How to remove T510 base cover assembly?

[UMPC2024]

I'm trying to remove the T510 base cover assembly and am looking at the HMM. I removed all the screws and at steps 4 and 5, where the diagram shows lifting the motherboard and then removing is where I'm having trouble. I can't lift the motherboard out like they're depicting because the VGA port doesn't want to move much relative to its hole.

Any tips on how to remove the base cover assembly? I don't want to keep using force and risk breaking the plastics.

[kfzhu1229]

you might need to wiggle around the VGA port and the left side. it is entirely possible you might have some corrosion on the magnesium frame near there creating excess static friction. I recall it's lifting out the board with the magnesium frame starting on the right side and then slide the left side out

[RealBlackStuff]

Did you remove the 2 hex screws that hold the VGA-port?

[kfzhu1229]

Did you remove the 2 hex screws that hold the VGA-port?

I thought you only remove that AFTER you have taken out the bottom plastics? It's almost impossible to do so before because you don't have enough room for anything to grip onto the hex screws

[RealBlackStuff]

A pair of long nose pliers is perfect for those.

[UMPC2024]

Okay, I think the key here was the hex screws on the VGA port. It's funny because the HMM doesn't list those as items to remove before removing 1180 Base Cover Assembly.

It makes sense though because I had triple checked that I removed all the screws mounting the motherboard to the base board assembly, slept for two well-rested nights and still couldn't manage to move the motherboard up at an angle to remove it as if there were other sets of screws holding it back. The T510's hex screws are apparently just long enough to prevent significant movement.

Thanks to both of you for your help.

[kfzhu1229]

Okay, I think the key here was the hex screws on the VGA port. It's funny because the HMM doesn't list those as items to remove before removing 1180 Base Cover Assembly.

It makes sense though because I had triple checked that I removed all the screws mounting the motherboard to the base board assembly, slept for two well-rested nights and still couldn't manage to move the motherboard up at an angle to remove it as if there were other sets of screws holding it back. The T510's hex screws are apparently just long enough to prevent significant movement.

Thanks to both of you for your help.

Hmm that's kinda strange to me though as when I removed the motherboard from the T520 bottom plastics I didn't have to do that, and in the case of T530 you can't even do that at all since the plastics only have the screw hole cutout instead of exposing the entire bolt, and I have checked that the T520 bottom plastic removal process is exactly the same as the T510.
Or are the bottom covers for T510 and T520 different in any significant way? I know T530 is different

[UMPC2024]

Hmm that's kinda strange to me though as when I removed the motherboard from the T520 bottom plastics I didn't have to do that, and in the case of T530 you can't even do that at all since the plastics only have the screw hole cutout instead of exposing the entire bolt, and I have checked that the T520 bottom plastic removal process is exactly the same as the T510.
Or are the bottom covers for T510 and T520 different in any significant way? I know T530 is different

The T510 is my only 15" series ThinkPad, so I can't say definitively. I do own T410, T420, and T430, so if the T520 holes are anything like the T420 holes, then there seems to be a little more room to work with there, which could make all the difference. The T410 and T510 (at least mine anyways) both have the hex nuts pretty snug around the plastic.