Yep, you heard that right - a cantilever airbag setup with locking coilover suspension using air cylinders as the locking mechanism. Sound a little overwhelming and too much like rocket science? Well, when we first approached Aaron Iha over at Chassis, he thought we were a little nuts, too. But once he sat down and thought it out, the rest was history.
Aaron really ran with the idea and figured out the perfect way to create the ultimate riding mini by integrating a lot of engineering and geometry with some good old-fashioned mini-trucker creativity. So sit back and try to keep up on this one, cuz we were right there the whole time bugging Aaron with those pesky questions every fabricator loves to hear while they're trying to work: "What are you doing that for? What's that going to do? How's that work?" (Just ask Aaron and Bobby; they'll tell ya.) Check out the source box and contact the companies listed for more information.
1.After gathering and measuring...
1.After gathering and measuring all the parts needed to pull this off, Aaron started with the coilover mount. He measured out how much clearance he would need for the coilover and then measured placement so he could mount the coils equally on both sides.
2.Once everything was set,...
2.Once everything was set, the bottom mounts were welded onto the lower control arm.
3.A quick look at the lower...
3.A quick look at the lower mount after it's been welded up.
4.Next comes the top coil...
4.Next comes the top coil mount. The arms are measured to give the Toyota 12 inches of lift in the rear using a 2:1 ratio.
5.
6.After Aaron measures and...
6.After Aaron measures and calculates the arm placement on the frame, the holes are cut for the mounting points.
7.The arms are assembled and...
7.The arms are assembled and all three mounting points are welded into place.
8.Here's a look at the upper...
8.Here's a look at the upper arms that will be moving the coil up and down.
9.The mounts for the arms...
9.The mounts for the arms are measured, and then welded onto the frame.
10.Everything is double-checked...
10.Everything is double-checked and then bolted in place.
11.Here's a quick glance at...
11.Here's a quick glance at the Bilstein coilovers sitting in their newfound home.
12.Next, the cam that will...
12.Next, the cam that will turn the upper arms is measured for placement.
13.Before the rotating cam...
13.Before the rotating cam can be designed, the rest of the necessary measurements are taken so everything can be planned before the major pieces are built.
14.
15.Aaron decides that the...
15.Aaron decides that the 'bags need to be placed first so that he can get accurate measurements for the final cam and sleeve placement. So he cuts out the 'bag mount using 3/16-inch plate.
16.The rest of the 'bag mount...
16.The rest of the 'bag mount prepping is taken care of, including drilling the mounting holes and grinding in some personality to the once-square plate.
17.
18.Before the 'bag mount is...
18.Before the 'bag mount is welded in, it is double-checked to ensue it's level.
19.The mount gets tacked in...
19.The mount gets tacked in place, checked one more time, and then is fully welded.
20.The 'bags are bolted into...
20.The 'bags are bolted into place and ready to see some action.
21.The bottom 'bag mount is...
21.The bottom 'bag mount is built and welded together.
22.
23.After the mount is built,...
23.After the mount is built, it's bolted to the 'bags.
24.Now we can get back to...
24.Now we can get back to the fun stuff and work on the rotating cam. The mounts are cut from 1/2-inch to ensure strength, and also because it looks pretty beefy.
25.The "big daddy" is used...
25.The "big daddy" is used to drill the center hole in the sleeve mounts.
26.Here's the trick to the...
26.Here's the trick to the system: This mount will hold the cam, but the cam will be able to rotate to push the arms up and down.
27.Next, the cam's plates...
27.Next, the cam's plates are measured, cut, drilled out, and shaped to match the rest of the spiked theme throughout the frame.
28.Once the plates are built,...
28.Once the plates are built, they are spaced and welded in place, along with the rest of the mounts.
29.
30.The sleeve mount for the...
30.The sleeve mount for the cam system is measured and marked on each side of the frame.
31.After everything is square,...
31.After everything is square, the mount is welded on the underside of the top framerails.
32.With the mount in place,...
32.With the mount in place, the cam is slid onto the sleeve and tested for movement. So far, so good; now all we need is the last piece of the puzzle.
33.This is a glance at how...
33.This is a glance at how the cam will bolt to the top arms.
34.The last piece of the puzzle...
34.The last piece of the puzzle to make this system operational is the push bar that will ultimately turn the cam and force the arms up and down. The bar is measured and cut, and then mounted in the middle with another sleeve to keep it from moving down.
35.And that's basically it....
35.And that's basically it. A few essentials were handled, like big square air tanks on the side of the frame for weight and room, and the locking mechanism to lock the cam in place was taken care of using little specialty air cylinders.
36.So that's that - the world's...
36.So that's that - the world's first cantilever airbag setup with locking coilover suspension so the spring rates of the coil and the 'bag won't be playing against one another. We told Aaron he needs to stop showing off, but he said he can't help it!