Sunbeam Rubber fan screw help.

[Zap]

Doing something to make the Sunbeam crap work is fine... except we shouldn't have to do extra work to make them do what they're supposed to do out of the bag.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: Abhi
Will it help if the screws become a little softer?

Because there is a way to do that 🙂

Well...We are waiting for another post Abhi.

I PMed a request to this member. Click the link in his sig.


...Galvanized

 

[Abhi]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee

Originally posted by: Abhi
Will it help if the screws become a little softer?

Because there is a way to do that 🙂

Well...We are waiting for another post Abhi.

I PMed a request to this member. Click the link in his sig.


...Galvanized

Ok... here goes...

All polymers except silicone rubber and viton can be softened using chemicals. I havent seen these screws, but I am assuming that they are not silicone and viton, since they are expensive polymers.

Remedy: Try this with one screw. Dip the screw in Diesel and leave it there for 24 hours. Then take out the screw, dry it and try installing it. The rubber should become softer and might serve your purpose.

BTW, Please try this at your own risk. You might loose a screw and make a mess!! 🙂

Edit: If you do not have access to diesel, try other solvents... but avoid benzene...

 

[letdown427]

FWIW, the acousti soft rubber fan mountrs linked earlier work fine, I have a load of them, they are actually installable!

 

[Zepper]

I believe the Sunbeam screws are natural rubber or some kind of natural rubber based blend.

.bh.

 

[Abhi]

Originally posted by: Zepper
I believe the Sunbeam screws are natural rubber or some kind of natural rubber based blend.

.bh.

In that case ... the diesel trick should work...

If they are 100% natural rubber, the screws will become softer but will also increase in volume a little...

 

[Abhi]

Originally posted by: letdown427
FWIW, the acousti soft rubber fan mountrs linked earlier work fine, I have a load of them, they are actually installable!

Acousti mounts are Silicone Rubber... http://www.coolerguys.com/840556026143.html

 

[Abhi]

I am assuming no one tried my remedy ?

 

[Zepper]

I received these today - pretty nebulous thus far:
-------------------------
On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:48:27 -0400, Frank-Sunbeamtech <frank@sunbeamtech.com> wrote:

> Dear Bill:
>
> Sorry for my late reply.
> I was trying to check this issue with our engineer. As you know we did
> have test before shipment. I am not sure what the problem is now.
> Maybe it is the molding problem( since we have been selling this
> product for a long time and the molding getting old.)
>
> BTW, may I know where you are?
>
>
> Wait for your favorable reply.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Frank
>
--------------------------------
I just checked this issue with our engineers and I
personally tried the mess production product in our
warehouse(which is QC passed product). I had no problem
with the product I tried with. However, there are some
tricks and steps to follow. I think the problem you had
may be misunderstanding rather than product defect : -)

I will ask our marketing department update the webpage
and I will send to you guys the link so that you will know
how to use the product : -)


Anyway, sorry for troubles we brought to you. If there
is any other problem, pls let me know freely. Your opinion
is really appreciated : -)

Best Regards,

Frank
---------------------------------

.bh.

 

[Zepper]

Here's the latest exchange:

Hello Frank,

Thanks for the reply.

"BTW, may I know where you are?"

Does the above mean that you want my address?

It is:
Bill Hill
etc...

Or do you want a link to the thread where we are
discussing this?
http://forums.anandtech.com/
messageview.aspx?catid=37&threadid=1843948&enterthread=y


re. Your second message: If there are tricks and steps,
then how come there are no instructions with the product.
We have had little or no problem with other competing
products. Heck, I couldn't even find ANY reference to this
product at all on the entire Sunbeamtech web site. Doesn't
Sunbeam want people to know about it?

.bill hill.

-----------------------------------

Dear Bill:

Thanks for your reply. I just checked the link. I am so
sorry to bring all this trouble to so many users. Really
sorry.

Let me briefly explain the situation. As you can see
that you can't find any info on our website about this
product. To be honest, we already phase out this product
for almost 6 months.
However, here comes the problem. Our distributor
purchased some of this after we internally phase out this
product and took its product webpage away. And, the sales
man who I just asked him today did not inform our
marketing department. Thus, that is what you see, no any
instructions for users to explain how to use this product
: -(

Anyway, it is our fault. As what I told you, we will
update our website and let all users know about how to use
this product.
Hope this helps, though it is a little bit late.



Thanks again for your feedback. We really appreciate it!
If there is any further suggestion, please feel free to
let me know and we will try our best to improve ourself!!



Best Regards,

Frank
-------------------------------
😕

.bh.

 

[zagood]

Hah, that's classic. "We know it's crap, we don't make it anymore, but our distributor doesn't care because they sell like hotcakes. Sorry." At least the guy sounds honest, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt in that they stopped production, but they didn't follow through and that's tough to swallow.

Only way they could really solve this would be to recall the product, but I doubt they'd go through the expense of buying stock back from sellers.

-z

 

[PliotronX]

Frank's nice, they have been having server issues so here are the instructions: zipped document. Hope it helps guys.

 

[Zap]

After reading the instructions, I tried again with three different fans. All fans have "open" corners and all are designed to take normal fan screws.

Didn't work.

First off, yes I can stretch the things out like in the picture #2 but it takes much effort, also some were stretchier than others. Perhaps the rubber is hardening?

In picture #3 it shows the rubber thing dangling there, and sagging a bit because the hole in fan is bigger diameter than the nub. Well, in all three of my fans there was almost no play meaning the standard screw holes are either smaller diameter than those shown in the example pictures or the rubber screws I received are larger diameter than those shown in the pictures.

In picture #4, that's how I recall trying to install them the first time, and that's what I tried this time. Nope, pull as I might, the nub would just stretch to the point of tearing while the rest of it didn't budge, and indeed didn't even lean over like in the picture but stayed at a 90º angle to the fan.

When I first got these and couldn't install them, I cut the flanges/rim of the rubber screw to try getting one installed and it was still really difficult. The document said to do that if the hole was "special(smaller)" but all my fans are what I consider "standard" in that the typical metal fan screws work perfectly.

I have installed the stuff that Antec uses and they were extremely easy to install. Even if I was able to get these Sunbeam things installed, having to trim them and struggle with them to make them work... makes it not worth my while.

Thanks for the document, PliotronX

 

[Zepper]

I got a message from "Frank" with the .doc attached. I'm pretty sure I tried every method under the sun to pull on those things with no luck, but I'll try again just for grins. Not too optimistic for success... I managed to get one in but I had to cut off pretty much all the flange to do it. The square shank fills (maybe overfills) the entire hole in my fans.

.bh.

 

[kovboi]

drat, wish i'd seen this thread before i bought a bag of these things. every one of them broke off before i could get them installed. at first i tried shaving the edges to get the mounting on the fan side installed, but then the case side would break, anyway.