I saved both my and my students life...
05-06-2012, 09:46 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
I saved both my and my students life...
Well indirectly .... So I was at VIR this weekend with TrackDaze. I had a green group student who had a E36 M3. Low mile stock suspension car with no motor mods. This was his first ever track event and had never driven over 90 MPH. I looked over the car and asked the normal questions. Fluid flush / brake pads / check oil / Torque Lug nuts... All yes good to go. (Car was yellow with black rims) .
We ran 2 sessions and he was doing well ... A bit aggressive but was doing well. After lunch we went for our 3rd session. On the caution lap I though I herd a vibration when he let off the throttle. I asked him if he had herd it before and he said yes but it comes and goes. We got to the end of the back stretch and I herd it again. By this time caution were pulled and pace got a bit faster.... at the end of roller coaster I herd it again and louder..... I said Pit in ... Pit in get your arm out. he got on the brakes hard put his arm out and we made pit lane just in time.
Back in the pits we could not see anything obvious until i got my torque wrench. 4 of the 5 17mm bolts holding the front right wheel on were able to be removed with my fingers and the 5th was at about 20 ft pounds. Had we not pitted we would have made our normal 115/120 MPH run down the front stretch and had that wheel came off we would have had our hands full. Closer inspection of the black wheels made me ask him... What is on these wheels. He said he had sprayed them with plastidip ? which was a rubber like coating sprayed from a spray can. He had sprayed the bolt holes with this as well. After the wheel got hot the plastidip became more "fluid" and the bolts were no longer torqued properly and backed out ... We fixed the rest of the wheels and lived to enjoy the rest of the weekend....
Lesson Learned ... NEVER NEVER ignore a noise that should not be there it saved me one heck of a ride. Also take a better look at painted or plastic coated wheels. Make sure the nut or bolt in BMW case has a proper seat.
We ran 2 sessions and he was doing well ... A bit aggressive but was doing well. After lunch we went for our 3rd session. On the caution lap I though I herd a vibration when he let off the throttle. I asked him if he had herd it before and he said yes but it comes and goes. We got to the end of the back stretch and I herd it again. By this time caution were pulled and pace got a bit faster.... at the end of roller coaster I herd it again and louder..... I said Pit in ... Pit in get your arm out. he got on the brakes hard put his arm out and we made pit lane just in time.
Back in the pits we could not see anything obvious until i got my torque wrench. 4 of the 5 17mm bolts holding the front right wheel on were able to be removed with my fingers and the 5th was at about 20 ft pounds. Had we not pitted we would have made our normal 115/120 MPH run down the front stretch and had that wheel came off we would have had our hands full. Closer inspection of the black wheels made me ask him... What is on these wheels. He said he had sprayed them with plastidip ? which was a rubber like coating sprayed from a spray can. He had sprayed the bolt holes with this as well. After the wheel got hot the plastidip became more "fluid" and the bolts were no longer torqued properly and backed out ... We fixed the rest of the wheels and lived to enjoy the rest of the weekend....
Lesson Learned ... NEVER NEVER ignore a noise that should not be there it saved me one heck of a ride. Also take a better look at painted or plastic coated wheels. Make sure the nut or bolt in BMW case has a proper seat.
05-06-2012, 10:00 PM
#2
Pro
Member Since: Sep 2008
Location: NY
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Good on you!! If you didn't check it beyond a visual, his wheel would of come off on the way home, possibly putting more lives at risk.
Last edited by lemans; 05-06-2012 at 10:01 PM. Reason: spelling
05-06-2012, 10:10 PM
#3
Tech Contributor
Having been in a car that snapped all 5 lugs after hitting a huge pot hole at 70 mph in the dark and seeing the left front wheel pass me in my headlights I can confirm you did the right thing...
05-06-2012, 10:26 PM
#5
Drifting
Thread Starter
05-06-2012, 10:54 PM
#6
Safety Car
I was taught to check the torques before the event and then after each of the first few sessions at least. I have found them to lose a little torque after each of the first few sessions.
Glad it turned out ok.
