Solved Asetek coolers, prevent the threaded insert from turning

[Britton30]

   Warning

Please note before proceeding that Super Glue (cyanoacrylate) can bond human skin together instantly and require expert medical attention. It is also a respiratory and eye irritant. Use caution.

I have a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Extreme water cooler, made by Asetek. they are sold under several brand names, Corsair, Antec, and others, but they all have the same backplate bracket. It uses metal threaded inserts, they call them grommets, which fit through the bracket and into the motherboard. The water pump/cooling block then mounts with screws through the inserts.

Sometimes when removing the pump these inserts will spin inside the soft plastic bracket and it's a royal pain to get them out. I think I have come up with some help for that. Before installing the backplate use some super glue, liquid type, not gel, as shown in this picture. It is a relatively large amount of glue, so let it cure for an hour or so.

I have a backplate this happened with, after removing it I used super glue on the spun inserts and it held them fine during the next removal process. Also I recommend not using a screwdriver to tighten the mounting screws, but rather finger tight. IF using a driver then stop when the screws bottom out, that is enough.

Good luck.



These are common to all current Asetek water coolers.

The pump. Some have fan connector cables as well.



Intel and AMD backplates.

 

[Solarstarshines]

I have a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Extreme water cooler, made by Asetek. they are sold under several brand names, Corsair, Antec, and others, but they all have the same backplate bracket. It uses metal threaded inserts, they call them grommets, which fit through the bracket and into the motherboard. The water pump/cooling block then mounts with screws through the inserts.

Sometimes when removing the pump these inserts will spin inside the soft plastic bracket and it's a royal pain to get them out. I think I have come up with some help for that. Before installing the backplate use some super glue, liquid type, not gel, as shown in this picture. It will a relatively large amount of glue, so let it cure for an hour or so.

I have a backplate this happened with, after removing it I used super glue on the spun inserts and it held them fine during the next removal process. Also I recommend not using a screwdriver to tighten the mounting screws, but rather finger tight. IF using a driver then stop when the screws bottom out, that is enough.

Good luck.

View attachment 288064

Good read I always recommend hand tightening the screws first then take a screw driver to lightly tighten also do it in a cross fashion not clock wise I do it X style to assure even pressure and all sides are equally screwed down

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I have a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Extreme water cooler, made by Asetek. they are sold under several brand names, Corsair, Antec, and others, but they all have the same backplate bracket. It uses metal threaded inserts, they call them grommets, which fit through the bracket and into the motherboard. The water pump/cooling block then mounts with screws through the inserts.

Sometimes when removing the pump these inserts will spin inside the soft plastic bracket and it's a royal pain to get them out. I think I have come up with some help for that. Before installing the backplate use some super glue, liquid type, not gel, as shown in this picture. It is a relatively large amount of glue, so let it cure for an hour or so.

I have a backplate this happened with, after removing it I used super glue on the spun inserts and it held them fine during the next removal process. Also I recommend not using a screwdriver to tighten the mounting screws, but rather finger tight. IF using a driver then stop when the screws bottom out, that is enough.

Good luck.

View attachment 288064

These are common to all current Asetek water coolers.

The pump. Some have fan connector cables as well.

View attachment 288086

Intel and AMD backplates.

View attachment 288089 View attachment 288090

Absolutely Gary that is the exact problem I had with the Intel cooler backplate and as Brian says I shroud have used finger tightening only . I blame part of the problem on the poor fittings instruction booklet put out by Intel in that is was very small print and I cannot remember reading to only use finger tightening and so ended up using a small screwdriver in the tightening screws because they had the slots for one in them.
This resulted like you with those same shaped fitting nuts spinning in what I think ought to be a fixing collar with little more substance in it - again a minus mark for Intel.
My fix I used a small drop of five minute two pack resin based glue that sets extremely hard reaching full cure in 24 hours but can be used after ten minutes and provides a greater area of grip around the retaining nuts on that collar.
All in all and I think you might agree that for the money we pay for these devices one really does expect a better quality product than they are - or at least I do.:huh:

 

[Britton30]

Thanks John. Solar is Tommy.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks John. Solar is Tommy.

