It is easy to remove Ford F150 running boards. Most people remove them to replace them with durable and high-quality nerf bars.
How to Remove Running Boards on Ford F150? You can remove the running boards on Ford F150 by lifting the truck’s front side with the help of floor jacks. Then unbolt the brackets of both sides with a 13mm socket or ratchet and slide them to remove the studs from their place. Then unscrew the bolts of the plates to slide the plates from the brackets.
Why would you remove running boards on Ford F150?
Running boards are essential for vehicles because they serve as a step to get inside the truck and act as a barrier against dirt.
They require high maintenance and keep them in a clean and dry environment to keep them in good condition. Over prolonged use, they get damaged in many ways.
Poor maintenance can cause rusty spots on the surface, and the rust can penetrate deep into the metal to make holes in it.
Due to handling of excessive load, they can become loose and break. Rusty or broken running boards are loose and unable to perform their function on F150 trucks.
Due to exposure to the external environment and all other hazards, these have a short lifespan, and we have to change them often.
The low weight lifting capacity of plastic boards also makes them susceptible to breakage.
Steps to remove running boards on Ford F150
It is an easy task, and you can do it in your garage. You do not need to spend money to hire any mechanic. Just follow these simple steps to detach them from the vehicle.
It will take 15 to 20 minutes to remove these on both sides. After that, just gather the required tools to start the procedure.
Lift the vehicle front
First, you have to increase ground clearance to easily crawl beneath the Ford F150 frame to approach the bolts and nuts.
To do this, use floor jacks to raise the front and rear of a truck. To jack up a Ford truck, you should wisely select the place. Choose a rough asphalt or concrete floor to do it.
Then park the truck on the floor and turn off the engine. Finally, turn off all the other appliances to prevent yourself from electric shock.
Then place jacks on the rear wheels to prevent the truck from sliding from an inclined floor. Finally, you should place jacks on both rear wheels when lifting the front wheels.
Now search the jack points beneath the front side and place floor jacks to raise the vehicle. Next, place jacks blow the running boards to increase ground clearance beneath them.
Locate the brackets
Running boards are attached to the rocker panel through brackets. The number of brackets holding the boards varies for different types of boards.
First, you should check the Ford F150 manual to get information about brackets and their hardware.
Then crawl below the frame of the truck to approach the brackets easily. It is better to use safety gloves to protect yourself from any damage.
Then locate the brackets and number of bolts on each bracket. Next, you have to find the brackets and number of bolts on both sides.
Remove the bolts of brackets
Each bracket has three bolts that fix it in its place. You can unscrew all the bolts one by one. However, be careful while unscrewing the bolts because anything can fall on your face.
You should use a 13mm socket or ratchet to unbolt its brackets on Ford F150. If the bolts are too tight, you can lubricate them with oil before removing them from the vehicle frame.
Hold the nut of the bolt in the mouth of the socket and revolve it in the anticlockwise direction. When the bolts are loose, remove them with your hands.
Do this procedure for every bolt present on the studs. Next, unbolt the brackets of both sides of running boards to remove them from the vehicle frame.
Crawl outside of the vehicle and sit in the middle of the truck to slide the brackets out. When the bolts are out, then slide the boards in your direction to move them from the affixed position.
Remove the running board plates
When you want to replace the whole running board, you can remove the brackets from the frame.
You can save the brackets for future use by removing their plates. Then, the plates are fixed on the brackets with the help of bolts.
You can use the same socket or ratchet to unbolt the plates from the mounting studs. Lubricate these bolts and nuts with oil to easily unscrew them from plates.
Unscrew the bolts from both plates one by one and remove them from their position. Now slide the plates in the forward direction to completely detach them.
Can you drive Ford F150 without Running Boards?
Having running boards on the Ford F150 truck depends upon your own choice. It is essential to have them in some cases, but many people drive their trucks without these parts.
In their absence, you have to take extra care of the vehicle to protect it against filth and debris. You also have to wash your truck more often to keep it clean.
You should have them when the truck is higher from the ground, and it is difficult to get inside the vehicle.
Some power running boards can also improve fuel economy by giving a streamlined shape to the Ford F150.