By: Rick Webster and Mike Batchelor 2006 SEMA Off Road Show - Indianapolis, IN Less bling and more brawn. This was the theme for the '06 SEMA Off Road expo in Indianapolis, IN - thank goodness. We didn't see a single Hummer H2 with 22 inch spinners this year, nor did we have to resist the urge to hurl because of it. OK, we did see an ATV with dubs, but that was pretty comical. Instead, what we did find were plenty of booths filled with useful products and innovative goodies for the off-road and automotive enthusiast, along with a handful of new stuff that you haven't seen yet. Oh yeah, and there were some tradeshow babes there too. Like last year, SEMA worked in conjunction with UROC and Skyjacker Suspensions, to put on an expo within an expo. Three professional rock-crawling teams were on hand to show off their new rigs, their talents and their sponsors. The off-road course didn't hold a candle in comparison to last year's, but it did draw quite a crowd each hour that they ran.   Pro Rock Crawlers

Extang - www.extang.com
Extang was on-hand to show off their new TriFecta tonneua cover, which is a welcome departure from the not-so-new rolling tonneaus we've been seeing for the past few years. This innovative product folds into three neat sections with the flip of a wrist.

Skyjacker Suspension - www.skyjacker.com
Skyjacker showed up in force at the SEMA Off Road event, showing off some of their new suspension products. They hinted at a new, secret suspension system that will be made publically available at the Easter Jeep Safari - keep your eyes peeled for more information soon.

Suspension Maxx - www.suspensionmaxx.com
Suspension Maxx showed their Maxx Cam 2 leveling kit which is a big departure from all other torsion bar keys on the market. This heat-treated 4140 alloy steel torsion key is full adjustable for several ride heights. Innovative? Um, yeah... you could say that. It also brought home the "Best new product under $500" award from SEMA.

Fabtech Motorsports - www.fabtechmotorsports.com
Fabtech was showing off their all-new Jeep suspension which looked like it was built for a competition rock crawler. This new setup featured massive joints, a nicely designed skidplate sporting a thick, rock-sliding plastic sheet, a nicely built rear axle truss and a stout 3-link rear suspension. Nicely done Fabtech.

Midwest Control Products - www.midwestcontrol.com
We bumped into a company called Midwest Control Products which specializes in linkages, tube fabrications and wireforms. If that doesn't mean anything to you, then take a peek at the pictures below. They offer a number of custom-built links, heim joints, shift linkages and just about anything else that you can think of.

Bestop - www.bestop.com
Bestop had most of their usual, quality items on display, but their soft top for pickup trucks caught our eye. This softop featured tinted windows, adjustable rails and bows, and a slick convertable design too.

Pit Bull Tires - www.pitbulltires.com
If awards for the coolest web site were on our agenda, Pit Bull Tires would definately get it. Regardless, we got to take a gander at their agressive, soft and durable tires (The Rocker, The Growler and the Maddog) which we can't wait to get a set of.

Tough Country - www.toughcountry.com
Standing out in the ultra-competitive aftermarket bumper segment is about as easy as wrenching a Snickers out of the hands of Rosie O'Donnell. Tough Country however has some creative designs that should certainly help them along. Some of their bumpers feature a nice transition from flat diamond plate to a large round tube, giving them a unique look.

Rancho Suspension - www.gorancho.com
Rnacho was showing a number of their new products, including some new suspension systems for the '07 Tahoe/Yukon and the '03 - '06 Dodge Ram Megacab/Powerwagon. Rancho was also showing their new RS9000X™ Remote Reservoir Coil-Over Shock Absorber and we even got an opportunity to watch it in action on the EKCO Racing rig.

Energy Suspension - www.energysuspension.com
The "why didn't I think of that" award goes to Energy Suspension for their Jack Strap - a unique poly mold that securely holds you Hi-Lift jack handle to the main beam. It slides off of the jack handle quickly and easily, but doesn't get in the way of jacking action. They also featured their new Jeep TJ Trans mount which is substantially stronger than its OE brethren.

Edge Products - www.edgeproducts.com
Edge Products was on-hand to show off their latest performance enhancing products for Ford, Dodge, Chevy and Jeep diesel and gas engines. Their Attitude and Evolution programmer/monitors were configurable and innovative but if you want the ultimate gadget for your diesel machine you have to check out their A2. This unit has it all. Edge started out with programmer/monitor unit with an absolutely dazzling display then threw in a back up camera monitor and navigation system. If you want it all but dont want wires dangling all over the cab of your truck you need to check out this unit.

Flex-a-lite - www.flex-a-lite.com
We have been big fans of Flex-a-lite's innovative and high-quality aluminum radiators, transmission coolers and fans for a long time. (Click here to check out our review of one of their lastest products). Now Flex-a-lite offers a solution to the problem of aluminum radiator corrosion. By adding a zinc anode to a drain plug Flex-a-lite has created a simple to install and cost-effective solution to radiator corrosion. We also saw EKCO Racing still using their Flex-A-Fit setup and it is still keeping their rig cool.

Powerworks- www.powerworks.net
Hey F150 owners! Would you like another 150 horsepower? Maybe you should give the folks at powerworks a call. They have an easy to install kit that includes a Roots-type supercharger, an intercooler, a full induction sytstem and new fuel injectors. They say this kit can be installed by a do-it-yourselfer in 8-10 hours and requires no cutting. You can even return your truck to its stock configuration in the unlikely event that you find out that you don't like additional power.

Agri-Cover Inc. - www.agricover.com
Agricover, makers of the Access Rollup tonneau covers, surprised us with their Snowsport utility snow plows. Don't stop reading now, this isn't like anything you've ever seen... These plows ride on two vertical posts and do not need to be raised or lowered. As the truck or ATV is backing up, the plow flips out of the way and floats across the snow. As soon as the vehicle moves forward, the plows flips into action and does it's thing. Cool!