A515-55 Laptop is falling apart, cannot find a parts diagram anywhere!!!

burkely · August 2023

Hey all,

Hoping someone out there may be able to helo me out. Roughly 18 months ago, I purchased an Acer Aspire A515-55. I performed several upgrades when I purchased it, as I usually do (i.e. ram, added an ssd, etc..).

I've run into many issues with this laptop in terms of it's build quality. There's simply too much plastic involved. I've had the main bottom screws pull the plug out of the body of the laptop (since the plug anchors into the plastic body of the laptop).

Anyhow, I'm now faced with a laptop that is absolutey falling apart. Due to one of those plugs no longer existing, it would constantly put pressure on the screen at the hinge. Just last night as I was closing the laptop lid, I think it just had too much pressure resting on the hinges and now the bottom part of the lid is detatched from the screen.

I have been looking for months online for a parts diagram (as I would usually easily find these for laptops I've purchased in the past, primarily manufactured by HP) but I continue to come up dry. I've found this list of parts, which is geat but what I need is some sort of diagram. https://www.acerparts.ca/acer-part-finder/?gclid=CjwKCAjwvJyjBhApEiwAWz2nLXauo4dSJo2WCdlxEwJB9VNRyDAVBswYEMq1a6_V81SnMhkvI2CPdRoCARIQAvD_BwE

Is anyone aware of where I may be able to find such a thing? Would support be able to send me something along the lines of a diagram? I have reached out to them twice, but without even looking into it (I'm usually off the phone with them 1 minutes after I finally reach someone) they usually just tell me it's not possible to send me diagram.

I really have a hard time believing that a parts diagram isn't available for a fairly recent model of a laptop.

Thanks in advance for any and all help you may be able to provide!

[Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

Puraw · August 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/689574/a515-55-laptop-is-falling-apart-cannot-find-a-parts-diagram-anywhere

I have the a515-54G version and like to share this:
"I've had the main bottom screws pull the plug out of the body of the laptop (since the plug anchors into the plastic body of the laptop).": Entirely your own fault by not using the correct laptop precision screwdriver set with the by Acer recommended torque setting. You used excessive force tightening the screws and that caused the small brass screw insets to break loose. Common issue for all laptop brands.

"the bottom part of the lid is detached from the screen": That can happen by always flexing the lid (a no-no) when opening it on one side instead of in the middle, by dropping the laptop or other rough handling and letting dust get into the hinge assembly (always keep your laptop clean).

I agree this should not happen after 2 years, but Acer recommends using exclusively Acer Services in your country for any upgrading and not DIY. Inserts and even the case can be replaced the hinge assembly will be labor intensive a may cost a few hundred USD in the States, maybe try to fix it with a 2-component industrial epoxy adhasive till you upgrade to a all metal chasis laptop like the Acer Swift 3 2021 model.

StevenGen · August 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/689574/a515-55-laptop-is-falling-apart-cannot-find-a-parts-diagram-anywhere

Here are the exploded diagrams of the A515-55 laptop top and bottom covers including the hinges for your information. I've also included the parts you need if you want to replace either the top or bottom covers with new ones, where the hinges mount to. This entails swapping all the laptop components and its a long job, or you can use hot super glue to glue the hinge base to either the top or bottom covers as gluing the hinge also works very well if you want to do it this way then have a look here broken hinge - Hinge repair with hot glue and how its done properly as it does last and its allot cheaper than replacing covers and components.

The best way imo to fix a laptops broken mounting hinge is to replace the covers where the mounting points have broken and swap all the laptop components to the new covers.

Lower Case and Upper-Case covers

burkely · August 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1222512#Comment_1222512

Thank you for you reply. You may very well be correct and I wouldn't doubt it if I did apply a tiny bit too much torque when re-inserting the bolts. But I do use a precission screwdriver set that actually cost me a small fortune, purchased years ago (as I mentioned, I do these upgrades with all laptops I purchase and have purchased in the past). You mention torquing to recommended manufacturer specs, well, that's a bit of an issue when they're not made public for whatever reason. Contacting acer is an absolute nightmare. Being passed from rep to rep to rep just to hear the same thing "we don't have access to that sort of infomation, it's only for manufacturing". Where as, any other model (HP for example) you can easily pull any and all diagrams of all their products on there website.

Nonetheless, I do appreciate you taking the time to reply here. I'd like to argue one thing though, if Acer is against the entire DIY process of doing things, why do they include the bracket and the cable in the packaging for the laptop? That seems kind of odd to me, to be honest. I've always though of Acer as a brand who were "pro-do it yourself"…

thanks again!

burkely · August 2023

Thank you sir, this is exactly what I was looking for. Not sure how you came across it, I've literally been searching for weeks now. Glad that you shared, so thank you so very much!!!

I'm not too concerned with taking the laptop apart, as a matter of fact, I had everything removed except the keyboard from the palm rest last week. So also had to remove the bezel from the screen as the hinge somehow popped off (actually it snapped off from the plastic that it's rivited into on the screen side of things). I ended up going with a precision gorilla glue thats now on the market, and so far so good for that side.. But honestly, if I were to share pictures of what this laptop looks like at this point, you'd likely think I'm 12 and have no respect for the things I buy. It's awful.

The only thing that's unclear to me at this point, is that I read the keyboard cannot be removed from the palm rest, as it's almost embedded in the palm rest (not sure how to explain, but essentially I've read that that there are some type of plastic rivit used to anchor the keyboard in place.) Does that sound about right to you???

I hate to spend more money on a new laptop when I know I shouldn't need one, but most of these parts to order to Canada are quite expensive. The battery alone (which is also on it's way out the door, hardly holds a charge these days) is over $100. I believe the plam rest itself is about $150-$175.. So that adds up quite quicklu, especially when new tech is rather cheap these day's.

I must say though, I'll absolutely be purchasing a laptop with a metal frame the time around. Have never seen something just fall apart as much as this one has.

Thank you again, so very much for your instructions and you diagrams! I'm going to begin pricing out parts right now!

Thanks and take care!