SEMA Show 2023

[jscherb]

Tomorrow the SEMA Show opens. I got here today and went over to the convention center to help MORryde set up.

Background story: Last year At the show I gave MORryde some suggestions on ways they could improve their booth display. You may know that MORryde is one of the largest RV OEM suppliers in the business, probably #2. They fabricate all kinds of parts for the RV industry, from steps up to and including motor coach frames. They also, as you do know, have a nice line of Jeep accessories they manufacture, designed by yours truly. They're also the #2 or #3 general fabrication company in the country (the numbers aren't public so it's not clear what their exact rank is). They manufacture, for example, suspension parts for a major Jeep suspension company. I don't think I'm allowed to say who it is, but you would know them.

One of the things I told them last year was that they should promote their fab capabilities at the show. I'll bet almost every person walking the aisles of the show has a product idea that they can't get off the ground because they don't have the fab capabilities or a fab partner. To make the idea more clear, I did a very rough sketch of a display for them one evening after the show last year. They liked the idea, both of promoting their fab capabilities and the display concept, but I didn't hear anything more about it until two weeks ago. In a call with them on another subject, they told me the display was just about ready to be shipped to the show. They actually built two of them and planned to use both at the show, one of which they wanted to focus on camping/overlanding. They asked if I thought Overland Outfitters would like to have some of the display space to show off some of their products. I don't generally speak for OO, but I told MORryde that OO would definitely take them up on the offer.

So here's the results, this is their implementation of the display idea I sketched for them last year, it's a box that gets shipped to the show and there are display panels that come out of the box and hold products and a TV screen...

Quadratec provided many of the items on the display; they have a standup poster next to it showcasing their fab capabilities, which was one of my suggestions from last year.

The other display they set up as a camper/overland kitchen, and they gave much of the board space to Overland Outfitters.

The back side of the display above. The TV that goes on top didn't survive the trip so they're going to Walmart tonight to get a new TV in time for the show.

Since MORryde is showcasing their fab capabilities hoping to sign up new OEM accounts, I suggested to OO that they do the same and this sign is among the OO products on display...

MORryde is showing many of their Jeep products on the JLU in their booth including the Trail Kitchen and they're also showing a preproduction version of the suction-mount table I designed a while back; I turned over the design to them at Overland West earlier this year and this is what they've done with it so far. They've done a nice job with it, and in this photo it's attached to the side windows of the JL hardtop using the suction mounts.

Another background story: The first time I attended the SEMA Show was in 2010. At the time I was in the process of turning over the Safari Cab design to Gr8Tops and had designed and built the prototype Exogate in my home workshop. That first Exogate was installed on my LJ for testing and it worked out so well that Gr8Tops wanted to market it, but they were (and are) mostly a fiberglass company so they had no way to manufacture it. So I was one of those guys walking the aisles of the show with an idea but no fab capabilities. I came across the MORryde booth and they were displaying their RV slide products. I was also interested in slides and drawers for the cargo space of Jeeps so I stopped in to talk to them. In conversation it came up that they did fab work and before you know it they were manufacturing the Exogate for Gr8Tops.

Show opens tomorrow, stay tuned to this thread - I'll post photos of things I find interesting. Not sure how much TJ stuff will be at the show but I'll post what I find and probably other non-TJ things I find interesting.

 

[Apparition]

If you happen to see Tavarish’s P1 at the valvoline booth, take a few pics please.

Enjoy the show.

 

[FarFire70]

If you happen to see Tavarish’s P1 at the valvoline booth, take a few pics please.

Enjoy the show.

Been loving that crazy restore! Need to catch up on the latest episode - but I think you ruined the ending. lol

 

[Apparition]

Been loving that crazy restore! Need to catch up on the latest episode - but I think you ruined the ending. lol

Nah, I didn’t

 

[jscherb]

Some photos from today. There really weren't too many TJ/LJ Jeeps at the show this year, actually I saw more Land Rover Defenders than TJ/LJ's but I haven't seen the whole show yet so maybe there are more to see tomorrow.

Big enough tires? This one is from Turn 14 (a distributor):

An LJ from Yukon Gear and a USPS-styled LJ. I don't recall for certain, but these may have been at the show last year.

A TJ from Bullet Liner.

This TJ wasn't in the show, I saw it driving by when I was walking to the West Hall. I thought the rack was interesting so I took a photo.

No this isn't a TJ, but has anyone seen National Lampoon's Vacation? It's the Family Truckster .

I actually spent a good part of the day working so I didn't take too many photos. Many of the other photos I took today are not TJ related so I'll get around to posting them as soon as I get time.

