SCOTTSDALE OFF-ROAD EXPO | Behind The Scenes

RAINBOW IN THE DESERT

WHILE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF WET, WINTRY OR ICY CONDITIONS, THE SUN WAS SHINING AT THE THIRD ANNUAL OFF-ROAD EXPO IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA. Held March 2-3, 2019, at the WestWorld event center, the expo is an offshoot of the long-running event of the same name that occurs in September at the L.A. County Fairplex in Pomona, California.

The expo offered an array of off-road companies displaying their parts, equipment, services and gear. From off-road racing to rock crawling, trail riding to sand sports, motorcycles and UTVs to camping and overlanding/adventure travel, enthusiasts came out to meet and talk with representatives from dozens of off-road industry stalwarts. Companies included Rigid Industries, Rockford Fosgate, Armordillo USA, Nitto Tires, SDHQ Offroad, BDS Suspension, Daystar, Deny Locks, Dirty Life Wheels, ICON Vehicle Dynamics, Kleinn Air Horns, Magnuson Superchargers, Method Wheels, Navatlas, Fuel Wheels and Tires, Rugged Radios, Rolling Big Power, Rock Slide Engineering, Shreddy Lyfe, Asfir 4X4 and many more.

Scottsdale was for the most part true to the chamber of commerce’s “guarantee” of 300-plus days of sunshine, and it was de rigueur for attendees and participants to be in shorts and t-shirts. A great lead-in for many who were heading to Las Vegas the following week for the Mint 400, two days of fun in the Valley of the Sun were hardly enough after seemingly endless weeks of wet weather elsewhere.

The Off-Road Expo is part of the Family Events Performance Series that also includes the 4Wheel Jamboree events in Lima, Ohio; Indianapolis; and Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania; and the Sand Sports Super Show in Costa Mesa, California. Thanks to the Family Events crew for all their assistance. We’ll be back again next year!

ROLLING BIG POWER’S GMC DUALLY HAD JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF GOLD ACCENTS.
THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF LIFT UNDER THIS CHEVY 2500HD.

RIGID’S CUSTOM FREIGHTLINER SPORTCHASSIS HAS A GM DUALLY PICKUP BED WITH CAP ON BACK.
ICON’S NEW WRANGLER JL DISPLAY VEHICLE EXHIBITED THEIR LATEST SUSPENSION KITS.
PHOENIX-BASED DEEPSLEEP HAS CREATED A BETTER AIR MATTRESS FOR JEEP JKS, JLS AND XJS THAT WON’T BUNCH UP.
SDHQ OFFROAD’S 4RUNNER IS OVERLAND READY WITH ITS ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED ROOF TOP TENT.
GOOD-LOOKING SLIDERS ARE MANUFACTURED IN-HOUSE BY SDHQ OFFROAD.
METHOD WHEEL’S TACOMA AND 4RUNNER WERE BOTH ADVENTURE TRAVEL READY.
MARK SCHLEIPFER FROM ROCKFORD FOSGATE HAD HIS CUMMINS-POWERED RAM ON DISPLAY.
WHAT’S MORE FUN THAN A SUPERCHARGED 4RUNNER WITH AN EXPEDITION TRAILER?
MAGNUSON SUPERCHARGER AND AFE COLD AIR INTAKE HAVE AN ALMOST OE APPEARANCE UNDER THE 4RUNNER’S HOOD.
MAGNUSON HAD A 10-FOOT TETONX TRAILER YOU CAN STAND UP INSIDE THANKS TO ITS POP-UP TOP.
THE FULL-SIZED TUNDRA GOT BOOSTED, TOO, THANKS TO MAGNUSON.
THE POPULARITY OF TOYOTAS IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN WAS EVIDENT THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.
TALL TRUCKS AREN’T AKIN TO ONLY FL AND TX, ATTESTED TO BY THIS AZ-BASED F-250.
LOOK WHAT THE DESERT WINDS BLEW IN!
DELTA, COLORADO’S MOUNTAIN OFFROAD ENTERPRISES, M.O.R.E., HAS A NIFTY BRACKET TO INSTALL ARB’S DUAL AIR COMPRESSOR UNDER THE HOOD OF A 4RUNNER, OR INSIDE A JL. EASY, NO?
RBP’S ANSWER MAN, ANDY TRAN, WITH JENNA JEFFERIES HIDING IN THE BACKGROUND.
STAR LIGHTBARS, A NEW LIGHTING COMPANY, STARTED BY EX-RIGID ENGINEERS.
DENY LOCKS, A GREAT WAY TO SECURE YOUR EXPENSIVE COOLER IN YOUR TRUCK BED OR RACK.
RBP’S ANSWER MAN, ANDY TRAN, WITH JENNA JEFFERIES HIDING IN THE BACKGROUND.
HUNTER SAFETY PRODUCTS IS THE NEW NAME FOR SEATS FROM THE BEARD FAMILY, WHO ARE BACK MAKING SEATS AFTER SELLING THEIR ORIGINAL COMPANY.
HSP PRODUCES SEATS IN ALL THE CONFIGURATIONS THEY MADE PREVIOUSLY, IN MORE COLORS AND DIFFERENT UPHOLSTERY MATERIALS THAN BEFORE.
LEAVING THE SHOW, PREPARED TO VENTURE INTO THE UNKNOWN.
FOR MEGA RETAILER SDHQ OFFROAD, BASED IN NEARBY GILBERT, ARIZONA, BUSINESS WAS BOOMING.
DENY’S HARDWORKING TANDEM HAD A LOCK ON COOLER OWNERS.
DON’T ‘TREAD’ ON ME!
INTO THE WILD OVERLAND’S BOREAS XT FITS EVERYTHING IN A TIDY PACKAGE (SEE INSERTS).
CONQUEROR EXPEDITION TRAILERS HAVE THIS NO NONSENSE MILSPEC LOOK AND FEEL TO THEM.
PERFECT FOR CATCHING A FEW ZZZ’S IN THE LAST HOURS OF THE SHOW.
SXS’ WERE PLENTIFUL AT THE EXPO, IN VARIOUS STAGES FROM WILD TO WAY OVER THE TOP.
RIPP SUPERCHARGERS JEEP NEEDED THE EXTRA HP TO TURN THOSE BIG TIRES.
LOCAL DEALER ROWLEY WHITE RV HAD THIS TALL RAM OUTFITTED AND TOWING A COMPACT TRAILER.