, Bed and Hitch Steps Sorted by What You Need to Reach
The right truck step depends on what you are trying to reach. Getting into the cab calls for a side, drop, hoop or power step. Getting into the bed calls for a bed step. Reaching the engine bay or roof calls for a tire step. For the cab on a 2019-up GM crew, our pick is the Tyger Rider, because a maker sheet backs it.
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Straight answer
Pick by what you need to reach. Cab: a full-length side step, a drop step for a bigger climb, a hoop step for a small one, or a power step that tucks away. Bed: a bed step. Engine bay or roof: a tire step. Our cab pick for 2019-up GM crew cabs is the Tyger Rider. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Search "truck steps" and you get everything from nerf bars to folding stairs for a box truck. Forget the product names for a minute. Ask where your boot needs to go, and how far it is from the ground. That sorts the whole category.
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: The cab is why most people shop this category, and this rail has a readable maker sheet with no drilling step and a title that names the years and cab.
- 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.
Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy. This one is a GM part. Other trucks have their own listings under all trucks.
Which step for which job?
If you want a full-length step along a 2019-up GM 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 wide flat step on a 2019-up GM crew cab → 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 the first step from the ground is a big climb on a 2019-up GM 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 only need one spot to step on, and no listing names your truck → Bully BBS-1103 side step pair · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: Various Trucks from Chevy (Chevrolet), Ford, Toyota, GMC, Dodge RAM and Jeep (no models, years or cabs 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 want the step out of sight when the doors are shut 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 need into the bed of a 2017-2021 F-250 or F-350 → AMP BedStep2 75413-01A (Super Duty)
Fits, according to the listing: Listing: 2017-2022 Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty. Maker sheet 75413-01A: Ford Super Duty, fits all beds/cabs, 2017-2021. 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 need to reach the engine bay or the roof → Powerbuilt tire step · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: Truck, SUV, Semi; any diameter tire up to 13 in. wide (no year or 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 a passenger has trouble climbing in
The types, sorted
| You need to reach | Type | What it is | How it mounts, in what we read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cab | Side step or rail | Runs along the cab, tube or flat | Brackets on threaded holes or studs on the Tyger sheets we read |
| Cab, big first climb | Drop step | Step sits lower than the rail | Title and sheet vary by part |
| Cab, short reach | Hoop step | A single step per door | Bolt-on, per an enthusiast site; a dealer reply says the pinch weld |
| Cab, tucked away | Power step | Motorized arm with the door | Guide 76255-01A: harness, OBD II plug, drilling |
| Bed | Bed step | Swings down at the side of the bed | Sheet IM75413: bracket, drilling |
| Engine bay, roof | Tire step | Hangs on the tire, comes off after | Not mounted to the truck, per the title |
| Rear of bed | Hitch step | Goes in the hitch receiver | No sheet read |
The picks, one at a time
| Spec sheet | Our pick: Silverado and Sierra crewTyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ GM) | Listing data onlyTyger LanderX (2019+ GM) | Listing data onlyBully BBS-1103 side step pair | Our pick: power steps, 2022+ GMAMP PowerStep (2022+ GM) | AMP BedStep2 75413-01A (Super Duty) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits, according to the listing | 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 | Various Trucks from Chevy (Chevrolet), Ford, Toyota, GMC, Dodge RAM and Jeep (no models, years or cabs in the title) | Listing: 2022-2026 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra. Maker sheet 76255-01A: Silverado 1500/Sierra 1500, All Cabs, 2022-2026 | Listing: 2017-2022 Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty. Maker sheet 75413-01A: Ford Super Duty, fits all beds/cabs, 2017-2021 |
| Style | Rail / nerf bar (as titled) | Drop step (as titled) | Individual side step, pair (as titled) | Powered retractable step (as titled) | Bed 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 | "Max Load Capacity: 300lbs." (sheet IM75413, last page) |
| Install | Bolt-on with 8 brackets; no drilling step in the sheet; assistance recommended | 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 | Sheet IM75413: drilling, professional installation recommended |
| Price class | Mid-range | Mid-range | Budget | Premium | Mid-range |
| Best for | Crew cab owners on the 2019-up GM full-size who want a rail with a readable install sheet. | GM crew cab owners who want the step lower than a straight rail. | Owners with a truck no vehicle-specific listing names, who are ready to confirm the mounting themselves first. | Owners of a 2022-up Silverado or Sierra 1500 who want a step that folds away and accept a harder install. | 2017-2021 F-250 and F-350 owners who keep climbing into the bed from the side. |
| 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 |
Side steps: the default for the cab
The Tyger Rider* title names the 2019-2026 Silverado and Sierra 1500 and the 2020-2027 2500 and 3500HD, Crew Cab. Its sheet calls for 8 brackets on threaded holes in the body, no drilling step, and a helper. At 3.5 inches wide, it gives you a rail and not a shelf. If you want a wider standing surface, the Tyger Riser 6-inch* has the same fit line, on listing data only. Side steps goes through this group truck by truck.
Worth it if: you get in and out all day and want one long place to put your foot. Skip it if: you need a lower first step, because a rail at the rocker does not change that much.
Drop steps: for a big first climb
The Tyger LanderX* is titled as a drop step for the same trucks and cab. We could not read Tyger's sheet for this one, so it is listing data only. We print no height figure, since none is stated in what we read. Drop steps has the detail.