I had a great meeting today with Auxbeam. Their display...

I wrote in another thread that they recently sent me their new 12-gang switch panel to test and review:

In my initial testing there were a number of things I thought they could improve and I sent them a list of those items last week. When I showed up today they went through the list and showed me the improvements they had already made in response to my list and they gave me some improved things to add to my testing. Wow that was fast. Today I also gave them the engineering drawing for a control box mount for the JK that I had to design and build because the mount they supply doesn't really fit in the JK. They were very appreciative and say they're going to make the mount I designed and offer it to JK owners who buy the product.

While in their booth, I was intrigued by their "under glow" lights (the three rows of dual lights in this photo):

I have zero interest in adding under glow lights to any of my Jeeps, but I told them I had a different idea to use them. They come 8 in a pack, so I told them I thought they would make great campsite lights - mount two on each side of the roof rack, two on the back and the remaining two inside the Jeep to light up the kitchen in the back. And with the 12-gang switch panel all four of those locations could be controlled separately and still leave 8 circuits for other uses. And, with the remote control they supply (or the Bluetooth smart phone app), the lights could be controlled while sitting around the campfire. They liked that idea and said they'll send me a set of the lights to test in that application. I also made some suggestions to improve the Bluetooth app and they liked the ideas. A very productive meeting and they were very appreciative for the help and input.

I also spent a good amount of time in the MORryde booth today, here's another photo of their space showing the Trail Kitchen in the MORryde JLU:

I was there for several reasons - first, to discuss some new product ideas I think they should implement. Second, to see what the reaction was to the suction-mount table, another photo of which is below. Reaction was really positive and that should provide incentive for MORryde to move the product into production as soon as possible. They've got a few details to improve and they've got to figure out pricing, but so far it looks good that the table will make it into production. We also discussed alternate mounts for it, including TJ/JK/JL tailgate mounts and a mount that could be used on the side of a Gladiator bed rack.

BTW does anyone have any product ideas and wants to start their own Jeep product company? MORryde was actively promoting their fab capabilities, looking for new fab customers. I can put you in touch with the right people at MORryde if you want to talk to them.

I also had a quick meeting with a compressor company I've been discussing some designs with but they were very busy in the booth so we need to continue the conversation tomorrow.

Sorry today's post is more about my workday than about photos of interesting things, I do have more photos but want to get out to dinner now so I'll have to post more as soon as I get a chance. And I plan to do less work and more looking tomorrow so more pictures then.

 

[jscherb]

A few more vehicle photos...

Bubba Rope had this Willys truck in their booth:

The rope really is this big, it's not a trick photo...

Another Willys:

A very clean YJ:

Not sure I like the dash though.

Not a Jeep, but I'll take one:

Definitely not for me:

I haven't been taking many photos of the JKs and JLs here, there aren't many I found all that interesting. And both are outnumbered by the Broncos in the show, although I haven't taken many photos of those either.

Yesterday ended up being another work day for me here but I did get some time to explore the West Hall in detail in the two hours before the show opened so I did see some interesting things and I'll try to post some photos as I get time.

On the work side, I participated in a meeting between MORryde and an automatic suction cup provider about sourcing the right mounts for the suction-mount table. Then I met with the compressor company I've been involved with a bit for the past few years, we discussed the 4-way air-up/air-down accessory I've been prototyping. It sounds like they want to go ahead with it and they said they'd send me a preproduction sample as soon as it's available. I also met with the hose company that supplied me with sample hose for that project. Then I met again with Auxbeam, I helped them design an engine compartment mount for their multi-gang switch system control boxes for the JL. Luckily the MORryde JL was handy nearby so we popped the hood open and worked out a good design for a mounting bracket. And I spent a bunch of time in the MORryde booth helping them answer questions about the products I've designed for them, like the Trail Kitchen.

A Chinese company I've been helping understand the Jeep market for the past few years brought me a nice gift, I laid it out on the MORryde suction-mount table to show off to my MORryde friends...

I'll focus on some products I found interesting in the next posts.

 

[NDSpeed]

very cool so far

 

[jscherb]

Rob Jarrell (Quadratec's video guy) came by the MORryde booth today to shoot some footage for their SEMA video. In this photo he's trying out how the new suction-mount table folds and shooting video of it at the same time.

This is a shot of the cool suction mount that may end up being the final choice for the table (and some other suction-mount ideas I have). Notice the switch on the side - this mount has a vacuum pump inside to create the suction. There's also a pressure sensor inside and if it ever detects a drop in suction, the pump turns on to reestablish the suction. Next to the switch is an LED that shows when the pump is on, when the battery is low, etc. Very cool.

