I just found a KR in MS I'm picking up in Dec. It has all I want except for the 5" tube running boards. Should I pay the $ 495.00 for the factory installed ones or does anyone know of some after markets ones that look good?

 

My KR 4x4 came with the 495.00 running board option. Personally, i like the way they look. The truck is now 12 months old and the tubes still look good. No dings, nicks, bends or corossion.

 

I've had about six sets of the chrome 5" ones, and one 4" stainless. Each chrome set on my past F-150's and F-250's have corroded on the top surface where the cab drips water (with salt in the winter) on the back 6" tail of the steps. No matter how hard I tried, the spots and slight damage to the chrom occurred. Unfortunately, the stainless are not available on the King Ranch. With all said, if I ordered a KR, I'd probably get the chromed tubes just for the looks. It's not like they rust, but the corrosion will leave a black spot where it develops. The chrome plating on the 5" tubes is not that great. On a good note, they never rusted or really look bad (like painted ones), but you will notice it - I promise - unless you have time in the winter to keep on it every day, or live saltless.

 

We don't salt roads down here in Houston, so road salt corossion is a non-issue for me or anyone who lives in a mild climate.

 

I went with the 5" tubes, no problem with that in Tampa, Just picked the truck up friday and they look great.

 

I don't mind the platform running boards on my '05, only because they are color matched to the lower accents of the truck. I'm not a big fan of the tubular ones on a KR (well, depends on color, mine is Copper) but to each his own.

I took them off of my 99 F150 (XLT), but I hate seeing the new body styles that have them off and there frame rails hanging down there = ugly!