The Easter Jeep® Safari has a two day Manufacturer’s Show that takes place Thursday and Friday of the week. This year there was a tremendous increase in manufacturer participation. The greater part of the outside grounds was occupied by vendors, manufacturers, and 18-wheeler traveling displays. Talking to some of the locals in Moab, we got the sense they are really excited the Easter Jeep® Safari is gaining recognition as the event of the year where key players in the off-road industry come to debut their new products, and also use Moab as proving grounds for new ones.

OFF ROAD EVOLUTION - Builder of Avalanche Engineering Turnkeys

The business and tourism this event brings Moab every year is amazing. Each year they see more and more people come to the event and thanks to magazine and online media coverage of the event, its popularity and significance is gaining ground.

Gathering early this morning at the Arena were members and volunteers of the Red Rock 4wheelers. This entire event is put on by the sweat and labor of locals that care about Moab and keeping its trails open for years to come. Thankfully, many manufacturers have grown to support the event and its cause. All the money raised from this event goes to promote safe and responsible 4wheeling, and the maintenance and education of Moab’s rich trail system.

Vendors Row provided a great outdoor experience for show goers

The majority of the show is held outdoors, with numerous rows and a sea of tents and trailers. The exhibitors range from small start-up companies to large tenured manufacturers displaying their product lines, trail rigs, and the latest parts.

The CRANE Crew in full force doing what they do best

We had a chance to meet with Crane High Clearance and they showed us their new 44 Inner C for Dana 44’s. This steering component really beefs up your set-up. It is made of 8630 Chromolly Steel and gives 6 inches of additional welding surface. Crane is a manufacturer of components that help strengthen straight axles and steering components. You can always tell it’s a Crane High Clearance product by its distinguishable bright green color. Check out their new website at www.cranecommerce.com.

New CRANE 44 Inner C for DANA 44's

Fabtech showed us a coilover kit they have in the works for the Jeep® YJ. This will be a bolt on kit that will convert a front leaf sprung chassis into a much smoother coil-over set up. This is in the final proto-type stages. We had the opportunity to see it function first hand during the DIRTsports/Off-Road.com trail run. The Fabtech YJ coilover kit worked great crawling over the rocks. Fully articulated it handled some pretty challenging climbs on the “Twisted Sister” trail. Be on the look-out as this kit should be released sometime in 2006.

Prototype Fabtech coilover suspension kit for Jeep® YJ

Summit Machining out of Draper, UT had an array of heim spacers and Jimmy Joints on display. One of the unique things about their Jimmy Joint is that it is the first rebuildable joint to perform like a heim joint. The high misalignment design provides 60 degrees of total misalignment—which is 30 degrees more than a standard flew joint. It is made of heat treated 4140 steel with a pivot ball machined from 303 stainless steel. The addition of this piece can really make a difference when it comes to getting maximum articulation without suspension bind, and it’s also nice that they are rebuildable. For more information on the Jimmy Joint or any of the other great products summit machine has, check out their site at www.summitmachine.com.

Summit Machine brings out the eye candy--and it works too!

Now I know first hand that carrying a 35in or larger tire in the tire gate can really be a hassle when it comes to opening and closing your rear gate. You sometimes have to wrestle with it to get it unhinged, and off the darn door. The when you swing it out, it almost tears the bumper off because the pivot point is not strong enough. Well my friends, we came across a little outfit starting to address this problem. The name of the company is Expedition One.

Check out this beefy pivot point on the tire carrier from Expedition One

They are a small manufacturer of bumpers for Jeeps based out of the Salt Lake City, UT area. They build one hell of a read tire carrying bumper. These guys over-engineered it, and we love it. The have a plate that attaches to your rear door with a heimed link to the tire gate. The beauty of this piece is the massive pivot point on the bumper that holds all the weight. It has a resemblance to a large machined spindle. With tire sizes getting bigger and bigger, carrying a spare has become difficult for many. Well you can rest assured that this bumper is going to hold your spare in place, and you’re not going to have to chase it down the hill. Make sure to check out www.exp-one.com for more info; they will also be at the Off Road Expo in Salt Lake City, UT April 21 – 23, 2006.

Rock Gear shows us their new soft top--and it really is soft