EK MOSFET for Asus X79

[basserdan]

126998126999127000127001Anybody recognize this? My EK mosfet block backplate has stand-offs milled into it that are 1mm tall. I'm supposed to add included plastic washer which is .5mm. My VRMs rise .5mm up off of mobo (backside) leaving a full 1mm gap between backplate. It would take 3 of the included heat transfer pad (.5mm) stacked to achieve some compression when I tighten backplate. There are no clearance issues. Original backplate (from Asus) tightens right down on VRMs (w/ pad)

[NKrader]

flip it over?

[basserdan]

flip it over?
I did check that:yepp:

Mounting holes are slightly diagonal. Flipped they don't align or plate doesn't align with VRM.

[NKrader]

I did check that:yepp:

Mounting holes are slightly diagonal. Flipped they don't align or plate doesn't align with VRM.

it should be really really straight forward.

id email customer service personally.

[basserdan]

You would certainly think so! I did email EK (it's actually called "submitting a ticket"). I received an initial response but, I think everybody leaves for the day at 4 o'clock their time. We'll see tomorrow.

It's possible the Sabertooth has different physical dimensions than other Asus X79 boards.

I wonder if the standoffs are necessary. There are no other ic's etc. to clear around the vrm's on back. I don't imagine that diagonally opposed mounting holes (as these are) really provide much in the way of stability and the vrm's are pretty uniformly flat. I'm thinking "poor man's" machining - a drill press. I could remove the standoffs with a low-angle tipped drill bit. It would leave a smooth surface, only having to remove a little extra material, past the plane of the surface at these mounting holes. It wouldn't weaken the area enough to worry about. It's just whether or not the standoffs really offer any necessary stability for the block on the other side. Well, it's just a thought for now.

[basserdan]

UPDATE

EK man said it must have been a mid production re-kajiggering, replacing vrm's with smaller ones! Huh?

Oh well, I've got a Dremel de-burrer with a flat (radial) bottom. I slapped it in the 'ol drill press and pulled a "redneck milling machine" on it. It worked very nicely, actually. I took the standoffs down from ~ 1mm to .28mm for them both, perfect! So, .28mm standoff + .5mm washer should leave ~ .25mm of thermal pad (.5mm) to compress when tightened.