Lay out an ATX cable curve before fixing the comb positions

Fixing a comb in place feels like the finishing touch on a sleeved lead, which is exactly why doing it too early ruins the result. The 24-pin extension is the widest, stiffest piece in the kit, and it needs a deliberate curve chosen before anything gets clamped down around it.

Quick Answer

Route the 24-pin extension into the curve you want first, then slide the combs in to hold it. A comb fitted early locks a shape you have not chosen. Working in that order is what makes four sleeved leads look deliberate behind glass.

🌀 Shape first, hold second

A comb's whole job is to hold the individual strands at a fixed spacing once you are happy with how they sit. Fit one before the route is settled, and every adjustment afterwards fights against a spacing that is already locked in - the comb resists the very curve you are trying to work into the cable. Route the lead loosely into its intended shape first, checking it against the window and the socket it is heading toward, and only then slide the combs on to hold that shape permanently.

🪢 How gentle the curve needs to be

The bend has to stay gentle enough that the strands remain roughly parallel all the way through it. A tight, sharp bend fans the outer strands away from the inner ones, and no comb fitted afterwards will fully undo that - the unevenness gets built in at the bend itself, not fixed at the ends. Because the 24-pin lead is the widest and stiffest of the four pieces in the kit, it asks for the most patience: work the bend in gradually over several small adjustments rather than forcing the whole curve into place in one motion.

📐 Positioning and aligning the combs

Most 24-pin runs suit one comb near each end of the exposed section, with a third added in the middle if the length is enough to sag visibly between the two outer ones. Because the combs are designed to slide freely along the sleeved section, there is no need to get the position exactly right on the first try - settle the overall route, then walk each comb along the cable to wherever the spacing looks most even. Where more than one lead is visible through the window, aligning the combs at a similar height across the different cables is one of the cheapest ways to make the whole set of runs read as planned rather than accidental.

🔧 Fixing an uneven result

If the curve still looks wrong once the combs are on, the fault is almost never the comb itself - it is usually the strand order underneath. Pull the combs off, straighten the individual strands by hand along the entire visible length, and refit. That single step resolves the great majority of cases where a sleeved lead looks bunched or twisted despite the combs being correctly positioned.

🗺️ Planning the curve against the rest of the build

Before shaping anything, look at where the 24-pin run has to travel from its grommet to the socket, and note any obstacle along that path - a fan, a radiator hose, or a shroud edge - that the curve needs to clear. A curve planned around those obstacles from the start avoids the frustrating situation of shaping a nice bend only to discover it presses against a fan blade once the cooler goes back in. Cable solutions is where the rest of this range lives, and a curve that genuinely will not sit right at 30cm is a good reason to check what a made-to-length set from individually sleeved premium cables would cost instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the order of these two steps matter?

A comb holds the strands at a set spacing. Once fitted, adjusting the curve fights against it, so the shape has to be chosen before the comb goes on.

How gentle does the curve need to be?

Gentle enough that the strands stay parallel through the bend. A tight bend fans the outer strands and no comb will fully tidy that.

How many combs suit a 24-pin run?

Usually one near each end of the exposed section, with a third in the middle if the run is long enough to sag between them.

Can the comb be slid after it is on?

Yes, that is the point of leaving it loose at first. Settle the route, then walk each comb to where the spacing looks even.

Does the 24-pin lead resist being shaped?

It is the widest and stiffest piece in the kit, so it needs the most patience. Work the bend in gradually rather than forcing it in one go.

Should the combs line up across different cables?

Aligning them at a similar height reads as deliberate through the window and is one of the cheapest ways to make the run look planned.

What if the curve still looks uneven afterwards?

Pull the combs off, straighten the strands by hand along the whole length, then refit. The fault is nearly always strand order, not the comb.