18-06-2020, 04:46 PM
Just to throw a curved ball into this discussion, my ARQ Ruby, although in bits when purchased, had what I assumed were the original running boards complete with rubber covers. The metal boards were badly corroded and the rubbers were perished and both metal and rubber crumbled at the merest touch, all beyond repair. At the time the only covers available were the glass fibre reproductions of the rubbers and so I invested in a set and stored them away with the intent of making my own running boards.
Years later when I eventually came to finishing Ruby, rubber covers and new steel running boards were the readily available and so decided to opt for a new set.
As noted in the earlier posts when coming to fit, the rubbers were incredibly difficult to stretch over the boards and after much head and as I still had, at that time, the "original" crumbling boards, I decided to check them out. What I found was that the "original" design differed from the new rubbers in that on the outer thick rubber edge there was a full depth vertical groove running the full length of the rubber boards, into which lay a strip of steel. On the inside face of the outer steel running board flange there were screws which passed through to the metal strip in the rubber and fixed the rubber in place. The inner flange of the rubbers simply clamped between the steel board and the body.
So I copied in principle, what I assumed to be "original". I modified it in as much as created a groove in the outer edge and let in pieces of aluminium and made brackets which screwed through with self tapping screws and it has all worked out ok.
However, whether or not this is how the vehicle left the factory I have no idea.
Unfortunately I no longer have the originals, due to lack of space I had a clear out and committed the cardinal sin of destroying the evidence!!
I did have a number of other issues with fit with the boards and rubbers but that's for another time.
Years later when I eventually came to finishing Ruby, rubber covers and new steel running boards were the readily available and so decided to opt for a new set.
As noted in the earlier posts when coming to fit, the rubbers were incredibly difficult to stretch over the boards and after much head and as I still had, at that time, the "original" crumbling boards, I decided to check them out. What I found was that the "original" design differed from the new rubbers in that on the outer thick rubber edge there was a full depth vertical groove running the full length of the rubber boards, into which lay a strip of steel. On the inside face of the outer steel running board flange there were screws which passed through to the metal strip in the rubber and fixed the rubber in place. The inner flange of the rubbers simply clamped between the steel board and the body.
So I copied in principle, what I assumed to be "original". I modified it in as much as created a groove in the outer edge and let in pieces of aluminium and made brackets which screwed through with self tapping screws and it has all worked out ok.
However, whether or not this is how the vehicle left the factory I have no idea.
Unfortunately I no longer have the originals, due to lack of space I had a clear out and committed the cardinal sin of destroying the evidence!!
I did have a number of other issues with fit with the boards and rubbers but that's for another time.