Installing RTO 915 into Volvo F7

Thanks bigcam.

Yep did that as per manual. I said that everyone would say we had the air lines crossed. Of cause that was my first thought too. We checked it, rechecked it and even crossed them. No success.

Cheers, Tony

Sum good advice from above

If all else fails! Spose U cood clik here if U like read n




Cya

[ch9787]

All F7's (7litres) had the intercooled TD 70F donk which pushed out 230hp and 610 lb/foot. I spose they thought the 4x2 would be on light duties whereas the 6x4 was rated at 36tonne GCM. The 10 litre motor was in the F10 (and G or F 88 before that) the 12 litre in the F12,

Tony, you will have to go back and do the air system bit by bit, if it's in high range it just means there is ne air.
Start with your air supply, it should go into a T on the front of the shuttle valve, then 2 airlines come out of another T at the top of the first one, one goes to the supply side of the range change valve the other to the supply side of the deep reduction valve. Make sure these are all hooked up, then get the air up on the truck, then check that you are getting air coming out of each valve when you operate them.
When you are sure that you are getting air there, hook the other airline out of the range change valve onto the port at the back of the shuttle valve, and take both air lines off that go to the back of the box, then operate the range change and see if the supply changes from one port to another.
Seeing as this gearbox came out of a burnt truck, did you put a kit in the shuttle valve and range change cylinder?

Anytime anyone tries to sell me something out of a burnt vehicle, I hold out a cross, and back away screaming ..

Unless the item has totally escaped any fire heat and is unmarked .. it will undoubtedly have suffered .. in more ways than one, if it has come into contact with fire.
Fires reach high temperatures very quickly .. and high temperatures distort components, affect heat-treated materials, and generally cause a range of problems that create constant headaches, for people who buy heat-affected components.

The problems created are usually "outside the box" when it comes to knowledge of what might be wrong, because they fall outside common problems that are recognised by mechanics, and those familiar with the component.

Tony, I'd suggest your problem could be a fire-heat related problem .. such as heat-warped components .. a problem that is not usually seen, or recognised as a possibility, when it comes to trouble-shooting. I'd suggest you need to do a lot more dismantling, and some extremely careful examination and measuring, of moving parts.

Hi everybody,

A big big thank you to all of you for all your help, deep thinking, digging deep etc.

I think I have found the problem and it is not fire related.

Thanks for the guff on fire damage. There is no scorch mark, or fire damaged paint at all on the box. All the hoses are intact and not burnt. Iron and steel can withstand fire heat far better than paint, plastic, nylon, rubber so I am not at all concerned about the box coming from a burnt truck. Besides all the fire was in the cab and is still available for viewing.

Watch this space.

Cheers, Tony

Here I am back again, firstly to thank everyone for all your help, advice, input.

The saga continues. This might be a lesson for everybody as you might also get caught out someday as I was - not necessarily with an RR gearbox.

The continuing story of Tony's RR dilemma: :-[
We managed to get sufficient gears including high range for Simon to drive the truck to Beenleigh, 1 hour, to the wrecker who sold it to me. They rebuild them and can test most components eg air valves, control valves, shuttle valves, air pressures etc.

Simon was concerned about being embarrassed that he may have done something wrong.

They came up with 3 possibilities: wrong plumbing (again???!!!), faulty gearbox, wrong gearbox. The first 2 seemed OK. They bit the bullet and removed the lid. Shock and horror! It WAS the WRONG BOX. Remember there is no ID on the outside. It is a 13 speed box. They also found another fault which they readily fixed, at no charge, while it was open. They gave me the "correct???" 13 speed gearstick knob with 3 position button including installation instructions/plumbing diagram and sent us on our merry way. Simon drove the truck home and fitted the knob.

Ring, Ring, "Simon here, the f #%*))**(^^$$@#$@%$*)(^%%@$#@%$&(&)&(*^^$ thing still doesn't work. It was better with the original Volvo button and RR 915 DR button. In one position, the 3 position type supplies air to two outlets at the same time, for that position. I suggest putting it back to how it was, what do you think?"

Tony: "If you think it goes better and you can drive it that way, you better put it back to how it was."

Simon installed the buttons where they are most comfortable and after a little practice, "I really like this box. I thought I'd have problems, especially getting used to it."

On another visit to the wrecker, I told them so they supplied the "REAL CORRECT" knob with 2 buttons. Apparently, RR, in their wisdom, decided to make all their knobs in later models the two button type. To eliminate driver confusion, they colour-coded them - blue??=10 speed, red=13, green=15, grey=18, black=???

When I told Simon I have the correct 2 button knob, he said, "I can't believe you really have the right one. Too bad, I want it the way it is, I am used to it now."

Just as well he is leaving it as is. If he changes it, he will really fall in love with the truck and he will live in it and I won't get him out of it to operate the excavator and bobcat.

After all that I finished up with a late model 13 speed overdrive box, which I actually prefer now that I have experienced it.

Well I don't want to hog the whole forum so I'll cut it here with a

Cheers, Tony

Your right, the 13 speed knob has the red splitter shifter. It's good you've got it sorted. The 13 speeds (at least the older ones anyway), have a different shuttle valve on the side of the gearbox to a 15 speed, it's got an extra bit hanging off one side.

Thanks for the encouragement BigCam.
I didn't know the difference between the shuttle valves and I didn't have them in front of me to compare. I think there is also a later shuttle valve and it might be different again - not sure. We didn't have the knob as it was burnt but (my guess) they had it wrong too as we did at first. I'd like to tell you my opinion of the burnt truck.

Cheers, Tony

It has been 6 years and the old RR has served us well.

I want to say a great THANK YOU to this site and all who contribute to it and helped me.

The saga did not finish there. It turns out that it IS an RTO915 - yes a 15 speed RR. It was only when an experienced driver managed to find and compare all the gears that we did confirm it. Remember 15 speed boxes have overlapping gears, so inexperienced drivers do not realise the difference.

Thank you all.
See you on another topic.