My truck has the Chrome package and came with the 6" Chrome Step Bars. These steps have three (3) supports: two (2) by the driver door; one at the rear of the bar. See the below picture:

Attachment 285097

I bought my truck off the lot, so I did not have a chance to order the extended steps. I found a set on CL and have finally reached an agreement with the seller. One item I am curious about is the number and placement of the supports on the extended steps. There are still three, but their placement is different: one in front, one in the middle, and one on the extension. See the below picture:

Attachment 287782

I am curious why the shorter 6" step appears to have greater support up by the driver's door as compared to the extended step.

Anyone know or care to hazard a guess?

 

The brackets look identical to me except I cannot see the brackets on the extension. Maybe it's just camera angle but I would expect them to be the same as well. Turn either step around 180 degrees and it appears that they line up exactly the same (which is what you'd expect).

 

Sorry, maybe I was not clear.

The picture of my truck is with the 'non extension' steps. If you look at the Driver's door you will see two brackets.

Now, look at the other picture of just the steps. Note the brackets are in different places, and there is no 'second' one near the front.

It seems odd that my truck has two under the driver door, but the longer step does not.

My truck is a Job 2 truck, not that this matters.

 

Now I see and yes, it's curious. Hard to say if the running boards are even interchangeable with the different mounting setups.

 

I'll report back on Sunday. I suspect the mounting holes are there. I highly doubt they drill each body for the side steps.

This may be an expensive lesson in non-interchangeability!

 

Also, the "standard" boards attach to the cab, not the frame. So, since the cab and the bed can move independently, where and how do the rear mounts attach? I'm looking forward to your review on these. I'm planning on getting some kind of bed step, but I have the long bed and I want it to extend all the way to the rear wheel.

 

I've always been curious as to why there are two supports very near each other under the driver's door, while the rear door area of the step only gets one? (This is on the non-extended boards) Does Ford think front passengers will always be heavier than rear passengers?

 

I did confirm these came off a CCSB F250, so that aspect matches my truck.

I'm also picking up an OEM bed mat from this guy too. It is a decent package deal. I'm curious to learn why he removed both...

 

I didn't mean to imply that they wouldn't work with your truck - I'm just interested in how they mount. I was planning on ordering them with my truck, but it slipped by me. Then I found out they were really for the SB, and felt better about it.

 

I'll try to take pics of the 'project', but I often forget in the excitement of installing something 'new'.