A few more Jeeps, some products and some ideas.

These were in the Crown booth:

For those who want to sleep in their Jeep, consider a Pittman Airbedz. I don't think they have a TJ or LJ version though but maybe they have something that might be close.

I've tested quite a few multi-switch systems from Auxbeam; similar panels are available from a few other companies. One such company is Metra and they offer an a-pillar mount for the 8-gang switch panel in the JK. I showed this to Auxbeam and suggested they do the same. Not sure if either company will believe that there's enough demand for them to do a TJ version.

Rockslide Engineering was showing this cargo box that mounts on an HD spare carrier. I like the idea but would be concerned about the weight hanging off the back.

Another storage box idea, this one for the later Wranglers. It bolts to the side of the hardtop, covering the side window.

Two companies were showing inflatable pickup caps. They're surprisingly rigid and I was wondering how the idea might adapt to Jeep hardtops. The sealing around the doors would be more complicated than just sealing to the top of a pickup bed, but it should be possible.

More stuff to come...

 

[Noxid]

Great thread. Thanks for taking us along with you.

 

[Apparition]

Did you happen to chat with the Bush winch folks?

They are the first vendor in this vid

 

[jscherb]

There were a lot of water carrying solutions at the show this year. Some may have been around for a while but there were lots of new ones too. I like these from Waterport.

The business end of one of them. It's got a Schrader valve for pressurizing the container for powerful water flow.

They also have a battery powered pump:

This Waterport was in the SeaSucker booth, they're a suction mount company and this one is mounted with suction mounts (more on SeaSucker in an upcoming post).

This one is interesting, it comes with a metal mount that includes the ability to hang other gear on it. It's also got an integrated pump.

Not sure what this container offers beyond what an ordinary jerry can does.

A company called Indeed Camping, has these interesting 5.5 gallon containers; similar in size and shape to jerry cans but with a center stud mount. Notice the spigot fitting on the back:

Another one from Indeed Camping, a hose with a nozzle is connected to the rear but it doesn't appear there's a way to create enough pressure to get a good spray.

They also were showing this one, at first it seemed like it might be good on a roof rack, but the only way to get liquid in or out appears to be the cap in the center. Awkward. They should take a look at the Waterport containers at the top of this post.

Another idea from Indeed Camping: water/traction boards. Could be a good way to maximize space, water and traction boards in the same space.

A company called Giant Loop was showing these water bags:

Not sure I like the spare tire mount implementation though, seems like a dirt magnet.

More stuff to come - the "Overland Experience", trailers, some ideas from the Ineos Grenadier, and more.

Did you happen to chat with the Bush winch folks?

They are the first vendor in this vid

I didn't talk with them, no.

If you happen to see Tavarish’s P1 at the valvoline booth, take a few pics please.

I did see the main Valvoline booth, but didn't see that vehicle there. They might have had one or two other presences in the show, but I didn't spend much time outside of the West and North Halls, that's where most of my interests and meetings were.

 

[Apparition]

I did see the main Valvoline booth, but didn't see that vehicle there. They might have had one or two other presences in the show, but I didn't spend much time outside of the West and North Halls, that's where most of my interests and meetings were.

No problem, there's been a few video's out about it

 

[jscherb]

The day after I left SEMA I flew to India; I was there about 10 days and got home two days ago. I had a lot more to post from SEMA, but unfortunately this forum isn't accessible from India:

I'll post more as long as people are interested.


A company had an Ineos Grenadier in their booth. The Grenadier is a new vehicle made by UK company Ineos; the Ineos CEO believed Land Rover was making a great mistake discontinuing the classic Defender so he decided to create a new similar but better new vehicle.

I took a few photos in the cockpit, I like the dash and overhead layout.

One thing I found interesting is the L-track built into the sides. I'm not sure what it'll be used for but I'm anxious to see the uses people come up with when enough Grenadiers get out into the field.

If it proves useful, it wouldn't be hard to DIY attach L-track to a Wrangler. I'll have to keep an eye on Grenadier posts to see what people end up doing with it.

A Jurassic Park inspired JL 2-door in the Katzkin booth, complete with YJ inspired rectangular headlights.

I didn't do a formal count but I believe there were more Broncos (both new and old) at the show than Jeeps. This one is outfitted for overlanding. The Bronco designers put provisions for mounting a roof rack into the roll bar and hardtop, so it's far less trouble to mount heavy things on top of a Bronco than it is on a Jeep.

An AluCab equipped Gladiator. Lots of stuff mounted on the back. Check out the chimney, there must be a heater or maybe a stove inside?

