"wobble spot" on hinge?

i received my t61p about a week ago.
the screen isn't grainless, but i still like it - it's bright enough and the viewing angles are nothing to complain about.

anyway, the hinge i suppose is the "weak part" of the notebook, though i don't think "weak" is the right way to describe it.

it holds the top half of the notebook very well and firmly - setting the notebook upside down, so the screen-half is supporting the base of the notebook (basically the opposite way of opening it), is fine as it supports the base just fine. i tried this with my dad's t60p and his hinge is not strong enough for the screen-half to hold up the base-half.

however, the hinge has about 0.1" of play room (looking at the bottom of the screen), which translates to maybe 0.5" of play at the top of the screen.

if you adjust the screen, say, toward you, there is very little resistance for that 0.5", because of the play. after then, you can acutally adjust it to where the hinge will keep the screen in the position.
-that was worded terribly.

does anyone know if there's a way to eliminate this?

thank you.

 

I think you're being really picky.

This sounds normal. A half an inch of "play" isn't really much.

 

picky is exactly what i was being. but it was a little strange since i had been using my dad's t60p for a while - it doesn't hold it's position quite as strongly, but the play is nonexistent.

if it's something that i can make better, then that's great.

but if it's normal, then that's great too - it's still a nice hinge mechanism


-on a side note, the right side of my keyboard doesn't seem like it's held down as firmly as the center or the left side. as a result (yes, more pickyness), the buttons on the rightmost column have a slightly different sound, with a bit of flex. i removed the palmrest and the keyboard and looked for ways to clamp down the side better, but i didn't really see anything. anyone have a solution to this slight hinderance (note: not a problem!)?

thanks

 

My screen is the same way. Tipping forward has a bit of play, but when you push it away (like when opening the laptop) it's quite stiff. Since the screen is resting backwards most of the time, I don't really see my display wobbling or anything.

I'm not sure if the play is intentional or not, but it only bugs me slightly.

 

From my own experience (and reading the experiences of others), it's completely "normal". Also from my experience, it will get worse as you continue to open and close the lid. I would say mine was at about 0.5" too at the 1 week mark, now it's closer to 1". It doesn't affect functionality, but it does give the impression of cheap flimsyness as the amount of play becomes larger.

 

Yup, mine does this too... "design feature" maybe?

 

I've had my TP about 3 weeks and have noticed the screen "wobble" as well. If it gets no worse and continues to keep the screen in place, I can live with it, but I am a bit disappointed. It may be "normal" now, but I've checked older IBM T4Xs and an IBM labelled /Lenovo built T60 from a year or so ago and none of them have the wobble...not even an ancient TP600 that I found.

 

hm. if it does get worse, it'll bug me a lot. i suppose you're right about it being away from you, so it is in the stiff spot.
i guess i'll see as time goes on

 

My 1 month old T61 does the same thing. It did not do it out of the box. The unit has not been dropped or mistreated.

 

T500 here, wobble is non-existant on mine.

 

i have had mine about a year. Mine has no play. Note: Tighten your hinge screws. this was an issue early on and after tightening them I have had no issues. knock on wood...

 

i noticed this happening as well, the thing is i didnt think that this was normal because when i had a T20 it never did that, it kinda pisses me off that my current thinkpad an R61i does this, im going to try and get lenovo to replace it because im a picky guy when it comes to things like this.

 

I've got the same problem. Work thinkpads (T4x series and T60's) have lasted forever and stayed tight. My T61 has maybe 1/2 inch of wobble and it's only been a few months.

Previous posts have reported there are two different manufacturers for the hinges. One tends to have this problem and the other doesn't. It's spotty on whether you can get them to promise you a specific part number. Unfortunately, the hinge isn't listed as customer servicable.

Let us know how the repair goes.

 

Got this problem too. I want the wobble away, and also opening the lid with one hand would be nice. Now it's so tight you are forced to use both hands. I got a new HP at work, no wobble at all and still opening the lid with one hand is possible.. Is there a guide to adjusting the T61 hinges?

 

Give those HPs a year or two. You will have wobble. I have several of there business class systems do this over time. I always got 4 year warranties and as a result when the hinges went bad they they replaced my LCDs on site. Now I have my TP for over a year, no wobble and I like having to still use two hands. That is a sign that its built well IMO. Now occasionally I do have to tighten the screws at the bottom but that's a small price to pay.