The guys at RS Hydraulics in San Jose, California, have come up with another wild way of getting your lowrider to launch a wheel up to the sky. It was at the most recent Lowrider Super Show where top-rated lowrider engineer and entrepreneur Robert Velasco showed us the first patent pending lowrider lifting design called an "air lock-up" for three-wheel action lovers, and we scheduled a visit to his San Jose facility on the spot.
A few years back, Robert also brought to market the "double-barrel" hydraulic cylinder system that really had the look of a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun. Quite innovative, yet the product hasn't caught on in the customizing industry. Today, he's at it again with a bigger and better, quieter and cleaner set of rear suspension aluminum casing air cylinders that operate from the rear axle and can throw up a mean three-wheel stance for guys who like to have all eyes on their ride.
So we set out to share with you the multiple advantages of this air lock-up system and how the shop quickly and easily installs the ultimate three-wheeling show car system. In Robert's shop, the powerful "big boys" are already installed on a four-door Cadillac prototype, the same one that we see in the shop's promotional pamphlet.
The challenge facing Robert during his months of tooling were getting the front wheel as vertical as possible with the air cylinders (similar to hydraulic cylinders) as opposed to airbags, which do not three-wheel. In addition, there is a 2-gallon helium tank to suck out the air of the right or left rear cylinder.
It's interesting to note that airbags can only lift 6 to 9 inches while the air cylinders can largely increase that with lifts between 8 and 20 inches. Other benefits include no additional batteries (except for the car battery), no battery smell, no oil leaks, no frame reinforcement and a smoother ride. In review, RS Hydraulics provides an new and innovative style to lowriding with a system that's so cool it'll take your breath away!
 At the RS Hydraulics shop...  At the RS Hydraulics shop in San Jose air cylinders are stocked for installation and the Cadillac out front hits a 20-inch stationary lift. |  These particular twin air...  These particular twin air cylinders (3 inches in top diameter) are the basis for this article. They can stretch out to 14 inches and collapse down to 9 inches. Need assorted sizes? Cylinders can also come in 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 inches. |  A nice big, roomy trunk is...  A nice big, roomy trunk is where the cylinders do their best work and are part of an air compression system that can be quickly and cleanly installed. |
 Robert (far left) and the...  Robert (far left) and the crew at RS Hydraulics. A lowrider since birth, Robert is always looking for inventive ways to stimulate the entire lowrider industry and air cylinders is another option that vehicle owners can experience. |  Already precisely measured,...  Already precisely measured, a plasma cutter is used to cut 3.5-inch forward-facing oval-shaped holes. |  Like a smile from ear to ear,...  Like a smile from ear to ear, the shop welds a 0.5-inch thick square tubing reinforcement bar called a bridge across the ears to connect the chain to the rearend housing which helps in the leverage of the three-wheel system. |
 An installation professional...  An installation professional inserts the bottom of the cylinder shaft called the powerball. |  All finished with the install...  All finished with the install in less than an hour, not counting the rest of the system. At the lowest point, the cylinders are bottomed out. |  A shop air wrench is used...  A shop air wrench is used to drive the allen screws into their secure position. |