Pelican was showing this compressor kit. I like the idea but there seems to be a lot of wasted space inside, maybe it could be smaller?

A company was showing their new power-setup roof top tent. It has hard sides, soft ends (removed in this photo to show the machanism) and uses linear actuator motors to raise and lower.

I'm in the process of testing Auxbeam's new 12-gang switch panel system, I've written a bit about my SEMA meetings with Auxbeam earlier in this thread - I gave them a bunch of feedback the week before SEMA and more feedback at SEMA and they've taken action on my suggestions already. I'll post a review of the new system shortly. They received an award the new system it at the show:

It's a nice honor, MORryde and I received two of those awards at the 2019 SEMA Show for the Trail Kitchen...

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Congratulations, Jeff. Well deserved.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

That Grenadier looks super cool. Love the aerospace-inspired center console.

 

[bbaldwin237]

Glad to see someone sharing the products and not just flashy builds. The products are what it's all about.

I'm very interested in the Auxbeam products as they are more reasonably priced and seem like good quality based on reviews and feedback that I can find.

Some of the rigs that you shared are awesome though! That clean red YJ andthe Golden Eagle Cherokee are incredible! The Grenadier is pretty cool too!

Thanks for sharing

 

[BlueC]

Did you happen to chat with the Bush winch folks?

They are the first vendor in this vid

A few years ago I came across a video of an Aussie demoing how to do that, but with a much more crude setup. Actually, I think he showed how to use the tire to wrap the line. That must be a rather common tactic down there. I'd like to see it demoed in real life, maybe getting out of mud.

 

[jscherb]

Glad to see someone sharing the products and not just flashy builds. The products are what it's all about.

I'm very interested in the Auxbeam products as they are more reasonably priced and seem like good quality based on reviews and feedback that I can find.

Some of the rigs that you shared are awesome though! That clean red YJ andthe Golden Eagle Cherokee are incredible! The Grenadier is pretty cool too!

Thanks for sharing

It's all about product ideas for me, and my only interest in the flashy builds is if they have ideas that I can apply to my own adventuring in my Jeeps.

I agree about Auxbeam. I've been reviewing their products for several years and in almost all cases I've been very impressed with the quality and affordability of their products. They're also very receptive to ideas, I met with them several times during the show and made suggestions that they tell me they plan to implement. I've been working on a review for their new 12-gang switch panel and will probably post it next week.

———-

Earlier in this thread I posted about the MORryde preproduction suction-mount table. A company called SeaSucker makes suction mounts and was showing lots of suction accessories.

A Rotopax mount:

And a suction-mounted Klymit 4-gallon water tank/shower and another Rotopax:

Lots in this next photo... washbasin, table, antenna mount, cutlery keeper, trash bag, drink holder ..

The suction mounts can be trusted for things like a bicycle.

Recovery boards, bicycle, Rotopax and shovel on the lid of this RTT:

I've got some other ideas for these suction mounts and I'll do some prototypes as soon as MORryde gets going with the table. If you've got ideas for suction mounting things, post them and maybe I'll suggest the ideas to MORryde.


More from the show...


I hadn't seen the Bestop RoughRider spare tire storage product in person until the show...

Do people like this look? Do people want make their Jeep look like [an] a**? Well ok, technically this is a pack mule, not an a**...

It's not the look I'm going for with my Jeep. When I decided I needed a trash bag and more storage on my spares, I sought inspiration in the classic car "trunks" of the 1930's...

The Bestop product also looks to me like a dirt magnet. Can it be cleaned in the car wash without getting everything in it wet? I took this photo at the end of my Colorado trail trip in the LJ this year, washing the trail dirt off the Jeep for the drive back to NY State...

Related: I posted the two left photos below earlier in this thread, it's a hard storage box I saw at the show. Maybe Rockslide's inspiration was also from the 30's, the vehicle at right is a mid-30's Pierce Arrow.

Another formless spare tire bag at the show. This one doesn't look weatherproof, check the gap under the flap on the left side. Not sure if the turtle pattern on the lid is supposed to be a functional MOLLE-like grid or if it's just decorative.

I guess I have a different design aesthetic than most of the people who design Jeep products, or they just don't think much about design.

 

[JustDandee]

I do like how Bestop is using a pocket design to sit over the top of the tire. Looks simple, fabric/stitching may determine robustness and not as dependent on the straps If one were to fail or not attached properly. But they all seem to fail in cubic storage you have in your design. Another thing I like about your approach is to create almost a modular luggage. Say you were road tripping you use these as the occupants overnight bags.

 

[psrivats]

That Grenadier looks super cool. Love the aerospace-inspired center console.

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