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Rough night with my R

2K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  IwantaS60R 
#1 ·
I swear, my R loves to frustrate me. This evening, I attempted an install of the TWM shift knob. Easy, right? No, wrong. 3 hours later, I'm giving up before I start throwing sh*t. My shift rod is made out of un-threadable metal. I defy anyone to put threading on my rod (wait, what?). This is like that 'pull the sword outta the stone' game. You can't do it. CAN'T. Yes, I used oil. Yes, I upgraded to a real tap / die set when I couldn't get it with the POS little die thing they sent with the package. No, it cannot be done.

Second note: If anyone is installing the Bluepower head unit, when it gets to the part where they say connect the orange illumination line to the orange wire coming out of the ICELINK (CANBus reader thing), laugh. Call them names. Only actually do this if you want the handbrake to determine the illumination level of your headunit. Seriously, I don't know which pissed me off more: The fact that I spent two days troubleshooting my wiring nightmare, or the fact that my buddy came over, looked at it, and suggested connecting the purple wire (the handbrake indicator thingy that unlocks video playback) to the orange wire. I said that's ridiculous; the wiring diagram clearly states orange to orange. He says just humor me, try it. Of course it f*cking worked. God d*mn it. :mad: :( :p :rolleyes:

-Steve
 
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#2 ·
Second note: If anyone is installing the Bluepower head unit, when it gets to the part where they say connect the orange illumination line to the orange wire coming out of the ICELINK (CANBus reader thing), laugh. Call them names. Only actually do this if you want the handbrake to determine the illumination level of your headunit. Seriously, I don't know which pissed me off more: The fact that I spent two days troubleshooting my wiring nightmare, or the fact that my buddy came over, looked at it, and suggested connecting the purple wire (the handbrake indicator thingy that unlocks video playback) to the orange wire. I said that's ridiculous; the wiring diagram clearly states orange to orange. He says just humor me, try it. Of course it f*cking worked. God d*mn it. :mad: :( :p :rolleyes:

-Steve
Sorry to hear! There has been a production mistake from the ICELINK producer on our last bath from them. They mixed up two wires position.
 
#3 ·
I swear, my R loves to frustrate me. This evening, I attempted an install of the TWM shift knob. Easy, right? No, wrong. 3 hours later, I'm giving up before I start throwing sh*t. My shift rod is made out of un-threadable metal. I defy anyone to put threading on my rod (wait, what?). This is like that 'pull the sword outta the stone' game. You can't do it. CAN'T. Yes, I used oil. Yes, I upgraded to a real tap / die set when I couldn't get it with the POS little die thing they sent with the package. No, it cannot be done.

-Steve
Are you sure that you're using the right sized die (M8x1.25 IIRC)? If you're using a die that is too small, it will be almost impossible to thread (trying to cut too much from the rod) and won't be threaded properly for the insert.

Do you have the die oriented the right way up? One side of the die should have a bevelled edge with cutting grooves that gradually increase in depth so that it fits nicely onto the rod and gradually cuts to a greater depth.

Are you starting the cutting/threading without oil? Don't add the cutting oil until after you've cut about 1 full rotation of the die, then add the oil and back it off (reverse rotation) by 1/4 rotation to clear the cutting debris and then proceed with further forward rotations.
 
#4 ·
Yes, yes, and yes. Dude, I've tried everything; that's what's really p*ssing me off. :p I checked and rechecked that it is the right die (then at the 2 hour mark, randomly changed up the M8's to see if ANY would start; none did). Yes, but after a while started to doubt myself as nothing had happened and so I flipped it around. And then back around. And again. And... gawwwwwww.

Tried with no oil. Then with a touch of oil. Then soaked. And every stage in between. For 3 hours. Goodnight people, I'm sleeping on it. I'll try again tomorrow.

I do appreciate the feedback though; now I know it's not to be oiled at the start, and to stick with the beveled side of the die. :)

-Steve
 
#5 ·
Good luck - I got my shift knob threaded in about 20 minutes. It was VERY hard to get started, but took right off once I got the first few turns - it IS possible :)
 
#6 ·
this is very interesting i was able to thread the shift knob in about 5 minuites once i got a real dye with no cutting oil. you are using a handle with the dye right? and yes the dye twm provides isnt worth the metal it is made out of.
 
#9 ·
It was very hard for me to get started with a good die set but once you get her to catch your off and running. It took every bit of strength I had to push down and turn to get it to bite. Keep trying don't give up. Hey where is the guy that helped with the radio? Let him try. Sorry had to go there.
 
#10 ·
Wow. I tried for about 3 hours with a set from Autozone and gave up. Then I had a guy at MB automotive in LI do it with a real die kit and it took less than 3 minutes, easy as pie. He didn't even try hard to get it started. Using a proper die kit really makes a world of difference.
 
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