Removing OEM accessory running boards

[ekrampitzjr]

My 2011 4–door SuperCab has the OEM accessory running boards, which are straight and held with two brackets each. Both have the chrome finish.

The passenger's side board has serious rust, replacements are unavailable new now, and I really don't need either one anyway. I'm thinking about simply removing both boards and their brackets. The boards can be removed from the brackets easily.

Leaving the brackets without the boards could pose a hazard to others because they will then project from the body.

My concern is with removing the brackets from the underside of the truck. Is an impact driver going to be necessary to break the bolts free? Anything I need to watch for? My intent is to remove one bracket at a time and reinstall the bolts before moving to the other bracket on that side. There is no rust or other problems with the body around the brackets.

Thanks.

 

[SenorNoob]

If the running boards are rusted, I'd expect to spends a full day getting those mounts loose. Likely cutting them out. That's a serious problem if they are the style that use the cab mount to hold them on.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

The funny part is that only the boards (actually only the passenger's one) has a rust problem. I've seen the same rust problem on other right-side running boards, chrome or painted. The cab, underneath the cab, and the brackets are free of rust because the truck was rustproofed when new. But I know how threads like to lock themselves over time, and who knows what the torque spec was at the factory.