Rusty side steps

[lightning]

Side steps have a hard life, sat outside the vehicle with spray/stones etc thrown up by the front wheels.
Probably never washed to get any salt
off, except for the visible top surface.

There's similar complaints on the new Defender forum that the £1,000 factory side steps are deteriorating.

I had to replace the side steps on my old Defender every 3-5 years despite cleaning/spraying them with WD-40 regularly.

My wife's old Defender had stainless steel side steps and they were still perfect after eight years.

 

[Eric]

Side steps have a hard life, sat outside the vehicle with spray/stones etc thrown up by the front wheels.
Probably never washed to get any salt
off, except for the visible top surface.

There's similar complaints on the new Defender forum that the £1,000 factory side steps are deteriorating.

I had to replace the side steps on my old Defender every 3-5 years despite cleaning/spraying them with WD-40 regularly.

My wife's old Defender had stainless steel side steps and they were still perfect after eight years.

The difference is if supplied on a new vehicle they have a 5 year warranty and if the powder coating breaks down and they rust they should be replaced or repowder coated (properly by a good powder coating company) under warranty.

 

[G-Man]

I'll be watching this thread. Mine are just starting to go after 10 months and 10k miles. Had exactly the same issue with the LR OEM side steps on all my Defenders........

 

[Jeremy996]

The difference is if supplied on a new vehicle they have a 5 year warranty and if the powder coating breaks down and they rust they should be replaced or repowder coated (properly by a good powder coating company) under warranty.

Ineos Automotive said they would only replace mine the once. My lived knowledge of consumer laws suggest that they will find they have a liability for 5 years, (or 7 years as durable goods), but it might take a trip to the Small Claims Court for IA to understand the nature of consumer law in the UK.

I'm saving up for some better specified and made aftermarket side steps; mild steel and poorly adhered powdercoat are a poor basis for something in such an agressive environment.

 

[Tazzieman]

and most of the options out there seem to rely on grip tape or tread punch-outs, neither of which are helpful with ice. I need something that sticks up above the tread plate surface - and that won’t rust.

How about several black stainless bolts, in the style of hobnailed walking boots of yesteryear?
If I had those steps I'd seriously consider doing that.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

How about several black stainless bolts, in the style of hobnailed walking boots of yesteryear?
If I had those steps I'd seriously consider doing that.

Yeah - something kind of like that. I just saw the ones at Expedition One, out of Ogden Utah. They seem to have traction that sticks off the surface a bit more than others