I just installed the kit. It's definitely tape for the wires and the rubber is for the houses through the shroud. The thermal pad above power connector isc the long skinny one in the bottom of the shot.

Edit. I just checked my parts and I do not have a small foam piece. My card runs great and the install was a breeze. I didn't use any of the parts in the box either. The original screws work fine..

Tandin420
I just installed the kit. It's definitely tape for the wires and the rubber is for the houses through the shroud. The thermal pad above power connector isc the long skinny one in the bottom of the shot.

Like I told support and several people here already, it's not made of rubber.  It's foam with a sticky back and is way too small to be the rubber piece you're talking about.

Jimbo2112

Tandin420
I just installed the kit. It's definitely tape for the wires and the rubber is for the houses through the shroud. The thermal pad above power connector isc the long skinny one in the bottom of the shot.

Like I told support and several people here already, it's not made of rubber.  It's foam with a sticky back and is way too small to be the rubber piece you're talking about.

Yeah sorry, I looked at your second pic and just edited my original post. Mine didn't have that and install went great..I used all original screws. Only thing out of the box I used was the vram plate, the cold plate, the shroud, the vrm heatsink and then I used original screws and put it together. There is a hybrid teardown video gamersnexus did that will show you how it goes together. It's really easy. 2 screws in the back plate don't go back in so don't panic, they are missing in the photo too, and the midplate also stays off...

I figured it out!
 
I just finished installing my hybrid kit.
 
If you look on the back of the back plate, there are several of these foam "dots". This pad is meant to have the foam dots 'break away' and use as extras in case any of the 'dots' fell off of the back plate. They give extra clearance for the back plate and the back of the video card so it doesn't short it out. They are nothing but spacers, and if they didn't fall off of your backplate (mine didn't), then you are fine.
 
Case closed fellas! We did it.

kriswitak
I figured it out!
 
I just finished installing my hybrid kit.
 
If you look on the back of the back plate, there are several of these foam "dots". This pad is meant to have the foam dots 'break away' and use as extras in case any of the 'dots' fell off of the back plate. They give extra clearance for the back plate and the back of the video card so it doesn't short it out. They are nothing but spacers, and if they didn't fall off of your backplate (mine didn't), then you are fine.
 
Case closed fellas! We did it.

Support doesn't agree.  Here's my last email from them:
 
"It is foam rubber use to help as a spacer to be put near the cooling block in between the tubes as you should be able to see the half moon cut outs on each side. Witch can also be used to guide the wire out as well. This piece is theoretically optional and not vital to the installation."

I think you are stressing out too much about this. Did you watch the gamernexus tear down video?? I've never took a gpu apart and thought the directions were bad and it still took me under half hour to compete. Card never breaks 44c now with 2.134 oc. Been running like a beast now, I did change the fan with 2 noctua fans though. And again I did not have weird foam piece as a part.

Tandin420
I think you are stressing out too much about this. Did you watch the gamernexus tear down video?? I've never took a gpu apart and thought the directions were bad and it still took me under half hour to compete. Card never breaks 44c now with 2.134 oc. Been running like a beast now, I did change the fan with 2 noctua fans though. And again I did not have weird foam piece as a part.

It's not every day I tear apart a nearly $700 video card so yeah, I'm a little tentative about it.  Add to the fact that the instructions are garbage and support can't even give me an answer as to what these parts are.  One told me the tape was thermal pads.

I understand, and felt the same way. The tear down video really help build my confidence. I didn't use that tape either. It's pretty easy once you get into it. Again, not trying to be rude, but did you watch the video??

Again, not trying to be rude, but did you watch the video??

Nope. Does it show how to assemble the hybrid kit because that's what I'm looking for.

It shows a tear down of the gtx ftw 1080 hybrid, which is the same kit on the card pre installed. So you can watch him take all the pieces off that you are going to put on. Not sure how else I can help you buddy. I was very apprehensive myself, but it was way easier than I anticipated. I wish I would have made a video while I did it. If you have any questions I can try and help....