Thought this might be useful to others considering "nerf bars" for their ML's but wonder if the ones on eBay are any good!**
Since my wife really needs the side "nerf bars" to climb in and out of the ML, I decided to try the aftermarket bars this time on the new ML350SE.
I installed the OEM factory bars on our 98ML3230 a few years back, and recall paying huge $$ for them years ago - close to Cdn$900!! The OEM bars were powder coated steel and the brackets were only painted steel - both of which are now nicely rusted from the constant blast of road grit during winter.
Well I spotted aftermarket bars on eBay for $160 + $45 shipping for a total of US$205 = Cdn$250 and with taxes it all came in under Cdn$300. A pretty big difference.
The bars came VERY WELL PACKED, each component plastic wrapped and the ends of the bars in bubble wrap. In fact the entire shipping box came wrapped in a heavy plastic wrap and plastic strapped. The hardware was top quality heavy cad plated metric bolts, washers, lock washers and the SS bars came with the inset plastic pads installed. Basically all ready to bolt onto the OEM mounting holes. What really impressed me was the heavy powder coated brackets - much better than the OEM painted parts.
Spent 3 hours from start to finish to install - WITHOUT having to jack up the ML! The ground clearance is so good on the ML that it was easy to do just lying on the garage floor. The trick is to mount all the hardware/brackets WITHOUT tightening all the bolts until you bolt the bars to the brackets. Much easier to line up the bracket bolts this way.
**I am not affiliated with any aftermarket parts suppliers and I bought these bars from an eBay seller**
They look like the OEM ones I have which are chromed steel. The chrome eventually rusts out which is why dealers only sell the stainless steel nerf bars now...
They look like the OEM ones I have which are chromed steel. The chrome eventually rusts out which is why dealers only sell the stainless steel nerf bars now...
Yep most definitely polished SS - can tell by the weld joints for the mounting points in the ends. I did not clean them off yet when I took the photos, so there is a little oil/grease film on the tubes still.
I just installed these exact bars on my ML Monday night! I would recommend them as well. For about $200 delivered, I can buy three or four sets of these if they do happen to rust, although they do appear to truly be stainless steel (and besides that, I live in Alabama where road salt is not an issue). I did notice that the attachment hardware does not seem to be galvanized or otherwise corrosive resistant, so that could be a concern. Also, my brackets did have a few places where there was some bare metal, but they are very thick, so I wouldn’t worry about rust except for appearance reasons (and they aren’t very visible anyhow).
I just installed these exact bars on my ML Monday night! I would recommend them as well. For about $200 delivered, I can buy three or four sets of these if they do happen to rust, although they do appear to truly be stainless steel (and besides that, I live in Alabama where road salt is not an issue). I did notice that the attachment hardware does not seem to be galvanized or otherwise corrosive resistant, so that could be a concern. Also, my brackets did have a few places where there was some bare metal, but they are very thick, so I wouldn’t worry about rust except for appearance reasons (and they aren’t very visible anyhow).
- RODNEY
Precisely - for the price, these are tough to beat. The OEM bars I iinstalled on our 98ML 6 years ago were supposedly powder coated, but both the brackets and bars are sand blasted with road grit and rusting as expected.
The aftermarket bars are SS, and all the hardware I received is heavy galvanized metric so should be OK -the brackets are very heavily powder coated metal as thick as the OEM parts
Here's both ML's side by side - the bars and brackets are virtually identical
But I think the new SS bars look pretty good on the 353 Plat Blue truck! (and no - my driveway is not that steep!)
than the OEM ones (gap from body to bar seems smaller from that pic).
Good to know I have an alternative in case I get sick of the rust on mine though :-)
Actually, they stick out the same distance from the body - just the angle of the photo as I did not shoot dead centre so it's a little distorted.
I would not hesitate to recommend these bars - I bought mine from a eBay seller "truckparts411" - he's got all sorts of bars to fit many different models and 3705 rating @99.9% positive.
Wow... looks great! But o they fit 2001 320s? also, where can i get a hold of the seller? Im in toronto, so can i arrange for a pick up?
THanks!
They should fit the 2001 just fine. I see absolutely no difference between the OEM and this aftermarket - in fact, in many ways the AM items are even better made. Just check the eBay auction seller I listed above. They were great, really fast shipping and good communications.
BTW - the customs clearing costs into Canada are the killer for these. I send my stuff to a mail box drop close to Vancouver and drive down and pick everything up, clear customs myself. Very easy. But out of Toronto, that is a long way to Detroit, so you might have to get them to send it directly, so be prepared for customs clearing fees ($50+ from my experience)
(and no - my driveway is not that steep!)
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