I'm trying to remove the plastic piece covering the top of the running boards. There is another plastic piece that goes from the wheel well over the running boards. I can't get these off cause the bolt underneath just turns in place. I've tried PB blaster and no go. I've tried prying up on the plastic while turning the ratchet and it still spins. Any ideas how I get this off? Once I get these off I know the long plastic piece will just pop off. I'm doing this for rust issues. Thanks.

 

Been there, done that and just had to pry the sucker off the nuts. Rust under the long plastic piece turned out to be way more serious than I expected. Left the whole board on the garage floor for a few months and drove with one while I thought over the problem.

Then! The brilliant solution! Take the other one off and put 'em both in the basement. I don't miss them a bit.....

 

If rust is the problem, and you don't care about destroying it, just pry it off of there. You are to the point where the only way to remove is it destroy it anyways. If you end up needing a new one, you can get new end caps from Toyota for about $25 or so.

 

just remove the yuppy running boards, the 4runners look way better without them

 

Yuppy running boards... that's funny. If I have to get rid of them I will. Someone said to clamp over the area and it should come out. Yeah it's got some rust issues. I had a 98 Tacoma and I put it through a lot of abuse, sand and seawater. It did't have near the rust this 4runner has and I wasn't really good at spraying my frame out after the beach. It's just weird that the Taco's had the frame rust recall and the 4runners didn't. I'm noticing that Toyota makes things and they think that it will never have to be replaced, cause some things you just can't really remove properly or get to.

 

I finally just removed the boards. I ended up just pulling the flaps off, thus destroying them. Call me yuppy but I think I like it with the boards on. So I'm trying to find part #'s for them and they're located on them but they have 2 part #'s one w/molding and one w/o molding. Any ideas?

 

Well, do you have fender moldings or don't you?

 

Is w/molding for Limited? I only have SR5 trim and around the wheel well it's only a small chrome looking strip. Not the fat fender flares like limited.

 

Toyota considers all 3 trim levels to be "with molding" so just give them your VIN and they can order the right part the first time.

 

I called the local dealer and they said that they don't have this part. I don't see how Toyota can say all 3 trim levels are "with molding" cause the part in question is different on a limited. On a limited the flare doesn't go as high. I see that http://www.toyotapartscheap.com/ carries both parts with molding and w/o and I've contacted them a few times. They are very slow to respond. Man I'm confused.

 

PM me your VIN, and I will call my local dealer. I can order it for you as well, and forgo all this nonsense the dealer is giving you.