Coolers causing mobo to flex & lose RAM

[MAXBattle]

Upgrading a computer for a family member.  They got a great deal on a new FX-8350 with Wraith cooler.  (No flames about FX. System is what it is.)

 

When installing the Wraith cooler, the clamp pressure causes the motherboard to flex enough that 1/2 the RAM is lost.  From what I've found online, it has to do with some kind of contacts separating when the mobo flexes.  I tried a different Coolermaster cooler and two different AM3+ cooler brackets (of different design) and backplates and nothing fixes it.  I even took a Dremel tool to the pegs on the cooler bracket, but couldn't lessen the pressure enough.  If I loosen the bracket screws 3-4 turns each, the pressure goes down enough to recognize all four RAM sockets.  Any suggestions?  Spacers of some kind?

[Raudi_]

58 minutes ago, MAXBattle said:

Upgrading a computer for a family member.  They got a great deal on a new FX-8350 with Wraith cooler.  (No flames about FX. System is what it is.)

 

When installing the Wraith cooler, the clamp pressure causes the motherboard to flex enough that 1/2 the RAM is lost.  From what I've found online, it has to do with some kind of contacts separating when the mobo flexes.  I tried a different Coolermaster cooler and two different AM3+ cooler brackets (of different design) and backplates and nothing fixes it.  I even took a Dremel tool to the pegs on the cooler bracket, but couldn't lessen the pressure enough.  If I loosen the bracket screws 3-4 turns each, the pressure goes down enough to recognize all four RAM sockets.  Any suggestions?  Spacers of some kind?

The wraith cooler is designed for AM4 so the mounting pressure is gonna be pretty high

[MAXBattle]

13 minutes ago, KingCry said:

The wraith cooler is designed for AM4 so the mounting pressure is gonna be pretty high

Thanks for your reply.  To clarify... It came in the AMD retail box with the Black Edition FX-8350.  https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/fx-8350-wraith-cooler

 

While I've built business PC's for the past 20 years or so, I've done little outside of stock (or at least standard upgrade) configs.  Any reason not to Dremel the bracket (since they're reasonably cheap and easy to replace) to lessen the pressure?  Or do they make spacers to raise the bracket?  I'm thinking tweaking the cooler clamp "spring" is not a good idea.

 

As long as the thermals stay good, that's the main thing, right??

[Raudi_]

1 hour ago, MAXBattle said:

Thanks for your reply.  To clarify... It came in the AMD retail box with the Black Edition FX-8350.  https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/fx-8350-wraith-cooler

 

While I've built business PC's for the past 20 years or so, I've done little outside of stock (or at least standard upgrade) configs.  Any reason not to Dremel the bracket (since they're reasonably cheap and easy to replace) to lessen the pressure?  Or do they make spacers to raise the bracket?  I'm thinking tweaking the cooler clamp "spring" is not a good idea.

 

As long as the thermals stay good, that's the main thing, right??

I did a little digging and the wraith coolers just have alot of variance in their mounting pressure for AMD, but that shouldn't cause the board the flex at all

Unless your using a fairly low end "thin" pcb board.

[MAXBattle]

1 hour ago, KingCry said:

Unless your using a fairly low end "thin" pcb board.

ASUS M5a88-v EVO.  Never had issues with Asus before. 

[LogicalDrm]

On 4/30/2019 at 7:06 AM, MAXBattle said:

ASUS M5a88-v EVO.  Never had issues with Asus before. 

That doesn't mean that Asus doesn't have their share of cheaper boards. Does it flex if cooler is mounted outside a case? Or have you checked if that makes difference or not.

[MAXBattle]

20 hours ago, LoGiCalDrm said:

Does it flex if cooler is mounted outside a case? Or have you checked if that makes difference or not.

Regardless of whether the mobo is mounted in the case or not, fully clamping either cooler (especially the Wraith) causes the mobo to stop recognizing 1/2 the RAM.  The actual flex of the mobo I noticed when I took it out and happened to glance at it from the edge. You can clearly see a bow to the backplate (I've tried 2 totally different ones) and a slight gap between the center of the backplate and the mobo.  If I lessen the tension - either by loosening the bracket screws 3-4 turns or by not flipping the cooler clamp lever - the backplate and mobo are both straight with no gap.