Cf 74 Keyboard

I have had this CF 74 for a few years for business, but now it is used as a secondary computer for the home. At some point in it's life, I either dropped something heavy onto the keyboard, or spilled something sticky onto it. Now, the keyboard goes from difficult, to nearly impossible to use. Many of the keys "crunch" when you use them and are very stiff, and other are just stiff.

1) I need to know how to access the keyboard. 2) are there economical ways to repair/replace the keyboard?


Thanks for any responses

 

You have to replace it... No use in repairing it. Good thing you have a Toughbook or you woulda been EFFED when something got spilt on it.

The keyboard shouldn't cost more than $50. I don't see it on eBay but I'm sure that someone on here has one or has knowledge as to rather or not a CF-73 or CF-29/30 keyboard might work on the CF-74.

If you aren't confident enough to put in a new keyboard (or you just don't want to deal with it) then you can ship it to my company and I'll personally fix it. (Others on this forum will vouch as to my technical skills with EVERY LAPTOP on the face of the planet).

Last but not least be sure to post a "Want to buy" ad on here and on toughbooktalk.com

Thanks

 

Thanks for replying. I plan on trying the repair myself if I can find a reasonably priced keyboard.

 

I know for a fact the CF-29/30/74 keyboards are the same, I've swapped them before

 

Also just a thought, in the case of something spilled onto a keyboard and it becoming sticky, what's to stop you from just putting it in the dishwasher and letting it througholy dry before giving it power again as to not short anything out

 

I have swapped CF-27, CF-29, and CF-48 keyboards into CF-28 and they all fit well, except the rubber ones are thicker and need a thinner trim piece on top. So it's possible any of those might fit a CF-74 as well.

I like Connor's idea of putting it in a dishwasher to get sticky gunk out from under the keys. I have done this with several desktop keyboards with some success. I hand-wash keyboards salvaged from old CF-28's, air dry for several days, then test them for sticky or repeating keys.

 

I've been very successful soaking various sticky laptop parts in deionized water and then allowing them to thoroughly dry. The DI water leaves no residue behind (like soap or hard water may) and has always unstuck whatever was causing the stickiness. Just make sure you are generous with how much water you do the soak with, osmotic balance won't work as well with smaller volumes of water. Good luck!