Step or running board

I need a recommendation from a fellow F150 owner who has installed a step for climbing into the cab.  My bride is short, not heavy, but she needs a little help to get in.  Our truck is an '85...and thanks!

I use Hoop Steps, have them on my Bronco and my F250. The Bronco had running boards on it when I bought it. They work, I prefer the steps though. The truck had early Hoop Steps that were very big and high, I replaced them with the Hoop Steps. My rememberer doesn’t work like it used to, but I thought someone on this forum got my early Hoop Steps. I believe the ones I have now are Hoop Steps II.

I need them because I’m crippled up somewhat.

Edit: I don’t know where you’re at, but I still have those running boards off my Bronco. I’m in Oregon, I won’t ship those running boards though.

I'm also not a big fan of the running boards, but they're what came on my F-250 so they're what I have.

Mine are fiberglass steps that attach to the body right at the bottom edge.  They also had some metal straps that helped hang them from further in (also on the body) but those straps have all been ripped off driving the truck through tall grass basically (probably some hidden light brush).  So now they are just attached to the edge of the body.

I wouldn't expect them to hold up like that, and I wince when people step on them.  But I've had some pretty heavy people use them and they keep hanging on, so I guess they're not as bad as I'd think.

But if you have the option of something better I'd go for it.


Oh, and I used to have a '95 F-150 Eddie Bauer.  That came from Ford with pretty nice steps/running boards.  However the metal hoop that supported them rusted out, then they didn't seem strong enough to me and I took them off (maybe I didn't need to?).  If you can find them in decent shape that wouldn't be a bad option.  But I've read quite a few threads from people wondering where they can get new hoops to replace their rusted out ones, so finding good ones might not be possible.

Seems like you are leaving one option out, but from your wording I'm not clear which. You have:

Step bars

https://www.ariesautomotive.com/media/catalog/product/cache/a9ec4468c092a46cbaa343da3084c369/a/l/al234046_1024x768_a.jpg

Steps (or step hoops)

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61VrZ9CHPrL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

and Running Boards

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/best-running-boards-for-trucks.jpg

Which early (like, 40's, 50's) trucks came pretty standard with I think.

I have the Step Bars on my 2 Fords ('81 and '06). The step bars for the 81 came from LMC and I think are Aries brand. But they don't seem to fit stepside trucks, so I ended up making up a bunch of bracketry to make it work with my truck. I like the wider step area, when I climb in, I put my left foot on the full length of the footpad, toes pointed forward. Far more of a sure step than a hoop, where probably only the ball of your foot is going to be supported by the hoop.

I'm not aware of anyone making running boards for Bullnoses, but I haven't really looked.

I like step bars, and that is what I have on Big Blue.

E6TZ-16450-E on eBay; complete with instructions:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184927058984?epid=26047995315&hash=item2b0e82fc28:g:NUEAAOSwTExg5MVv

Those look almost like my DeeZee ones, wonder if that's who made them for Ford? Mine originally had lights in them, truck looked like it had Christmas decorations with the lights on.

Plenty to go on here, thanks much!