Broken Laptop Hinge - Solution

[frase]

I had a client with a laptop where the hinge had come away from the lock nut on the laptop base. The laptop when it opened would raise the edge of the laptop - rendering it useless.

This is always annoying [and common] as one cannot glue the lock nuts back in place. So rather than the client purchase an entire new back for the laptop, I came up with a simple solution.

I dissembled the laptop to have access to the hinge bracket.

Using a drill bit not much bigger than 2mm, Drilled two holes through each bracket inside the laptop - so it went through the laptop base.

Using two 3mm bolts I screwed these through the base and through the hinge brackets, and tightened each bolt in place with needle nose pliers.

Voila - easy fix! [I did advise the client beforehand of course]. Not the best looking solutions but client was very happy with result. I couldn't find any flat ended bolts in my area unfortunately at the time.

Images below -

 

[katz]

Yes, that is a great workaround fix. It gets even more interesting when you need to do it to the lid portion of the hinge.

Good Job!

 

[Moltuae]

Good job!


The base will crack next of course though.

I performed a similar repair on an Acer laptop of my own a few years ago. Then when the case eventually cracked, I kept it going a little longer with metal brackets and glue, until it finally disintegrated rather dramatically one day.

Some laptop hinge mechanisms are just badly designed: Hinges that are too stiff, coupled with insufficiently strong anchor points. I sometimes loosen the hinges a little with a carefully applied drop or two of PTFE based lubricant.

 

[zimtech]

Support Washer?

Nice job Moltuae

Are their some models that are more prone to this type of failure?

 

[ohio_grad_06]

Nice job. Would it be possible to use a screw with flat head you think, maybe a way to put a metal shim under the base so that the base did not crack as easy later? I know I remember once buying copper shims off ebay for a laptop cpu of my own.

 

[coffee]

My fix for this type of problem works pretty much all the time and doesnt change the look or feel of the laptop. In fact, Takes about 1/2 hour to do.

On the case where the screw normally goes in (I call a post) make sure its still basically intact. Take the metal bushing or a replacement bushing and heat it up with a air station or propane torch. Then I usually grip the bushing with a long screw of the same thread size. Then insert it back into the post hole and let it cool.

You want the screw that you use to to hold the bushing to extend all the way to the other side of the bushing. Otherwise you will run the chance of melted plastic getting into the treads.

Thats the best way I fix this kind of problem.

coffee

 

[frase]

Sounds viable coffee, but wont they just displace again as tension on brackets increase via opening. Its a crap design allover every laptop. The companies need to implement carbon fibre on the base and a decent bracket system, where metal screws are set inplace with seats to base. The bushing is a pain in the arse [ is pose that's why they have them ] but its not circumventing fixes.

 

[coffee]

Sounds viable coffee, but wont they just displace again as tension on brackets increase via opening. Its a crap design allover every laptop. The companies need to implement carbon fibre on the base and a decent bracket system, where metal screws are set inplace with seats to base. The bushing is a pain in the arse [ is pose that's why they have them ] but its not circumventing fixes.

I think it all depends on how the original problem came about. If it was from years of opening and closing or perhaps misuse then the fix should last a long time as long as the owner changes their habits. In the case of design errors, I have also spent time rebuilding the plastic that the screw fits into and then using a heavy glue or whatever to "cement" it in for extra strength.

Most of the problems I see with hinges is that the customer will wrench the laptop open putting alot of stress on the hinges or dropping the laptop on its corner.

I guess I have enough bad parts that I could make a video on how to overcome some of these issues. I might look into that if anyone is interested. I have several laptop carcasses that I could break and then fix in different fashions.

coffee

 

[Bootman 650]

I think it all depends on how the original problem came about. If it was from years of opening and closing or perhaps misuse then the fix should last a long time as long as the owner changes their habits. In the case of design errors, I have also spent time rebuilding the plastic that the screw fits into and then using a heavy glue or whatever to "cement" it in for extra strength.

Most of the problems I see with hinges is that the customer will wrench the laptop open putting alot of stress on the hinges or dropping the laptop on its corner.

I guess I have enough bad parts that I could make a video on how to overcome some of these issues. I might look into that if anyone is interested. I have several laptop carcasses that I could break and then fix in different fashions.

coffee

I'd be interested in this if you get the time mate.

