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CAR

THE 2019 CWRU MOTORSPORTS COMPETITION VEHICLE

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THE CWRU MOTORSPORTS SR5

The 2019 CWRU Motorsports competition vehicle, the SR5, is the culmination of nine months of continuous work by the team and has been developed to compete in the 2019 Baja SAE Collegiate Design Series competitions.  Work on the SR5 began in June 2018, immediately after the end of the last 2018 Baja SAE competition, and involved the most significant change to CWRU Motorsports vehicle design in three years.

The SR5 features several new and innovative design features, notably the first successful implementation of carbon fiber control arms and frame bracing in the Baja SAE series.  The most significant change in design from the 2018 competition vehicle is the rear suspension, which was fully re-designed into a system that is integrated into the drivetrain.  The drivetrain features new axles and a strengthened gearbox, which support axial forces from the rear wheels, and a modified and re-tuned CVT that results in appreciably faster acceleration.  Despite several dimensions of the frame being reduced to save weight, including a height reduction of 2.5 inches, cockpit space was increased by adjusting the placement of tube bends and weld locations.  Refinements were made to the braking system to improve performance and reliability, and a new shock damping setup was developed to improve stability over large obstacles.

The result of these improvements is the lightest, fastest, and most nimble car the team has made.  Hundreds of hours were dedicated by team members to this project, and several personal sacrifices were made to make this accomplishment possible.  Browse the gallery below to appreciate the effort that the team has put into this vehicle.

GALLERY

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

FRAME

Material:

4130N CrMo tubular structure with carbon-fiber composite tubes used for additional bracing in select locations

Joining Method:

Body Panels:

GTAW with ER70S-2 filler material at CNC-notched joints

Molded carbon-fiber and carbon-Kevlar composite body panels with aluminum firewall and front skid plate

FRONT SUSPENSION

Suspension System:

Double wishbone with carbon-fiber composite upper control arm, steel lower control arm, and CNC-machined aluminum upright and hub

Springs and Dampers:

Steering System:

FOX Float 3 adjustable air springs with custom-valved damping

Unassisted rack and pinion steering with carbon-fiber composite tie rods and steering wheel

Wheels:

DWT A5 aluminum wheels

REAR SUSPENSION

Suspension System:

Suspension integrated into drivetrain with upper "A" arm and axial load-bearing half-shaft connected to CNC-machined aluminum upright and hub

Springs and Dampers:

Wheels:

FOX Float 3 adjustable air springs with custom-valved damping

DWT A5 aluminum wheels

BRAKING SYSTEM

Braking System:

Unassisted hydraulic disc braking system with dedicated front/rear Tilton master cylinders operating dual outboard front brakes and single inboard rear brake

Calipers:

Pads and Rotors:

CNC-machined aluminum fixed dual-piston calipers

EBC brake pads and coated steel slotted rotors

POWER AND DRIVETRAIN

Engine:

Power Transmission:

Gearbox:

Briggs and Stratton Model 19, in stock configuration as mandated by Baja SAE

Gaged Engineering CVT outputting power to final drive gearbox

Final drive reduction gearset with spooled output to rear wheels cased in a CNC-machined aluminum shell

Axles:

Axle Joints:

Aluminum axles with CNC-machined aluminum end yokes

Dana Spicer universal joints

OVERALL DIMENSIONS

Weight:

Length:

Width:

Height:

285 pounds

Less than 80 inches

Less than 60 inches

52.75 inches at normal ride height

Tech Specs
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