Loose T470S lid

[bfdfix]

Hi I've just bought a used T470S today and it's in overall great condition, except I've noticed at both sides where the lid attaches to the hinges, it's loose....

It's hard to take a photo, but basically if I don't try and open close the lid, but just move it in place, you can see and feel movement on the lid/hinge part, where the hinges attach to the actual laptop are fine.

I'd like to find out how easy a fix this is because I go back to the seller for a discount or to return it

Thanks!

[BillMorrow]

hello and welcome to the forum..
Castelo Branco, Portugal..! appears to be a nice town!, i looked at it with google maps..
for your issue with that used thinkpad, if it were me i would go back to whoever sold it to you and ask why they did not disclose that hinge issue and either get a discount/partial refund or return it..
all depending who sold it to you..

[bfdfix]

Hi thanks for the reply!

Yes Castelo Branco is a nice city, we live quite abit outside it in the middle of nowhere, it's very quiet!

Yes I have no problem going back to them for a discount etc, it's from a Thinkpad reseller on ebay, their rating is generally very good and other small faults (cosmetic) were mentioned and are honest, but I find it hard to believe they couldn't see the hinge fault it's obvious...

The issue is how it can be fixed, and how expensive it is... If it's an easy fix and I can do it myself I could do that, otherwise it won't really be worth the hassle of getting it repaired when I live in a very rural area, it will have to be returned, and thankfully through ebay it should be at the sellers expense.

Do you know on this model how the lid is fixed to the hinges, to how they can be tightened?

Thanks!

[sktn77a]

Invariably a hinge issue. The plastic hinge attachment could have broken, the hinge itself could have loosened, or the long arm of the hinge inside the top could have broken. Only way to find out is to remove the top of the thinkpad (keypad and palmrest/surround) and the LCD surround.

[BillMorrow]

Yes Castelo Branco is a nice city, we live quite abit outside it in the middle of nowhere, it's very quiet!

Yes I have no problem going back to them for a discount etc, it's from a Thinkpad reseller on ebay, their rating is generally very good and other small faults (cosmetic) were mentioned and are honest, but I find it hard to believe they couldn't see the hinge fault it's obvious...

Do you know on this model how the lid is fixed to the hinges, to how they can be tightened?

Thanks!

i saw many roundabouts.. and mountains.. nice to be out of the flow of trouble from other places..

i WOULD go back to the seller right away.. in the old 701/755 days a broken hinge would only get worse..

from looking at my X1 extremes and the X1 gen 3 the hinges are, at last, very robust.. it was a long time coming to achieve the right amount of friction to hold the top in position and a strong attachment point..
in spite of my maintaining this forum and support site for thinkpads 'they' don't give me or send for perusal and return thereafter anything at all so viewing your particular thinkpad has never happened unless i buy it and play for a time to learn it..

SO, notify the seller soonest, so as to retain your ability to return for replacement..
meanwhile check to see if we have the hardware maintenance manual available.. click HMM above..

[bfdfix]

Invariably a hinge issue. The plastic hinge attachment could have broken, the hinge itself could have loosened, or the long arm of the hinge inside the top could have broken. Only way to find out is to remove the top of the thinkpad (keypad and palmrest/surround) and the LCD surround.

Thanks for the reply, on the actual laptop side of things everything is tight, I was hoping it'd probably only need looking at from the lid side? See the photo on the below link from a non "s" model...

[bfdfix]

Yes Castelo Branco is a nice city, we live quite abit outside it in the middle of nowhere, it's very quiet!

Yes I have no problem going back to them for a discount etc, it's from a Thinkpad reseller on ebay, their rating is generally very good and other small faults (cosmetic) were mentioned and are honest, but I find it hard to believe they couldn't see the hinge fault it's obvious...

Do you know on this model how the lid is fixed to the hinges, to how they can be tightened?

Thanks!

i saw many roundabouts.. and mountains.. nice to be out of the flow of trouble from other places..

i WOULD go back to the seller right away.. in the old 701/755 days a broken hinge would only get worse..

from looking at my X1 extremes and the X1 gen 3 the hinges are, at last, very robust.. it was a long time coming to achieve the right amount of friction to hold the top in position and a strong attachment point..
in spite of my maintaining this forum and support site for thinkpads 'they' don't give me or send for perusal and return thereafter anything at all so viewing your particular thinkpad has never happened unless i buy it and play for a time to learn it..

SO, notify the seller soonest, so as to retain your ability to return for replacement..
meanwhile check to see if we have the hardware maintenance manual available.. click HMM above..

Ah so you've been to Castelo Branco then! Yes plenty of roundabouts, and lovely scenery around

I'm hoping with the looseness it will only be loose screws, especially by the link below on the non "s" model... But of course there are no guarantees until the bezel is removed!

I've already spoken with the seller, who has been happy to respond, but not with the right answer... Apparently it's completely normal for a used laptop, and not a fault! I can return it if I want, at my cost... (Portugal to Germany). This will of course not be happening, and I will go through ebay to return it at the seller's cost. It's very disappointing to be honest, they're a big thankpad seller on ebay, and I hoped for better.

I was looking at the X1 Yoga but didn't like the lack of RAM, especially when I have a spare 16gb stick here to pop in a laptop after my Toshiba laptop fell apart for the final time (I will never buy another Toshiba laptop ) I don't believe newer X1 carbons have touch screen which I need as I have bad hands and struggle to type.

https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comme ... _to_hinge/

[RealBlackStuff]

If you can look at those screws inside your T470s and they are also just loose, then follow the advice to get some medium-strength Loctite Blue (242).
HMM Manual and partslist here: viewtopic.php?p=821902#p821902

[bfdfix]

Thanks yes I already have some locktite, I'll take a look and see