Asetek coolers, prevent the threaded insert from turning

   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.

Britton30 said:

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.

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

Britton30 said:

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.

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.

Thanks John. Solar is Tommy.

Britton30 said:

Thanks John. Solar is Tommy.

Hmm but I was close eh LOL!! Sorry Tommy

Gary I like that Super Glue idea.

Layback Bear said:

Gary I like that Super Glue idea.

Yes it is good.

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.

Britton30 said:

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.

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