Can case flex cause this?

venomtail · June 8, 2025

Just now noticed a ticking noise from my case. At first throught a cable was caught somewhere but looking at my fans, they're all in the clear.

As I'm about to take of my side panel to inspect what's happening, the noise disappeared. Thought oh well, tightened it back up and the ticking noise returned.

So here I am, with a side panel on but bottom screw open.

What could cause this? Have I tightened the fans too much to the point where case is flexing that then moves the fan by a millimeter to the point where it ticks?

Is unscrewing the fan loser a good idea?

thrasher_565 · June 9, 2025

if its a case fan causing the problem some times tightening the screws might make the fan housing to be out of square witch can make the fan blade hit the side. fix my loosening the screws and re align it. other problems is grills can not be flat and the hub or blade can hit the grill. fix is losen screws a bit or add washers. if its the case side panels thats making the nose and cant tighten the screws any more posably some electrical tape of the side can help. fans cause vibrations even as slow speeds.

over time old fans and fans that have the blade close to the edge over time the plastic stretches and hits the side be we talking years probably. cheap fans can have a fan housing wobbly.

first need to find what the nose is from. fan or case or other.

venomtail · June 10, 2025

9 hours ago, thrasher_565 said:

if its a case fan causing the problem some times tightening the screws might make the fan housing to be out of square witch can make the fan blade hit the side. fix my loosening the screws and re align it. other problems is grills can not be flat and the hub or blade can hit the grill. fix is losen screws a bit or add washers. if its the case side panels thats making the nose and cant tighten the screws any more posably some electrical tape of the side can help. fans cause vibrations even as slow speeds.

over time old fans and fans that have the blade close to the edge over time the plastic stretches and hits the side be we talking years probably. cheap fans can have a fan housing wobbly.

first need to find what the nose is from. fan or case or other.

I just had the rear 120mm fan RMA'd. This one's fresh and new. Wondering if my old one deteriorated so quickly because microscopically it wasn't straight but bent as well due to case.

These are top of range BeQuiet! Silent Wings 4 pro.

Maybe a fan spacer might solve this? The spacer will absorb the flex and keep the fan straight, even off the case a few mm more to have it not scratch and hit the case.

thrasher_565 · June 10, 2025

9 hours ago, venomtail said:

I just had the rear 120mm fan RMA'd. This one's fresh and new. Wondering if my old one deteriorated so quickly because microscopically it wasn't straight but bent as well due to case.

These are top of range BeQuiet! Silent Wings 4 pro.

Maybe a fan spacer might solve this? The spacer will absorb the flex and keep the fan straight, even off the case a few mm more to have it not scratch and hit the case.

sw4p fans are good you no its that back fan? passably just put 2 screws in one in opposite corners.