Hard drive magnet stuck to aluminum arm

I'll be using a 80mm fan, and i've heard of some peoples magnets being too strong and preventing the dc motor from spinning. They then put it on a washer or something like that.

But as it is there is what looks to be an aluminum arm its attatched to already should i try to remove the magnet from the arm? or would it just be better/easier to put it as is with the extra weight of the arm?

Yes, the magnet will come off the arm. Most of them are glued on...get a flat head screw driver and something to hit it with...put the flathead screwdriver up against the side of the magnet and chisel away at the bottom where it meets the arm with a few good hits it should pop off and break the glue bond.

And yes, you need the magnet off the arm. It would be impossible to balance otherwise. I dont think you need to put them on a washer if its a harddrive magnet...some people are using much stronger rare earth magnets. Mine works fine without any modification

ok, hmm and its a laptop hard drive not sure if that makes any difference?

Just get two pair of vice grips, clamp them onto the end of the arm on either side of the magnet and bend away from the magnet. The aluminum is pretty soft and does not take that much force to pop the glue holding the magnet to the arm loose.