Member Since: 30 Jan 2017
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 37
non oem side steps
someone hit one of my side steps the other day leaving it bent and broken. I'm looking at the non oem sets on eBay for about £115 and wondered if anyone had any experiences with them? this is for a d3 hse 2.7 2007.
Member Since: 08 Apr 2014
Location: North Wales
Posts: 364
I bought the same ones (or ones very similar for the same price). My experience with them was very poor fitting mounting struts. When bolted straight on, the passenger side front door couldn't be opened as the side step when mounted was too high. Id say there was over an inch difference in height from the front of the side step to the back. I had to heat up and bend the front passenger side mounting strut to get it to fit. Even after doing all this, the difference in height at the front was visible to me (no-one else noticed it though).
The other problem I had was the black plastic ends (after the brushed chrome front and back). These are floppy rubber on the after market ones. They don't sit right on the side step and I had to glue them to get them to stay in position. Looking at the genuine ones, these bit seem like a more rigid plastic.
I also had a problem with the protective film that the brushed aluminum trim had on it. When I peeled it off, it left a sticky film all over the trim that no amount of cleaning would get rid of it. They always looked dirty.
I contacted the seller and they agreed to give me £15 back. They did the same for another forum member here so they were obviously aware of the fitting problems.
When I fitted them, I covered them underneath with Waxoyl. After 2.5 years though, the paint had flaked off from virtually the entire area and I was left with a lot of rust. I think this is the same for the genuine ones though.
The aluminium trims at the back on both steps had also started to come away from the step. The rivets had corroded completely leaving
For less than £100 I think they were good value, but they were never quite right and I was always planning to get rid as soon as I had fitted them.
6th Jun 2017 1:35 am
Alan B
Member Since: 12 Feb 2013
Location: Fife
Posts: 6528
I use the Bearmach tube steps, easy to fit and IMO look better, just don't tighten the L shaped bolts too much or you'll need heavier duty spare ones from Advanced Factors
D3 57 xs Stornaway grey
D2 02 commercial silver gone but a great servant and won't be forgotten
I bought a cheap set for mine, but had the same problems as Sion. Couldn't open the door once fitted. Ended up buying an original set.As you slide down the banister of life
may no splinters point your way
Disco XXV
RRS2 Autobiography Dynamic MY16
Discovery Sport HSE Lux MY17
Evoque HSE Dynamic MY16 (Gone)
RRS2 Autobiography Dynamic MY14 (Lovely car but preferred the Disco!)
Disco 3 Tdv6 HSE MY05 (owned for 11 years and now gone)
Range Rover Sport HSE MY11 (Gone)
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6th Jun 2017 6:22 am
Oscarsball
Member Since: 29 Apr 2017
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 191
Don't know how to do a link but this is item number. eBay Item No. 262941959274
Just fitted these and they were spot on. Fitted no problem. Take a few days to come but still quicker than informed post time. Look ok too. My D3 not here at moment so can't take pic but they were spot on for money.
Cheers
6th Jun 2017 6:35 am
Oscarsball
Member Since: 29 Apr 2017
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 191
Must be cleverer than I thought as some how I have done a link.
Cheers
6th Jun 2017 6:36 am
Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
Alan B wrote:
I use the Bearmach tube steps, easy to fit and IMO look better, just don't tighten the L shaped bolts too much or you'll need heavier duty spare ones from Advanced Factors
I've got these. OK for the money and look good, but I now (3 years later) have a couple of rust spots showing.
6th Jun 2017 6:42 am
trailhound
Member Since: 27 Aug 2015
Location: Colchester
Posts: 697
I bought the cheapo ones and they did need a bit of persuasion to sit right, they've been good for the last 2 years though.
6th Jun 2017 9:35 am
mick_n3
Member Since: 19 May 2017
Location: Kettering
Posts: 421
My new D3 had damaged and corroded OE steps I got some off Ebay exact copies all I had to do was take the 6 nuts off from underneath and the new ones dropped straight on the OE brackets, from this seller arrived in 2 days
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-DISCO...1696283642
M6NIO
6th Jun 2017 9:54 am
cjstevens
Member Since: 30 Jan 2017
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 37
Thanks everyone for the replies ... those tubes have got me thinking ... nice
not quite comparing like for like but my non-OEM 300tdi steps were only less than fantastic regarding the brackets holding them to the chassis ... and I suspect that's the weak part with D3/4 copies too.
if your brackets are ok, just replacing the tops with the cheaper ones should be good. in fact, if it's just the edge that's fuct, I seem to recall you can get those separately..
Dean
====================================
2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
6th Jun 2017 1:18 pm
omg!
Member Since: 01 Jun 2011
Location: Fife
Posts: 568
I tried just replacing the steps and using the previous brackets but found that they wouldn't fit properly.
The overall height of my replacement steps and brackets was fine but the ratio between the step height and the bracket height was different from the originals. I tried using the original brackets but found the step sat too high so had to change the whole lot. The ability to open the doors wasn't optional.
The aluminium trim is easily sorted by putting in larger rivets, assuming the trim hasn't been lost of course.
6th Jun 2017 2:28 pm
cjstevens
Member Since: 30 Jan 2017
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 37
here's my bit of trim ... definitely past saving ... the step itself has been crushed in the middle and bent downward away from the car ... im amazed they didnt damage the bodywork really ... it happened while parked on the road outside as we are having our driveway re-done
6th Jun 2017 5:25 pm
omg!
Member Since: 01 Jun 2011
Location: Fife
Posts: 568
That does look a bit terminal.
The ones I have are eBay steps as were the ones I had before.
They seem to last three or four years so I just treat them as consumables like tyres. At £115 for a pair, it's still a lot cheaper than LR originals, which probably aren't much better.
With the 300tdi, I was loading shopping in the boot in Tesco's car park and a Mondeo swing into gap next to me at speed. The Disco rocked violently and I went to have words ... Unfortunately a mountain of a man squeezed himself out of the Ford, but I was committed. "Excuse me ... You just hit my car" "No I didn't, you can't prove it" (deep moment)
"we'll, let's have a look shall we? ... Look, my sidestep is scuffed ... But there's a 6 inch hole in your bumper. Perhaps you'll be more careful next time?"
That's why I had steps on order for 1st D4 ... This one came with them fitted. Essential equipment in the urban jungle 😀.
Dean
====================================
2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
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