Side runner assembly for a vehicle having a dropping step

A side runner assembly having a dropping step for a vehicle having a frame comprising:

• an elongate member having
• elongate front and rear fixed portions, each extending generally parallel and rigidly attached to the frame by a lateral member;
• and,
• a dropping central step portion carried by a lateral member, one side portion of the lateral member rigidly attached to the central portion, and the other opposite side portion pivotably attached to the frame;
• said front, rear, and central step portions thereof having a generally similar lateral cross section so that the central step portion is largely individually inconspicuous when it is maintained in its upper aligned position with the front and rear portions;
• said lateral members including a lower spring/support arm having an outer end portion carried by on outer end portion of the central step portion's lateral arm, and having an inner end portion carrying a spring which has an inner end in contact with a lower portion of the vehicle frame so that the spring will normally maintain the central step portion in its upper aligned position and compress to allow the inner end portion of the lower spring/support arm to contact the frame and support the central step portion in its dropped operative position;
• and,
• an upper restraint means to maintain the central portion in horizontal alignment with the front and rear portion of the side runner assembly;
• so that the central step portion is normally maintained in alignment with the front and rear portions of the assembly and drops to an operative position when and only when downward force is applied thereon.