Hinges (or may be bezel) issue! CB515-1HT-P39B

SBSB

Chromebook model: CB515-1HT-P39B

Hi, my kid is using this chromebook but like you can see in picture, its black color part is getting cracked slowly slowly. I am not sure which part it is so that I can order it. Without knowing it, various technicians are giving different range quote. Please check the image and suggest. It is out of warranty now. Costco asked to contact Acer directly.

Thread was edited to add model name to the title

Thank You.

billsey

Yes, either of those should work, the JB Weld will give you a bit more time to work with it than the Loctite, since it's a 15 minute epoxy instead of the 5 minute. On the other hand you'll have to wait longer between steps. The number of minutes is the average time you will have to get everything placed right so that things will be hardening in a stable environment. I believe what you will want to do is fill in the old screw holes and build up some area around them to provide support to the screws when you replace them. Wait until the glue is pliable but not completely hard or liquid, and place the hinges in as they should be. That will flatten out the top surface of the mounts for the screws. At that point you can either carefully tighten the screws down, just until flush without any torque then wait for the glue to fully set. When fully set you should still be able to remove the screws and remove the hinge without disturbing the mounts. The other choice will be to wait until things are fully set with the screws out, then drill little holes to give the shaft you can put the screws in. You might also think about putting a little piece of food wrap between the hinge surface and the glue to make sure the hinge doesn't get glued into place.

All that is moot if you decide to just replace the case half, since the replacement will have the screw mounts in good shape already, but that piece is fairly spendy...

Erick-Acer_Retired

Hi @SBSB

Damage has not cover under the warranty 

SBSB

Acer-Erick said:

Hi @SBSB

Damage has not cover under the warranty 

I am sorry but I am not getting you. Manufacturer and Costco warranty is over now. So now I want to know which exact part need to fixed and to whom I should approach for it.

billsey

The easiest (not to say easy, just easier) method is to pull it apart and rebuild the screw mounts that hold the hinge to the case using something like epoxy or JB-Weld. As the new notebooks try to get thinner and thinner there's less and less plastic for those screws to seat in, which means they're more likely to pull loose. Opening carefully from the center of the screen will help it, but once they crack the only real option is repair or replacement of the case half.

SBSB

billsey said:

The easiest (not to say easy, just easier) method is to pull it apart and rebuild the screw mounts that hold the hinge to the case using something like epoxy or JB-Weld. As the new notebooks try to get thinner and thinner there's less and less plastic for those screws to seat in, which means they're more likely to pull loose. Opening carefully from the center of the screen will help it, but once they crack the only real option is repair or replacement of the case half.

I tried to open from back but couldn't do anything after pulling out all bottom case screws. Do you have any idea how to open it? Also, chromebook was not getting switched-on while pulling the flap so was scared if it can give electric shock.

billsey

Once you have the eleven screws out you can use something like an old credit card to pry between the case halves. Start in the gap between the hinge and cover, then near the second hinge and it should come off.

SBSB

So finally I removed the panel when UBreakIFix also refused to fix it. But it is hinges issue attached to back panel that is broken (see the highlighted part) than what they suspected even changing bottom (keyboard one) panel!!!
Anyways, I was not able to look for the part using the two white codes (TFQ3QZRXLATN0017B0030C4  /  TEE4KZRXLCTN004501DC-01). Can anyone help me? Also what is those two yellow golden strips?

SBSB

@billsey Still you think we can epoxy the hinges. Please check above image. Should I stick the metal hinge to back cover using epoxy? Will it be permanent? OR just drill out of back panel :-P

billsey

The copper 'flags' are likely your WiFi/Bluetooth antennas. Disconnect the hinge completely where they connect to the case and use any fully hardening glue, such as an epoxy or JB Weld, to rebuild the screw mounts. When they are ready but still a little soft reassemble the hinge and set the screws, then wait for a full cure before stressing it. The epoxy should hold as well or better than the original plastic. If you assemble it too early the only bad result may be in trying to disassemble it in the future, because the hinges will be stuck in place. If you get the timing right you will be able to remove the screws without damaging the new mounting holes.

