Trouble removing old CPU cooler

MoridinUK

MoridinUK

MoridinUK

Associate
Joined
16 Jun 2014
Posts
258
I need to remove my cpu cooler on one of my older machines.

It's a Be Quiet Dark Rock 3 Pro. And it's on an LGA 1151 board. It's supposed to be simple to remove, just unscrew it from the back plate. However, when I do that I see that the screw and the but it inserts into are revolving together. But the cooler is on an old ROG Maximus VIII Gene and so I can't get to two out of four of the revolving nut to grip them as that area is blocked by heatsinks for the board components.

I did not fit the cpu cooler and looking at old youtubes on how to install it,it looks like it wasn't fitted properly or it should just unscrew nicely. I'm not sure I even have the other parts the cpu cooler came with. I'm not sure how to proceed. I guess I'd have to disassemble the board from the case, and then remove the board heatsinks and hope I can get to the remaining nuts that way. I'm also tempted to just leave it. I wanted to put a small upgrade cpu in this one, (i7-7700k replacing i5-6600k) and put the i5 in another case. But I'm starting to think I may end up with a busted pc.

All the screws on the backplate rotate easily with not much grip or tension on them, I can't tighten them or loosen all four they just rotate. I can get to two out of four but that wouldn't get me access to the last 2 I don't think there would be enough room to get to them made by releasing one side of the cpu.

I know this is all really old kit, I'm just cycling parts between my older pcs as I prepare for a new amd build (3dx) when next in stock. I have 3-4 pcs I need to keep running for my family so I have to carefully make decisions on these older specs.

On my new build, I'm hoping for a ryzen 98003dx at it's core, I was planning on using a Dark Rock 5 Pro but if anyone has advice on a less expensive cooler that works as well, but isn't so quiet I'd be interested, as I'm less worried about sound than in the previous build.
 
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Think you will have to remove the motherboard (if you can get to all the screws).

Then you may be able to get a spanner or neeble nose pliers in to hold the nuts.

Good luck.
 
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Having watched the installation for the cooler, it doesn't look like much fun. Also sounds like potentially cross-threaded screws.

Would you be able to strip all off the cooler (including the top lid, if its the same as the DR4) and get down into it with a pair of angled needle-nose pliers (as mentioned in the previous reply)?
 
The top doesn't come off like it does for the DR4. I think my only hope is to take the whole board out, as it's a mATX with really tidy cable management I'm very sad to try and there is no guarantee I will be able to get to these final two screws.

When I open it up next to try again I'll grab some pics, but currently it's all back together and working with the old cpu. I don't have the tiny spanner it came with either so I'm very much down to needle nose pliers and prayer. :(
 
Mr Jack said:
Can you post some pictures?
Click to expand...
I need to host them somewhere else and link them right?

photos.app.goo.gl

New item by Dominic Bray

photos.app.goo.gl photos.app.goo.gl

I don't think it was fitted correctly, and the nut is cross threaded I think. I think I can get my needle pliers to them, I'm just deciding when I feel I have the patience to try and whether to remove the mainboard from the case. If I don't I'll need to try to do this on it's side so I can get to the screws underneath at the same time.
 
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MoridinUK said:
I need to host them somewhere else and link them right?
Click to expand...

Ta.

I don't think it was fitted correctly, and the nut is cross threaded I think. I think I can get my needle pliers to them, I'm just deciding when I feel I have the patience to try and whether to remove the mainboard from the case. If I don't I'll need to try to do this on it's side so I can get to the screws underneath at the same time.
Click to expand...

I found the manual online, and it looks to me like it should be pretty easy to free from the back of the board. Once you've done that it should be much easier to loosen stuck screws since you'll have better access. Even if they are cross threaded, that should stop you refitting the cooler only you've got it out.
 
When I turn the screws on the back of the board nothing loosens, they just spin around with the nut. I'm not sure it even has proper tension on it!
Unless you mean I should leverage more tension from behind leveraging between the backplate and the board and then turning? :) Anyway I'll let you know how it goes!
 
You can pick up a Thermalright Phantom Spirit or Peerless Assassin for £30 currently, the Phantom Spirit being slightly better.

Either would be ample and probably offer better performance than your current HSF assuming you don't want to deal with the faff of removing it. You'd need the AM4/5 mounting bracket for the be Quiet! also, considering what you said about not having any extras left over.
 
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Gray2233 said:
You can pick up a Thermalright Phantom Spirit or Peerless Assassin for £30 currently, the Phantom Spirit being slightly better.

Either would be ample and probably offer better performance than your current HSF assuming you don't want to deal with the faff of removing it. You'd need the AM4/5 mounting bracket for the be Quiet! also, considering what you said about not having any extras left over.
Click to expand...
Oh I don't intend to use this one for the amd, but my plan there is to by a dark rock 5 pro, i was just wondering if I was spending more than I needed to!

Mr Jack said:
Try and hold the nut rigid while you unscrew?
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There is no getting fingers to them, so this is the plan with the long nose pliers. Just not sure how on earth I'll get it back together again or if I can reach with the pliers while the board is mounted in the case. :)
 
My guess is the locking nut and sleeve has come apart slightly so the whole thing is turning.

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Remove the motherboard from the case and use the pliers on the locking nuts.
This should free the cooler so you can use the pliers to free the screws.

With any luck you should be able to reuse the cooler.
 
Looking at the design, it's frankly just a poor design. They do supply a spanner to do the nut up, but, clearly, there is a danger it's won't undo again. All the fitter has to do is to do the nut/sleeve up with less torque than the screws and there will be trouble when someone tries to remove it.
I would find or get another spanner and cut it down until you can fit it in to whatever access you have.
 
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