Have you ever stored tools or equipment in the bed of your truck? I’m guessing you have—after all, that’s mostly for what truck beds are made. However, trucks pose an issue when it comes to taking those tools and equipment out for use. Chevrolet’s corner step on its bumper, Ram’s drop-down bumper step, and Ford’s step and handle integrated into its tailgate are some of the ways OEMs try to keep on top of operator safety. Yet there’s even more you can add to your truck to ensure your operators are as safe as possible.
If you’re too busy to employ Ram’s drop-down step or Ford’s pull-out step and handle, and if Chevy and GMC’s corner step is too far out of your way, you might find yourself tempted to crawl into the bed of your truck the way you did as a kid: feet on the bumper, pulling up on the top of the tailgate, and swinging your feet around the top of the tailgate and into the truck bed. Any way you look at it, it isn’t safe—especially now that you’re much older and a fall would do more damage than just scrape your knees and elbows. To keep yourself and others from the temptation to engage in dangerous behavior, consider installing STEP-N-SECURE on every truck in your fleet.
WHAT IS IT?
STEP-N-SECURE is essentially a grab handle made to install in the stake hole of your pickup truck. It’s made of high-strength, weather-resistant reinforced plastic and is marketed for all truck enth
usiasts. A kit comes complete with do-it-yourself instructions for easy installation. Kits are available for most all truck makes and models.
Once the STEP-N-Secure is installed, users are encouraged to use the piece as a handle when needed to access the bed of the truck and a tie-down post to secure cargo once it’s ready for transport. STEP-N-SECURE is made for long-term installation, but it can be easily removed if desired.
I TRIED IT
A STEP-N-SECURE kit was sent to our office as a trial. Since I don’t own a truck, I had to use the piece on a coworker’s Silverado 1500. STEP-N-SECURE is a great product, but for someone installing it simply to try, they might think twice. Installation, although quite simple, requires Chevrolet owners to drill into their bed liners. Ford and Ram owners are required to drill through liners and the actual truck itself. Needless to say, my coworker wasn’t keen on having a hole drilled through the liner of his truck bed.
In order to try the piece, I simply removed the cap of the stake hole and placed the STEP-N-SECURE inside without drilling it into place. Since it wasn’t secure, I didn’t want to use it as a handle to pull myself up into the truck bed. However, I was able to get a good idea of how well it might help someone gain access to the bed when secure. I was also able to get a good idea of its strength simply by holding the piece. Although made of plastic, this thing is engineered to last, with waffle-like cubed construction surrounding the handle and the piece that inserts into the stake hole.
TAKEAWAY
For those who are concerned with safety (which should be all of you) and who don’t mind drilling inconspicuous holes in their fleet trucks, STEP-N-SECURE is a simple, inexpensive solution. STEP-N-SECURE kits retail for $30 on Amazon.
