How to mount or remove a bolt-through cooler

[Navid]

It is disappointing that for a decent cooler, one has to remove the motherboard every time to re-seat or replace the sink. Or, cut an opening in the motherboard tray (case).
Sticking the backplate to the motherboard using the supplied adhesive is a bad idea as later you will find out that it will not come off without causing damage!


This mod is for a Thermalright Ultra-120 extreme or a Thermalright LGA 775 Bolt-Thru-Kit, which can be used for push-pin type coolers (Instructions for removing the push pins). The mod may work for other cooler types too. But, I have not tried.

Take a cardboard box made of cardboard about 2mm thick or 3/32".
Cut a square piece that would fit behind the backplate. The piece should be a little bit smaller than the square section in the center of the backplate.
Then, use Scotch tape to secure it to the back of the backplate. The Scotch tape goes between the metal and the plastic insulator. One strip of Scotch tape is used to secure each corner.

Some backplates do not have a plastic insulator, as has been pointed out later in the thread. It is a good idea to place the backplate on the motherboard and inspect it carefully to make sure that it will not make contact with any conductors on the back of the motherboard. This is a good idea even if it has the plastic insulator.

Then, cut a larger piece of cardboard and tape it to the motherboard tray where the backplate will be located after the motherboard is installed. The cardboard should be large enough to ensure that it would extend beyond the backplate after the motherboard is installed.

The idea is that after you install the motherboard, the cardboards hold the backplate snugly in place so that the backplate is not loose behind the motherboard.

Then, place the backplate on the motherboard and place two screws in to hold it in place (do not tighten).

Place the motherboard in the case on the standoffs. Make sure that the cardboards are not too thick to keep the motherboard up.
You want to just have to put a little bit of pressure on the motherboard while tightening the screws. If it is too hard, remove and squeeze the cardboards to make them thinner. Otherwise, the motherboard will be warped. That is not good for the motherboard.

If the cardboard is too thin, after you are done, when you install the first screw on the cooler, the backplate may tilt (not enough pressure behind it) and installing the second screw on the cooler may become really difficult.
So, pay attention to the thickness of the pieces of cardboard. Tighten the screws to mount the motherboard on the standoffs.

You can now install the cooler, or remove it, without having to remove the motherboard. The backplate stays in place.


You cannot mount a push-pin type cooler with this backplate in place.
To undo the mod, all you need to do is to remove the motherboard and remove the Scotch tapes and cardboards.

Edit:
Place the cooler on the motherboard inside your case to make sure it fits first before you spend time on this mod.

Navid deleted this post. We have restored it for the benefit of the community.
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[WoodButcher]

Good thinking, I cut out my mobo trays in the boxes I build so I have access to the back of the mobo but yours is a clever alternatve.
thanks for posting!

 

[de8212]

I think I understand what you did but I mdon't own the Thermalright.

I do have a tuniq tower that I will need to put on another mobo soon and was wondering what to do about the adhesive.

You think the same concept will work?

Here's a pic Text

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: de8212
I think I understand what you did but I mdon't own the Thermalright.

I do have a tuniq tower that I will need to put on another mobo soon and was wondering what to do about the adhesive.

You think the same concept will work?

Here's a pic Text

I cannot tell from those pictures.
But, when you place the backplate on the motherboard, if it has 4 pieces sticking out that go through the motherboard, this should work fine.

If not, when you remove the cooler, while you are working on the case, the backplate may slide behind the motherboard and move out of place! You don't want that.

 

[Navid]

Added pictures!

 

[gba]

Thanks a lot for sharing your clever work around for this problem.. I had a stock hs come loose during transportation last spring... Needless to say, it was a most unnpleasant experience.

 

[trOver]

Originally posted by: gba
Thanks a lot for sharing your clever work around for this problem.. I had a stock hs come loose during transportation last spring... Needless to say, it was a most unnpleasant experience.

qft

stock hs coming lose sucks so bad. 80C is not good....

 

[aigomorla]

the thread on the TR backplate is M3.

I really dont understand why you guys done mount it like a waterblock.

If you size the right screws with the height, you can have the base screws on the backplate go upwards. And then apply springs and then a nut. This will also help you even out the pressure so you get a better contact and more even temps on quads.

Since the bolt is attached to the backplate, it wont come out unless your mobo is really high off.

Look at my D-tek cpu waterblock. It would look something like that.

PS. incase you dont live anywhere near a hardwarestore, they sell the mounting kit @ shoppts.com aka petras' for like 9 dollars.

http://i125.photobucket.com/al...aigomorla/IMG_0588.jpg

And yeah i know this is more expensive, but as i said, you can fine tune your mount on a quad by having control of each nut and how tight it compresses.

