Hey guys

Just throwing a post out there to see who is competing this year and where they are competing, im from ASU-polytechnic campus and we will be bringing 2 cars to Kansas this year. One will be a completely new car built by the MMET Senior Capstone team, which i am a head memeber of. And the other will be the SAE clubs car, which will be a redesign/fixed car from 2008 i believe

Hope everyones builds are going well!

What are the guidelines for the build? I've heard of the SAE competitions but know nothing about them.

The guidlines are that you have to design a buggy that has certain dimensions it has to fit, and has certain safety features described in the rule book. All cars run a 10hp Briggs engine and we have reports to write and everything. The competition is open to any university. We compete in different dynamic events and design contests at the events. more information at www.sae.org go to student contests for the rule book

I am a member of the Clemson University, and we will be racing this year as well. We will be doing some rework on last years car instead of building a new one like we have always done in the past. I will try to update here as I remember.

I am the team captain from University of Portland, we are bringing at least one, hopefully two cars to Kansas. The first car will be brand new this year, and the second will be the car rebuilt from last years accident that took us out of the endurance race. Hopefully no one rear-ends us this year:mad3:

build a bumper or make a rear that can withstand a rear end. Are you building it out of Balsa wood? :confused:

post up some pics of your cars.



Or pics of last years cars if you don't want to give away any secrets.

Here are ours from last year...

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f282/wilson1_05/IMG_0279.jpg

These are of me driving the maneuverability at Western Washington
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f282/wilson1_05/IMG_0113.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f282/wilson1_05/IMG_0096.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f282/wilson1_05/IMG_0095.jpg

Me driving in the endurance at Western Washington

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f282/wilson1_05/P4020052.jpg


#4 Car: 2nd Overall, 2nd Dynamic Events, 3rd Rock Crawl, 4th Maneuverability, 6th cost, 5th hill climb, 10th design
#79 car: 9th Overall, 3rd Dynamic Events, 4th Rock Crawl, 11th Maneuverability, 3rd Cost, 14th hill climb

Not too bad for a bunch of farm kids from South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Washington if you ask me...

You might want to change the title... Its not "SAE Mini-Baja" anymore. Its "Baja SAE".

Lamar University 2010 baja car.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=20377&id=100000001947422

I would change the title, not sure how to do that though...

Anyways, good to hear other teams are in the midst of building a car or re-building a car for this years competition, look forward to posting some pictures once we get going!

build a bumper or make a rear that can withstand a rear end. Are you building it out of Balsa wood? :confused:

I'll post up pics later today, but you think a trailing arm made out of 1"x.069 4130 would hold up to being smacked into. They hit us so hard it ripped the aluminum end cap right out of the Fox Air Shock, and bent the shaft. It also bent the rear rotor. The driver broke the aluminum steering wheel with his hands, he got hit pretty hard. Why he was going that slow where someone else was going that fast, I blame him!:D

but you think a trailing arm made out of 1"x.069 4130 would hold up to being smacked into.

no I don't.

no I don't.

yeah, i'm not surprised either...

I'll post up pics later today, but you think a trailing arm made out of 1"x.069 4130 would hold up to being smacked into. They hit us so hard it ripped the aluminum end cap right out of the Fox Air Shock, and bent the shaft. It also bent the rear rotor. The driver broke the aluminum steering wheel with his hands, he got hit pretty hard. Why he was going that slow where someone else was going that fast, I blame him!:D

just giving you some crap but .069 is on the thin side, now you just gave away your trade secret! :flipoff2:

I always worried about getting hit in the rear, luckily I was usually running over tires so didn't happen much. :grinpimp:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs330.ash1/28648_438982810711_587050711_5694758_3840846_n.jpg

I didn't design the trailing arms, but this is here is a picture. It doesn't show the design, but that is just the upper end, broke right in the HAZ. I guess 1"x0.69" is weak, I'm new to this mini baja stuff, but it looks like a lot of other teams were running a lot smaller material, however I do not know the size. The rest of the trailing arm is straight, it never bent or anything, however, where it broke was the only non-supported part of the the trailing arm, so bad design. But to bend the rotor, break a shock, break the steering wheel, and it also tweaked the frame a little, we got hit hard, no doubt about that. We ran that car head-on into a tree, and the front .069 a-arms didn't break, but a tree isn't equal to another car.

