Aggregates Manager

September 2013

Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine

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Cattleman HD With 15 years in the business of making heavy-duty truck accessories Cattleman has made its reputation on using high-grade powder coatings and making sure each joint on its product is meticulously welded with solid bead all the way around for superb strength and durability. The company offers its stylish diamond-plate steel, glossy black HD running boards for single and DRW pickups. Cattleman HD running boards come with boot kicks to keep the cab interior clean. www.cattlemanhd.com; sales@cattlemanhd.com Bestop PowerBoard The 6-1/4-inch-wide aluminum surface on the PowerBoard from Bestop (bestop.com) features a durable non-slip, matte-black powder-coated surface and a generous 600-pound capacity. Splitting the difference between the doorsill of your truck and the ground, this powered running board extends to provide a stair step when the door is open and then retracts for ground clearance when the door is closed. Three-year or 36,000-mile warranty. bestop.com; (800) 845-3567 Go Industries Rugged Step The Rancher Rugged Step is a commercialgrade side step from Go Industries designed for full sized trucks. Measuring 8-1/4 inches wide, the Rancher offers sure footing on 2-inch 10-gauge runners and 2-inch tubing. A nylon coating is used for corrosion protection. A mud scraper is available to clean muck and other debris from you boots to keep the truck's interior clean. No-drill installation. goindustries.com; (800) 527-4345 AMP Research Bed Step 2 The Bed Step 2 from AMP Research is a contractor's dream, supporting up to 300 pounds to allow you to easily reach deep into the bed of your truck for tools, gear and cargo without having to climb in or stand on the tire. Made from high-strength aluminum alloy, its non-slip, fiberglass-reinforced composite step-pad is large enough for two boots; and when not in use, flips up with the kick of a toe. Easily installed on either side of the truck. Three-year or 36,000-mile warranty. amp-research.com; (800) 309-6823 instead of tubes that have been flattened and made into a step. One company that does a very good job integrating off-road strength in step/nerf bars with convenience of use and installation is Houston, Texas-based N-Fab (www.n-fab.com). The company's Nerf-Steps have a 445-pound weight rating – the highest in the industry. Iron Cross Automotive also makes premium nerf bar steps. The HD Series Steps fit like true nerf bars, but have nicely built-in steps with anti-skid step plates. SPECIAL COATINGS Regardless of the type of steps or nerf bars you choose, the parts need have a durable finish. Some manufacturers offer both powder-coating and chrome-plating. Some offer special coatings. Warn Industry's (www.Warn. com) Andy Lilienthal says, "Powder-coating is common in the off-road industry because it's one of the most-durable finishes available. Powder-coat is bakedon, providing a harder finish than a wet-painted surface. All our bumpers are powder-coated from the factory." Wiegmann has a different take saying, "I don't recommend powder-coating nerf bars and rock sliders because you can't just touch-up a scratch if the part is powder-coated. You have to recoat the entire part. "My favorite coating is called POR-15 (www.por15.com), a special rust-preventive coating," Weigmann continues. "It has the durability of a powder-coat, but it's a roll-on paint that you can touch-up. Most offroad shops can order it in for you, or you can order it directly from the company's website. Greg Grote, engineering manager at Luverne Truck Equipment (www.luvernetruck.com) in Brandon, South Dakota, says for greatest rust-resistance to look for a product that's either stainless steel or has an e-coating, a rust inhibitor, that's then powdercoated for UV protection. "We use a polyethylene copolymer-based thermoplastic coating in our XX product line. We spray thermoplastic powder over heated steel where the powder melts into a thick protective coating and gets into some places where a liquid paint or powder coat can't." Whether the parts are stainless steel, powder-coated, plasticcoated, or painted, the priority remains: function over looks. That's because when you are stepping up into your truck you want the very best product under your feet. The same goes for protecting the truck's lower rockers. propickupmag.com PROPICKUP 49 PP0813PG046-49_Steps Nerf Bars.indd 49 7/12/13 10:24 AM

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