Is it possible to replace Unibody shell?

jmdeegan · Dec 30, 2009

the slipperyness of the unibody, combined with fleece pj pants, has me asking this question. my macbook pro seems to be unusually prone to drops/falls, moreso than any of my other laptops that i've ever had (and i've probably had 10 or 12 by now).

anyways, the MBP took a dive this evening, and luckily for me it does still function fine--no damage in that respect. however, the lower left corner of my top shell case (LCD) is now severely bent/warped due to the fall. this means that the MBP will not close completely, with a noticeable gap on the left side when closing it.

so is it possible to have someone replace the top of the unibody shell? i'd rather spend a couple hundred to replace the shell as opposed to 2000 on a new MBP (its a late 2008, but its running fine otherwise). i havent made a trip to the genius bar yet---tho i know they will tell me its going to be outta my pocket, natch because its a drop and also im just out of warranty.

googled it and searched a while and i didn't come across any replacing of the shell itself....

thanks

applebook · Dec 30, 2009

Actually, it's very easy to replace the top casing. Make sure that you have the necessary screws. ifixit.com has a disassemble guide. Be warned that the LCD hinge screws are ridiculously tight and very tough to unscrew without stripping them.

jmdeegan · Dec 30, 2009

cool thanks...ill google that. i found a place that replaces the whole deal for like $175, but doesn't appear to just sell the part itself. i'm keen on the self-replacement myself, all things being equal

applebook · Dec 30, 2009

Is that price including the part itself? If so, then it's a great deal; otherwise, no because you are paying around $50 an hour. You could probably DIY in under 3.5 hours.

People don't really appreciate how awesome the unibody is until they take apart the system components and see how much simpler, easier, and less frustrating than it used to be when you would have tons of little weird parts here and there screwed onto the case.

jmdeegan · Dec 30, 2009

as i understand it, 175 is for the lid and the labor, not sure if it includes round trip shipping but it may also include that as well. have an email out to them to verify.

i would probably rather do it myself, simply to save the loss of my macbook for multiple days....but so far, i've found no sites carrying just the aluminum unibody screen backing/lid/enclosure, call it what you will...most are selling it as the entire screen assembly (at 700 bucks), if they sell it at all.

im guessing an apple store price would probably be the same, replace the whole display.

stupid slippery laptop and comfortable fleece pants.....

jav6454 · Dec 30, 2009

If a deal is too good to be true, then it probably it is. Heed this warning, waay too many people fall for scams. Not saying this is one ($175), but it's waay too cheap, something is up.

jmdeegan · Dec 30, 2009

true.

the only thing making me think it might be OK, is that its via myservice, and i've seen them mentioned favorably on here and other mac sites i frequent. and per their site, they are an authorized service provider.

hopefully it's legit. i'll pay that to fix the lid...and then find me a skin or something for the bottom of this thing to make it less slippery....finally

iMav · Dec 31, 2009

Have you checked with any local Apple-Authorized Service Providers? I've got a great one near me and I wouldn't hesistate to use them.

I use them instead of the Apple store for warranty repairs as well because their turn around time is ridiculously fast.

SPNarwhal · Dec 31, 2009

you would really buy a brand new macbook pro over this issue?

coast1ja · Dec 31, 2009

I would use a Zagg Invisible Shield or something similar. These give it a much 'stickier' finish that is easier to hold on to.

l.a.rossmann · Dec 31, 2009

applebook said: ↑

Is that price including the part itself? If so, then it's a great deal; otherwise, no because you are paying around $50 an hour. You could probably DIY in under 3.5 hours.

People don't really appreciate how awesome the unibody is until they take apart the system components and see how much simpler, easier, and less frustrating than it used to be when you would have tons of little weird parts here and there screwed onto the case.
Click to expand...

You're saying that it isn't frustrating?

You have to remove the glass. You need a heatgun or a SMD desoldering rework station to heat the glue and a suction cup.

Then you need to remove the LCD. Plugging it back in is a pain in the ass because the display cable is not long enough to plug it in without shoving it from the other end.

Then you have to reapply it with no dust getting back in. Unless you have a professional clean room, this is going to drive you ******* insane. One little speck gets much more annoying over time. I have a $400 air filter in a small room dedicated to this and it is still a pain in the ass to get it to be absolutely perfect.

Don't get me started on wifi/webcam/other ****. Putting all this stuff back on after it is removed is a ridiculous pain in the ass(unless it is included with your new assembly).

Unless you cannot live with the machine as it is, I'd recommend against doing it. If you're a glutton for punishment, do it.

I'm not saying this is a pain for purposes of self advertisement, as I offer no services for cosmetic issues.

applebook · Dec 31, 2009

Removing the LCD glass is a major pain, but everything is pretty easy.

Is it possible to replace Unibody shell?

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