Acer Nitro 5 AN515-53 Stripped heatsink screw

ShangWang

The laptop I got had overtightened screws, I had no choice but to yank it out because there was just no other way. Where would I find replacement screws for my model Acer Nitro 5 AN515-53?

​//Edited the content to add model name.   ​

JackE

Google search the ACER part nos listed. You usually pay a lot more by individual part nos. These type of lists for the AN515 aspire nitro series appear in manuals library. Simply google AN515 service manual.

JackE

You can tell if the screw bottoms out if the head doesn't mate with the heat sink surface. If you have the stripped screw, you can readily compare it to the proper length replacement screw in the screw kit.

Don't try to use the stripped screw at an angle or you risk damaging the threads in the corresponding embedded mainboard nut. If that happens then you must then use a small sheet metal screw from a local hardware store to cut new sheet metal threads in the nut.

 

Right click and copy the image below for ALL the screws that are used in this machine for your records.

JackE

The M3x3 size. You have 50 of them.

JackE

The easiest and cheapest way is order a laptop screw kit for less than $10 which contains hundreds of different size screws that are commonly used inside and outside all laptops. Google search 'laptop screw kit' for vendors who ship to your location

ShangWang

JackE said:

The easiest and cheapest way is order a laptop screw kit for less than $10 which contains hundreds of different size screws that are commonly used inside and outside all laptops. Google search 'laptop screw kit' for vendors who ship to your location

Thanks, I'm from Canada. I believe they are the M2*4 screws but all the ones are not stainless steel like the ones shown here: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

The ones shown in the picture which are black seem to be called "Carbon steel," are they any different from the ones shown in my picture or does it not matter? Why are my external screws black while the ones for my heatsink are not coloured?

JackE

Doesn't  matter if they're stainless alloy or black oxide coated or chrome plated. What's important is the size. If you want stainless alloy or chrome plate, just google laptop screwkit stainless steel or alloy or chrome.  Usually about twice the price of black oxide $10-20usd. Production screw materials and colors can vary even for  the identical models depending on what's in the production parts bins when the machines are assembled.

ShangWang

JackE said:

Doesn't  matter if they're stainless alloy or black oxide coated or chrome plated. What's important is the size. If you want stainless alloy or chrome plate, just google laptop screwkit stainless steel or alloy or chrome.  Usually about twice the price of black oxide $10-20usd. Production screw materials and colors can vary even for  the identical models depending on what's in the production parts bins when the machines are assembled.

Thanks, do you know particularly why they decide to use different materials for different parts of the laptop in that case?

Just so I could know where to find all the screw sizes/material of my laptop, how would I find out?

JackE

Materials use during production are related availability & costs. Some stainless parts are easier to get than chrome. Sometimes chrome easier than stainless. Sometimes black oxide easier than chrome or stainless. Screw sizes are most important not material. Here's a list of all screw sizes found inside and outside your model. Colors and materials may differ from what you see in this list.

 

ShangWang

JackE said:

Materials use during production are related availability & costs. Some stainless parts are easier to get than chrome. Sometimes chrome easier than stainless. Sometimes black oxide easier than chrome or stainless. Screw sizes are most important not material. Here's a list of all screw sizes found inside and outside your model. Colors and materials may differ from what you see in this list.

 

Thank you! Do you think you could direct me to the source you found this or is that confidental?

JackE

Google search the ACER part nos listed. You usually pay a lot more by individual part nos. These type of lists for the AN515 aspire nitro series appear in manuals library. Simply google AN515 service manual.

ShangWang

JackE said:

Google search the ACER part nos listed. You usually pay a lot more by individual part nos. These type of lists for the AN515 aspire nitro series appear in manuals library. Simply google AN515 service manual.

Sorry I tried looking for them under the user manual for my model and I can't find anywhere where it indicates what screws are used. Can you refer me to the site? Does it indicate where the screws are used, and if not do you think you could help me identify which screw is likely the one for my heatsink?

