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2025 China Taklimakan Rally | How to Survive 2,700 Miles of Hell? We Torture-Tested Our Liquid-Cooled Brakes in the "Sea of Death"

16 Jun 2025

How do you engineer a brake system to survive Asia's most brutal off-road endurance event? We are talking about over 2,700 miles (4,377 km) across 10 stages, through the infamous Taklimakan Desert—a place literally nicknamed the "Sea of Death."

This is the China Taklimakan Rally. Think of it as the Eastern equivalent of the Dakar Rally or the Baja 1000. It is an absolute torture test where 50 teams push their machines to the breaking point. In this environment, ambient temperatures soar above 120°F (49°C).

Standard air-cooled racing brakes usually fail here. You cannot cool a 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) truck with hot desert air. So, we brought a radical solution.

TTSPORT rally truck racing across the Taklimakan Desert in China
The "Sea of Death": Where standard equipment goes to die.

The Tech: The SUPER COOLER Liquid-Cooled System

To combat inevitable heat soak, we didn't just use bigger rotors. We changed the physics of the cooling process. We equipped our truck with the TTSPORT SUPER COOLER system.

This is an F1-level solution to the oldest problem in racing: thermal degradation. Instead of relying on airflow, this integrated system actively circulates coolant directly through the caliper body, pulling heat away from the pistons and fluid before it can cause boiling or fade.

  • Hardware: TTSPORT Liquid-Cooled 6-Piston Calipers
  • Friction: M-05 High-Temp Endurance Race Pads
  • Rotors: Competition-Grade Slotted 2-Piece Rotors
  • The Goal: Zero fade and consistent pedal feel, no matter how hot the sand gets.
Close-up of the TTSPORT SUPER COOLER liquid-cooled brake caliper with coolant lines
Note the braided coolant lines: actively circulating fluid to regulate caliper temperature.
TTSPORT brake rotor and caliper assembly during a rally service stop
Service check in the bivouac.
The TTSPORT rally truck cornering hard on desert terrain
Pushing hard where others have to lift.

The Result: Top-10 Finish & Flawless Data

With a single-vehicle entry led by veteran driver Huang Weizhi and co-driver Fu Qiang, we were up against a stacked field of factory-backed teams. Our engineering team monitored live telemetry from the truck, watching brake pressure and caliper temperatures in real-time.

The Data: The system never faltered. While competitors struggled with soft pedals and overheating fluid, our brake temperatures remained stabilized within the optimal operating window.

This reliability allowed the team to push hard late in the stages, securing a Top-10 Overall Finish (8th Place). For a debut technology in one of the world's hardest rallies, this was a massive victory.

On-board telemetry screen showing stable brake temperatures
Real-time Telemetry: Proving the concept with hard data.
Drivers Huang Weizhi and Fu Qiang with their TTSPORT rally truck
The Team: Huang Weizhi & Fu Qiang.
TTSPORT driver Huang Weizhi giving post-stage feedback
Driver Feedback: "The most reliable part of the truck."

Liquid Cooling Technology FAQ

1. Is liquid cooling necessary for my street car?

Generally, no. Street cars and track-day cars rely on airflow (air ducts) which is sufficient for 99% of applications. We developed the Liquid-Cooled system for extreme environments where airflow is nonexistent or too hot to be effective. However, the sealing technology developed here is used in all our street calipers.

2. How does the system circulate the coolant?

The system utilizes a compact, high-flow electric pump separate from the engine's cooling system. It circulates a glycol-based racing coolant through the calipers and into a dedicated heat exchanger (radiator) mounted in the truck's airstream.

3. What happens if a line breaks in the desert?

Redundancy is key. The brake hydraulic system (stopping) and the thermal management system (cooling) are sealed separately. If a cooling line were to be severed by a rock, the brakes would continue to function as a standard air-cooled system, ensuring the driver can finish the stage safely.


From the "Sea of Death" to Your Street Car

We don't just race for trophies; we race to prove our engineering. The data from this rally directly influences the thermal management design of every brake kit we sell.

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