This year, we won't have to worry about that, everything is going to be a lot stronger. Hopefully:rolleyes:

here are some more pics of last years car...
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs321.snc3/28648_438981970711_587050711_5694705_3210341_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs301.snc3/28648_438978925711_587050711_5694485_144554_n.jpg

If you are willing to share... what are your trailing, or A arms made out of?

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs330.ash1/28648_438982810711_587050711_5694758_3840846_n.jpg


I'll have to ask one of my guys whether it was your car that he nailed of the back stretch in the woods :D

ASU is bringing 2 cars to Kansas as well, but we're really disappointed that there is no rock crawl at that venue, hopefully the S&T course will make up for it :evil:

the stress riser due to that weld and whatever brackets are welded on make it pretty clear why it broke there. is that 4130 plate or mild steel? just the weld alone is massive and probably locally hardened the weld area.

I know we nailed one team from behind hard enough to pop both of their rear tires... But then again we got hit hard enough to knock one of our cars off a jump and landed upside down in that bottomless water hole... It happens...

the stress riser due to that weld and whatever brackets are welded on make it pretty clear why it broke there. is that 4130 plate or mild steel? just the weld alone is massive and probably locally hardened the weld area.

Absolutely, any failure we have ever had has been right next to the welds because the material becomes so brittle. Heat-Treat anyone??? The plate is also 4130.

I'll have to ask one of my guys whether it was your car that he nailed of the back stretch in the woods :D

ASU is bringing 2 cars to Kansas as well, but we're really disappointed that there is no rock crawl at that venue, hopefully the S&T course will make up for it :evil:

Yeah, we got hit out back in the woods, it's cool, I know it happens, now we know that 1"x0.69" isn't good for trailing arms!!!

S&T course? Sorry, could you explain what that is?

the stress riser due to that weld and whatever brackets are welded on make it pretty clear why it broke there. is that 4130 plate or mild steel? just the weld alone is massive and probably locally hardened the weld area.

Absolutely, any failure we have ever had has been right next to the welds because the material becomes so brittle. Heat-Treat anyone??? The plate is also 4130.



Yeah, we got hit out back in the woods, it's cool, I know it happens, now we know that 1"x0.69" isn't good for trailing arms!!!

S&T course? Sorry, could you explain what that is?

We used to have this issue, but it was because of the way we were introducing the suspension forces. What kind of filler rod are you guys using?

S&T = Suspension and Traction; Kind of a mix between the west's maneuverability course and rock-crawl.

Yeah, we got hit out back in the woods, it's cool, I know it happens
I'll have to ask one of my guys whether it was your car that he nailed of the back stretch in the woods :D

that guy is me... I rear-ended someone in the @ a blind corner in the woods, two seconds later... and wound up being rear-ended by someone else (big traffic jam in front, so eveyone was stopped). I'm pretty sure my car did some damage to the car ahead. I watched in Slo-mo as my tire slammed into their rear axle shaft..if it's you im sorry!..I still feel bad! Sitting there, I got smacked hard, and then I just heard "SMACK" "smack" smack... behind me, cars were in a pileup, you couldn't see the cars stopped ahead...so everyone kept running into each-other; some volunteers came out and asked if everyone was ok... it was ~20min before endurance ended



Maybe unrelated or not... we noticed we had a broken inner CV cage after endurance; it was one wheel drive for most of it.... we had one TRE heim break in hillclimb, and some one forgot to put the C-clip on the gearbox side CVT, so it "opened up" and we were out of endurance for a bit (our car was smoking from the slipping CVT belt lol!)....... Our car is heavy, and thus slow as shit, we were just happy to participate in all the events...

Here's our car @ ASU main.. we went to West Washington this yr with our 2010 car... We are re-designing two new cars for this year... from scratch... we also have lots of new good people this year, and our team had expanded four fold!

