t60 hinge loose

[garysblim]

Hi:

Just bought a used t60 online. Everything seems fine but the hinge has a little bit of play in it. Is there a way to tighten it? Or is there a manual / site that tells me how to replace them? Strange, all my other thinkpad (even the t23) doesn't have this issue.

Thanks,

Gary

[Peak2Peak]

Or is there a manual / site that tells me how to replace them?

T60/p Hardware Maintenance Manual

[garysblim]

Thanks so much. need to take a look at it now. i hope the job isn't too big.

[Troels]

Hi,
Congrats on the T60. Put your index finger where the left hinge joins the base, but do it from behind the lcd. While the index finger is positioned and opening and closing the top lid with the other hand - do you feel that the hinge moves slightly in comparison to the base?

If yes the hinges needs to be tightened. In my opinion the scews for mounting the hinges are a little bit too short to keep the hinges properly secured to the base - mine atleast were not even coated with loctite or anything similar to prevent it from loosening over time.

If the hinges don't move in comparison to the base, the hinges need to be replaced... About $18 for a pair i think (over here - should be similarly priced in the US).

The hardware maintenance manual will tell you what to do in order to get to the hinges:
http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc ... 844_04.pdf - PDF page 92 should be fine, since when you remove the keyboard bezel, you'd also have access to where the hinges are fixed to the magnesium frame.

[dr_st]

When you say hinge has some play - what do you mean?

That you can wobble the screen a bit back and forth? If so, then it may be normal and not worth replacing the hinges for, as long as the screen does not move on its own. It is hard to determine without seeing/feeling what is normal and what isn't. How much can you wobble the screen (in inches/centimeters)?

Or do you mean that the hinge itself moves relative to the base, as Troels said? If so, tightening the screws may help. I was also told, that the left hinge moving relative to the base may be the sign of a broken internal frame (it has a thin part above the VGA port on the left, which I understood can fracture if the machine is dropped).

[garysblim]

Thank you all for the replies. There are about an inch of play when it's opened. And yes, it can wobble back and forth about an inch. Is this normal? For my other thinkpads, they don't do that so I'm just not used to it. But fortunately, the hinges don't move relative to the base so hopefully the frame isn't fractured.

Thanks,

gary

[dr_st]

An inch is more than I would expect normal. It is possible that replacing the hinges may be desirable. With that said, I would only advise it if it actually bothers you, since I don't believe that the hinge play has any real negative effects on the structural integrity of the machine.

[garysblim]

Thanks for the reply. I'll give that a try and reply back if it resolves it. Any hint or care I should be aware of? I've swapped my t43 screen before but not taken apart the LCD before.

[dzuo]

The hinge has to be replaced only!!!! It is not a simple work indeed.

The hinge of T60 is better then its on the T61 serials.

[BillMorrow]

well, i scored an USXGA+ (can i make it up as i go along? ) T61 for $300~ from this crop of off lease T60 series thinkpads now on ebay..

and it too has the floppy hinge syndrome (another acronym i just made up) which allows the top to flop about 1 inch measured at the top of the display..

since it has warranty until nov 3, 2010 i suppose i can send it into easy serve but i am reluctant to do so since this T61 looks to be unused and its just so d*a*m*n nice i don't want to risk it..

i agree this top-flop is not a serious concern but now what..?

will it get worse..? or not..?
its really a dumb problem for such a neat thinkpad..

[Harryc]

Bill on that T61 there's (2) screws on the bottom and (2) more inside the machine that hold down the LCD hinges. Go through the maint. manual and tighten those. You'll have to remove the keyboard, palm rest, and keyboard bezel to get at the ones inside. Move the LCD while it is apart and make sure that nothing else is broken. Sometimes part of the cage cracks on the left side, and that is another repair altogether. If everything looks good and the screws are tight, and the play is still there you'll need to replace the hinges to fix it. There is no adjustment. It's not a 'fun' repair because you have to take the LCD completely apart in addition to removing it. To answer your other question, it is not a good idea to let this go because the stress to the cage and structural components around the loose hinge/s could lead to cracking those same components...or not. It's a crap shoot. I suppose the degree of concern over repairing it would be less if the machine is always docked. If you're constantly opening and closing the LCD lid...then that's another degree of concern.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 67980.html

[BillMorrow]

thanks harry..

i already checked and its internal..

but it IS still under warranty..

aside from the hinges this thing looks mostly unused..

[sjh953]

I've been following this thread since I have a T60p which I purchased from IBM in March. It's still under their 3-month warranty, and it exhibits the loose hinge issue.

I just got off the phone with IBM, after calling 800-334-9693, the number listed at the bottom of the "Extended Warranty Option (EWO)" sheet that came with the machine.

Other than the wobbly screen, my machine is perfect. I was expecting that when I called IBM, I would be able to send the computer in, have them replace the hinge, and send it all back to me.

That's not what I was told. Instead, the woman said there were no repair options. My only choice was to return the computer - and that they would then REPLACE it with another computer. I asked the same question several different ways, and each was told that IBM does not repair; replace is my ONLY choice. Period.

Is this what other people have found when wanting to send in an IBM-purchased machine for warranty service? I was under the impression that I would be sent a box, which I would then use to send it back to IBM, and then receive MY MACHINE back within a week or so. Am I wrong, or is that simply not an option when buying via the IBM Certified Used program?

[Harryc]

Am I wrong, or is that simply not an option when buying via the IBM Certified Used program?

Correct, replacement is the only option under that program.

[BillMorrow]

hmmm...

maybe i'll call and see what the options are for this T61..
they could not possibly use that replacement rather than repair option since this is still under factory warranty..
and the T60 mentioned above is mopst likely an off lease thinkpad..