Cockroach Individual M3 5/26/2026 Track pics, no PBs but sub 40s finish, trip update

[bigjae46]

Congrats on the new house!

The tire chunked because of heat, run less toe in especially if you add more camber. I run about 7' of toe in each side in the rear. This is about half compared to stock. This still keeps the rear end stable under dynamic camber changes and reduces the inner wear on the rear even with -3.25 degrees of camber,

[samthejam]

I wish, I had gone with some fresh Bridgestones and some new front pads but the rear PFC 11s I liked a lot more. We are moving into the new house now so everything is crazy, and I need to really catch up on my E28 since I think that will be my main commuter car again. So this will probably be mothballed but at least in a non moist garage now.

[samthejam]

1:38.52 Road Atlanta, didn't beat my PB but tried to give it my all to match my used A052 time with these used RS4s.

Why are my RS4s chunking on the rear inside?

Really fun footage of Jay and I doing some back and forth.

[samthejam]

Finally got the the the pictures from the track photographer. So can finish the trip update. Weekend went great! I felt pretty grip limited on the RS4s and it took me awhile to find pressures I liked. Which ends up being 35 psi hot. Which is a bit high, but when I go lower rear gets looser and feels squirmer. Super sensitivity to how smooth inputs are. Looking at the photos, I think I need more rear camber.

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

Jay and I finally got to have a really good back and forth session together.
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr


But anyways, no real problems. Car still goes to 3/4 when above 85F here, and I always back off. Anything lower than that can go all day.


Misc: Trip pics
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr


Drive home was no issues, just forgot to air up the tires. My phone is all fucked up so I have no Aux, still haven't got bluebus. So was just exploring all the FM stations.


This is only 2 weekends for me on the RS4s, they have one more shakedown before I would not want to use them again I think

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

[samthejam]

Howdy from Georgia!

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

So we did a group Dyno here in Atlanta, with Epic Motorsports.

I just wanted to double check the AFRs, all looks good.

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

I also did the steering coupler, and finally got some brand used floating rear rotors in there with new PFC 11 pads.

I can now say all 4 of the cheap drilled and slotted rotors I got for free cracked and failed in the same way. Glad I replaced this before this weekend. One day I'll find ZCP calipers.


Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

[Bry5on]

Would a caliper work? One end needs to be flat against the edge of the rim.

Yes but vernier calipers will give you the .1mm accuracy you need without needing a digital or dial tool if that’s what you’re after. I figure that’s probably more reliable to toss in your track setup

[bigjae46]

Vernier calipers

Would a caliper work? One end needs to be flat against the edge of the rim.

[Bry5on]

Using the steering angle reading makes life much easier and, IMO, the secret to my outstanding alignments. I would love to get something that can read tenths of a millimeter from the string to the wheel...I'm sure something exists.

Vernier calipers

[bigjae46]

Using the steering angle reading makes life much easier and, IMO, the secret to my outstanding alignments. I would love to get something that can read tenths of a millimeter from the string to the wheel...I'm sure something exists.

[samthejam]

Leaving to Atlanta this evening

[samthejam]

Relevant docs for Turner Monoballs installation:

https://nam3forum.com/forums/filedata/fetch?id=38673

http://bd8ba3c866c8cbc330ab-7b26c6f3e01bf511d4da3315c66902d6.r6.cf1.rackcdn.co m/013276TMS~A_INS.pdf


I found the best method ended up being painting the control arm for the high spot. Ugly but it was much more efficient for finding the interference. Did another string alignment and like using the steering angle sensor output to keep it more consistent per bigjae46 advice


Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr

[samthejam]

I went ahead and did the Turner monoballs. Man that sucked to install on the driver side. I had to file the control arm to make sure the press fit was too severe and cause binding. Probably 3-4 hours on that side of filing, and hammering it on and off.

Definitely less NVH than the Bimmerworld TrackCABs and just seems to track the road better, reminds me of my E28 now which is all on sphericals everywhere for front and rear.

[samthejam]

They key to alignments is repeatability. The car has to be rolled to settle the suspension so if the car is sitting on wheel cribs, the cribs must be long enough to roll the tire one full rotation. Must do that even when using turn plates. That will be why you get a significantly different reading.

The wheel cribs should be laser leveled to be close. The closer to level...the alignment will be more repeatable.

I find that zeroing the SZL in a scan tool or INPA massively improves repeatability. Even if the wheel looks straight, probably is off enough to skew the toe reading. AND...when most center the wheel they are sticking their head through the window and not sitting in the driver's seat which should have ballast in it anyway using the BMW spec. Ballast in both front seats.

Great point on using the steering angle sensor. I'll add that to the routine. I love that. I make it a point to crawl into the car to put it straight head, but it still has human error.

The tables we use our laser leveled, and I trust the person helping me as our rear measurement was perfect. We always raise and lower the car handbrake off in neutral on the stands and repeat the measurements twice and it is usually very consistent but we are not getting the roll. The stands/tables have large casters that allow it to settle as needed, but it isn't as good as a full roll.

Car is now tracking straight again like when I headed to track Saturday.

[bigjae46]

They key to alignments is repeatability. The car has to be rolled to settle the suspension so if the car is sitting on wheel cribs, the cribs must be long enough to roll the tire one full rotation. Must do that even when using turn plates. That will be why you get a significantly different reading.

The wheel cribs should be laser leveled to be close. The closer to level...the alignment will be more repeatable.

I find that zeroing the SZL in a scan tool or INPA massively improves repeatability. Even if the wheel looks straight, probably is off enough to skew the toe reading. AND...when most center the wheel they are sticking their head through the window and not sitting in the driver's seat which should have ballast in it anyway using the BMW spec. Ballast in both front seats.

[samthejam]

Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr
Untitled by Sam DaJam, on Flickr


Car has not moved too much, I am going to Road Atlanta in 2 weeks? But we are also in process of buying a house that has a detached shop, so hopefully I can finally have a space of my own to wrench in instead of borrowing someone elses.

I checked the alignment, I did not it felt like it shifted at last PCA event. It did. It went from 4mm toe out to 5mm toe in. Why? idk nothing is obviously loose or broken. Everything is paint marked, there is no smoking gun.

I hate those bimmerworld trackcabs.

I will be switching to Turner Monoballs and hopefully some new Lemforder arms. I have some takeoff ones but would like to do new, but we will see how the home goes. I have a dyno scheduled in Atlanta just to check it over, wanted to do new tires and pads but these will have to do.