remove remote
red ring can be on very tight. while looking straight on (with fan lying down, bracing the joint between base and fan), hit one of the left fins down (ccw) with a screwdriver. channel-locks also work great.
note that all screws are self-tapping in plastic. the holes will strip easily. be careful.
7 torx t20 screws hold the rear panel on, along with 5 pry points along each side. the rear panel's seam goes under the front panel. so pry accordingly. pull the back panel off by pulling up at the bottom, and hinge the panel off around the top (two clips hold it to the top panel)
once open, there are two main issues with the design. <note that the motor can also be opened, and the bearings replaced, but i've not needed to do that yet with mine. update if i do>
blow dust out now
relube top holder (main ticking cause. one of my units came from the factory with no lubricant, and the other had a ton of dust in it. ) remove two philips #2 screws hold it in place. remove, and pull off axle. wipe grease off axle. remove rubber from plastic holder by prying the three clips (lightly) and pulling off the top plastic cap as shown. push out the rubber mount. remove any grease/dirt using warm water and a q-tip. dry the rubber mount after cleaning, reinsert into the plastic bracket and clip the cap on. add lubricant (super lube seems to work great) into the hole on the mount. add a reasonable quantity, excess will come out the small hole on the bulb when the axle is reinserted. re-install the mount into the fan, hold a rag over the hole on the bulb of the rubber so excess lubricant doesn't squirt into the top of the fan case while reinserting the axle. reinstall the two #2 screws.
make sure the two #2 screws holding the top panel are tight. tape the wires in the top to the edge of the case. tape the wires in the bottom below the motor to the side of the capacitor (grey rectangle).
done! to reassemble, install the rear panel by locating the top snaps, and hinging to the bottom. make sure that all the t20 screws are removed and not poking out, as this will stop the panel from locating. reinstall the t20 screws. reinstall the base, noting that it needs to be aligned with the fan, and tighten the red ring (thread the cord through it before installing!).