Big Cooler = Big Pressure = Big Problems (help!)

Aderes Devorah

Aderes Devorah

Aderes Devorah

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Joined
12 Jun 2011
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239
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Near Overclockers
Hi

After buying my first decent CPU cooler - the Corsair A50 - I can't get it to fix onto my motherboard because the pressure is too great for the heat sink attachment thingy (sorry to be technical).

It has actually snapped it off, so my PC is presently on its side (great).

What do I need to take the load?

It is on an AM3 board, so it is attached using only the clamp (or whatever it's called).

Any help would be great.

Thanks in anticipation.

AD
 
So the bit that has snapped off is part of the cooler?

Or is part of the plastic heatsink mounting frame attached to the board? (i.e a plastic "tab" that the heatsink hooks on to)
 
Sorry about that. I was a bit unclear there.

One of the two tabs on the heat sink mounting frame (if that is the plastic piece that the CPU fan clips onto) has snapped off.

I am assuming that I need something harder (as in metal) to mount a larger cooler (larger than a stock fan).

Intel boards use this metal frame that fits through the motherboard, but AMD ones just use this clamp device.

I fear that if I can get another plastic mounting frame for the motherboard the cooler will snap that one just like the first.

Any help would be great as this is part of my first planned improvement, and parts snapping off is really scary (as I'm sure you know).

Thank you

AD
 
This one to Resident:

Yes, that is the part that snapped off.

Apparently, OcUK do a metal one (according to a friend). I'll have to ask them.

Regardless, your help is greatly appreciated because when the piece went flying off my motherboard my immediate reaction was something like, "Oh ****! New motherboard!".

I have to learn.

Cheers
 
Must admit I think that Corsair have been lazy with this fixing detail for a large cooler on AMD boards. When they provide a bolt through solution for Intel. The mounting bracket is only designed for normal size coolers and hence the issue.

I did have an arctic cooling aftermarket heatsink which fitted in the same way, this one may be heavier.

Regardless when you fit the next time, do it outside of the case to make sure the lugs are properly engaged and the bracket fits snugly right against the plastic mounting bracket sides.

It is the difference between shear capacity and shear plus bending capacity on the lugs if you have an engineering background.

It is unlikely that a metal one is available, I could see issues with tracking etc. I may have a spare plastic one available.
 
Aderes Devorah said:
This one to Resident:

Yes, that is the part that snapped off.

Apparently, OcUK do a metal one (according to a friend). I'll have to ask them.

Regardless, your help is greatly appreciated because when the piece went flying off my motherboard my immediate reaction was something like, "Oh ****! New motherboard!".

I have to learn.

Cheers
Click to expand...

I can understand that reaction tbh. I'd have done the same.

Is your friend sure that OcUK do the bracket? I had a look last night when I posted and couldn't find a listing.
 
Many thanks for all the help; it has been fixed (finally).

OcUK gave me an enclosure mounting piece for free (many thanks OcUK!).

It was a two man job (well, for me anyway).

In hindsight, we should have mounted it before screwing it onto the motherboard (another good suggestion).

Nkata - My philosophy background was no use here. When I hear "shear" my brain says "sheep". I can be a bit special. I admire engineers and their skills, so I shall be reading about these pressures and capacities very soon.

Sorry for the late post - I was banned for swearing.
 
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