Thoughts on Power Steps
 

After getting a lift and 35's I have been contemplating removing my enhanced rock sliders and putting on power steps for easier access for me and passengers in and out of jeep. I use jeep as daily but also some off road. I have read that the most power steps will not hold up in off road conditions. I have seen pic's of the RSE but looks like they only help front passengers not back so not good for the 4 door. Also see that dv8 just came out with some that they say are ok off road. Has anyone installed and or what are your thoughts for extra lift to get into lifted jeep?

I'd just be concerned about damaging them off road. Just don't expect them to replace rock sliders! Mud won't hurt them.

I don't know if I'd go that far. Enough mud will gum up any program. If it moves, it will fail at some point. I've seen the steps where the whole rail comes down, I've seen the "sliders" where a step comes out of the middle, and I've seen both be torn up by light offroad use. I'd invest in some good handles and hoist myself up in before I'd sacrifice any actual protection for some step that isn't going to last.

I removed the poison Spyder rock brawler sliders, and installed the AMP Power Steps, along with Poison spyder side armor (to hide the holes from the sliders) on my JK. The reason being was pretty much the same as yours, 37" tires and 6.5 lift with 1" body spacers, made the jeep so hard to get into. With the steps and grab bars, the jeep is now pretty easy to get into and out of. The steps tuck up pretty close, and I highly recommend them. Being 5 7" they have made my jeep a pleasure to get in, and out of.:beer:Attachment 669790

One of our local Jeep guys lifted his Jeep an excessive amount; JKU 8 inch on 42's. He kept his stock Rubicon rock rails and managed to install a "M.O.R.E Hide a Step" under all 4 doors. Now the Jeep was still a pain to get in, but the "Hide a Step" helped big time.

I'm not exactly sure on any measurement, but lets assume the floor to the bottom of the Jeep where the step mounts is 4 inches and the step drops down another 6 inches. That will be 10 inches of drop to help you get in.

I'm assuming if you take your own measurements and contact M.O.R.E you might find that it will give you more drop than I am estimating.

I've been on a couple of Jeep Jamborees with the RSE guys and I have seen their sliders in action. Great bunch of guys and a quality product for sure!! I would have no problem running them and may down the road but they are a little expensive. So are the Amp steps, but I don't know how those would hold up on the trail.

The RSE don't really seem to accommodate anyone getting in the back seat on the 4 door that is why I would prefer other brands

I've gotten a few giggles watching folks with power steps off road. I'm not a fan of them in general, but to each their own. I can see them being functional on the pavement. I think a lot of it would depend on what kind of off roading you do. If it's more fire road type stuff or scenic driving, that's one thing, but I don't think I'd ever want to use some expensive electric step as any sort of slider (when tucked up and in). Unless you have some extreme lift like Lashway4x4 noted, I think it's hard to replace a good a-pillar grab handle and a slider with some sort of bar/ledge to put your foot on. I get about 4" or actual lift out of my 3.5" RK springs and find a a bar on my rail is plenty for wife and kids to get up in it. Admittedly, I find it awkward getting in the passenger side on both my jeep and friends' jeeps. I can't tell if it's just cuz I'm used to getting in the driver's seat or if it's a left/right hand thing that makes it feel a whole lot less natural.

The link below are some that are power steps and often recommended for offroad durability use as well. Too rich for my blood. I'm currently waiting to see the price on the LOD destroyer series steps.

JK 4D STEP SLIDERS - Step sliders - Shop

We had a guy join my crew wheeling at Rausch Creek a few months ago with AMP power sliders and after a day on mostly greens and few blues he had banged them enough they stopped working. Not sure if they were able to be fixed but they didn't hold up to a few minor hits on the trail.

Check out a set of sliders like ACE that are fixed but a bit larger to use as steps. I run these on a 3.5" lift and have no issues getting in and out and my kids are able to use them as steps as well.