Our ASU chapter Baja President, Igor, in the car messing around in Washington...he drove rockcrawl...
a video....
Igor in action! in rockcrawl @ washington.... those az trails help us practice..:smokin:
YouTube - #31 ASU - Rock Crawl @ 2010 West Competition (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OVPD8zMMm4)
at the campground we stayed at
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs218.snc4/39227_142731542413429_142728709080379_333072_21213 81_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs238.snc4/39227_142731552413428_142728709080379_333074_75883 93_n.jpg


I got to drive in the tail-end of endurance, in one "other" corner, myself and another car got tangled, they had their "wheel" jammed in between our front control arms/body/ front and rear right tires, we got unstuck and they ran over the front UCA/tire... I was happy nothing broke, shit happens, cars get tangled up...
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs291.snc3/28229_1465888215476_1481661492_31200038_4581117_n. jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs321.ash1/28229_1465885015396_1481661492_31199990_8210454_n. jpg
Prior to the event, and after.. we test it all over az.... table mesa, douglas, four peaks.... etc
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs394.snc4/45710_149793908373859_142728709080379_374365_45910 44_n.jpg
Our older SWB 09 car.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs394.snc4/45710_149793878373862_142728709080379_374356_30833 51_n.jpg
And lastly, but most importantly, the great people that make it happen...
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs156.ash2/41160_146261792060404_142728709080379_352430_12236 07_n.jpg

We used to have this issue, but it was because of the way we were introducing the suspension forces. What kind of filler rod are you guys using?

S&T = Suspension and Traction; Kind of a mix between the west's maneuverability course and rock-crawl.

We are using 4340 filler rod. It is what we had left over from the previous teams, we are doing some research into what to use this year. And yeah, those trailing arms were not the best design, that one tube took all the force, maybe if it was braced properly it would have maybe bent, but not broke.

The S&T sounds cool, sounds like a lot of fun.



that guy is me... I rear-ended someone in the @ a blind corner in the woods, two seconds later... and wound up being rear-ended by someone else (big traffic jam in front, so eveyone was stopped). I'm pretty sure my car did some damage to the car ahead. I watched in Slo-mo as my tire slammed into their rear axle shaft..if it's you im sorry!..I still feel bad! Sitting there, I got smacked hard, and then I just heard "SMACK" "smack" smack... behind me, cars were in a pileup, you couldn't see the cars stopped ahead...so everyone kept running into each-other; some volunteers came out and asked if everyone was ok... it was ~20min before endurance ended





No, we got hit 35-45 mins into the race. We are able to fix everything and get back out there for the last 20 mins or so.

I am jealous of your testing areas:smokin: all we have up here it mud...

Last year's car weighed about 500 lbs, with a poorly tuned CVT, you all probably passed us at least once, but we were just happy to be out there to learn and come back stronger this year! literally...

We are using 4340 filler rod. It is what we had left over from the previous teams, we are doing some research into what to use this year. And yeah, those trailing arms were not the best design, that one tube took all the force, maybe if it was braced properly it would have maybe bent, but not broke.



Using the 4340 was probably most of the issue... If I remember correctly when using 4340 filler when the weld cools it turns to pretty much all martensite, and has almost zero ductile characteristics. We use ER-70-SJ2? ( I will have to check with the guys or maybe weasel will chime in). Its a mild steel filler, that pulls alloy elements from the base material so you get the best of both worlds (strength/ductility). I'm pretty sure there is a thread on the baja forums about this topic.

Using the 4340 was probably most of the issue... If I remember correctly when using 4340 filler when the weld cools it turns to pretty much all martensite, and has almost zero ductile characteristics. We use ER-70-SJ2? ( I will have to check with the guys or maybe weasel will chime in). Its a mild steel filler, that pulls alloy elements from the base material so you get the best of both worlds (strength/ductility). I'm pretty sure there is a thread on the baja forums about this topic.



Just checked and it is ER-70-S2. Works really well for us.

Although the last time I remember watching Red Beard try welding, he some how turned a TIG torch into a plasma cutter.

Just checked and it is ER-70-S2. Works really well for us.

Although the last time I remember watching Red Beard try welding, he some how turned a TIG torch into a plasma cutter.
:flipoff:

Just checked and it is ER-70-S2. Works really well for us.

Although the last time I remember watching Red Beard try welding, he some how turned a TIG torch into a plasma cutter.

