Case tray bending motherboard?

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Number Six

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Oct 12, 2013
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Hello,

I recently started a new build using a Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 chassis and a Gigabyte Z87MX-D3H motherboard.

Unfortunately, I'm having issues with mounting the motherboard in the case. When I have the board lined up with the standoffs and screw everything down, I find some of the ports are not properly lined up with the openings on the rear I/O shield that comes with the board. The mounting also seems to have bent the PCB slightly.

This is the motherboard fitted without the shield:

iD122e1.jpg


With the shield (note USB 2.0 and PS/2 ports on left are higher than they should be):

9TfoIGE.jpg


Outside of the case (note there is a slight bend inwards at the top of the board):

7r5gqCb.jpg


My first concern is getting the board to fit without it being distorted. Could it be that something on the case is out of spec, or am I installing it incorrectly? I have already tried swapping out the motherboard for another one of the same model, and I get the exact same result.

The second is, with all this warping (there is also quite a bit of flex going on during installation of components, cables etc), is it likely the board could be damaged at all?

Would greatly appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!
 
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Nitro192

Nitro192

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You can tell looking at the back that the USB ports and HDMI line up but it takes a small bend near the top where as in they dont. Make sure the standoff you have in that corner is screwed in all the way and is the exact same height as the rest.
 
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Number Six

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I don't think the issue is with the I/O shield, but with either the motherboard tray or the motherboard itself.

I tried the board in another case, and this was the (marginally better) result:

9Q2NQwe.jpg


The second case has a very sturdy aluminium motherboard tray - whereas the Fractal has quite a flexible (apparently plastic) tray.
 
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Number Six

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I also checked to make sure all the standoffs are the correct/same length. There isn't any difference between them, and they are all tightened all the way down (adding a quarter turn with pliers too just to be safe).

I can't for the life of me figure how this is happening. I've been through two (the original and an RMA replacement) motherboards now. Either they were both bent to begin with and I didn't notice, or the case somehow managed to bend them.

There is a fair amount of flex in the tray - could that be causing it? I would have thought though with something so sensitive to dimensions that the manufacturer of the case would have taken this into account? Having to replace the case would be a nightmare scenario, as I'd need to start all over again (hours spent sorting the cables gone kaput :( ).

I did try another motherboard in the Fractal case - here are the pictures (with and without shield):

SMfZgMc.jpg


be4cT7u.jpg


It is very difficult to tell (sorry for the not so great photos), but it seems the issue does not occur with the alternative model board right?
 
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Nitro192

Nitro192

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Well it may not be convenient but it does look to be the case because its obv not the board itself or it would have done the same thing in the second case. Youve probably done this but id just take a ruler and see to make sure if all the surfaces are flat and theres no bends in any parts of the rim.

Truth be told there has to be something underneath elevating it. It's just seeing what it is and if it can be pushed out of the way or corrected.

Its not holdin itself up there
 
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Number Six

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Thanks for your continued help.

I've not done as you suggested yet, but I have double checked to see if there is any play at all in the mounting of the motherboard tray to the case. There isn't, but I'm wondering if the flex in the tray could have caused the bend during the installation. When I am fitting the screws towards the centre of the tray/motherboard, I notice the middle of the tray does 'dip' down quite a bit (due to the downwards force I am applying with the screwdriver). Does this sound feasible?

If that is what is causing this, then I guess I'd just need to find some way of supporting the tray during installation.

The main problem with returning the case is if the issue is due to the design rather than a fault with my specific sample.
 
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Number Six

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Oct 12, 2013
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Sorry to bump this thread again, but after using another two replacement motherboards of the same model in this case, and having the same issues (despite alternative motherboard models working fine in the case) I was forced to conclude there was something causing an incompatibility with this particular case/mobo combination.

I therefore purchased a different motherboard and have tried that out. It works OK, the ports aren't perfectly lined up but it is still a bit of a tight fit and still some droop in the middle of the board. Here is how it looks:

OsM5K7G.jpg

vq0FLvu.jpg


So the issue is still there, but to a much lesser extent. At the moment, the motherboard is simply resting on the standoffs. It's not 100% level, with just one standoff I need to push the board down by 2-3mm to get it to touch the standoff. Is this sort of thing within tolerances? I don't want to go ahead and tighten down the screws to fix the board and end up bending it again.

I also don't want to go ahead and return the case only to get a replacement with the same issue because it's all still within spec.

It's also worth mentioning that this motherboard and the "bad" ones were all M-ATX boards. The two I tried that had no issues at all were full ATX boards

Any thoughts?
 
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Nitro192

Nitro192

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My guess is in certain cases there's screy holes that are of a different elevation because they're for a different screw config on a different board. One other thing you could do would be to buy 2 sets of standoffs, one normal set and another set that are just a tad longer, say 1mm. and use the heightened standoffs in the part of the board where you get a dip or droop. Then the regular in the parts that are generaly level. It would stop the bending and level the board.

Plus standoffs are quite cheap.
 
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hornedfrog86

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I have had a similar experience with a fractal design XL r2 and a gigabyte board. It fits very poorly with the I/O shield, they different ASUS board would not fit at all with its shield. I have emailed fractal design for help, did you find a solution? Thanks!!
 
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Number Six

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Hey,

Unfortunately I never did manage to find a solution. I tried swapping the Gigabyte board for an Asus one and I get the same issue. My retailer have been useless, initially saying they'd get in touch with Fractal for me and now instead saying that it's a non-issue. Never did get round to contacting Fractal myself. Let us know how you get on! :)
 
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NickV96

NickV96

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I know this awnser is very late, but I'm having this issue with my motherboard since I have my new Corsair Carbide 300R case. I'm starting to think it's indeed the standoffs (they are longer than the ones my Cooler Master case had)
 
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