Thinkpads Forum

The hinges on my W530 began to get very creaky in the past couple weeks. Specifically the right hinge made a loud binding/creaking noise. Luckily, you can tighten/loosen these hinges using a 5.5mm socket wrench (there was a youtube video saying that you needed a 6mm, but this was too big for the hinge nut). All you need to do first is remove the lcd bezel, unscrew the cover hinge screws, and unroute some of the wires around the hinge. Now you should be able to gently flex the corners of the lid just enough to fit the socket wrench. In my case, the right hinge was so tight that it needed almost a 1/4 counter-clockwise turn to get rid of the noise. Make sure to do the same for the other hinge so they are even. The hinges should still keep the lid firmly in place, and mine are about as tight as those on my T43.

EDIT: Apply lubbricant to the hinges first and test, to see if it may not be necessary to loosen the hinges. If the problem persists, then loosen the hinges slightly. If you don't have any lube, petroleum jelly will probably work enough. Whatever you do, do NOT use WD40 because it is not a true lubricant and is a solvent.