Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Yes. MORryde is borrowing my JKU for their booth, so it and I will be at SEMA all week. The Jeep will be outfitted with the Trail Kitchen (and most of the current and future Trail Kitchen options), a bunch of hardware products like the Overhead Molle, side mount jerry can/Rotopax carriers, tailgate reinforcement and Overland Rack. The RTT will be on it as well. Probably I'll have a bunch of Overland Outfitters products in the Jeep too; those products will be in the Jeep for the Overland East show so I'll just leave them in place. Should also have some new and unreleased yet Overland Outfitters products in it. May have some new (and also unreleased yet) Retrofit Offroad hardware products on it too, but haven't on those yet.
And it's not certain yet, but the trailer company I've been helping with a new kitchen design may be at the show with one of their trailers and the first prototype of the new trailer kitchen.
jgaz
Adventurer
Sweet! Maybe I’ll see you there
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Being frustrated with the saggy factory net door pockets, about a two months ago I posted about a door pocket design I was working on. Since then I've sewn several different style prototypes and this morning I installed a door pocket with a Molle panel for testing. The Molle grid straps are leather and support both standard Molle and Grab & Go style bags.
With some trail maps in the pocket and a Grab & Go first aid bag on the Molle grid:
I've sewn two other styles for testing, this one has a smaller Molle grid and includes a water bottle pocket:
And this one has two leather pockets in addition to the map pocket.
With some trail maps in the pocket and a Grab & Go first aid bag on the Molle grid:
I've sewn two other styles for testing, this one has a smaller Molle grid and includes a water bottle pocket:
And this one has two leather pockets in addition to the map pocket.
jgaz
Adventurer
Smaller grid with map pocket, water bottle holder, and cell phone pocket would be my choiceBeing frustrated with the saggy factory net door pockets, about a two months ago I posted about a door pocket design I was working on. Since then I've sewn several different style prototypes and this morning I installed a door pocket with a Molle panel for testing. The Molle grid straps are leather and support both standard Molle and Grab & Go style bags.
With some trail maps in the pocket and a Grab & Go first aid bag on the Molle grid:
I've sewn two other styles for testing, this one has a smaller Molle grid and includes a water bottle pocket:
And this one has two leather pockets in addition to the map pocket.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
A little photo editing to combine the parts of two I sewed to make what you want. Wouldn't be hard to do this at the sewing machine instead of the paint program
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Being frustrated with the saggy factory net door pockets, about a two months ago I posted about a door pocket design I was working on. Since then I've sewn several different style prototypes and this morning I installed a door pocket with a Molle panel for testing. The Molle grid straps are leather and support both standard Molle and Grab & Go style bags.
I could go for this. I have never used the mesh pocket for anything.
bobs
New member
Have you tested any of these on a Jeep with a 3rd pedal? I’m curious how well it shares space with the clutch. I’d pick up this combination in a heartbeat if it played nicely.A little photo editing to combine the parts of two I sewed to make what you want. Wouldn't be hard to do this at the sewing machine instead of the paint program
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I haven't tested them on a standard trans Jeep yet, my JKU (unfortunately) is an automatic. The base product doesn't interfere but it is possible to hang a large enough Molle pouch on there that could interfere so it depends on what you put there. The large first aid bag in the photo is probably large enough to interfere with the clutch leg, but these two smaller ones wouldn't interfere:
BTW neither of the pouches in the photo are Molle pouches, they've got belt clips on the back so they attach/detach very quickly just like the Grab & Go bags. The one with the red trim is a Home Depot Husky tool belt bag (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-4-in-Belt-Pouch-GP-45830N13/307751410).
BTW last week I met with a company that's interested in them. I left them the patterns and one prototype that I sewed and based on what they said I expect they'll have some preproduction samples available for testing within a month. It's not clear which versions they'll make, although they seem interested in all three versions I've sewn so far (haven't shown them the photo-edited version I did for jgaz the other day but I think they read this thread so they've probably seen it). I recommended to them that they sell them separately so people could have one version on the driver's side and a different version on the passenger side depending on what suits the storage needs in the Jeep. My better half, for example, wants the water bottle version on the passenger side (that version was her idea BTW), but I'd probably put the leather pouch version on the driver's side.
bobs
New member
If they need a manual tester let me knowI haven't tested them on a standard trans Jeep yet, my JKU (unfortunately) is an automatic. The base product doesn't interfere but it is possible to hang a large enough Molle pouch on there that could interfere so it depends on what you put there. The large first aid bag in the photo is probably large enough to interfere with the clutch leg, but these two smaller ones wouldn't interfere:
BTW neither of the pouches in the photo are Molle pouches, they've got belt clips on the back so they attach/detach very quickly just like the Grab & Go bags. The one with the red trim is a Home Depot Husky tool belt bag (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-4-in-Belt-Pouch-GP-45830N13/307751410).