This is what we have been seeing as a good filler to use. Thanks!

Using the 4340 was probably most of the issue... If I remember correctly when using 4340 filler when the weld cools it turns to pretty much all martensite, and has almost zero ductile characteristics. We use ER-70-SJ2? ( I will have to check with the guys or maybe weasel will chime in). Its a mild steel filler, that pulls alloy elements from the base material so you get the best of both worlds (strength/ductility). I'm pretty sure there is a thread on the baja forums about this topic.

Very cool information, thank you for sharing that. Like I said, we just used what we had left over from previous years.

This is what we have been seeing as a good filler to use. Thanks!



Very cool information, thank you for sharing that. Like I said, we just used what we had left over from previous years.

You can use that filler rod, but you have to heat treat after welding, and I don't know very many baja teams that have a budget big enough get their whole frame heat treated.

Use ER70 or ER80s. Don't mess around with anything else and don't worry about post or pre heating, not needed.

With 4130 is gets tricky and you need to watch your cooling rates or it will crack, sometimes as you are welding it. Pre and post heating come into play then.

You can HT arms pretty easily with a small oven.

Im excited for the build, and the competition. Go poly-tec
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1368448&id=1541391396

ASU Polytech has a great group of guys, who have a ton of great ideas, and from what ive seen so far alot of dedication and enthusiasm that will bring us to build a great car and hopefully have alot of success at our competition this year, We have alot of skilled guys on our team in all aspects that are needed, automotive design, fabrication/welding, machining manufacturing, CAD, we have a good mix of everything in a group of about 5 guys its gonna be one hell of a build and one hell of a year!

ASU POLYTECH!

Finally became a member just for this. Didnt know some SAE members were on here. Awesome to here from others. Im the designer for OSU Cowboy Racing.
Oklahoma State is goin to kansas also. We would love to take to 2 cars but we need to make sure we have the financing to register and go. We ended up doing good at wash. Made 3rd in Manuver. Wish the car would have had a higher gear ratio in the gearbox for more speed, but still did good. Already fixed that for this year.http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31411336&id=177805049

I'm on Florida State's team. Prior to last year my school hadn't competed in the baja sae competition in years. Last year we were disqualified in tech inspection, so this year we'll be ready.

How is everyones design coming for this year? Anyone building there new cars yet?

how's it going guys, this is the project engineer for penn state berks baja team

were putting our old car back together at the moment so we can do some testing on it, but were planning to build a whole new car this year, we really wanna step up our game also.

I've noticed that you guy's use air shocks, how do you like them?

I've noticed that you guy's use air shocks, how do you like them?

I loved using them. Took a little to get them tuned right for what we wanted, but once we got them figured out they work'd pretty good.

Where at in KS is the comp this year and when? May have to come watch.

Where at in KS is the comp this year and when? May have to come watch.

Let me help you :flipoff2: (http://lmgtfy.com/?q=2011+baja+sae+kansas)

The "west" comp is in Peoria, and the school should have 2 cars there.

Let me help you :flipoff2: (http://lmgtfy.com/?q=2011+baja+sae+kansas)

The "west" comp is in Peoria, and the school should have 2 cars there.

Just so happens I was talking to a co-worker about this who graduated from Pitt State. Trying to figure out how to get the company to pay for us to go now!

Oh and Red Beard :flipoff2:.

Just so happens I was talking to a co-worker about this who graduated from Pitt State. Trying to figure out how to get the company to pay for us to go now!

Oh and Red Beard :flipoff2:.

I hope you can figure a way to get them to pay. I know the company I work for wouldn't, but I'm still going to try and figure a way to get out to Peoria.

Just so happens I was talking to a co-worker about this who graduated from Pitt State. Trying to figure out how to get the company to pay for us to go now!

Oh and Red Beard :flipoff2:.

wonder it's going to be on the smae track that we used back in 01? That was a cool track.

wonder it's going to be on the smae track that we used back in 01? That was a cool track.

If I remember correctly, the 01 comp was hosted by Kansas State and was held at the Milford Lake ORV park. Pitt State is quite a ways from there.

ah, didn't even notice it wasn't the same school.

