WICKEDFRC

I'm down to lend a hand if needed with the tear down and re-install. I am pretty good at handing wrenches and talking smack, like, "wtf is taking so long?" Hahahaha

Seriously, I'm in if you need any assistance on the headers. And if we do it before we hit the track, it may be a great time to swap out my current brake pads for my Carbotech Brake Pads. XP-10 Fronts / XP-8s for the rear. That should bite plenty enough.

hxrly

Haha, thanks. I was contemplating taking it to the base auto crafts, but I want to work late if I have to and take my time. I have some of the Harbor Freight jack stands that go quite high to give me the clearance.

Bought some replacement spark plug wires, and already have fresh spark plugs from when I had the valve springs replaced recently. I really want a tunnel plate, but at close to $300 is going to have to wait. I'll probably go for it if the heat from the center console becomes an issue.

Edmond

hxrly,

What unit are you with?

How is the command climate there?

hxrly

I'm with the 3-43 ADA of the 11th BDE. Air Defense does things a little bit different than most places, but overall I'm enjoying it.

I think the command climate is overall positive, but we have had some recent issues with spice that has gotten everyone concerned. Those along with a bunch of recent chapters definitely puts us on track with the Army's "right-sizing."

Edmond

Cool! Have you been to Sill yet? The ADA schools were moved here a couple years ago, my neighbor is a ADA guy.

I will be with 3 BDE, 1 AD but not sure what I'll be doing yet.

WICKEDFRC

If $300 is a bit much, I have heard that one could order up a stock tunnel plate and double it up. If that is not sufficient enough, you can always purchase a rigid piece of steel approx 5 foot long by 18" wide and lay your tunnel plate on that, trace it, cut it, drill the holes, and make your own plate. I have seen threads where someone did that themself. I am lazy when it comes to that so I'd spend the money. Especially since you will have the headers out, may as well knock it out sooner than later. (if possible)

hxrly

Never been to Sill, but judging from what I've heard from peers it's pretty good. My last round was on Schofield Bks, HI, so my wife was a little concerned when I told her we were going to live on the border with Mexico, haha. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find EP is not half bad.

Most will recommend the same, but I rather put the $300 towards an intake, which I plan to do before I get it tuned. I'm more than exceeding my monthly budget, but this was already approved by higher command (wife).

I might look into making my own down the road if heat becomes an issue.

Edmond

What's your job? Platoon Sergeant, Platoon Leader, Commander?

I'm just hoping traffic isn't too bad, I'll be living on the west side, right next to the transmountain road. I'm already anticipating long days.

Funny thing is everyone was fighting for the usual hot spots to go like Carson, Hawaii, Bragg, etc...

I was one of very few people who wanted to stay here. They sent 7 poor souls down to Polk...

hxrly

Speaking of expenditures, I am trying to buy a set of stock C5 Z06 18x10.5 to run 295s all around. I've been researching this for a little bit and I think it's the way to go for me. I turn off AH every time I go out anyways.

There's a guy selling the stock set in San Antonio for $450 which is a great price, but it takes driving out there. There's another set on the local craigslist for $850, but he's not willing to part out. The 18"s are $250 individually from House of Wheels, so I have some decisions to make before my next set of tires.

hxrly

Ouch!

I'm a 91C30, currently PSG and in charge of the commodity shops in the maintenance company. I am a maintainer by MOS, but always ended up doing something else throughout the deployments (training NCOIC, Convoy ACC, etc). I'm now finally in the right position, but unfortunately I rarely have time to get my coveralls dirty anymore.

Edmond

I came from Polk and the first thing the assignment manager asked me was if I wanted to go back. I had some curse words for him. Polk was the place where your career died. It made you want to quit the Army.

Sill is pretty decent, it gets a bad rap from a lot of folks but they haven't seen bad unless they've been to Polk.

Is the guy in SATX willing to ship? That's a decent drive going out there and any money you save would be washed out by the time/gas you spend.

I'm going to get a set of TSW's in 18/18 or maybe 18/19 when I get down there. I have some plans for the car.

I have a rattling sound that is driving me nuts so I'll have to look into that issue further.

How is the auto center on post? They really cut down the hours on the auto center here: Monday 1700-2100, Saturday and Sunday 1100-1800 or 1900. I was talking to a guy there about the cut and he said it was either that or close the shop down.

hxrly

That's one of those posts that I've been warned against before, LOL. I am currently in SLC at Fort Lee and we have a class of 35 with people from everywhere; it's always fun to hear what others think of their posts. Surprisingly the 3 of us from Bliss actually like it down there.

I haven't asked about shipping for the wheels, but I have a friend at Fort Sam Houston that I owe a visit, so might as well do the trip.

The auto center is really good and opens through the weekend, but they'll probably cut down on their hours as well.