BTW, what LS engine are you running now? Is the LS6 still alive?
Glad it turned out ok.
BTW, what LS engine are you running now? Is the LS6 still alive?
05-06-2012, 10:57 PM
#7
Drifting
Thread Starter
I was taught to check the torques before the event and then after each of the first few sessions at least. I have found them to lose a little torque after each of the first few sessions.
Glad it turned out ok.
BTW, what LS engine are you running now? Is the LS6 still alive?
Glad it turned out ok.
BTW, what LS engine are you running now? Is the LS6 still alive?
05-06-2012, 11:10 PM
#8
Drifting
I agree. I also manually check the TP with a very accurate gauge and see where the tires are wearing.
05-06-2012, 11:53 PM
#9
Race Director
Good call.
FWIW I would never check torque on on hot wheels if that's what another member above is suggesting, good way to snap the lugs when they cool down.
Check them cold before the session starts as much as you like.
FWIW I would never check torque on on hot wheels if that's what another member above is suggesting, good way to snap the lugs when they cool down.
Check them cold before the session starts as much as you like.
Last edited by froggy47; 05-06-2012 at 11:55 PM.
05-07-2012, 08:47 AM
#11
Intermediate
Nice one
Way to go man with a heads up decision and paying attention to every detail while on track, little noises, debris on track, his gauges, his breathing etc etc, can make a huge difference.
05-07-2012, 09:20 AM
#12
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Jun 2002
Location: Charleston South Carolina
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Same thing happened to me in an autox on CMP, a race track. Was instructing and co-driving a GTI when after the second run I detected a light thump when I lifted. Going back into grid I could hear it when I turned. I told the car owner and he took it back out for another run and said he heard it too but wanted me to take the car out again for my next run. As I drove to the line I heard it again and turned the car around and told him I wouldn't drive it with that noise.
We took it back to paddock and found all five of the right front bolts were loose. Torqued them up and all noises and thumps were gone.
Lesson learned, don't ignore new and strange sounds...
We took it back to paddock and found all five of the right front bolts were loose. Torqued them up and all noises and thumps were gone.
Lesson learned, don't ignore new and strange sounds...
05-07-2012, 10:04 AM
#14
Safety Car
Glad it all turned out OK. Wish I knew you were there, I would have liked to have met you. Met about 5 different people from the forum. Nice to put face with screen name.
05-07-2012, 10:46 AM
#15
Le Mans Master
I was at that event on Saturday, used my old SM (now orange) and the STO Viper to learn the track (never been there before).
I had to bring both cars through tech, which at first seemed odd to me. I am so used to showing up at races and the tech people don't look at the car until after qualifying or the race, and only then if we do well.
But it dawned on me why Trackdaze does this: the "expertise" level of trackday participants car prep is varied. Some are really, really good. Too many not so. Trackdaze can't take our word that the car is ready, even someone like me.
Your experience proves this.
Good call.
I had to bring both cars through tech, which at first seemed odd to me. I am so used to showing up at races and the tech people don't look at the car until after qualifying or the race, and only then if we do well.
But it dawned on me why Trackdaze does this: the "expertise" level of trackday participants car prep is varied. Some are really, really good. Too many not so. Trackdaze can't take our word that the car is ready, even someone like me.
Your experience proves this.
Good call.
05-07-2012, 12:32 PM
#17
Safety Car
Yes. When I mentioned after, I should have been more careful not to imply right after. But you see your paddock mates and they only wrench a bit before a session.
05-07-2012, 12:49 PM
#18
Drifting
Thread Starter
Yea I had no clue what it was till i googled it at the track. like some kind of plastic / rubber coating that can be pealed off with no harm to the surface. Great Idea but just make sure you keep your nuts in contact with your wheels and nothing in between :-)
05-07-2012, 12:52 PM
#19
Drifting
Thread Starter
yes .. missed walking around and meeting others... I was in the car about 5 hours each day with 2 students so was quite busy. I had pitted over by garage 9 stayed in the rooms up top there. Next time we will have to hook up :-)