JackE

Sorry, where each type of screw goes is not listed in the  new service manuals. In the old manuals, the number of each type of screw was listed so you could get an idea of which screw went where. For example, if there were 17 screws listed, it was probably a case type screw. The only guidance I can give you is a new screw should be compared with the stripped screw and should not require much force to turn the screw and not be too long that it bottoms out before securing the heat sink in a resonably snug way to the cpu, not overly tight. If you actually stripped the old screw, way too much force was being used. With proper thermal paste like Kryonaut or ArcticMX4 between the heat sink and cpu, the heat sink should be just snug, not tight. 

ShangWang

JackE said:

Sorry, where each type of screw goes is not listed in the  new service manuals. In the old manuals, the number of each type of screw was listed so you could get an idea of which screw went where. For example, if there were 17 screws listed, it was probably a case type screw. The only guidance I can give you is a new screw should be compared with the stripped screw and should not require much force to turn the screw and not be too long that it bottoms out before securing the heat sink in a resonably snug way to the cpu, not overly tight. If you actually stripped the old screw, way too much force was being used. With proper thermal paste like Kryonaut or ArcticMX4 between the heat sink and cpu, the heat sink should be just snug, not tight. 

Thank you, it's not that I tightened my screw with too much force, it required that much force to get out because it was overtightened already.
No problem, then I appreciate the help.

Could you at least link me to where you found the image so I can quickly copy and paste the names/look for more info?

Also how would you know if a screw bottoms out? Would it just look like it hasn't moved all the way down before not being able to be turned further? What damage could happen if they bottom out, and if they did would it still work to secure the heatsink or no?

StevenGen

ShangWang said:

The laptop I got had overtightened screws, I had no choice but to yank it out because there was just no other way. Where would I find replacement screws for my model Acer Nitro 5 AN515-53?

​//Edited the content to add model name.   ​

The thermal module for the AN515-53 has and is mounted with 7 screws that their specs are as the captions below states. But and if you have stripped the mainboards securing pins thread for the thermal module, then the stripped thread won’t allow you to put an OEM replacement screw into that thread, you will need to rethread the mainboard bracket (see caption) with a larger thread and put a different and appropriate screw to secure that mounting point. Be aware that this is a delicate job and needs to be done expertly and if done incorrectly, you could split/break the motherboard and its intricate circuitries around the thermal modules mounting point.

ShangWang

StevenGen said:

ShangWang said:

The laptop I got had overtightened screws, I had no choice but to yank it out because there was just no other way. Where would I find replacement screws for my model Acer Nitro 5 AN515-53?

​//Edited the content to add model name.   ​

The thermal module for the AN515-53 has and is mounted with 7 screws that their specs are as the captions below states. But and if you have stripped the mainboards securing pins thread for the thermal module, then the stripped thread won’t allow you to put an OEM replacement screw into that thread, you will need to rethread the mainboard bracket (see caption) with a larger thread and put a different and appropriate screw to secure that mounting point. Be aware that this is a delicate job and needs to be done expertly and if done incorrectly, you could split/break the motherboard and its intricate circuitries around the thermal modules mounting point.

Thank you for the info, I don't think the threads are entirely stripped so it should be hopefully fine. Just wondering could you link me to the page where you found the screw types? I saw it on another post on this forum but no link was provided.

Additionally can be there be any damage from pushing down on a screw too hard other than a possibly stripped thread? Can it damage the motherboard itself?

What I'm doing right now is pushing my screw driver on the stripped head at an angle in order to have some kind of torque when removing/tightening it.

JackE

You can tell if the screw bottoms out if the head doesn't mate with the heat sink surface. If you have the stripped screw, you can readily compare it to the proper length replacement screw in the screw kit.

Don't try to use the stripped screw at an angle or you risk damaging the threads in the corresponding embedded mainboard nut. If that happens then you must then use a small sheet metal screw from a local hardware store to cut new sheet metal threads in the nut.