 

[gba]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
Look at my D-tek cpu waterblock. It would look something like that.

that is a stunning photograph.

 

[Old Hippie]

Originally posted by: gba

Originally posted by: aigomorla
Look at my D-tek cpu waterblock. It would look something like that.

that is a stunning photograph.

I'll second that emotion. :thumbsup:

 

[aigomorla]

thank you..

its just a lot of people always ask me how to even out quadcore core temps.

I usually tell them, its very difficult on air sinks, and almost impossible on push pins. Usually some great air sinks will allow you to mod the mount. The TR120 is one of those great sinks.

And in all my mounts on my quadcore, i think i only got the perfect mount one once the first time.

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
its just a lot of people always ask me how to even out quadcore core temps.
I usually tell them, its very difficult on air sinks, and almost impossible on push pins. Usually some great air sinks will allow you to mod the mount. The TR120 is one of those great sinks.

I've been doing this since my 820D and never thought about it. This is the first time I recall someone posting about "tensioning" I haven't played w/ the quad much as I have yet to lap and as is their all within 2-3 degrees. I start W/ all the nuts at the same height then adjust according to temps with the pc on and coretemp or tat running.
Another item for your guide Aigo.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Not intending to rock the boat --

I looked at the OP's link to the "thermaRight" photos, and I'm puzzled about this. It seems to show a TR backplate installation with a stock heatsink/fan assembly. I don't get it.

But the idea of shimming the backplate is a good one. What I do, instead, is to use plastic desk-rulers with tapered edges to shim the two most accessible backplate tongs from between the mobo-pan and motherboard. The backplate doesn't move around, and uninstalling and then re-installing the TR-Ultra-120-Ex is pretty effortless.

 

[Throckmorton]

Why did they get rid of those clips that Socket A had in favor of this hokey screw and backplane stuff?

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck
I looked at the OP's link to the "thermaRight" photos, and I'm puzzled about this. It seems to show a TR backplate installation with a stock heatsink/fan assembly. I don't get it.

The link is not to Thermalright photos!
The link is to a Thermalright product (Bolt-Thru-Kit).

If you have a cooler with push-pins (Stock, Freezer Pro 7, Cooler Master Hyper TX2, etc.), you can use the linked product to convert the mounting mechanism into a bolt-through mechanism.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: WoodButcher

Originally posted by: aigomorla
its just a lot of people always ask me how to even out quadcore core temps.
I usually tell them, its very difficult on air sinks, and almost impossible on push pins. Usually some great air sinks will allow you to mod the mount. The TR120 is one of those great sinks.

I've been doing this since my 820D and never thought about it. This is the first time I recall someone posting about "tensioning" I haven't played w/ the quad much as I have yet to lap and as is their all within 2-3 degrees. I start W/ all the nuts at the same height then adjust according to temps with the pc on and coretemp or tat running.
Another item for your guide Aigo.

yeah... currently im gathering parts for the 690 project to show the forum a 220 dollar h2o system that will KICK butt.

Maybe i'll add onto it with a tensioning guide on quads.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Why did they get rid of those clips that Socket A had in favor of this hokey screw and backplane stuff?

The socket A clip mount limited the possible size of the cooler by putting all the mounting strain on the socket itself. This meant that on a conventional socket only the contact pins soldered to the motherboard supported the full weigh of the cooler assembly. With some of the larger coolers in use today, you could expect the pins to fatigue with time and start cracking loose, or the board itself to crack. There was also the unfortunate possibility that a sudden shock could rip the socket right off the board.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: CallMeJoe

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Why did they get rid of those clips that Socket A had in favor of this hokey screw and backplane stuff?

The socket A clip mount limited the possible size of the cooler by putting all the mounting strain on the socket itself. This meant that on a conventional socket only the contact pins soldered to the motherboard supported the full weigh of the cooler assembly. With some of the larger coolers in use today, you could expect the pins to fatigue with time and start cracking loose, or the board itself to crack. There was also the unfortunate possibility that a sudden shock could rip the socket right off the board.

And the solution to all the possible problems you have mentioned is the pathetic push-pin mechanism?

The push-pin mechanism for mounting the sink itself to the motherboard must have been an idea by a stoned student at Intel!

 

[arjoreich]

I love this idea, I really do, however I have one rather random/theoretical question for the original poster...