Edmond

Bliss was not considered a desirable post so I had no issues getting it. In fact, I think he was glad that someone asked for it. The 1SG actually asked around to see if anyone wanted Bliss, guess they were short.

We had some SFC's that tried hard to leave Polk. They would call branch and denied a PCS so they retired instead.

WICKEDFRC

In today's downsizing Army, it's saddening that the best Branch Managers can do is muster up assignments that most Soldiers/Officer do not wish to go to. That being said, there should be an order of merit of some sort dictating who gets what rotation next. The bad part is, there seems to be little to no oversight at the Branch level, and if a Branch Manager slots you "unfavorably" to an area you or your family has no desire to PCS to, more often than not, Branch Managers do not care whatsoever.

Now, reverse the roles and have that Branch Manager receiving orders to PCS to Fort Polk and see how he/she would feel. I am willing to bet they would be the first to whine and complain just as much. But see, they are in positions of power and I am also willing to bet that prior to their cush job expiring, they have already set themself up for their next prime PCS location.

I was at Fort Polk in 2003 for a TDY of 30 days and I couldn't stand it. I couldn't imagine being assigned in that hot, swelting, abyss.

In all my time in service, not once have I received an assignment I requested utilizing the USELESS (BS) ASK Program. Not once did I get a say in where I went. At this point though, I have a choice to retire in lieu of PCS, which honestly, is sad that many Soldiers are nearly forced into retirement vs a Branch Manager working with them.

How many times do you hear a bunch of lip service about the military taking care of Soldiers and their families? Often enough. And yet when it comes to assignment satisfaction, all that "Genuine Concern" goes right out the window.

Bottom line is, some of them Branch Mangers are sitting up at DA fat and happy enjoying the luxury of moving Soldiers and their families around with little oversight. As long as it doesn't effect them, everything is good. A sad way to have a working relationship with a Branch Manager. In my field and rank, you are not even authorized to call Branch. What kind of BS is that? The Branch Managers work with us, and for us, yet we are forbidden to communicate with them?

Sometimes I think the upper level echelons need a tune-up, a change in leadership, or a severe overhaul in policies and procedures by someone who actually remembers what it is like being a Soldier at the lowest level and the impact a PCS causes Soldiers and their family members.

hxrly

And here I was hoping that maybe next time they'd take a look at it.

The Ordnance Branch HRC SGM came down to Bliss recently to talk to us about assignments and in summary he said it's going to get worse, Soldier's wishes were at the very bottom of the slideshow.

Edmond

Not sure if you're a Officer or NCO or how the systems for PCS work between the two but we had a lot of senior LT's basically tell the BN CDR that they were getting out unless they were PCS'd to the CPT's Career Course early. Polk is really that bad and people who say it isn't have simply never been there. The whole state is just horrible and the immediate area (Sleesville) is even worse.

The military doesn't care about taking care of Soldiers, that's why we are identified by our SSN's. I've accepted that reality and to me, I will take care of my guys at my level the best I can.

If you can't call branch, then you must be really high ranking. Is it that they're afraid you'll use your rank to kind of push branch around?

I guess I'm peculiar. I'm a single guy, don't care for one of the desirable posts like Hawaii, Carson, etc. and wanted to go to Bliss for: grad school at UTEP, I know a few people at Bliss, I can't stand the humidity (I will put up with the dry heat any day) and it's close to Los Angeles (where my folks live).

We were supposed to have a OML but that didn't happen. Branch didn't come until 5 months after we started the course, 1 month before we finished, and met with each of us for a few minutes and said, "Okay, give me your top 3 and bottom 2 duty stations." WTF kind of language is that? They must have duped some guys with the bottom 2 part because if you put Irwin, Polk or Korea on that list anywhere, that's where you ended up... Some of use saw the fancy language and adjusted it to our top 5.

hxrly

Have you tried this set-up before? It seems to be popular for HPDEs but a p.i.t.a. for daily driving due to brake dust and noise. I guess in the future I will have a second set of brake rotor/pads for the track, but at this point is cost-prohibitive. Already ordered some Motul RBF600 to deal with the higher temps, but I'm sticking to the stock brakes for now; they actually held up great with no fading last time.

To do next:
- headers/intake/tune
- upgrade brake fluid to DOT4 (Motul RBF600)
- lower car slightly on stock bolts and get track-friendly alignment

To buy:
- braided brake lines
- stock 18x10.5 wheels (x2) to run up front
- Nitto NT05 295/35/18 all around

WICKEDFRC

Never tried the Carbotech set up, but bought this set for $300 shipped. Maybe it was even $280. I can't recall. (It was nearly 5 years ago).

algZO6

You guys need to come to the motorplex on 4/13 for the monthly races. with some sticky tires you guys should do well in the street class.

hxrly

Got a best of 12.8 @ 110 with the Continental DW (street tires). Once I install the headers and get it tuned I'll be out there trying to shave another tenth or two.