 

Right click and copy the image below for ALL the screws that are used in this machine for your records.

ShangWang

JackE said:

You can tell if the screw bottoms out if the head doesn't mate with the heat sink surface. If you have the stripped screw, you can readily compare it to the proper length replacement screw in the screw kit.

Don't try to use the stripped screw at an angle or you risk damaging the threads in the corresponding embedded mainboard nut. If that happens then you must then use a small sheet metal screw from a local hardware store to cut new sheet metal threads in the nut.

 

Right click and copy the image below for ALL the screws that are used in this machine for your records.

I see, thank you. Although why can't you just link me to the website? I'd simply like to see anything else that's on there myself.

StevenGen

ShangWang said:

JackE said:

You can tell if the screw bottoms out if the head doesn't mate with the heat sink surface. If you have the stripped screw, you can readily compare it to the proper length replacement screw in the screw kit.

Don't try to use the stripped screw at an angle or you risk damaging the threads in the corresponding embedded mainboard nut. If that happens then you must then use a small sheet metal screw from a local hardware store to cut new sheet metal threads in the nut.

 

Right click and copy the image below for ALL the screws that are used in this machine for your records.

I see, thank you. Although why can't you just link me to the website? I'd simply like to see anything else that's on there myself.

ShangWang the tech info that we all provided you is only available to certain members on this forum, we can’t link you to any of these SG's, you don't need any other links to the SG to fix your problem. Hope you understand, cheers and hope this all helps you out!

ShangWang

StevenGen said:

ShangWang said:

JackE said:

You can tell if the screw bottoms out if the head doesn't mate with the heat sink surface. If you have the stripped screw, you can readily compare it to the proper length replacement screw in the screw kit.

Don't try to use the stripped screw at an angle or you risk damaging the threads in the corresponding embedded mainboard nut. If that happens then you must then use a small sheet metal screw from a local hardware store to cut new sheet metal threads in the nut.

 

Right click and copy the image below for ALL the screws that are used in this machine for your records.

I see, thank you. Although why can't you just link me to the website? I'd simply like to see anything else that's on there myself.

ShangWang the tech info that we all provided you is only available to certain members on this forum, we can’t link you to any of these SG's, you don't need any other links to the SG to fix your problem. Hope you understand, cheers and hope this all helps you out!

I understand, no problem! Just curious what does "SG" mean?

ShangWang

JackE said:

You can tell if the screw bottoms out if the head doesn't mate with the heat sink surface. If you have the stripped screw, you can readily compare it to the proper length replacement screw in the screw kit.

Don't try to use the stripped screw at an angle or you risk damaging the threads in the corresponding embedded mainboard nut. If that happens then you must then use a small sheet metal screw from a local hardware store to cut new sheet metal threads in the nut.

 

Right click and copy the image below for ALL the screws that are used in this machine for your records.

Hi again, I was wondering if you also might know what screw exactly fits the one that is used to fasten the SATA hard drive. I haven't exactly seen what it looks like exactly, but do you know if screws fasten to the hole I circled with a question mark? Is that not for screws to go in and are they different from the other ones I circled or are they all the same?

Out of the screws I bought from a box to get the heatsink screws, I was wondering if you knew whether or not I might have one for the drive:
M2x3 50pcs 
M2x4 50pcs 
M2x5 50pcs 
M2x6 50pcs 
M2.5x3.5 50pcs 
M2.5x4 50pcs 
M2.5x5 50pcs 
M2.5x6 50pcs 
M2.5x8 50pcs 
M3x3 50pcs 
Thank you!

JackE

M3 size is common for 2.5" HDDs/SSDs.

ShangWang

JackE said:

M3 size is common for 2.5" HDDs/SSDs.

Thank you, can you point out which one exactly that would be from the box I have/the one from the list you gave?

JackE

The M3x3 size. You have 50 of them.