The Hinge Fix That Alienware Could Use

After lack of sleep worrying about the hinges on my M11x I decided to do somthing about it. I thought about the epoxy solution, but this was something that end users would be doing, not Alienware or it's service people.

No matter how you look at it the cost to Alienware is going to be expensive. In time, money for shipping parts, and the parts themselves. Alienware needs a solution for now that says to the buyer with one glance at the outside of the case that this is one of the ones with the good hinges. Also a solution that in the future that can be retrofitted in the computers that are already out there needing to be serviced at a low cost.




As you can see above this metal plate with the three standoffs will make the hinge as well built as the rest of the computer and save the shipping and cost of a new screen. All that the service tech will need to do is drill six holes using a jig that slides on to the base of the screen to align the six holes and push the plate with the standoffs outo the correct side of the screen. Then applying the quickdrying plastic cement around the standoff and the plastic, screw the three screws into the standoffs.

The back plate that shows on the outside of the case can be shaped like the screen lid, painted to the same color or have a sticker for the owners intals.

If anyone has another method that they think would also work let's hear it so we can let alienware know.

If you Dell/Alienware, decide to use this concept The idea is at a cost to you of. 1 I7M11X Lnr shadow with modifcation and fix of current M11X.

 

That is an interesting idea.





Ted

 

Now find a way to get that stamped out in China for .0001 cents a unit, and email that to the CEO of Dell.

 

Great! I'll take one please. I'm still considering what I want for the sticker.

Send this to Alienware.

 

Yes not only can your hinge repair work good but it could be a assesory item to balance the looks of the head in the back

 

Will need a slight angle to it at the center point as the lcd panel is not really flat. Nice work! Watch some aftermarket outfit provide the solution dell should have.

 

For the size that they will need to be a slight will really not be needed, thank you for paying attention to the small details though.

 

Alienware should hire you as their Hinge engineer period....whoever design the hinge on m11x should be ashamed..

 

That could be the guy who designed the M15x hinges. Same guy, same result.

But the rest of this little computer is so well put together, the only problems begin from the base of the screen up. the rest of the computer are perfect!

 

Mail it GOGO!

 

Dell/alienware should be ashamed when a consumer, not one of their engineers, come to public to present a solution

 

I'm not letting a tech anywhere near my laptop with a drill.

bad idea is bad.

They're already replacing the entire screen as they break. They should implement a stronger hinge into future replacements.

They will NEVER recall or do anything like you're proposing, I'm sorry to say.

 

Lets not get stuck on details... this could be a retrofit "idea" to the screens being shipped that doesnt involve casting changes or throwing out existing stock - fast deployment too.

That said, the whole concept is just a concept. Nothing is fixed or written in stone. The REASON for ideas like this is we are not seeing any new screen designs coming and there may never be any (with improvements). Retrofit might be more cost effective and still satisfy a few users. If it looks good, why not?

I would prefer to preview a production version of anything though before I agree...

 

I didn't open the screen yet, so I don't know how it is inside, but in order to work, your idea would have to include internal chassis for the screen, something like in the old Thinkpad T61, which would be expensive. They could make a metal frame around the screen instead and attach this frame to the hinge, but it may demand too many changes in the design. Anyway, I didn't open my screen, but I have already opened other parts. The machine is built really well, except for the hinges, such a shame... =(

 

They might when someone in accounting does the math. From what I Have observed replacing screens might be ok when you are talking about just a bad batch of screens but this seems to be a defect in a large amount of the laptops shipped. How many are we talking about do you think? 50,000?

 

If my M11x is opening evenly and doesn't seem to be displaying the hinge imbalance when opening (as shown on youtube videos), does this mean that mine is probably ok? Or is this something that develops later down the line? I tend to be fairly easy on my laptops, but don't like the feeling that the whole thing could crack up on me. I bought it at Best Buy with the 2 year extended warranty, does that mean Dell will not take care of it if it breaks? I am considering returning it since it is still within the return period. Thanks for any opinions or suggestions you can give me.

 

It typically doesn't manifest until after a few months. Some owners have had precursors such as cracking/grinding noises, one or both hinges rotating abnormally, etc. Other have had perfectly working hinges one day and broken hinges the next.

EDIT: And whether or not your hinge might break has nothing to do with how it's treated. There have been plenty of people reporting that their hinges broke on systems that for the most sat on desks or rarely had their lids open/closed. At this point I'd say it's blind luck whether or not a given unit is going to have hinge problems. Since the R1 is only now about 7 months old, the potential for this to become a more widely reported problem increases as times goes on. At least based on the limited information we have about what may or may not be causing or contributing to hinge failures.

 

To put the problem in perspective. I have a 6 year old Dv9 that my wife uses she opens the lid about twice a day never any problems. This is second M11x that I have owned since this is a replacement for the first one. The first one lasted about 1-1/2 months before exchange due to plastic over screen coming loose at corner. Total time for this one is about 4-1/2 months and now the hinge is loose. this is not a good record for a laptop that is described as better than average bulid quality.

 

So you would let a Dell tech drill your laptop screen? Who are you kidding? You may say yes now, and I'm not saying your concept isn't sound, but I find it pretty tough to believe that you'd be OK with letting Dell execute that solution.

In fact, if I were put in that scenario, I'd likely be so furious that by the time Dell got rid of me, I'd have a new laptop and coupons (just like with the XPS 1675 issues.... I fought until they gave me an RMA and a $200 coupon).

 

Not that I would want the Dell Subcontractor tech to do this with his eye hand cordination either. That is why the tech would have a jig template with him that he would slide onto the bottom of the screen and then slide the drill into the six drill guides.

 

I did a preventive repair on mine with epoxy putty and loosening the hinges a bit

no hinges will be breaking on my m11x!

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ing-problem-screen-opened-14.html#post6592835

 

try not to get stuck on details of the "idea". Maybe this would lead to something similar as a DIY... or not. In my view the discussion isnt about if a tech should pack a drill or not. Instead I think of it as an idea they can do before shipping parts.

Naturally its just an "idea" we have no idea or not if this method would work until its tried. I seriously doubt we will ever see a solution like this from Dell unless its to modify the parts BEFORE sending to tech and even then not likely.

What SHOULD happen is Dell pressure the suppliers to revamp the part. Even if its on their dime.

 

A Dell technician will be at my house Monday to repair the "hinge" they are bringing a new screen I hope that it's a SEC screen as I already have a AUO screen.

I am going to see if they will let me keep the old screen to experiment with.