BTW last week I met with a company that's interested in them. I left them the patterns and one prototype that I sewed and based on what they said I expect they'll have some preproduction samples available for testing within a month. It's not clear which versions they'll make, although they seem interested in all three versions I've sewn so far (haven't shown them the photo-edited version I did for jgaz the other day but I think they read this thread so they've probably seen it). I recommended to them that they sell them separately so people could have one version on the driver's side and a different version on the passenger side depending on what suits the storage needs in the Jeep. My better half, for example, wants the water bottle version on the passenger side (that version was her idea BTW), but I'd probably put the leather pouch version on the driver's side.
The photo-shopped one looks like it was designed after everything that lives in my cup holders. The manuals don't have the storage recess in front of the shifter so on road trips water bottles, the pocket knife, maps, cell phones, etc. end up competing in the center. I could see the photo-shopped pair up front and would love to see the molle option in the rear. Would be nice to put the bigger bags in the rear where foot space isn't as important.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
One-person, one-minute RTT installation
This morning I'm getting the JKU ready for Overland East. It's being borrowed by both MORryde and Overland Outfitters and will be parked between their adjoining booths. It's got lots of MORryde gear on/in it (Trail Kitchen Overhead Molle, Side Mounts, etc.), and lots of Overland Outfitters storage gear inside, and since it's the Overland show I'm putting the roof top tent on too.
I've seen lots of methods and contraptions for installing an RTT on a Jeep - hoists, cranes, etc., but I do it much more simply - I lean two 10' 2x6's against the roof rack, and use them as a ramp to slide the tent up. It takes about a minute and I do it alone. I've described it here before but this morning I made a video...
The 2x6's have two screws in each end, the screws straddle the top bar of the rack so the 2x6's won't slide off the rack when I'm pushing the tent up the slope.
To make the tent easy to install on the rack, I keep the crossbars mounted to it and once it's on top I use these brackets to secure the crossbars to the rack. I made a nut plate that slides inside the crossbar, and the bolts for these angle brackets thread into the nut plates. It's very secure, easy and quick.
At the start of the video I'm rolling the tent out of the garage on a dolly. I store the tent off the floor against the wall on shelf brackets installed about a foot above the floor:
And to complete the picture, I use the Garvin rack basket on both Jeeps, and it's pretty heavy to lift up onto the Jeep by myself, so when it's off the Jeeps I hang it above on the of garage bays. I've hung crossbars from the garage door rails and I hang the rack from the crossbars, so I only have to lift one corner of the rack at a time, secure it to the crossbar and move on to the next corner. Very easy to remove and install the rack basket this way, never any heavy lifting.
When I remove the tent, I reverse the operation and slide the tent down the 2x6's. Even easier than pushing it up the slope.
Maybe this will help someone who's struggling with their RTT installation.
This morning I'm getting the JKU ready for Overland East. It's being borrowed by both MORryde and Overland Outfitters and will be parked between their adjoining booths. It's got lots of MORryde gear on/in it (Trail Kitchen Overhead Molle, Side Mounts, etc.), and lots of Overland Outfitters storage gear inside, and since it's the Overland show I'm putting the roof top tent on too.
I've seen lots of methods and contraptions for installing an RTT on a Jeep - hoists, cranes, etc., but I do it much more simply - I lean two 10' 2x6's against the roof rack, and use them as a ramp to slide the tent up. It takes about a minute and I do it alone. I've described it here before but this morning I made a video...
The 2x6's have two screws in each end, the screws straddle the top bar of the rack so the 2x6's won't slide off the rack when I'm pushing the tent up the slope.
To make the tent easy to install on the rack, I keep the crossbars mounted to it and once it's on top I use these brackets to secure the crossbars to the rack. I made a nut plate that slides inside the crossbar, and the bolts for these angle brackets thread into the nut plates. It's very secure, easy and quick.
At the start of the video I'm rolling the tent out of the garage on a dolly. I store the tent off the floor against the wall on shelf brackets installed about a foot above the floor:
And to complete the picture, I use the Garvin rack basket on both Jeeps, and it's pretty heavy to lift up onto the Jeep by myself, so when it's off the Jeeps I hang it above on the of garage bays. I've hung crossbars from the garage door rails and I hang the rack from the crossbars, so I only have to lift one corner of the rack at a time, secure it to the crossbar and move on to the next corner. Very easy to remove and install the rack basket this way, never any heavy lifting.
When I remove the tent, I reverse the operation and slide the tent down the 2x6's. Even easier than pushing it up the slope.
Maybe this will help someone who's struggling with their RTT installation.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Quick report from Overland East...