 

[frase]

Yea that would be great Coffee, the client in my case dropped it

 

[HFultzjr]

I think it all depends on how the original problem came about. If it was from years of opening and closing or perhaps misuse then the fix should last a long time as long as the owner changes their habits. In the case of design errors, I have also spent time rebuilding the plastic that the screw fits into and then using a heavy glue or whatever to "cement" it in for extra strength.

Most of the problems I see with hinges is that the customer will wrench the laptop open putting alot of stress on the hinges or dropping the laptop on its corner.

I guess I have enough bad parts that I could make a video on how to overcome some of these issues. I might look into that if anyone is interested. I have several laptop carcasses that I could break and then fix in different fashions.

coffee

Videos always appreciated!

Harold

 

[coffee]

I hear the need and therefore:


I have a box of old laptop carcasses. This weekend I will be breaking a hinge in several different ways and repairing them. From this I will post a youtube on it. Iam going to shoot for the video to be done and available by sunday nite at 8PM.

If you have ideas for this video please post them now.

When the video is finished I will post a link so that everyone can find it.

I have been repairing these types of problems for some time now and its actually not as hard as one would think. All it takes is a bit of thinking and using the correct methods and products to get the job done right.

coffee

 

[frase]

where did my post go? anyway, that would be great Coffee. Sounds like a great solution.

 

[RICKIB3]

I had a client with a laptop where the hinge had come away from the lock nut on the laptop base. The laptop when it opened would raise the edge of the laptop - rendering it useless.

This is always annoying [and common] as one cannot glue the lock nuts back in place. So rather than the client purchase an entire new back for the laptop, I came up with a simple solution.

I dissembled the laptop to have access to the hinge bracket.

Using a drill bit not much bigger than 2mm, Drilled two holes through each bracket inside the laptop - so it went through the laptop base.

Using two 3mm bolts I screwed these through the base and through the hinge brackets, and tightened each bolt in place with needle nose pliers.

Voila - easy fix! [I did advise the client beforehand of course]. Not the best looking solutions but client was very happy with result. I couldn't find any flat ended bolts in my area unfortunately at the time.

Images below -

good job on that one! I usually bought the back covers off ebay instead but that seems like a cheaper solution. More towards older less valuable laptops i would say but hats off to you!

 

[cypress]

Is a video for this Up? I have a Lenovo G570 that I bought for my wife. The hinge came off. I googled this issue and come to find it is a defect that has been going on with hundreds with this model and similar models with Lenovo. I wanna fix this issue properly so I can use it as my work laptop as I gave her my other laptop so that she could use.

Seems like a good fix but a video would help. Not really keen on tearing up laptops, but I will do what I can.

 

[NETWizz]

Unless glue on parts that are not supposed to be removable on the inside of the case would fix it,

I would buy a replacement clam-shell chassis bottom; that's how I would fix it!


I would NOT, however, glue removable parts like the motherboard etc or hinge parts that are supposed to be screwed down because someday someone may have to take the laptop apart again.

 

[cypress]

I been following the thread on Lenovo which was 31 pages long. Insane! Most people drilled holes in there liked mentioned previously and some were able to get Lenovo to fix it but not after a lengthy process. I think my best option is to go ahead and drill them in there. I'll probably contact my father on this, he has all his tools and does this for a living so he can get me the right size screws.

 

[Rosco]

this is good for the bae but the real head scratchers are the lids that screw into plastic then the lid. Had some success with jd weld but sometimes it only holds for more than a few months. Any ideas of how to anchor the hinge to the base when all it screws into is plastic?

 

[16k_zx81]

I had a client with a laptop where the hinge had come away from the lock nut on the laptop base. The laptop when it opened would raise the edge of the laptop - rendering it useless.

This is always annoying [and common] as one cannot glue the lock nuts back in place. So rather than the client purchase an entire new back for the laptop, I came up with a simple solution.

I dissembled the laptop to have access to the hinge bracket.

Using a drill bit not much bigger than 2mm, Drilled two holes through each bracket inside the laptop - so it went through the laptop base.

Using two 3mm bolts I screwed these through the base and through the hinge brackets, and tightened each bolt in place with needle nose pliers.

Voila - easy fix! [I did advise the client beforehand of course]. Not the best looking solutions but client was very happy with result. I couldn't find any flat ended bolts in my area unfortunately at the time.

Images below -

Yes we have done this too. A flat plate on the outside will limit chassis cracking. Using thread locking compound on nuts is also a good idea to stop them loosening inside the chassis.