SBSB

billsey said:

The copper 'flags' are likely your WiFi/Bluetooth antennas. Disconnect the hinge completely where they connect to the case and use any fully hardening glue, such as an epoxy or JB Weld, to rebuild the screw mounts. When they are ready but still a little soft reassemble the hinge and set the screws, then wait for a full cure before stressing it. The epoxy should hold as well or better than the original plastic. If you assemble it too early the only bad result may be in trying to disassemble it in the future, because the hinges will be stuck in place. If you get the timing right you will be able to remove the screws without damaging the new mounting holes.

How to re-build screw mounts? I see three options:
1. Should I apply epoxy/JBWeld between metal and black plastic attached to back panel (check the yellow highlighted image) and hold them for hours using clamp. But yeah, I won't be able to remove hinges in future.
2. Rebuild screw mounts like you that I have no idea
3. Get a new back panel.

SBSB

May be use this for sticking the metal hinge to black plastic https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Instant-0-47-Fluid-Syringe-1365868/dp/B0044F9KFI
using clamps... it would be permanent though.

SBSB

or this https://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-50139-Plastic-Adhesive/dp/B01IBOK7FE

billsey

Yes, either of those should work, the JB Weld will give you a bit more time to work with it than the Loctite, since it's a 15 minute epoxy instead of the 5 minute. On the other hand you'll have to wait longer between steps. The number of minutes is the average time you will have to get everything placed right so that things will be hardening in a stable environment. I believe what you will want to do is fill in the old screw holes and build up some area around them to provide support to the screws when you replace them. Wait until the glue is pliable but not completely hard or liquid, and place the hinges in as they should be. That will flatten out the top surface of the mounts for the screws. At that point you can either carefully tighten the screws down, just until flush without any torque then wait for the glue to fully set. When fully set you should still be able to remove the screws and remove the hinge without disturbing the mounts. The other choice will be to wait until things are fully set with the screws out, then drill little holes to give the shaft you can put the screws in. You might also think about putting a little piece of food wrap between the hinge surface and the glue to make sure the hinge doesn't get glued into place.

All that is moot if you decide to just replace the case half, since the replacement will have the screw mounts in good shape already, but that piece is fairly spendy...

SBSB

billsey said:

Yes, either of those should work, the JB Weld will give you a bit more time to work with it than the Loctite, since it's a 15 minute epoxy instead of the 5 minute. On the other hand you'll have to wait longer between steps. The number of minutes is the average time you will have to get everything placed right so that things will be hardening in a stable environment. I believe what you will want to do is fill in the old screw holes and build up some area around them to provide support to the screws when you replace them. Wait until the glue is pliable but not completely hard or liquid, and place the hinges in as they should be. That will flatten out the top surface of the mounts for the screws. At that point you can either carefully tighten the screws down, just until flush without any torque then wait for the glue to fully set. When fully set you should still be able to remove the screws and remove the hinge without disturbing the mounts. The other choice will be to wait until things are fully set with the screws out, then drill little holes to give the shaft you can put the screws in. You might also think about putting a little piece of food wrap between the hinge surface and the glue to make sure the hinge doesn't get glued into place.

All that is moot if you decide to just replace the case half, since the replacement will have the screw mounts in good shape already, but that piece is fairly spendy...

Thanks every one. I went through permanent JBWeld and it is perfect now. Hopefully it would go long now. That's how it looks now:

billsey

So, come back in a year or two and let us know how it worked in the long run!

SBSB

billsey said:

So, come back in a year or two and let us know how it worked in the long run!

I am not planning to keep it for long since it is chromebook. Will try to sell :-)
But thanks a lot for guidance. @ubreakifix also refused to touch it as it may cost more than cost of chromebook and we fixed it for $6 tube :-)

billsey

Yeah, most repair depots won't do a hack like this, so they price based on a replacement case half.