Description
Disclaimer - Transport Evolved received this product free of charge from WOLFBOX in order to bring you this first-person review. No money exchanged hands for the review itself, and no editorial control was given or implied. WOLFBOX sees this review the same time it goes live.
-----
Modern pickup trucks — regardless of what they're powered by — are much larger than they used to be, a shift that's been well documented across the industry over the past two decades. That added size and height doesn't just affect the driver's experience, either — research has repeatedly linked taller, heavier trucks to increased risk for pedestrians and other road users in a collision. And for the people actually driving them, the added size means they're also further off the ground. While most modern EV pickups today come with some form of fixed running board (or side step) for you to use to get in and out of the cabin more easily, high-end models often come with retractable automatic powered running boards.
On the face of it, it might seem like another expensive component that could easily fail — but for those who live in areas where a pickup truck is more practical everyday country transport rather than trailer queen, retractable side steps can be a bonus in helping you gain extra ground clearance and minimize the chance you'll hit your truck on a wayward tree stump.
So when WOLFBOX invited us to try out its Power Running Boards for the F-150 Lightning, we were eager to give them a go on our crew truck — a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat.
But in typical Transport Evolved style, while we were eager to try out this add-on, we most certainly didn't want to make any modifications to our stock wiring that couldn't be easily reversed. So we came up with our own, alternative installation procedure.
-----
*⏱️ Chapter Breakdown*:
00:00 - Introduction
01:40 - Disclaimer: Gifted Review
02:23 - We're Doing Things Differently
02:48 - What Comes in the Box
04:08 - Nikki Made a Custom Loom
05:01 - Removing the Original Side Steps
06:52 - Heat Shrinking Redundant Connectors
07:45 - Moving the Control Box Inside Rather Than Outside
09:04 - Modifying the Stock Loom, Extending Power Lines with 12 AWG Cable
11:40 - Routing the CAN Tap Cable
12:09 - Adding Nikki's Custom Loom Piece
14:50 - Testing the Motors Actually Work Before Mounting
15:31 - Diverging from Standard Install: De-Pinning the Power to the Steps to Pass Through the Rear of the Cab
17:20 - Mounting the Motor and Brackets
17:30 - The Next Day... Things Happened...
18:46 - Recap for Motor Installation
21:05 - Reviewing the Installation Instructions and Process
21:57 - Our Official Verdict
26:19 - A Niggle About the Lights
27:56 - Final Verdict — And Notes on Vehicle Value
30:04 - Thanks, and Goodbye!
----
*Links: (Provided By WOLFBOX)*
Please note: the following links were provided by WOLFBOX - they are not TE Endorsements. Transport Evolved receives no compensation from the links listed below.
Grab your WOLFBOX Power Running Boards here with a fan-exclusive discount ⬇️
Amazon👉https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/2BA0E48F-86CE-48F5-A7BE-7DA38F0DF9A0?maas=maas_adg_ED7FBA462AA0710CF4F611C89B853FF0_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas
Use Code: 13PRBOARD for 13% OFF!
Official site👉https://gears.wolfbox.com/?ref=TRANSPORTEVOLVED
Use Code: 13PRBOARD save an extra $55
#WOLFBOX Power Running Boards #wolfbox
-----
Shout out to Nikki's shirt! She's wearing gear from Kumsons Electric Race Team — "Kickin' Gas & Havin' Fun" — Alberta's Kumson family, who run the world's first and only all-electric ATV racing team. We interviewed them at Everything Electric back in 2024.
Kumsons Electric Race Team: https://kumsonselectricraceteam.ca/
Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tReF0neS5DE
FURTHER LINKS, including details of the custom loom, can be found on the Transport Evolved Website at https://www.transportevolved.com/2026/07/30/wolfbox-power-running-boards-fancy-upgrade-or-usable-add-on/
*👥 Today’s Sponsors*
🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org
⚡ EnergySage - https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-101290941-16952262
—
✊ Get Involved 🗳️ https://indivisible.org/town-hall-resources
❤️ Support the Show
📰 https://www.transportevolved.com
🔥 https://www.patreon.com/transportevolved
☕ https://ko-fi.com/transportevolved
📺 https://www.youtube.com/transportevolved
👕 https://www.redbubble.com/people/TransportEVd/
🛍️ https://amzn.to/40xOyjm
₿ 1QRZRGCCXUKPDZ2DZ9KX9JYJXMZDYHYGFZ0MN4WH
*💬 Join the Conversation*
🐘 https://mastodon.transportevolved.com/@show
💬 https://discord.gg/9WAjfQn
💬 https://fluxer.gg/mcj8aehg
🌀 https://bsky.app/profile/transportevolved.bsky.social
🔁 Subscribe to our 2nd channel - https://www.youtube.com/transportevolvedtake2
---
*🎙️ Credits:*
Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Color: Vi Horton
Art & Animation : Erin Carlie
Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
Music: via Artlist.io