This invention relates generally to a unitized heavy duty axle suspension and steering system for self powered chassis. The insulator member may have a bore extending therethrough and include a forward disk portion, a rearward disk portion, a ring portion connecting the forward and disk portions together, and a tubular outer conductor support portion extending rearwardly from the rearward disk portion for supporting an interior surface of the outer conductor of the end of the coaxial cable. The manipulating assembly is mounted to the lift assembly and includes a pair of spaced apart support arms and a pivoting carriage carried by the support arms. Some embodiments include a cylinder configured to change its diameter in response to the changes in the magnetic field andor impressed voltage, and an optical fiber wound around the cylinder to convert the cylinder diameter change into an optical path length change for light being communicated along the fiber optic cable.