CPU support plate question

[JaredM83]

I recently picked up a zalman 9900 procesor cooler. My question is about the back plate. I have an antec 902 case and its got a fairly deep gap right behind where the CPU is and the back plate does not touch the case wall. I thought the way the back support worked was it filled in the gap between the case and the motherboard am I wrong? I would like to know before putting the computer together thanks in advance

 

[saaiello]

The back plate is just for to hold the cooler on the motherboard.

 

[JaredM83]

I know it does more than that. It was designed to help take strain off the board.

 

[saaiello]

LOL ok well thats what its for it takes the strain by spreading across the CPU socket instead of just useing pins its not meant to actually touch the tray but OK i guess you know have a good day.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

The back plate does not fill the gap between the motherboard and the case wall. When installed there should still be a little bit of open space between the back plate and the motherboard tray. Some motherboard trays have a opening so you can install a new heatsink without having to remove the motherboard.

To put it another way, the backplate is thinner than the space between the motherboard and the motherboard tray.