Well the SEMA show is over for another year, not bad but there were a lot of missing vendors, BFG were not there nor was Goodyear, and many of the others had a lot smaller booths then other years, a sign of the time I guess.

But the standard of the vehicles there was just as high as other years, some great Jeeps, some with some very trick suspension.

In the not too distance future there will be some new products available, so watch this space. Daystar will have some progressive bump stops out soon they are not be nitrogen charged but work on inserts but will be a third of the cost of the nitrogen items and unless your are out and out racing they will work very well.

Rugged Ridge are showing 2 new products at the SEMA show for the Jeep Wrangler JK.

The first is a handy back seat organiser/cooler that fits into the rear cup holder on the back of the JK centre consol.

Next windshield mount light bar for the JK

These will be available from FTE 4×4 Specialist’s Ltd.

A new product at the SEMA show is the big disc brake conversion by Teraflex. 13.3” diameter discs with twin piston caliper, oem style bolt-on caliper mount bracket. They will require a 17” rim.

Well looks like SEMA show this year is going to be good, had a wonder around the parking lot today and took a few photo’s you can see them on my site FTE 4×4 Specialist’s Ltd. follow the link to SEMA Show.

Everyday I will be posting photo’s to my main site. Also any new products I see I will post here.

The SEMA show is fast approaching, this is one of the largest aftermarket parts show for cars in the world, it has all the latest ideas, not just for Jeeps but most types of cars. I will be posting pictures to my FTE site from the show every night starting from the 3rd November, look for the SEMA 2009 logo on the home page.

Not all AX15 gearboxes are the same, the other day I was helping a friend to change the gearbox out of his 1998 TJ Wrangler, the box we were fitting was supplied by a local breakers, as a Wrangler TJ gearbox. Everything went smoothly till it was time to fit the transmission belly pan, on bolting up the belly pan to the chassis rails the transmission mount bolts were not protruding through the belly pan they were short by 10mm. At first we thought that we had left a socket or something on the belly pan and the mount was sitting on that, but no not that simple. It was the transfer case that was sitting on the belly pan. The gearbox was an AX15 but from a Cherokee not a Wrangler and for some reason the Cherokee transfer case is clocked differently. So when getting parts from the breakers always double check.

Notice the way the housing are drilled the one on the left is the Wrangler.

Rugged Ride have just launched there new range of winches, below is the highest spec unit loaded with synthetic rope, check out my web site for the others in the range.

Performance 10500 Winch with Synthetic Rope

Lightweight. Durable. Tough. Affordable. The Performance 10500 LB Winch from Rugged Ridge is everything you could want in a competition winch. It is driven by a durable 6.6 HP Series Wound motor for long life and extra pulling power. A tough 3 Stage Planetary Gear box with a 218:1 gear ratio delivers power and reliability on each and every pull. The Performance 10500 LB Winch has more power and exclusive features than any other winch in its price range: Stainless Steel Hardware- All the exterior winch body screws and bolts are Stainless steel to prevent rust and provide a long life. All Rugged Ridge synthetic rope style Winches include hawse fairlead. Special Solenoid mounting brackets allow for multiple solenoid mounting points and the ability to “tilt” the Solenoid for ease of use. This “tilt” feature ensures that each Rugged Ridge winch can be used with almost all off road bumpers and over riders! Limited 2 year warranty against manufacturing defects (1 Year on electrical). Each winch has been independently tested to ensure they meet or exceed all specifications.

Rugged Ridge Heavy Duty 10,500 LB Winch Features/Specifications
• Durable 6.6 HP Series Wound motor for long life and extra pulling power
• Tough 3 Stage Planetary Gear box with a 218:1 gear ratio
• Includes 94’ of 3/8” diameter synthetic rope and latched hook
• Constructed with Dyneema SK-75 from the Netherlands.
• 12-strand braid rope with a breaking force of 19,310lbs is lighter and stronger than steel
• Automatic load holding brake system (in the drum brake system)
• Includes hawse fairlead.
• Tough stainless hardware on the body of the winch to eliminate rust
• Each winch includes a durable 12’ all weather cable remote.

Available from FTE 4×4 Specialist’s Ltd.

One question I get asked quite often do you sell the low temperature thermostats for the Wrangler TJ, well the answer is yes, but normally the Wrangler will run fine even on the hottest day without over heating. My first question to them is are you sure your radiator is clean, and the answer is of course it is! Well below are a couple of photo’s of a radiator I took out of a Wrangler when the owner gave me the answer “Of course the rad is clean but it is still running hot” I wonder why?

I had to lay the radiator down and soak it for an hour to soften the mud before I could wash it out with a hose.

When cleaning out the radiator be careful if you are using a high pressure jet wash as this can damage the fins on the radiator. It is best to wash out the radiator while the mud is still soft and use a hose.

The Hi-Lift jack can be a very versatile bit of kit, but it is a little cumbersome to carry inside the vehicle, well Rugged Ridge have the answer if your have the new Wrangler JK.

The Off-Road jack mount allows you to carry your Off-Road jack on the outside of your vehicle, saving precious cargo space. Fast and easy bolt-on installation. Compatible with stock and most aftermarket rear bumpers (without tyre carriers) as well as the Rugged Ridge XHD rear bumper with or without tyre carrier. Bracket is sturdy and secures the jack in two locations to eliminate any vibration noise during vehicle operation. Durable textured finish looks great. Fits most Off-Road style jacks including Hi-Lift.

Available from FTE 4×4 Specialist’s Ltd.

Rugged Ridge HID Off Road Lights take off road lighting to the next level! 

The brilliance of High Intensity Discharge bulbs with the rugged construction of traditional halogen off road lights. The result is a more efficient and powerful beam better capable of illuminating the trail. HID lights are 2-1/2 times more powerful than halogen lights and draw 60% less current than a standard 100W driving light. The 6” and 5” HID Lights (Black & Stainless 6”, as well as Stainless 5”, coming soon) are constructed with heavy-duty stamped steel housings, and are available in corrosion resistant black or stainless steel finish. Rugged Ridge lights feature waterproof connections, internal ballast, and a reinforced multi-directional mounting base. The lights are available individually or in kits containing pre-terminated wiring harness, relay, impact resistant stone guards and illuminated dash switch. Studies have demonstrated drivers react faster and more accurately to obstacles with HID lighting rather than halogen ones. So, upgrade your lighting today!
• Internal ballast & Waterproof Connections.
• Draws 60% less current than a standard 100W driving light
• Reinforced multi-directional mounting base.
• 12V 35W 4200K HID Bulb has double the lifespan of a 100W halogen bulb.
• Kit includes pre-terminated wiring harness with relay & illuminated dash switch.

Above also a 7” HID from Rugged Ridge.

All available from FTE 4×4 Specialist’s Ltd.