how tight do you need to install heatsink on intel mobo

[hytek369]

how tight are you suppose to screw the stand offs on a intel mobo. my heatsink is a sl-94 by thermalright

 

[RalfHutter]

Are you talking about the brass standoffs that bolt through the mobo into the stamped steel stiffening plate underneath?

If so, they should be fairly tight. They should have the white plastic washer between themselves and the mobo and when they bottom out on the stiffening plate they should be tightened up just a little bit more to make sure they don't unscrew later if yo go to remove the heatsink from the board.

Are you talking about the spring-loaded Philli[ps Head screws that actually mount the heatsink to the standoffs? If so those should be tightened just to the point of coil-bind on the springs. Make sure you are tightening them up evenly in a star-shaped pattern so you keep the heatsink level an the CPU as you're bolting it down, and just keep tightening each srew slowly until you can feel the coils of the springs bind up as they are fully compressed.

 

[hytek369]

thanks for the info

so, the springs should be fully compressed? if i tighten the stiffening plate too tight, wouldn't that curve the mobo?

 

[RalfHutter]

1) Yes, the springs should be fully compressed.

2) You can't tighten the stiffening plate "too tight". The bolts that are used to fasten it to the mobo are "shoulder bolts" that are a preset length that is set to provide just the right amount of compression to the black rubber pad that is glued to the face of the stiffening plate. Just tighten them up until they bottom out on the plate and you'll be fine.

 

[hytek369]

all in star pattern right? finger tight or use a pair of pliers?

 

[RalfHutter]

A star pattern would be the best. More than finger tight too, you don't want them to come loose when you're trying to remove the heatsink. Use a wrench or a nut-driver and tighten them up fairly tight .

 

[Peter D]

When I was installing my 900U, I used pliers, those didnt work well, so I tried a ratchet, worked well but was afraid of over-torquing, so I just used a crecent wrench.

 

[hytek369]

thanks for the heads up. i ended up using my leatherman pliers