I'm all of 5'6 and just a wee bit of change. I like to think I'm short, not lazy. I keep eyeing the superduties in town to see if anyone has it but I've yet to see it.

 

The height of the tailgate is significant and the step is darn useful because of it. Besides, I don't have to put down what I am loading in the truck to get it in there. Just step up, walk to the front, and put it down. The only thing I don't like about it is how thick the plastic is covering the tailgate. I'm worried about hitting it with one of my gooseneck hitches, or sliding stuff over it.

For lazy people, no way. I can get more loaded faster with it than without....

 

LOVE IT IT SAVES MY KNEES, why hurt if u do have to, its great if your knees are over 50 years old. i had to crawl on my knees in the f-150 all the time when camping.

 

Well, I am only 40 and can still jump up on the tailgate as needed...BUT I guarantee you if I had to load and unload all the time or when I get older and my 'jumpin' up and down' isn't working so good the step would be mighty handy. Hey....we are all going to get older, right??. Anyway, what's the big deal - the capablility factor is there and if you don't need it you don't have to use it.

My two centavos

 

I wish they would put some sort of step on the front of the truck so you can access the engine. Getting in the bed of a truck is much easier than getting into the engine area. Better yet I wish Ford would make a tilt front end so you can access everything up there. It would seem to me a tilt front end wouldn't be that costly and sure would aid in engine repairs.

 

I like the bed step much better from AMP research. You can use it while towing and with the tailgate down, unless you have a camper/goose-neck etc. It protrudes fromt he side and lets you use the bed railing to stabilize yourself. I wonder how secure that 'walking-cane' with the yellow golf ball is.

Bed-Step

I want this style for use when we have our goose-neck hooked up. I always hate having to jump in the bed to secure the chains and break-away wire. I need one for use in front of the rear tire to allow me to get into the bed OVER the side. I just haven't seen it made for the SIDE access vs always going in from the rear (no pun intended)

 

The tow hooks and the front bumper seem to work well enough for me...

 

They're good to get up on for checking fluids. I installed a new 200 amp alternator today and the hooks didn't help!!

 

I guess I am the queerest of the queer then...because I LOVE the looks of the new Super Duty. I do, however, think the step is pretty cool. I use my tire as a step so I don't scratch the bumper.

 

Ford has had a step and handle on their truck beds for decades.




In all seriousness though, with this... thing they have in the tailgate, all I can think of is rocks and sand getting stuck in it. I tend to haul a lot of that around in my F-350. It's already bad enough when small stones get stuck in the tailgate latches when you drop it; I just hate to think of them getting stuck in other parts as well.

I can see where some people would find a drop-down tailgate step useful, though.

I use the mounting points for my MinuteMount plow, myself. :P