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Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help
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Spunk
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 5:31 pm    Post subject: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

So I have this crazy custom build that I bring out to Burning Man ever year with some issues that I thought the esteemed members of this forum might be able to address!

My project is a mobile bar that has a custom frame using golf cart axles and an electric motor. The first year I had it out I didn't have any suspension and needless to say, every little bump knocked liquor bottles all over the place. I didn't have much clearance to get up friends' driveways in the off season and also wanted to be able to slam it to the ground so it would be more stable. So I installed sort of a 4-link with Firestone airbags run off of a compressed nitrogen tank. Took it out the next year to find that the airbags worked great for raising/lowering but when people leaned on a side, it would flop over to that side, maybe from not enough pressure in the bags due to the light weight of the bar.

What I want to know is how to fix this. I have several options. The one I'm leaning towards because it is cheap is to completely take out the Firestones and install Monroe or Gabriel air shocks. Would this be stiff enough to keep it from flopping to one side and support it? The bar weighs about 1000 lbs and only travels short distances at less than 10 mph. No need for a performance setup. Has anybody used these without bags or coils? I heard VW's are light enough that this may be possible.

A second option is to install regular shocks along side the air bags. What kind of shocks do I use? It needs to be able to drop/raise 6-8”. I would need shocks that could be compressed by the 1000 lb bar.

Third is to remove the airbags and go with one of those airbag/shock combos but they seem pretty pricey and very overkill.

Any ideas would be great. I included a few pics. Thanks!
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busdaddy
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Interesting, the first simple fix that comes to mind is sway bars.
Option two is have it squat down every time it stops, or legs that extend to stabilize, but either of those could involve crushed toes and lawsuits and require lots of nitrogen and complex mechanics.
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Q-Dog
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:22 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Do all of the airbags work off of one valve or do you have multiple valves?
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busdaddy
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Another slightly more complex solution that doesn't waste air is telescoping tubes (like shocks) on each wheel with a solenoid activated lock pin or brake that engaged whenever motor power stopped, dust sealing will be the challenge with that.
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Cali_Army_Guy
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

I'd install a linear actuator at each corner. When you set up the bar just have the actuators extend down to the ground and act as a stabilizer to prevent it from tilting. You can find them on Amazon for like $60 each.
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Spunk
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:21 am    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Brian, I have a Slam Specialties 4-corner manifold so I can do FBSS.
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Spunk
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:23 am    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

I don't have a problem lowering and raising the bar, the airbags work great for that. The problem is there isn't any stiffness when it is raised off the ground.
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ROCKOROD71
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:39 am    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

I feel like the shocks and suspension aren't going to help your problem of bottles being knocked over. Better solution would be some kind of holes in the bar to hold the bottles, or holsters, or something like this:
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My buddy took an old harpsichord and rigged up with a spring loaded shelf so when you open the hood the bottles rise up and are held in place by another board that has the appropriate sized holes in it, and you can wheel that sucker around a room and not even get a rattle out of the bottles. Its pretty cool and surprisingly lightweight when you strip the innards from the harpsichord.
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obus Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 1:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

how does one get into the middle section to man the bar? hop over?
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Spunk
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

ROCKOROD71, good idea! I've been meaning to do something like that. The bags helped with that a lot, I just need to solve the flopping over. I see where guys run bags without shocks and get the same effect. I think that may be my problem.

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f125/the-importance-of-installing-shocks-with-air-bags-462790/
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Spunk
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

obus, you have to hop over the bar.
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TDCTDI
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:48 am    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Spunk wrote:
Brian, I have a Slam Specialties 4-corner manifold so I can do FBSS.


As mentioned above, it sounds like you don't have individual control of air to all corners. When you raise the vehicle, air is evenly distributed to all four corners, when a load is applied to one side/end, the air travels from the side with a load to the side with less, thus your tilt/ flopping over.

What you need to correct this is a controller that separates the corner bags from each other known as the FBSS (front, back, side, side). Install one of these & you can keep your bar from getting tipsy.

The other/cheaper option is to install a mechanical valve in the airline to each airbag that you can close to isolate each corner once the pressure has built up and the vehicle is at it's desired height.
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TrulyVintage
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Ground clearance ?

That is going to get beat to hell if you drive it aywhere off a paved surface ... Idea


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oakman
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 16, 2017 3:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Cool project! I would love to see some photos of the bar in action.


TrulyVintage wrote:
Ground clearance ?

That is going to get beat to hell if you drive it aywhere off a paved surface ... Idea


Jim


This festival takes place on a huge dry lake bed, ground clearance most likely won't be too much of an issue out there.
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Spunk
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:50 am    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

TDCTDI,

I thought that might be the problem. I have a Slam Specialties FBSS controller so that shouldn't be an issue. My friend thought that with the light weight, around 1000#, I might not have enough pressure in the bags to be stiff enough. I'm getting down to the wire so I decided to pull out the airbags angel go with some Gabriel Hijackers. I'll let everyone know how that goes!

Will post pics too.

Spunk
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Ksprague
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 3:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

This is the coolest thing I've seen in a long time!
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:37 am    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Are you going to serve Flaming Moes?
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Major Woody
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 6:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Mobile Burning Man Bar Project Help Reply with quote

Alright alright alright!

I don't have any ideas about how you should solve your problem, but I want to party with you, man.
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