Tuff-Bar® 5-40173 - 4" Cab Length Polished Oval Straight Tube Step Bars

I bought these for my 2017 Silverado in Aug 2017. They look great and really set off the trucks look, and are perfect for the interim step into the cab front or back. Over the past 34 months they have seen various weather conditions usual for Missouri. I cared for them as any other part of my truck by washing when practical and applying wax at least 3 times a year. The truck is stored indoors when not being driven so the weather exposure is limited. The bars seem durable and made with good quality materials and workmanship. After this winter (30 months on the truck) I noticed that there was finish bubbling on the drivers side bar (nothing similar on passenger side) and the brackets on both sides appeared to have instantly turned from black to a rusty color. At 31 months the bubbling had progressed to multiple locations on the drivers side bar and had popped off exposing sub finish rust. Now at 34 months the bubbling has spread to about 20% of the drivers side bar. I have attempted to repair the rust but it is prolific under the finish and new spots pop up weekly. There is clearly an issue with the drivers side bar finish, but of course the bars are out of warranty. In summary the bars look great, priced right, install easy and are certainly practical. The true negative for me is their service life. My drivers side bar is now beyond repair, so I will be replacing them with something different.

Overall the product looks stellar. For the price you can't beat it. Very durable and sturdy. Tuff-bar (the manufacturer) is owned and operated by Westin, a leader in the industry. Same product as the Westin branded one at about $100 cheaper. Note the item does not have black end caps as the picture shows. The end caps are welded chrome which was actually a pleasant surprise because the additional chrome gives it a sleeker look. Instructions are just okay. Total install time counting opening the box, going through the instructions, separating the pieces was about 2.5hrs. I installed the product myself. There are 6 brackets that attach to the bottom of the vehicle. No drill required, just a ratchet wrench and the correct fitting. 5 of the brackets that attach to the truck are simple and straight forward to tighten. The 6th bracket that goes on the front passenger side gave me the most trouble because it comes in two pieces (probably a cost saving measure by the company so they can ship out the same install kit for gas or diesel pickups). With a little patience it's a doable job, but don't be in a rush.

Well made step bars, took about an hour for assembling. Look is outstanding and you can beat the price.