Oh Fate - how cruel ye are (broken hinge)

[Dan K]

John <simplymail at ururk.com> asks:
>Anyone have detailed fix-it-yourself instructions? Do I need to remove 
>the LCD from the case (ie, disconnect the cables?), or can I get away 
>without doing that (just remove the bezel w/out disconnecting the 
>cable)?

There are several sites detailing various hinge replacement experiences 
(just google and ye shall find) but so far I've found nothing that 
describes a professional-level repair.

You don't need to disconnect the cables to replace hinges. The biggest 
obstacles DYI folks face are how to 'crack' open the glued-together 
display without buggering up the bezels, and then how to reassemble it 
all so it doesn't look too horrible when it's done and won't pop apart 
again on you soon afterwards.

I managed to open a display very cleanly using a piece of thin-but-stiff 
plastic, such as is widely used in 'blister-pack' packaging for retail 
items.
------------------------------------------------
quoting myself:
On my latest broken-LCD-acquisition I used a piece of thin stiff plastic 
which I slid around the edges. It popped the bezels off cleanly with 
virtually no damage. The plastic I used came from some sort of 
blister-packed product. I cut up the clear plastic into a strip maybe 2" 
wide x several inches long. The plastic is stiff enough to be slid along 
under the bezel but not so thick it bends up the metal.
------------------------------------------------

Basically, you want to separate the bezel-back/hinges from the 
bezel-front/LCD assembly without bending the heck out of anything. The 
front bezel can remain attached to the LCD if you are only replacing the 
hinges.

I first removed the 4 Torx-6 screws from the sides of the display. Then I 
inserted a corner of my plastic-strip-tool-thingy into the seam at the 
edge and began to work it in and around. The back bezel has a welded-on 
flange which you _don't_ want to separate from the back. So you need to 
work the plastic strip into the edge seam toward the front bezel rather 
than toward the back. Sigh . . .

I realize the above description isn't nearly as useful as would be some 
pictures, I just don't have any just yet. I just acquired _another_ 
broken-LCD but otherwise-good display, and I _will_ be creating a page 
with pics showing it being taken apart and re-assembled.

Anyhow . . . the adhesive used to glue the LCD to the bezel back and 
sides appears to be either silicon or hot-melt. I'll discover which it is 
as soon as I have the time to get back to my TiBook display repairs. I 
think silicon would work OK, but as I haven't tried it yet I can't say 
for sure.

hth (and I apologize if it doesn't)

Dan K

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