Acer Extensa 5620 Cover Cracking (again)

I've had this Acer Extensa 5620 for almost three years now. After upgrading to 2GB RAM and installing Windows 7 Home Premium, I've been pretty satisfied.

Treated this unit pretty gently. Only light travel and no rough handling.

However, the TOP cover (back of the LCD) cracked on the right hand side.....once...mysteriously....after two years of use (out of warranty of course). The crack was near the hinge...more towards the corner of the cover.

Anyway, I fixed it by replacing it with a new Acer part purchased from CDS in PA ($90 shipped) back in Feb. 2011. All was well...until....very recently.

Now it's cracking again!

The hinges on this thing seem extremely stiff...which should be a good thing. But has anyone else with an Extensa 5620x or 5420x seem similar cracking on their back covers?

Any ideas what could be causing this?

 

It's the hinges. I used to have an Acer laptop with almost identical cover- probably the same hinges as well and I ended up with two broken screen covers too. If you removed the screen you'd see that you can barely move hinged themselves- the only reason you can do it relatively easily is because of the leverage you get by holding the the top of the LCD screen.

Anyway- it's defective by design I'm afraid so unless you can loosen the hinges a bit there's nothing you can do>

 

Well I have a 5620-6419, and have experienced the same thing in exactly the same corner. I don't know why having clear that the cover is going to be opened and closed thousand times the cannot make it better. If you have removed yours you'd see that the screws' nuts are fixed to the cover in a very weak way.Chances are that they would brake easily with the use. I repaired mine by using some POXIPOL reconstructing the niches at where the nuts are located, re-forcing the hole area with enough paste, and even so I've just realized today that one screw at there is now loose meaning that it requires a new fixation. The idea now is to have the laptop on the desktop only and don't close or open the cover any more. This computer has given me problems of all kind since I bought it. NEVER AN ACER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They 're . By the way. ¿have you experience any EXTRA HOT place under the left hand side area that make you impossible to write (to use that hand over the keyboard) after some minutes of use? Revising the technical guide it looks like the Extensas are missing a heat sinker inside just exactly over that area that the Aspires have. Why? I dont know.

 

I have an Aspire 9301 but it looks similar to the Extensa. Hinges on mine have always been very stiff and I make a point of opening the lid with one hand using two fingers each side of the webcam so the pressure is equal on both L and R hinges. Other hand has to hold the main part down anyway as they are so tight. Earlier this year it was getting that bad that I dismantled the bezel and covers and managed to work a little of a special plastics grease into the hinges (grease that's plastics compatable so it won't attack the cover if any seeps). Fortunately no sign of any cracking internally. I was getting scared of the screen cracking it was that stiff and the flexing of the lid looked alarming. Definitely better now anyway but the secret seems to be to use extra care opening and closing to keep the pressure equal. Coming up to 5 yrs old now and used many hours a day with at least 4 open/closes a day.

 

Well, just a followup post in case some poor person ends up with an Extensa 5620 that keeps breaking the top cover panel at the hinge like mine does.

If you search on eBay, you may find a dozen Acer Extensas that have broken top cover panels, right at the hinge. Seems to have been a serious design flaw with this model. Doesnt matter how carefully you have handled them, it seems inevitable they will crack on you. I imagine the 5420 would have the same problem, because the case design is almost identical.

Anyway, if you are stuck with one of these things and need to fix it, my recommendation, is NOT to purchase another 5620 top cover, even a brand new one. The design is weak, so it will just break again...probably sooner than the original.

The Proper fix is to find a Travelmate 5720 top cover in good condition. They are a different desing (metal and plastic...not just plastic). Also, if your bezel has been damaged, replace it too. The bezel and top cover work together as a unit and if either is weak...you guessed it. The top cover will crack at the hinge again.

One last piece of advice, one you have your Extensa fixed, either quit using it as a portable and never open/close it. Or,sell it and buy a real business quality laptop. The Extensa 5620 just doesn't cut it.

 

I am using an Acer Extensa 5620 for around four years and it served me well without any trouble until about two months ago, I realised that the left side top cover panel cracked at the left side hinge. I have used the machine with great care and found no apparant reason as to why this unbecoming issue arose.

At first it was a mild crack and I continued to use it and opne/close at end of day. But later, I was frightened that the LCD screen might get damaged and therefore did not close it. I took it to the local agent's expecting a solution but it was of no help stating that no parts were available in the market. The machine is in good working order if not for the above major issue. And I am stuck with the Extensa even after carefully using same.

Having read the comments in this Forum, now I realise this could be a common manufacturing defect. Can someone please recomend whether, I need to replace the hinges and the cover, or can I dismantle and grease the existing hinges. Regard to the cover, what would be the most practical solution ? Can I replace the cover with that of a Travel Mate 5720? The bezel is not damaged. Can I expect any assistance from Acer Head Office to rectify this major problem..

Unhappy Acer Extensa User

 

You can't expect support from Acer on this one- that's for sure.

You won't be able to do anything about the hinges either- if they have used the same ones that I've seen there's basically nothing you can do.
You could replace the cover and hope it will be fine for quite some time- but it will fail too (eventually).

Since I've edited one of the posts above we've changed out stance on Service Manuals being shared- see the sticky. Find the service manual for your notebook and part number for the cover and go hunting on eBay. Acer have used the same covers on multiple notebooks so use service manuals to verify that it's actually the same one- don't be bothered with notebook model number.