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So miffed at Swiftech

A

antioch

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 4, 2006
Messages
337
I'm building a new watercooling rig. Slowly the parts came in and I began to set it all up after weeks of waiting.

The Swiftech Apogee also came. I needed to replace the hold down. The directions said to use the included hex screw driver to remove the screws holding the original plate down. There was no included hex screw driver. I used one from a set I had. The screw heads were in such poor shape to begin with that I was only able to remove two or four screws. The other two have circular holes in top.

Thus I am left with a $50 paper weight.

F**k Swiftech.

I doubt they'll give me a replacement.
 
Drill a screw out?

I wouldn't want to mess up the threads in the copper block...
 
If the Apogee is anything like the Storm, I had to search so many hardware stores for a bit that would fit the "button head" screws to open the block up. Anyway, to the OP, are you sure you have the right bit/screwdriver? They are very easy to open.
 
MrMaxwell said:
Cant you drill the damn things out?
Click to expand...
Drill it out? Then how do you put it back together? Heh, I think you mean use a button head bit, but I still LOL'D,
 
At least your PC didn't come with ONE WAY SCREWS and a big Fucking PADLOCK to "prevent tampering"

Fuck you MicroTechnology.
 
If you have access to a vice or something to hold the block (if using a vice, make sure to place a folded rag on either side so you don't mar up the block), a small, pointed punch and a hammer should knock those screws loose easily, without damaging anything else. Pick up some new screws at a hardware store and you're set. I do agree though... cheap hardware suXXorz.
 
I have a set of hex wrenches. I've tried all of them (of the two that were small enough to fit). None work.

The heads are gone.

I'm so sad. I was expecting my loop to be bleeding/leak testing tonight... I guess that won't be happening for atleast another week. =(
 
dremel / hacksaw a slot in the top of the screw and use a flat blade, or use a very small screw extractor. You'll have to buy a new screw, but it's probably your best option.
 
You may want to stop at SEARS and check and see what they have for removing bolts with stripped heads.
 
No, as this just happened today and many places are closed. I'll have to wait until Monday.

I was thinking of trying to make a flathead shaped incision in the top of the bolt head but my tools aren't here. I only have screwdrivers and such.

I did all of the heavy case work, cutting, and dremeling elsewhere.

I'll go out to the hardware store and buy a hacksaw blade tomorrow morning and cut an incision by hand. That should hopefully work. Or maybe the entire saw if I can get it for cheap enough.
 
antioch said:
The Swiftech Apogee also came. I needed to replace the hold down. The directions said to use the included hex screw driver to remove the screws holding the original plate down. There was no included hex screw driver. I used one from a set I had. The screw heads were in such poor shape to begin with that I was only able to remove two or four screws. The other two have circular holes in top.

Thus I am left with a $50 paper weight.

F**k Swiftech.

I doubt they'll give me a replacement.
Click to expand...
I feel your pain... in a way. It would appear that Swiftech has been doing this quite a lot lately as I've received at least 6 blocks (mostly Storms...but that's mostly all we get from them CPU block-wise) that have had stripped screw heads. Thankfully, half of them were test blocks for myself (which I had to slot with a dremel & remove). Anyway, yeah, we keep an extra bag of those screws in the warehouse for this very reason. It's kinda sad, really... :rolleyes:
 
The slot method is, IMO the best one.

Petra, have you contacted Swiftech about that? That's wayyy to many manufacturer defects IMO.
 
I've never had a problem with any of the screws on any of my Swiftech blocks myself. But them again I don't use cheap tools either. I've got my own aircraft grade hex key set and the size I use is 5/64's, works great and last's a long time............. :D The replacement screws are stainless steel, 6-32 thread button head, not sure of the length though, just take the old one along with you when you go to the HW store. Lows and the like should carry them, at least the tiny little store out here where I live does, they cost about 10 cents each in singles, much cheaper by the box.
 
I'll never buy Swiftech again. I got a MCW60 and they're using a new mounting mechanism to make installation easier with 4 hole cards(6800/7800/7900/1800/1900). Too bad its crap. Contact with my 1900xt was really bad and my card's dead now. When I get a chance, I'm going to take some pics and post them on here to show why this happened. Basically, block doesn't even touch the core unless you use a really thick layer of AS5. Of course, its my fault that I didn't check and double check the contact, but regardless, there was no way to get that block to work properly with my card. And of course, I had bought that card open box, so there's no warranty. :mad:
 
if you bought the card open box at newegg, it should still carry manufacture's warranty but err since you removed the stock heatsink, i guess you are out of luck, sorry man
 
Arcygenical said:
The slot method is, IMO the best one.

Petra, have you contacted Swiftech about that? That's wayyy to many manufacturer defects IMO.
Click to expand...
Yup... Their "solution" was to give us a big bag-o-screws
 
Yea well. The hacksaw worked perfectly to make a groove in the bolt heads to remove them. They came out perfectly.

However, one of the hole's threads was stripped! The copper block's threads were stripped! That's some great manufacturing.

I'll call them on Monday. If I don't get a replacement I'll be incredibly upset.

This my first and possibly last product from Swiftech.
 
op - you prolly used standard hexes on a metric bolt or vice versa and stripped them out...

what holding plate were you going to install on there? which socket type? AM2?
 
One of the problems with buying American goods of late is that you never know where they outsoured the production to. IIRC, Swiftech has those made off-shore somewhwere so they probably are metric or some bastard thread. At least when you buy a foreign product you can be pretty sure it is ALL metric. ;)
 
Actually, I have a set of both english and metric hexes, I got the one that fit and went at it, firmly and with pressure. But the head was gone to begin with. I was really upset that one of the holes in the copper block's threads were stripped though.

I got on the phone with Swiftech today and they said they'll ship out a new one today - with the AM2 holddown plate already installed. Of course I have to ship the old one back, but that goes without saying.

Anyways, I'm glad things turned out alright. Well, it's still not over, but things are looking better atleast.
 
Heh. Well we'll see.

I still don't trust them to not charge my card when they get the "old" block back.

I just read other threads about them that made me upset =\
 
are the threads salvagable? can you re-tap them? Sometimes with soft metals like copper you can even re-tap them with the right screw.

I'm sure you will get another one... these things do happen...
 
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