Thoughts on side-step ends shape, please.

[scooby]

Feeling the urge to get some work done on old ULD. One of the tasks is to lose the side exhaust pipes and fit a more civilised 'box underneath - and exiting out the back where it won't coat the occupants with fumes

Also to fit a pair of side-steps. I got these solid items of ebay some time ago - they were for a cheap 4x4 type - a Kia or Dacia or something, but they're pretty nifty having (I'm pretty sure) stainless steel tubes on the outside.

Anyways, they need cutting to size to fit 'in between' the front and rear arches (even tho' they'll be at a lower level). The side steps are bigger than they appear in this photo as they're further away from the camera - they actually extend well into the wheel arches if offered up and make contact with both tyres, so the ends need chopping off.

What would look best, do you reckon? Do I cut the step ends to follow the same angle as the sloping arches, or straight ended (ie: right angles to the car body), or even tapered the opposite way but at the same angle as the arch slopes? (see the three outlines!)

Thanks for your input.

Attachments:

[Peter]

Cut and shut in the middle leaving the ends as is? You could reinforce with a plate underneath. I would avoid anything with a sharp corner.

[biggles1]

Pete's solution is probably the best but, depending on the equipment and materials available, it might be tricky to make a neat job.
I would probably leave the front untouched (curved) and cut the rear to length to match the profile of the rear arch.

John

[Graham Wood]

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Leave step cut in the middle to reduce length as you will never get the ends finished to the standard they are now.
Leave ends as they are, as no one cares about how the ends look, only that you have a functional side step that has nice finished ends that is at the right height for it to work

See my side steps below.

Mine were funtional and for ease of actualy getting in and out and at a height that works for me., and not cosmetic.
Car never went off road so step height did not matter.

Inch by inch hollow square section brackets, welded at angles and just drilled through and drilled through chassis frame.
One ¾ inch thick timber base and alloy tread plate step.

Astheticaly, the steps could have been higher, but i wanted ease of entry, and not a step that was too high off the ground that it was pointless to have a step there.

But it's your car, your legs, and you have to look at it and be pleased with what you fitted.

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[scooby]

Thanks for the suggestions, gents - can't say I'm short of options

(Nice Jeep, Ram - looks good in white.)

'Cut and shut' was my initial thoughts when I first bought them so as to keep the rounded ends, but I don't have the skills to make a join in the outer pipe neat to any passable degree, and I wanted to avoid any covering strip to hide any join too.

I know what you mean by sharp edges, Peter; my thoughts if going for an angled cut matching the arches would be to finish off the sharp end by flattening it with the grinder, so's the very tips are 'straight' (at right angles to the body).

Ram - I'm shallow; at least half the purpose of these steps will be decorative, hence me agonising over the 'cut'...

Ach - decisions, decisions