Hmm but I was close eh LOL!! Sorry Tommy

 

[Layback Bear]

Gary I like that Super Glue idea.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Gary I like that Super Glue idea.

Yes it is good.

 

[Britton30]

Thanks y'all. Super glue will catalyze with only ambient humidity present. either epoxy or super glue should be fine though, I just had the super glue at the time. I think the runny liquid type, through capillary attraction, will get under and around the inserts too, I don't know for sure.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks y'all. Super glue will catalyze with only ambient humidity present. either epoxy or super glue should be fine though, I just had the super glue at the time. I think the runny liquid type, through capillary attraction, will get under and around the inserts too, I don't know for sure.

Hmm Gary mate I wasn't trying to be a smart ass I know what you are saying and I will withdraw my comments as I was a bit over enthusiastic.

 

[Britton30]

No John, that wasn't necessary, options are good to have.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Be very carful using Cyanoacrylate adhesives on plastics, it can attack some plastics causing them to become very brittle and break easily. There are specific formulas of Cyanoacrylate adhesives that are plastic safe.

The original cyanoacrylates were developed early on in WW twice to fabricate clear gun sights on fighter aircraft.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Be very carful using Cyanoacrylate adhesives on plastics, it can attack some plastics causing them to become very brittle and break easily. There are specific formulas of Cyanoacrylate adhesives that are plastic safe.

The original cyanoacrylates were developed early on in WW twice to fabricate clear gun sights on fighter aircraft.

I think we are on the same wavelength Mad I was going to mention it but I had already put the foot in my my non stop mouth:huh:

 

[Britton30]

I added a warning block to the first post.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I added a warning block to the first post.

That is a good add on Gary and me I always keep a bottle of acetone in the computer room in a large 1 litre container and some in a small eye dropper bottle for such occasions.
NB It is also good for cleaning those stubborn stains from whiteboards

 

[ganjiry]

Nice 1 Gary!
I had a similar issue with the H50. When trying to screw in the screws they kept lifting out of the back plate while i was trying to screw them in so would just keep turning..

 

[Britton30]

Thanks Ryan. For installing the screws I don't put any down pressure on them thinking I might push the grommets out. I didn't use the glues foam pads to hold the backplate on either, that stuff is nearly impossible to take off.

 

[ganjiry]

Thanks Ryan. For installing the screws I don't put any down pressure on them thinking I might push the grommets out. I didn't use the glues foam pads to hold the backplate on either, that stuff is nearly impossible to take off.

Yeah I used the sticky pads on my first build and they were a right royal pita to remove off the back of my mobo. Luckilly the H100 uses the stock back plate so you don't get that problem. I found the easiest way to remove those sticky pad's from any surface is to just rub them with your thumb. Just keep pushing them in the same direction and the whole thing just roll's up

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Thanks Ryan. For installing the screws I don't put any down pressure on them thinking I might push the grommets out. I didn't use the glues foam pads to hold the backplate on either, that stuff is nearly impossible to take off.

Gary mate the thermal compound remover form Arctic Silver will loosen that muck and I think you will find any manufacturer that produces a product containing orange oil (they extract it from the skins). Also if you are very careful acetone will rip it off too. I use stuff at work that we use for removing sticking plasters with - painlessly that does this too. In fact any oil left on for a while while eat into the goo

I just know I shall get a hiding to nothing for this but hey I'm used to it LOL!!

 

[Solarstarshines]

Thanks John. Solar is Tommy.

Hmm but I was close eh LOL!! Sorry Tommy

No problem no apology needed good thing to know my post was helpful even though you still had issues

 

[Britton30]

My problem was getting the backplate loose to get to the foam pads, after that it was easy.