Hello to all,

My name is Elliot Carter, and I am a brakes team member with Warrior Racing at Wayne State University. I am in charge of designing the pedal assembly for our 2016-2017 season car, and I am exploring options on how to mount my design. In the past, adjustability has been a huge concern, leading some drivers to be forced to use a position that is less than ideal.

Improving the ease of adjustment for my design is one of my major design goals, and drawing inspiration from my job as a bike mechanic, I began looking into a design similar to the way that seat posts are secured into the seat tube of a bike. This setup consists of two concentric tubes, with a slot cut into the larger of the two and a collar providing clamping force to the pair. These systems seem to hold up to the repeated loading and unloading of bicycle riding with heavy riders, provide nearly endless adjustment, and are light when well executed.

My thought was to mount the brake pedal box in the same manner, with four caps clamping the base plate to the frame's rails. However, I am worried about the safety of this design. While under ideal situations, the clamping force of the two-bolt caps is sufficient for friction to resist the 2000N force laid out by the rules. However, will I run afoul of the design judges for having a braking component secured in such a manner? Any input would be greatly appreciated, especially from teams that have explored this or similar routes.

Elliot D. Carter
Brakes Team Member
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan, USA