The "west" comp is in Peoria, and the school should have 2 cars there.[/QUOTE]

Sorry Red Beard, but only 1 car this year. Something about it filling up all 115 spots in 36 hours.

Damn eastern Kansas! I may have to make the drive and check it out.:smokin:

The "west" comp is in Peoria, and the school should have 2 cars there.

Sorry Red Beard, but only 1 car this year. Something about it filling up all 115 spots in 36 hours.[/QUOTE]

Are you guys going to try and make KS too?

Sorry Red Beard, but only 1 car this year. Something about it filling up all 115 spots in 36 hours.

Even thou we had two top ten cars? Thats fawkin stupid if they don't let you guys enter both cars... :mad3::mad3::mad3::mad3:

If you don't it'll make funding this year that much easier...

Even thou we had two top ten cars? Thats fawkin stupid if they don't let you guys enter both cars... :mad3::mad3::mad3::mad3:

If you don't it'll make funding this year that much easier...

Yeah I know. Still waiting on the prize money from comp too.

if you got one registered by couldn't you get two. if you wait you run that risk.

A new rule saying you can only register one car every two weeks. We tried to do two, but since Kansas filled fast there is no open spots to try to register for later.

well that's lame.

Yeah I know. Still waiting on the prize money from comp too.

I think thats my fault... I got an e-mail a couple months ago about it, but forgot to respond... Plus Dolan was CC'd on it so I figured he would take care of it...:homer:

Has anyone fired off an email to Sam or Kristin? They should be able to answer the question very quickly.

A new rule saying you can only register one car every two weeks. We tried to do two, but since Kansas filled fast there is no open spots to try to register for later.

That rule does suck, but we're in a catch 21. Both of our cars are top ten, and when your top ten your guaranteed a number for the next year.

I think we got the money thing figured out, did a little calling and now SAE has said the famous words of the check is in the mail.

And on the rule thing, we will see. Seems they would rather have as many different schools competing as they can instead of letting the beatings continue. It sucks, but then again, if we only have one car to work on it should have a lot more time put into it without having to worry about rebuilding the other one.

And on the rule thing, we will see. Seems they would rather have as many different schools competing as they can instead of letting the beatings continue. It sucks, but then again, if we only have one car to work on it should have a lot more time put into it without having to worry about rebuilding the other one.

Which I am quite ok with:D

It is still going to get changed up a little bit. Now we have 2 years to really fawk it up for you.

So Im thinking roll testing is in order for it.....

Here are ours from last year...

These are of me driving the maneuverability at Western Washington

Me driving in the endurance at Western Washington

#4 Car: 2nd Overall, 2nd Dynamic Events, 3rd Rock Crawl, 4th Maneuverability, 6th cost, 5th hill climb, 10th design
#79 car: 9th Overall, 3rd Dynamic Events, 4th Rock Crawl, 11th Maneuverability, 3rd Cost, 14th hill climb

Not too bad for a bunch of farm kids from South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Washington if you ask me...

What kind of differential or gearbox is behind the engine?

What kind of differential or gearbox is behind the engine?

Its just a simple double reduction single speed gearbox that was design by one of the seniors.

So Im thinking roll testing is in order for it.....

Don't be a dick

Master-Pull sponsors the Western Washington University Team, my roommate and one of our splicers is one of the captains on that team this year.

-Alex

That rule does suck, but we're in a catch 21. Both of our cars are top ten, and when your top ten your guaranteed a number for the next year.


yeah like #120 and up. They only let cars #115 and under race. :flipoff2:

yeah like #120 and up. They only let cars #115 and under race. :flipoff2:

We rocked the 117 one year:flipoff2:

Anyone building there cars yet? We at ASU Poly are almost done with our design and expect to be building in the next couple weeks!

We are finished with design work. Tubing is being bent. Next week we start frame build.

Any word on where the track is located in Pittsburg,KS? Any info or pics would be great!

I just got this link emailed to me since I was previously on the baja team here at UMR. Bunch of old photos of baja back in the day. Lots of ghetto fab hack jobs. :laughing:

http://picasaweb.google.com/USFBajaSAE/OldBajaAtEastCompetition#