Whether your Tacoma is completely stock or lifted, adding some protection and style to your truck is always a good thing. The N-Fab TrailSliders are a great balance between the two and are a great alternative to the traditional predator steps.
N-Fab makes multiple options for many trucks. This system offers some added protection when hitting the trails and also serves as a step to make accessing your roof rack easier.
Note: These are not traditional rock sliders that bolt into the frame. Rather, they are a more robust side rail that attaches to your rocker panels, similar to predator steps but are far less likely to get caught on obstacles off-road.
Features & Specs
- Made from 2″ steel tubing
- Welded gussets for added strength and durability
- Textured powder coat finish
- Mounts directly to the rocker panel with factory pre-drilled/tapped holes
- Limited lifetime structural warranty
- 5-year finish warranty
- Made in the USA!
Find It Online
- N-Fab TrailSlider Side Steps: Check Price
Table Of Contents
Installation
Installing these requires minimal tools and experience.
Tools Required:
- 1/2″ ratchet or impact gun
- 1/2″ socket extension
- 12mm socket
- 12mm wrench
- Flathead screwdriver
- Torque wrench
- Jack stands (optional)
Step 1. Prepare Truck
Under the truck, you will find six of these small round plastic screws that align with where the TrailSliders will mount.
These plastic caps easily unscrew from the truck and you can toss them in the trash as they will not be reused.
Step 2. Identify Sides
Pictured above is the driver’s side rail. To identify which side you’re installing, look at the brackets. Each rail has three brackets with one of the brackets being larger than the others. The larger bracket should go towards the front of the truck.
Step 3. Install Steps
Due to these being made of steel, they are pretty heavy and can be difficult to install by yourself. I found it much easier to use jack stands to help hold them up during installation.
With the rails lined up with the mounting holes mentioned in Step 1, loosely thread in the provided bolts by hand. Once all of the bolts are in, make any final positioning adjustments and fully tighten them with a 12mm socket and ratchet.
Due to the angle of the brackets, some of the 12mm bolts can not be reached by a regular socket and you will need to use a wrench.
After all of the bolts have been tightened, N-Fabs recommends torquing to 17 ft/lbs. Repeat this process for the opposite side.
Final Thoughts
N-Fab has always made solid side steps for trucks and the TrailSlider is no exception.
I love how good it looks on the Tacoma. They sit up high and tight to the body of the vehicle to prevent getting caught on obstacles. In terms of build quality, they appear to be very sturdy, which is important considering their primary function is rocker panel protection.
If you don’t need the hefty weight or have the budget for traditional rock sliders, then these are a solid option. They offer decent protection against small bumps while serving as a good step for easier vehicle ingress and egress. If this sounds like all you need, I would definitely recommend checking them out!
