Baja SAE Trailing Arm

Design Integration into the Rear Assembly

Goal:
‍The goal was to redesign and validate the rear trailing arm and suspension assembly for Olin Baja SAE to improve strength, reliability, and ease of maintenance. The previous trailing arm had failed under load in an earlier competition year, so I set out to create a structurally optimized replacement that could withstand the dynamic stresses of off road racing. Using SolidWorks and FEA, I iterated through multiple geometries to find a design that increased load capacity and safety factor without adding unnecessary mass.

Challanges:
Redesigning the trailing arm required balancing mechanical performance with manufacturability. Early concepts explored removing the signature bend to simplify loading paths, but clearance constraints made this unrealistic. Instead, I refined the bend angle and location to improve suspension travel and reduce unsprung mass, guided by iterative FEA simulations and geometric studies.

Another challenge was synchronizing the new design with the existing chassis. I coordinated closely with the chassis team to align mounting points, define realistic load cases, and select a material that could survive both static and fatigue stresses. Through this process we selected 4130 normalized steel for its strength to weight ratio and durability. Static analysis confirmed the new arm would not yield under a 556 N remote load, and fatigue analysis validated a safe life of over 15000 cycles.

Manufacturing added its own layer of constraints. Working with VR3 Engineering, I ensured that weld geometry, tubing sizes, and tolerances matched the CAD model so the final arm would perform as predicted.

Outcome:
The final design achieved a 10 percent increase in load capacity and a 20 percent greater factor of safety than the previous version, all while maintaining compatibility with the existing chassis. The new trailing arm is stronger, lighter, and easier to service, and it establishes a validated foundation for future suspension improvements.

This project deepened my experience with simulation to fabrication workflows, design for manufacturability, load case development, and iterative mechanical design. It also laid the groundwork for ongoing refinements to the full rear suspension system based on driver feedback and track testing.