9800 cards and shim

[zool]

Hey guys,

Just got my new gear like 2 days ago and when I was removing the heatsink on my 9800pro card I notices that it had the "dreaded" shim . I guess all radeon cards(9700 and above) have a shim? I've heard that this was a problem on R300 based cards (9700 cards)... Did some searches on the net and I haven't found any article that says that you "have" to remove the shim on r350 based cards.

I think it was dwadler that told me that the shims were flawed by the design on r300 based cards.. Because they forgot that the gloo raised the shim a bit, preventing contact between heatsink and core.

Another thing I noticed on the stock heatsink from the 9800pro card I received is that it has a area in the middle where the aluminum is stepped down.. A little square area that pops up from the rest of the heatsink.. Giving better contact with the core I believe. However my waterblock does not have this area, it is completely flat.

I'm not sure if I will have to remove the shim or not... due to that I have switched the heatsink with a cooling block that is not really intended to cool radeon cards with shim.. As I said before it's the bottom of the block is completely flat.

I really would rather leave the shim be since I've heard so many "horror" stories on ppl damaging the core or parts of the card trying to pry it off. Although I found a site with some pretty good tips and detailed description on how to do this.. But once again, this is someone removing the shim on a r300 based card. I hope that someone will give me a definite response telling me that this design flaw has been fixed on the newer r350 based cards and that even a cooler with a flat bottom will have good contact with the core.. But seeing the bottom of the stock heatsink gives me doubts that it is the shim that has been fixed.. It seems as ATi has just redesigned their heatsinks to solve the problem of the already flawed shim.

 

[Doobz]

i'll tell ya, when i got my vantec iceberg 4 and was installing it on my 9800 Pro, i did find it necessary to remove the shim

the best way i found to do it is with a good modelling knife, just work it under a corner (a corner without the gold inlay) and move it back and forth kinda like a saw until you get it under a little, then just twist and try to life it off, once you have a corner raised, it's very easy to just pull it off

 

[dawdler]

I beleive the never cards dont have this problem with the shim being to high. But I also think remember reading its often best to remove it anyway, as it gives the best contact with the core... But I dont know.

I suggest to go to rage3d.com and ask on the forum... There are hundreds of people who have done this (or thousands) that come there to show off, some might answer

Sidenote: dwadler, ARGH!!!!!! *me bites a cd disc apart*

 

[zool]

shim gone

Ok, I couldn't resist.. I removed it. It was actually fairly easy and the best tip I got from reading of ppl who have done it is.. Be patient! for god sake don't be stressed while doing this. I was at first thinking about all the bad stuff I've read and I think I might have been pretty close on scratching the core in my first attempt. I started off with the upper left corner and the glue was rock f*cking solid there.. I try to use a sawing method, but when I realized I was starting on sawing in to the card it self I stopped and thought about giving up.. But then I thought I might try another corner and so I had a go at the bottom left corner and I immediately felt the difference, the knife I was using got under the shim without any struggle and I could bend it up a little bit. I decided that I wanted to use the knife for as little bending and cutting/sawing as possible, so when I got the bottom right corner up just a little bit I used my fingers to do the rest. Once you get one corner going it comes off real easy.

I used a really thin and sharp blade, a paper cutting knife.

Getting the shim off was the easy part though.. reattaching the card to my waterblock when still attached to the tubes in my water cooling system was a battle! :cheese: But that's another story .

Anyway, my advice for anyone who's thinking of doing this is to take your time, be calm, don't use too much force at once and try different corners. Although I'm not sure if this is needed on newer 9800 cards.. Judging by my eye-measurement and the amount of cooling paste that was on my block when I removed it, I really don't think there was a gap on my card.

If someone still wants to do it.. Good luck! :cheers:

 

[nsxownzme]

DO NOT REMOVE THE SHIM ON THE R350.

edit: oh well, too late.
well, if I had a waterblock i would too, as long as you're not attaching a huge heatsink like the zalman and the giant II. the sjhim actually helps it keep the heatsink in the right angle. i made the mistake of taking the shim off on my first 9800 pro.

 

[zool]

Originally posted by nsxownzme
DO NOT REMOVE THE SHIM ON THE R350.

Why the hell not?

 

[nsxownzme]

btw, let me know your highest core/memory clocks

 

[Doobz]

there's no reason not to, i don't know why he said not too, i've removed mine and been running FINE for quite a while

 

[nsxownzme]

Originally posted by nsxownzme
the sjhim actually helps it keep the heatsink in the right angle.