Are you familiar with / concerned about pyrolysis...? In layman's terms it means that over time, from being exposed to high heat + low humidity, fuel sources - especially wood-based fuel sources - begin to exhibit dramatically lowering of it's fire point. Your average corrugated cardboard typically has a fire-point of about 258°C however a severely pyrolyzed piece of cardboard can have it's fire-point reduced to as low as 100°C...which is not too far away from some maximum temps of the latest, greatest (and hottest) processors.

Obviously it would take some time for this process to happen, probably longer than any serious "enthusiast" would keep a configuration such as this on their rig, but it's still one of those "things to consider"... I really don't want to seem like I'm pissing on such a wonderful idea, I just thought I'd throw it out there because I know I'd be pissed if I had a "flash fire" behind my m/b during one very heavy overclocking/gaming session, heh.

Still, all said and done, I'm going to use this same method to stabilize my ThermalRight Ultra-120 eXtreme mounts tonight...I just wish I could figure out what kind of non-conductive foam rubber is used on the stock backplate and use it instead...

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
the thread on the TR backplate is M3.

I really dont understand why you guys done mount it like a waterblock.

If you size the right screws with the height, you can have the base screws on the backplate go upwards. And then apply springs and then a nut. This will also help you even out the pressure so you get a better contact and more even temps on quads.

Since the bolt is attached to the backplate, it wont come out unless your mobo is really high off.

Look at my D-tek cpu waterblock. It would look something like that.

PS. incase you dont live anywhere near a hardwarestore, they sell the mounting kit @ shoppts.com aka petras' for like 9 dollars.

http://i125.photobucket.com/al...aigomorla/IMG_0588.jpg

And yeah i know this is more expensive, but as i said, you can fine tune your mount on a quad by having control of each nut and how tight it compresses.

QFT. I'm not bagging Navid's method here, it's a good viable alternative but, given the chance, using 4 nuts to hold the backplate it place would be a better/safer alternative.

I haven't used this on the CPU in my current rig as the XP-120 used a clup method but, my Chipset cooler uses this method. Bolts through the backside, with washers/nuts to hold them to the motherboard and springs and more nuts to hold the heatsink to the board. That was actually my first exposure to this mounting method, before I done any water cooling, and it is notably more secure even without the backplate(this is a fairly small heatsink)

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: arjoreich
Still, all said and done, I'm going to use this same method to stabilize my ThermalRight Ultra-120 eXtreme mounts tonight...I just wish I could figure out what kind of non-conductive foam rubber is used on the stock backplate and use it instead...

Peel and stick to the backplate and then to a baggie, cut the excess and your good to go. If you must relace it I used a high density weather stripping I bought at the hardware store. I could only get the stuff 1/4" thickness by 3/4" wide, so I applied it to the backplate and filleted it like a flounder.

 

[gba]

The alternative material seems to make sense... It figures that I had only just finished installing the cardboard a couple of days ago... I did have a passing thought about the cardboard's flammability but figured it must have been safe since nobody had uttered a peep since the thread was started... Now I am wondering if I should redo it. Needless to say, I am not too excited about taking apart my brand new machine. I am inclined to just leave it. What does anybody else think?

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: gba
The alternative material seems to make sense... It figures that I had only just finished installing the cardboard a couple of days ago... I did have a passing thought about the cardboard's flammability but figured it must have been safe since nobody had uttered a peep since the thread was started... Now I am wondering if I should redo it. Needless to say, I am not too excited about taking apart my brand new machine. I am inclined to just leave it. What does anybody else think?

Don't worry, arjoreich runs up the aisle in the middle of the movie, he isn't screaming fire, How many parts in your box have a label on them saying "void if removed"? Your cpu does not get that hot, keep in mind that thing your bolting on? heatsink?

arjoreich is absolutely correct though, corrugated cardboard will, can, and does dry out to a point where it will flake and yes, I'm certain the flash point is lowered, 100c did you say? read this.

He isn't screaming fire, he's on the way to the bathroom,,,,,

 

[gba]

haha... thanks. I will just leave it.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: arjoreich
Your average corrugated cardboard typically has a fire-point of about 258°C however a severely pyrolyzed piece of cardboard can have it's fire-point reduced to as low as 100°C...which is not too far away from some maximum temps of the latest, greatest (and hottest) processors.

100C is the temperature at which water boils.
I am not worried about my CPU ever getting to the boiling point of water. My CPU has never got hotter than 65C. And that is the core.

Do you know how hot your car glove compartment gets in summer if you park it in the sun?


If you are worried, do not use this method.
I am not responsible for anything you do based on any of my posts. All my posts are my personal opinion.