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Custom Brake Caliper - Baja SAE SR26

Rear Brake Caliper design render (half section)
Half-section render
Rear Brake Caliper FEA
Full FEA
Custom Rear Brake Pad
Custom Rear Brake Pad
Rear Caliper Piston
Rear Caliper Piston

Overview

The design phase of the custom SR26 brake caliper is now fully complete, and the caliper has been structurally and functionally validated through simulation. This year's design emphasizes reduced mass and significantly enhanced serviceability, allowing the caliper to be bled directly on the car without removal.

Details

The caliper was designed in Siemens NX and fully validated in ANSYS using structural simulations. One of the major improvements this year is the inclusion of precision undercuts that allow hydraulic fluid to pass underneath internal features. These undercuts work together with angled cross-drilled passages, enabling fluid to reach the bleed screw and lines while the caliper is mounted on the vehicle.

One of the major changes this year is the switch from DOT brake fluid to mineral oil. This change gave us more flexibility in seal selection and allowed tighter control over piston bore sizing. While mineral oil lacks the hygroscopic properties of traditional DOT fluid, our frequent bleeding schedule makes moisture absorption a non-issue for our application.

Additionally, the caliper will run custom pads manufactured by American Friction Technologies, designed to match our caliper and rotor profile. Allowing for greater flexibility in our designs.

With validation complete, the caliper is now entering the manufacturing phase for the upcoming competition season. We are aiming to have it manufactured by the end of January.