Tire Steps are the Best Vehicle Accessory You Don’t Own

Truck owners are constantly on the lookout for new accessories they can add to their vehicles, and one basic accessory you probably do not already own is a set of tire steps. Designed to slide over the vehicle’s tires, these steps give you an easy way to boost yourself up if you need to reach a roof rack or something up on top, or if you’re working under the hood of a particularly large vehicle. Tire steps can be used in a wide range of circumstances, and are particularly beneficial for people on the shorter side.

Here’s everything you should know about tire steps.

• Easy to use: The tire step couldn’t be an easier accessory to use. Adjust the step to the size of your tires, set it on top of the tires, unfold the step and climb on up. The adjustments are easy to perform. You’ll set the depth of the tire, as well as the height of the step. Usually this is accomplished with metal push pins and holes; you’ll have several setting options for each of the measurements.
• Easy to store: Tire steps fold up flat, so you can easily store them away in your garage or in your truck itself.
• Durable: Tire steps are quite durable. They’re generally made out of metal, and will have a high weight capacity, usually around several hundred pounds. Bumper bolts on the tire step will prevent any marring of the surface where the tire step meets the wheel. It’s certainly feasible for any tire step you purchase to be able to last you decades; you’ll be able to climb up and down for years to come.
• Eye-catching: Tire steps are certain to capture the attention of other truck owners in public spaces. They are often a conversation starter when people see them in use. Once people see tire steps for the first time, they can’t help but want a set of their own.
• Versatile: There are many different potential uses for tire steps. If you’re using a roof rack or strapping a boat or kayak to the roof of the truck, a tire step will help you get up to the necessary height. They can also be used at rear wheels to make it easier to pull things out of the bed, or at front wheels to get easier access to specific vehicle components under the hood. If you’re going to be changing windshield wipers or cleaning the windshield, a tire step will help you be able to reach the windshield.

What to look for when purchasing a tire step

The kind of tire step you get will likely depend on the kind of truck you have, your height and what you expect you’ll be using it for most frequently.

Of course, your first priority should be making sure any tire step you get can be adjusted to fit the size of your tires, otherwise it will be a worthless purchase. But beyond that, your primary concerns should be safety and durability.

You should always look for tire steps that have rubber bumpers to protect your tires or wheels from damage and abrasion while you’re using them. Otherwise, without this protection there is the possibility you could really scuff up the sidewalls of your tires over extended periods of usage.

Stainless steel or powder-coated metal are ideal selections if you’re looking for a tire step that will last you for a long time. It’s best to go with corrosion-resistant materials, so you don’t have to worry about long-term exposure to humidity or moisture affecting its condition. It’s common for tire steps to be stored in garages or in trucks, and as such they’ll be exposed to humidity and large temperature swings throughout the seasons.

Look for steps that have non-slip surfaces to give you better traction while stepping up on to them. If you were to slip while lifting something heavy on to your roof rack, for example, this could cause a serious accident. Most tire steps are designed with surfaces designed to maximize friction so you can prevent these types of injuries from occurring.

And of course, you can always take aesthetics into consideration. Tire steps come in a wide range of colors, so you can choose your favorite color or one that complements the vehicle you’ll be using it with.