Replacing cracked Macbook Air 11.6" screen

[cmdrdata]

Originally Posted by V0RT3X

Hey, I'm getting a 2011 11.6 MBA with a smashed screen I would like to replace.

http://i.imgur.com/TNKTX.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MGGbv.jpg

Is the bezel the aluminum frame only or is there also clear plastic (that shields the LCD) I can't see from the pics or videos. I'm still debating over whether getting the LCD only or the whole upper assembly. I've watched the Techrestore vid. Do you need a quality heatgun or would a hairdryer do? Does the LCD come off nicely like in their vid with the back layers staying in the frame? Would't want to touch those. Do you need to reglue the new LCD in or can you just screw it in? Is the remaining adhesive on the bezel sufficient to reattach it? Can you screw it up so it doesn't sit flush anymore? (like on the iPads where corners start to come off) Any other tips?

Also, what kind of screwdrivers do I need? And some pliers and spudgers?
Should this one be OK? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-A...item27c317b4bc Full assemblies are in the 300$ range.

Thanks for the replies.

Having tried and completed TWO bare LCD replacements on A1370s, I think next time around I'd probably buy complete display assemblies and do it that way. Neither of my two MBAs turned out perfect. The first one has a partially torn backlight flex cable because it was very short and you have to fold it a certain way to re-attached. I also didn't notice that the bare assembly LCD has a thin clear plastic sheet with a red lettering (probably lot number) and once you glue this into the LCD frame/back there without removing it, there is no going back without damaging the new LCD, so I am stuck with it. It shows thru the LCD display screen.

On the second one, I was quite careful in removing the old one, but it still comes apart in thousand of pieces (exagerating), and again the heat gun damaged/curled the 3-5 sheets of back up milky plastic sheets functions as a diffuser for the LED lights. So when I put all back together, you can actually see the damaged diffuser.

I don't think it is worth doing it again unless you are really experienced and have the right tools. Get a similar MBA with water damage main board and use the hopefully good display in it's place, or go to some chinese website (i think it is alibaba something) and get it from them.

[V0RT3X]

Thanks for the reply. Do you need to glue the new LCD in? What did you use? Is your bezel 100% flush with the rest? (looks like before)

Also, could you post a pic? Wonder how it looks.

[cmdrdata]

Originally Posted by V0RT3X

Thanks for the reply. Do you need to glue the new LCD in? What did you use? Is your bezel 100% flush with the rest? (looks like before)

Also, could you post a pic? Wonder how it looks.

No glue. You have to buy (I got mine via Amazon), a thin double sided foam tape specially designed for things like this (2mm, I think). Attached are a couple of out of focus pictures.

[mac-n-sauce]

Originally Posted by V0RT3X

Hey, I'm getting a 2011 11.6 MBA with a smashed screen I would like to replace.

http://i.imgur.com/TNKTX.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/MGGbv.jpg

Is the bezel the aluminum frame only or is there also clear plastic (that shields the LCD) I can't see from the pics or videos. I'm still debating over whether getting the LCD only or the whole upper assembly. I've watched the Techrestore vid. Do you need a quality heatgun or would a hairdryer do? Does the LCD come off nicely like in their vid with the back layers staying in the frame? Would't want to touch those. Do you need to reglue the new LCD in or can you just screw it in? Is the remaining adhesive on the bezel sufficient to reattach it? Can you screw it up so it doesn't sit flush anymore? (like on the iPads where corners start to come off) Any other tips?

Also, what kind of screwdrivers do I need? And some pliers and spudgers?
Should this one be OK? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-A...item27c317b4bc Full assemblies are in the 300$ range.

Thanks for the replies.

If the whole assembly is available then buy it. This is a very difficult repair and it is easily damaged. The cables have almost no tolerance. No a hair dryer will not work. It needs a very small tip in very specific locations. There is no glass, the led is the screen now. There are also diffuser panels behind it that get damaged extremely easy. Not a beginner repair. Not impossible, just not easy. For $300 its worth the assembly.

[V0RT3X]

Hmm, yeah probably. I will first try to remove the LCD and not damage stuff and then decide whether to order the whole assembly or just the LCD.

Shouldn't it be a bit easier if you took the upper assembly off and work it from there?

[mac-n-sauce]

Hello all. I have a 15" pro late 2009 2.66GHz

Randomly shuts off.
Battery is new
Does not follow any specific pattern
Any thoughts?
Tried swapping memory
I have one stick in it now and seems to work.
Then I added another stick(thought I had bad memory)
Worked great all night.
Then today worked for 30-40 minutes and then shut off.
Not tasking it hard, just normal operation

[l.a.rossmann]

Originally Posted by cmdrdata

Having tried and completed TWO bare LCD replacements on A1370s, I think next time around I'd probably buy complete display assemblies and do it that way. Neither of my two MBAs turned out perfect. The first one has a partially torn backlight flex cable because it was very short and you have to fold it a certain way to re-attached. I also didn't notice that the bare assembly LCD has a thin clear plastic sheet with a red lettering (probably lot number) and once you glue this into the LCD frame/back there without removing it, there is no going back without damaging the new LCD, so I am stuck with it. It shows thru the LCD display screen.

On the second one, I was quite careful in removing the old one, but it still comes apart in thousand of pieces (exagerating), and again the heat gun damaged/curled the 3-5 sheets of back up milky plastic sheets functions as a diffuser for the LED lights. So when I put all back together, you can actually see the damaged diffuser.

I don't think it is worth doing it again unless you are really experienced and have the right tools. Get a similar MBA with water damage main board and use the hopefully good display in it's place, or go to some chinese website (i think it is alibaba something) and get it from them.

Kapton tape and a rework station with a narrow nozzle work wonders on the 11.6" air. For your third one!

Use the kapton tape on the black trim and around the polarizer to keep the heat out of the important parts, and the rework station nozzle to target the heat. You can boil the bezel without messing up the back layers.