Hoop steps: a place for your boot and nothing more
The Bully BBS-1103* is a pair of individual steps. Its Amazon title names makes and no models, years or cabs, so we state no fit. BullyUSA.com describes them as bolt-on, but its footer calls it an independent enthusiast website, so that is not maker data, and we print no load or install time from it. A dealer's reply on eTrailer says steps like this install at the pinch welds under the cab, so go look at yours. Hoop steps covers the group, including one with a readable sheet. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Power steps: out of the way until the door opens
The AMP PowerStep* is the best-documented one we found. Its guide lists all cabs on the 2022-2026 Silverado and Sierra 1500, states 3-5 hours and skill level 4, recommends professional installation, and calls for drilling through the pinch weld. It sits in the premium price class. Power running boards has the truck-by-truck list, and best power running boards compares the paperwork.
Bed steps: for getting into the box
The AMP BedStep2 75413-01A* title says 2017-2022 F-250 and F-350. The sheet we read says Ford Super Duty 2017-2021, fits all beds and cabs. That one-year gap is yours to settle before you order a 2022. The sheet has you pre-drill with a 1/8-inch bit and finish at 11/32-inch, recommends professional installation, and states a three-year limited warranty. Its last page says "Max Load Capacity: 300lbs.", and that figure is for this part. It lists no time, so we print none. Other trucks need their own listing, and bed steps has the part numbers. For a step at the back of the truck, see hitch and tire steps.
Tire steps: no install at all
The Powerbuilt tire step* title says it adjusts to fit any diameter tire up to 13 inches wide and folds flat for storage. It hangs on a front tire to get you up to the engine bay or the roof, then it comes off. It is not a way into the cab. Powerbuilt's site refused our requests when we went to read it, so this is listing data only, and we print no load figure. Check the title against your tire width.
Searches we are not going to pretend to answer
"Truck steps" pulls in a lot of searches that are not about pickups, or that we have no source on.
- Chain, cable and box truck steps; dump and service trucks. These are work truck parts. Nothing in our sources covers them, so we leave them out.
- Fold-down and pull-out steps. On a pickup, the closest thing we can document is the bed step above or the power step. For anything else, read that part's sheet.
- Pet steps. Not a topic for this site.
- Handicap steps. We cannot promise anything for a mobility need. Truck steps for seniors covers what to look for, and a mobility specialist can look at your actual situation.
- DIY and homemade steps. We have no design data. See the FAQ below.
What to check before you buy
- Your cab. Most cab steps are cut by cab, and door count alone will not tell you which one you have.
- Mounting points. Threaded holes, studs or pinch weld. Read the sheet if there is one.
- Load. No shared rating exists for pickup steps. Only a maker document counts, and of the sheets above only the bed step's states one. Do not trust a number in a seller's title. How much weight can running boards hold? has the details.
- The height of your first step. Measure from the ground. The 24-inch limit in 49 CFR 399.207 is written for cab-over trucks and truck-tractors, not pickups, and we found no pickup rule.
Mistakes people make with truck steps
- Buying by the word in the title. Running board, nerf bar, side step: one title can use all of them. Go by shape and width.
- Treating "universal" as "fits". A title naming five makes tells you nothing about your year or cab.
- Skipping the sheet. Some bolt-ons have no drill step, and others call for drilling.
Find yours
What do you drive?
Start with the truck. We only show what a listing title or maker states for it.
Bottom line
For most trucks, the job is the cab, and a vehicle-specific running board or side step is the plain answer. On a 2019-up GM crew cab, that is the Tyger Rider, because you can read the sheet before you spend the money. Go lower with a drop step, go powered if you want it out of sight, and buy a bed or tire step for the jobs the cab steps do not touch. We compared published documents and titles for all of this. Nobody here installed or measured these. The method is on how we verify fitment. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Tailgate questions
What is the difference between truck steps and running boards?
Truck steps is the wider term. Running boards are one kind, mounted below the doors. Hoop steps, drop steps, power steps, bed steps and tire steps are all sold as truck steps too. Listings stack these words, and one Tyger title names running boards, side step, rail and nerf bars at once. Go by the shape and width in the title.
Are universal truck steps a good idea?
They can work, but you carry the fit risk. The BBS-1103 title names makes with no models, years or cabs, and the only other page we read for it is BullyUSA.com, whose footer calls it an independent enthusiast website. A vehicle-specific listing tells you far more. Choose universal only when nothing names your truck, and check the mounting points yourself first.
How high should a truck step be?
We found no rule for pickups. The federal rule that sets a first step of no more than 24 inches from the ground, 49 CFR 399.207, covers high-profile cab-over trucks and truck-tractors, not pickups. We cite it as context only, and it is not legal advice. Measure your own climb and choose a step that gets it down to something you can manage.
Can I build homemade or DIY truck steps?
We have no plans or figures to give you. You stand on these parts with your full weight, and we found no shared standard for pickup steps to design against. If you go that way, that is your engineering call. A step from a maker with a readable sheet is the easier path to something you can check.
Where this comes from
- Tyger Auto instruction sheet TG-SS2C35068 (PDF hosted by CARiD)
- BullyUSA.com, an independent enthusiast site, not a maker document: BBS-1103 page
- RealTruck AMP Research installation guide IM76255 (PDF)
- RealTruck AMP Research installation sheet IM75413, BedStep2 75413-01A (PDF)
- Cornell Law School: 49 CFR 399.207, truck and truck-tractor access requirements
- eTrailer: expert reply on Bully and Carr steps on a 2015 F-250
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.
- 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 guideHoop stepsHoop steps give you one step per door. Carr's sheet lists trucks by year and calls for drilling; Bully and DNA titles name makes only. Here is what each one states.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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