I mentioned a week or so ago that I have been helping a trailer company with the design of a new type of kitchen for trailers. That company debuted the first preproduction prototype of the new kitchen design yesterday at Overland East. The company is Tentrax and the kitchen is called the Trax Kitchen. It's designed to be mounted on the tongue of most trailers (and in other locations too), and includes a fridge, a sink with running water, lots of counter space and an integrated battery and power system. I took these photos in their booth at the show.
In this first photo, the kitchen is deployed, it slides out of the enclosure box mounted on the tongue. The water supply for the sink is the Rotopax mounted on the Tentrax storage box (the storage box is not part of the kitchen). The sink in this photo has an optional cutting board on top of it. The fridge is a "drawer style" fridge from the marine/RV market and is the stainless steel drawer on the end of the pull-out cabinet.
In this next photo, the fridge is open, it's a 30-qt. Dometic. Engle also makes a compatible drawer units which also can serve as a freezer. The cutting board is off the sink, revealing a collapsible sink. There's also a cutlery/utensil drawer above the fridge, it's closed in these photos.
Not shown in these photos, the driver's side of the enclosure contains a cargo slide tray, which slides out of the enclosure for easy access to cargo stored on the tray. On both sides are weatherproof doors, they hinge at the bottom and hang down when opened and close when the kitchen is slid back into the enclosure, making the entire thing weatherproof.
Tentrax plans to offer the Trax Kitchen as an option for their trailers, but they also plan to offer it as a standalone product for DIY trailer builders - to put on the tongue of an M416, for example. This is a poster they had in the booth explaining the features of the kitchen and showing some concept images of the trailer installed on other trailers (and on a hitch rack, perhaps for tailgating at a game?)...
I spent some time in their booth listening to the Tentrax folks showing the kitchen to people and the reactions to the concept, design and details were very positive.
I mentioned a week or so ago that I have been helping a trailer company with the design of a new type of kitchen for trailers. That company debuted the first preproduction prototype of the new kitchen design yesterday at Overland East. The company is Tentrax and the kitchen is called the Trax Kitchen. It's designed to be mounted on the tongue of most trailers (and in other locations too), and includes a fridge, a sink with running water, lots of counter space and an integrated battery and power system. I took these photos in their booth at the show.
In this first photo, the kitchen is deployed, it slides out of the enclosure box mounted on the tongue. The water supply for the sink is the Rotopax mounted on the Tentrax storage box (the storage box is not part of the kitchen). The sink in this photo has an optional cutting board on top of it. The fridge is a "drawer style" fridge from the marine/RV market and is the stainless steel drawer on the end of the pull-out cabinet.
In this next photo, the fridge is open, it's a 30-qt. Dometic. Engle also makes a compatible drawer units which also can serve as a freezer. The cutting board is off the sink, revealing a collapsible sink. There's also a cutlery/utensil drawer above the fridge, it's closed in these photos.
Not shown in these photos, the driver's side of the enclosure contains a cargo slide tray, which slides out of the enclosure for easy access to cargo stored on the tray. On both sides are weatherproof doors, they hinge at the bottom and hang down when opened and close when the kitchen is slid back into the enclosure, making the entire thing weatherproof.
Tentrax plans to offer the Trax Kitchen as an option for their trailers, but they also plan to offer it as a standalone product for DIY trailer builders - to put on the tongue of an M416, for example. This is a poster they had in the booth explaining the features of the kitchen and showing some concept images of the trailer installed on other trailers (and on a hitch rack, perhaps for tailgating at a game?)...
I spent some time in their booth listening to the Tentrax folks showing the kitchen to people and the reactions to the concept, design and details were very positive.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
It would fit very nicely in a Gladiator bed. A few more photos...
Everything stowed and the end weather door closed. The latches lock to protect the contents of the kitchen.
The fridge end. Visible are the Dometic drawer fridge, the power monitor (volt and amp displays), 1 extra power outlet, two USB outlets, and the utensil drawer.
A video showing how quickly the kitchen deploys. The clip on table and sink normally store in the cargo tray in the driver's side of the enclosure but for this video they were sitting on a table just off screen. Water connections to the Rotopax water suppy and the faucet are done with quick connect fitting.
Everything stowed and the end weather door closed. The latches lock to protect the contents of the kitchen.
The fridge end. Visible are the Dometic drawer fridge, the power monitor (volt and amp displays), 1 extra power outlet, two USB outlets, and the utensil drawer.
A video showing how quickly the kitchen deploys. The clip on table and sink normally store in the cargo tray in the driver's side of the enclosure but for this video they were sitting on a table just off screen. Water connections to the Rotopax water suppy and the faucet are done with quick connect fitting.