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43171
Alienware m15x - replacement plastic panels for LCD screens
Evening,
My m15x has developed a most irritating failure, 3 months outside of warranty.
The fault is actually with the hopelessly thin, plastic tabs which hold the metal screwholes (for want of a better description!) either side of the screen hinges. Basically, the plastic has cracked, permitting the load-bearing screws either side of the hinges to fall out. After removing the screen bezel, a nice little pile of sheared plastic fell out from beside the hinges. End result is I'm using it now with the screen bezel off and staring at the lightpipes running around the edge of the screen.
This should be quite straightforward to fix - all I require is a new external cover for the back of the screen.
Take this current one off, embed the metal screw holders in epoxy resin to help prevent the same thing happening again, fit new plastic cover to rear of screen, screw bezel back on. Done.
Sadly I'm having no joy actually finding out where I can purchase new plastic for the outside of the m15x. Someone obviously makes them from Dell/Alienware but I have no joy in tracking them down thus far.
Anyone had a similar issue and had to replace either the front or back covers for the screen on an m15x?
I know that many people have complained about hinges being poor - my hinges actually look ok - just I've nothing left to screw the front cover to the rear cover.
I really don't want to have to start messing about with plastic weld if I can avoid it, so a new cover for the back of the screen would be the easiest option.
I should also point out that this failure has occurred without the machine actually being moved - just opened and closed a few times a week over the last 15 months... saying that, from the quality of the plastic I've pulled out of it, I'm surprised it's lasted that long.
kerrythebellew
2 Posts
1
June 11th, 2011 20:00
This is to answer your question and anyone else who may end up with this problem. I, too, have suffered this annoying problem and had I known the poor quality within Alienware laptops, I would've never bought one. If you're looking for spare parts call Alienware's part warehouse at 1 (800) 372-3355. The code number for the external cover for the back of screen is: 587408374. Be expecting to pay around $100 for this baby though as they "have limited quantities for this model".
pauljeyaraj
1 Message
0
February 25th, 2010 21:00
I had the same problem as well. And the screen always used to make some noise everytime i opened and closed it. Its been around 15 months for me too, and every now and then I would find some cheap plastic from the hinge falling through the crack. And it just kept getting worse and worse. Finally everytime I open the screen, the black plastic in the front would open up and I had to hold in place while openning my laptop everytime, which is mostly once a day.
So I decided to open it up and maybe tighten the screws or see whats up, be it was a bad idea. Cuz once you open it up, you can't put it back, especially after the screws and the back plastic fall off. I decided to remove the screen from the hinge, and close it up with the black from cover. so now i need a pillow or something to prop up the screen everytime i use it.
Would love to get it fixed though. Any ideas. Hoping to make some progress with the alienware tech support guys.
And alienware makes some cool laptops, but the build quality on these are really bad!! Not going to be recommending anyone to buy alienware anymore for sure. Apple is probably the best overall. I would however like to be able to build my own laptop someday.
anothermindbomb
4 Posts
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February 26th, 2010 00:00
Morning Paul,
You description of the damage, cracking noises, shards of plastic, splitting bezel, etc mirror mine perfectly.
In the end I fixed mine myself. No responses from anyone here, no reply from Alienware support. Finally, I gave up and got out the plastic resin.
I removed the front black bezel & took out the screen.
Removed the large quantity of broken piece of plastic holding in the plugs in for the screws to screw into. There are four on each side - all four were basically loose and two of them had unscrewed from the screws themselves.
Took a sharp chisel and slowly cut the mouldings which the metal plugs should have been held in place by.
I then affixed the screen back onto the metal hinges and put all of the other screws through the metal hinges with the plugs on the back. This way I could drop the screen back into the "base" of the screen, fix it in using its own mounting screws and be absolutely sure that all metal plugs were going to be going straight back into the right position and were completely vertical.
I then mixed up a reasonably slug of plastic resin and created a small "puddle" of the stuff in the screen case back. You have a good 10 minutes before this stuff starts to go off so dropping the screen into the casing was no trouble. Securing the screen at the top with the two usual screws meant everything was lined up.
Left this for about 15 minutes and removed the screws from the hinges. This left the metal plugs partially sitting in a slowly hardening was of plastic.
Half an hour later, I mixed up a fresh batch and "topped" the plastic off so that the metal plus are pretty much totally encased apart from the tops. Perfect fit was guaranteed.
The plastic I chose doesn't set rigidly - it has a little flex and give which means this shouldn't happen again as the plastic itself ages. There's enough give in the material to easily take the strain without going brittle.
Screen dropped back in, all screws replaced, bezel put on. Really is better than new. Silent opening, sturdy feel, no extra weight. Overall I'm delighted with it.
Total cost - about 4 quid for the plastic resin from B&Q
I would strongly recommend that if anyone has a relatively new m15x that they open it up and perform something similar before too much damage is done to the woefully thin plastic innards of these screens. The internal build quality is poor, it has to be said. My own screen was opened and closed 8 time a week for about 7 months before this started happening. Sadly, I didn't realise this until it was way too late so I've had to fiddle around a little repairing mine. Fix yours before it drops to bits - it'll be stronger and it's well worth the trouble going it before you have a large pile of plastic shards dropping out of your screen base.
anothermindbomb
4 Posts
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June 12th, 2011 06:00
There's no way on earth I'd pay that kind of money for replacement plastic which will suffer from exactly the same issue. I filled my cover with an epoxy resin and it's fine - typing on it now in fact and I've had no problems since doing this modification. I'd reiterate my words above though - if you get one of these now, take it apart and epoxy it up before it cracks, because it will, sooner or later.
Truly, the quality of plastic on this machine is dire.
anothermindbomb
4 Posts
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June 12th, 2011 06:00
Almost forgot - to charge that much money for such a flimsy piece of plastic is profiteering to the point of insulting your customers.
kerrythebellew
2 Posts
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June 12th, 2011 19:00
Well said! I was wondering if you could maybe talk me through fixing mine with epoxy resin...I've never used the stuff before and I don't want to mess up my laptop anymore than it is. I'd much rather spend 10 or so dollars than over 100. I don't even know where to get the stuff.. XD