I'm in!Alright, the time has finally come to share a bit of this project with you guys. If you aren't familiar with @BuiltRight Industries, have a look at the two threads that I'll link to below for an idea of what we do and check out this page for who we are. We invented (and patented) the MOLLE panel system for the bed of a pickup truck and we've been excited to bring the experience and feedback of tens of thousands of customers to the Bronco platform. I've got a 2dr Big Bend myself, which has been our R&D vehicle for the past month or so. Loving it so far!
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/builtright-industries-innovative-gear-mounting-systems.15443/
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...oduct-development-small-business-style.16269/
Project: Cargo Area MOLLE System for 2dr and 4dr Bronco
Purpose: The goal with this system is to offer a modular way to mount tools, gear, accessories and so on in the cargo area of your Bronco. We want the panels to be easy to install and unobtrusive when it comes to using the cargo area for other purposes. The panels must be strong enough to support the weight of heavier items, like an ARB compressor or recovery gear. The goal is to make use of otherwise unusable space in order to keep your cargo area clear for other gear.
Background: I had typed out a long story here but decided to just keep it simple. Ford reached out in 2019 asking us to design MOLLE panels for the Bronco. Excited by the opportunity (but taking care to protect our best ideas), we met virtually and in person a number of times, reviewing Ford objectives, Bronco models and so on. We developed some concepts, shared rough details and manufacturing costs before it was made clear to us that we'd need to sacrifice our quality and manufacturing standards in order to meet price targets. I expressed concern and that was basically the end of that. Fast forward and the dealer catalog shows some MOLLE panel products that are nearly identical to my sketches. Luckily, we didn't share actual CAD models and I'm a terrible artist. That being said, by now you've all seen the quality (or lack of) being demonstrated there, so we're even more excited to share what we've been working on.
We're damn close, but would love some feedback or to hear your ideas before we proceed to production and get these ready for you. We've been tight lipped until now, knowing that copycats won't be far behind, but I can't stand to bring a product like this to market without feedback from my fellow enthusiasts that might improve the product and its usefulness!
Process: With every project, we begin by collecting 3D data from the vehicle. In this case, I had the opportunity to fly out to the SEMA Garage in California with my scanner and 3D scan a 3dr and 4dr badlands for about 6hrs. This gave us what we needed to begin designing so that when our R&D vehicles arrived, we'd be able to hit the ground running. From there, we produce prototypes, test, break, revise, produce again, test again and so on. Being a very small business, we have the freedom to experiment and refine the product without 'bean counters' breathing down our necks to cut costs or speed up development. The result of both of those things can be seen in a lot of the 'first to market' products that have been shipping, in our opinion.
Features (we can add to this based on the discussion):
- No-drill installation, easily completed with basic hand tools
- Compatible with top-on and topless driving
- Does not impact factory tie downs of their ability to lay flat
- Does not negatively impact storage capacity of cargo area
- Solid steel construction with factory fit and finish
- Provisions for attaching a cargo basket that doubles as security lid
We'd like your help! We've already been through a few iterations here and I'm very happy with the mounting and installation procedure (no drilling being a primary requirement). I'm just going to share a few photos of my 2dr below to get the juice flowing and kick off the conversation. Would love to hear from you guys regarding thoughts, concerns, feedback, ideas, how you'd use panels like this and so on. Keep in mind that these panels are really a 'blank canvas' and will be used as a platform for a host of other mounts and accessories that we've been working on (cargo trays, etc).
I'll respond to every single comment in this thread and will be keeping a list of people that indicate that they're interested (something like "I'm in!" works) so that we can circle back when pre-orders are live.
Matt Beenen
Engineering
That's their Tech Panel. Available in different sizes.
