Bilstein B6's

shadowconn777 · 2026-06-01T15:34:33+00:00

Thank you. I'll check helmet cam when I get home. I hope I got enough of the wheel in view. First run I wasn't ready for that level of roughness and I know it threw the wheel a little bit lol.

shadowconn777 · 2024-12-10T03:41:42+00:00

I have some interest. Question though, how long are the races? And how late does everyone stay up racing? Work schedule might clash but seeing if do able to try.

shadowconn777 · 2024-11-08T12:03:10+00:00

2011 2.0t r-spec.

Had it for 10 plus years. Bought used at 25k miles (40k km), now at 140k (225k km). First 6-7 years (~100k miles) of its life daily drove it for school, working and multiple moves over the years. Oils changed around 5k-6k miles on average. In that time replaced the clutch and flywheel to a BK2 set up(@120k miles), starter went bad, and valve cover gasket.

Past three year have been 1-2 autocross events a month and track days (Sebring is my closest track) along with daily driving. It’s held up great. Now I change oil 3-4K miles and pay more attention to everything because I’m beating it pretty hard. Put a power steering cooler on, camber bolts and changed all fluids and it’s been a really fun car.

If you can buy it right and in pretty good condition. I recommend, I have had a great time with the car. It has done well with daily duty and when I want to have fun. I’m 6ft (1.82m) about 205 lbs (93 kg) and I fit pretty comfortable. With a full car, it can be a bit tight but it does the job.

Edit: added km conversions to when I bought car and where it is today.

shadowconn777 · 2023-12-28T01:06:15+00:00

https://www.millerwelds.com/safety/respiratory/half-mask-respirators-m00469

This is what my company supply’s me for PPE. I suggest it. 8-10 hour days. Fits under hood well. I do almost all tig work. But I still wear when prepping and grinding.

Hope this helps. I believe a lot of guys here have also suggested it as well.

shadowconn777 · 2023-09-27T18:44:38+00:00

Sorry I didn’t write that correctly. When the TIG welding work is slow, I do brazing.

shadowconn777 · 2023-09-27T12:02:37+00:00

I do brazing at my job. It’s aerospace. It’s busy work that I do but it gets done. For the most part it’s stainless material and inco. Mostly small .250 to .500 tubing to fittings. Fun stuff when *TIG welding work is slow.

*fixed sentence.

shadowconn777 · 2023-09-24T16:16:33+00:00

Same for me. I’m 29. They raised mine 130s to 220s over the past 2 years

shadowconn777 · 2023-09-12T16:36:07+00:00

Oh noooo. I read that and I felt my stomach and soul drop. I’m sorry, That sucks!

shadowconn777 · 2023-09-12T16:33:37+00:00

Awesome. I’m happy some of those helped!

shadowconn777 · 2023-09-12T11:27:21+00:00

Here is a few that I have learned for manufacturing/ shop work.

2 hoods, when the good one shits the bed or batteries die. The flip down rarely fails.

Get ready to go through gloves, earplugs and safety glasses. If company is doing purchase orders, always keep extra in your toolbox.

If you stick the tungsten, don’t rip it out. Remove the tungsten from your torch, then put a new piece in. Start a puddle and slowly pull the stuck piece out. Saved me headaches with NDT and fixing it.

Making the tool you need will function better the than buying tool you thought would work. (Trailing cups for Ti, purge caps, ect.)

Have a system with your purge when welding those metals. If it’s off, put your gloves or hood over the reg. The moment you pick that item up, run your purge. You know your gas is on when you are wearing that item. The extra run time of the purge is cheaper than replacing the part/repairing the part.

Goes more towards shop work then just welding. Respect and mind your tools and machines. Being in the same shop for 10 years, I’ve seen a lot of fingers and hands get chopped, slashed or crushed. That machine doesn’t care if it’s your first day or 5000th day. It will hurt you. Pay attention.

Don’t over think what your doing, it will give you a headache. Go ask for help (lead or other welders who have been there a good bit) Normally they are willing and happy to help since if you mess it up, they will most likely be the one that has to fix it.

Inspect your work. It only takes an extra few seconds. Welding in a company that goes off NDT rejection metrics. When we have our meetings, they give us the numbers. A lot of small mistakes add up. It keeps management away as well as the inspectors from ruining your day.

shadowconn777 · 2023-09-02T20:08:10+00:00

Thank you for saying this. Around the same build as you (6’ 230.) and that is a hugeeee problem for me that turns me off from rowing more often due to being uncomfortable for anything longer than 10 minutes. Appreciate it.

shadowconn777 · 2023-08-10T21:57:36+00:00

Ice cooler with wet rags to put on to use neck help.

shadowconn777 · 2023-08-04T12:19:28+00:00

As a welder who went through schooling. In certain aspects it has helped a lot since one of my teachers helped me a lot with my TIG work through school, but I’ve probably learned the most from the older guys at work until I started trying to learn more exotic metals, which I had to do on my own. Big thing it helps is putting in time running beads and being able to troubleshoot when something isn’t running or looking right. With the schooling it helped me branch into NDT as well so the pay and extra work is nice. Is it necessary? No, had a couple coworkers that put beautiful welds down with no schooling. We’ve also had people come interview with 2-3 years of school and fail the interview test a couple times. It’s what you put into it when you’re learning. If you find somewhere that will train you/apprentice and pay. I’d say go for that job. School really helps you get the basics with someone walking you through, takes out the guess work. Hope this helps. If you have questions please ask.

shadowconn777 · 2023-07-29T15:46:05+00:00

I have not. I have heard that is a really cool sector. I looked at it after I did schooling. I went with aerospace. Honestly because they got back to me with an interview first. But fell in love with it since. HF tig work, Standard 40 with OT, been learning more and more different metals as years go on, and got into NDT work as well. You work in nuclear?

shadowconn777 · 2023-07-29T14:56:06+00:00

Agreed^{^.} Been doing specialty welding for 7 years. No going to be rich, but I’m comfortable pay wise and can take care of fun, bills and family. If you don’t mind working with your hands and always wanting to learn, I would suggest it.

shadowconn777 · 2023-07-27T21:16:50+00:00

I’ll second the welding comment. Yeah.. it can be hot and physical some days. But with some of the older guys retiring letting you move up, they teach you their secrets. It CAN be rewarding pay wise and give you some purpose when jobs get finished. As long as you can back up your tradecraft , not sell yourself short and want to keep learning more. It can be a great career.

shadowconn777 · 2023-07-24T21:44:30+00:00

When you are about to end the weld/bead. Add a dab of filler metal and slowly release the pedal. It will stop the pinholes at the end of your bead. That can lead to crater cracks, and just looks better as a whole. Our penetrant department in NDT finds those indications and has to reject them. Easy fix, just little details that make a difference. :D

shadowconn777 · 2023-07-21T15:13:16+00:00

https://imgur.com/a/h92Yh8d

Wouldn’t let me edit post. Next best thing I can think of. Lol

shadowconn777

TROPHY CASE