4-Wheel Drive Implementation
Problem statement
The UW Baja SAE Vehicle Team has historically delivered strong results at national competitions, but a major driveline rules change has proven to be a continuing hurdle for the team. Ahead of the 2020 competition year, SAE International announced that all teams would be required to utilize four-wheel drive systems on and after the 2021 competition year [1]. Since teams generally used two-wheel drive systems for the prior decades, this change forced teams to design new drivelines from the ground up and to address numerous packaging issues. UW Baja and two years of senior design teams have worked to design and manufacture a prototype four-wheel drive system, but issues with belt-skipping, belt failure, imprecise pulley alignment, and imprecise belt tensioning have made the system unreliable and in need of improvement. This year, we will meticulously test new belt configurations such as a micro ribbed poly-V belt, and we will use precise manufacturing methods to improve the accuracy of the belt alignment and belt tension. Through early testing, frequent testing, and numerous iterations, we will deliver a driveline package that can reliably last through the duration of the typical national competitions. The success of our senior design team will deliver a robust four-wheel drive system and will help the UW-Madison Baja Team to be competitive at national competitions for years to come.
Team members
Cassidy Dreyfus – leader
Matthew Waskosky – communicator
Theodore Damm – accountant
Grant Christiansen – admin
Christopher Lawrence
Client
Glenn Bower, UW-Madison