Arm Loose on Brand New 24 inch 3.06Ghz iMac -- help!

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Arm Loose on Brand New 24 inch 3.06Ghz iMac -- help!

I posted this in the "Using your Intel-based iMac" section, but i wasn't sure if it would be better suited in the "Your Intel-based iMac Display" section....

hey guys,

i finally took the plunge and pulled out all stops. ive been surviving on a powerbook g4 since 2003 and decided to buy a brand new aluminum iMac for home - dual processor, 3.06Ghz, 4gb ram, 1TB HD, iMac for home, custom configured, costing me my hard earned $2816.00.

i was so excited and i get it out of the box and the arm that tilts your screen up and down is SO LOOSE. i cant even type without the screen noticeably shaking!! i have a 24 inch aluminum iMac at work, so i know that the arm is supposed to be tight -- i use it every day for design.

WHAT DO I DO? I'm afraid apple won't fix it if i send it back. if i bring it to the genius bar can they take the back panel off and tighten it up somehow?? i mean i just got it FedEx today -- my dream computer ive been saving for, for over 2 years...

i havent even booted the computer on -- my wife is all interested learning about macs, so she put the monitor/computer on the desk and took out the keyboard and was pretending to type and she was like "why is the screen so loose, yours at work doesnt shake like this?"

any ideas??
this has been the major buzzkill of the day/year for me. i have a pit in my stomach. any help/advise would be GREATLY appreciated as to fix this problem.

New iMac 24 inch aluminum 3.06ghz (2nd gen), Mac OS X (10.5), i work with Macs all day for design etc

Posted on May 13, 2008 9:40 PM

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Answer 1

May 13, 2008 9:47 PM in response to Smittayzone

I bought a 24" Imac this past sunday ! I noticed that most 24's are really lose. If you take it to the Apple store they will tighten it up for you, best bet. There is a way you can do it but i would not recommend you doing it looks pretty difficult to me but i am scared easily !

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Answer 2

Smittayzone Author

Level 1

5 points

May 13, 2008 10:02 PM in response to backnblack

thanks man, im feeling a little better now --

can they really just pop off the black back and tighten up that arm at the Apple Store Genius Bar??

my powerbook's screen got loose after 3 years (i had applecare) and i brought it in and asked them to tighten it and they said they'd have to send it to california.

think they will do it with this brand new iMac? is it easy??

Message was edited by: Smittayzone

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

91,702 points

May 13, 2008 10:08 PM in response to Smittayzone

Hello Smittayzone

If it's just shaky, maybe your desk is not a solid as the one at work!

If it's tilting down, pack it to the nearest Apple Store or Service Center and have it adjusted!

http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/service/

Dennis

Message was edited by: den.thed

Sorry for the lateness of my post, something happened to my first one!

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Answer 4

Smittayzone Author

Level 1

5 points

May 13, 2008 10:16 PM in response to den.thed

thanks dennis

i searched and the nearest Apple Store is only 15 minutes away.

So i just make an appt with the genius bar and they can tighten the loose arm right there?

crosses fingers, can finally breathe 🙂

Message was edited by: Smittayzone

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Answer 5

May 13, 2008 10:09 PM in response to Smittayzone

Yeah they can, just take it in ask them and they will do it for you ! There is no reason for them to send it here (California). If you want to do it yourself. Look at the Vesa Mount kit. They give you instructions on how to remove the arm and install a different one. That's the way you can tighten it up.

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Answer 6

Smittayzone Author

Level 1

5 points

May 13, 2008 10:15 PM in response to backnblack

thanks man -- i will bring it in

i hope the Genius bar isn't lazy and will not just blow me off

anybody had genius bar take their computer apart there without shipping out?

really appreciate all your guys feedback -- you are great. 🙂

Message was edited by: Smittayzone

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Answer 7

May 13, 2008 10:28 PM in response to Smittayzone

Well if it help's. I just upgraded from a 20' 2.4 4GB Ram 320 HD because of the gradient issue. I took the 20' into the Apple shop after calling Applecare. They gave me the option to upgrade to a 24' instead of sending it of and "trying" to fix it. So yeah i think you will be fine.

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Answer 8

den.thed

Level 10

91,702 points

May 13, 2008 11:02 PM in response to Smittayzone

By the way congrats on the new iMac, enjoy!

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Answer 9

Smittayzone Author

Level 1

5 points

May 14, 2008 7:16 AM in response to den.thed

Thanks Man!

So at the Apple Store Genius Bar -- how they will take the back off the iMac fix the Arm?

I can't see how they unscrew it or anything... do the geniuses know how to do this?

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Answer 10

Defcom-UK

Level 6

15,494 points

May 14, 2008 7:43 AM in response to Smittayzone

They dont take the back off, see this thread http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1516593&tstart=25

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Answer 11

Smittayzone Author

Level 1

5 points

May 14, 2008 8:49 AM in response to Defcom-UK

thanks for the link 🙂, i read the PDF on how to remove the iMac stand/arm and attach the VESTA mount,

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/iMac24inch_VesaMountAdapterInstallGuide.pdf

BUT in the VESTA PDF, it just looks like it shows you:
"how to take the stand off" and "attach the flange and the mount for VESTA"

AND it doesn't actually tell you "how to tighten the torque of the arm" for your iMac with your stand/arm

did i miss it? 😟

has anyone actually had it tightened at the Apple Store Genius Bar?

it looks like they might "have" to take the black back off to get to that part...

??

Message was edited by: Smittayzone

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Answer 12

Smittayzone Author

Level 1

5 points

May 14, 2008 9:52 AM in response to Defcom-UK

do you somehow adjust the tension in the pin (in red)
--the one in the middle of the 4 screws on each side, where you attach the stand/arm?

to me it looks like you would need to go into the computer back further...to adjust the tension in that whole "bracket" of 8 screws and one pin (sticking out of the computer back) that attaches to the stand/arm

Any ideas guys??
😟

null

Message was edited by: Smittayzone

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Answer 13

Smittayzone Author

Level 1

5 points

May 14, 2008 2:17 PM in response to Smittayzone

okay i figured it out let me update you guys with some info, since you were so helpful 🙂.

i went to the Apple Store, they cannot fix loose arm/stands that go into iMac screens at the Genius Bar. He said the VesaMount instructions are not applicable and that you would indeed need to ship it in to be repaired (and have the back taken off, etc).

so i just called Apple and explained i had got it in this condition less than 24 hours ago and they made an exception (because it was custom configged) and are shipping me out a new custom configged iMac 24 inch, as soon as my pre-paid RMA labels from Apple hit the FedEx scanners - phewwwwwwwww.

of other note was something really weird. the manager said a lot of new Penryn iMacs were coming back with loose arms/stands ?? maybe a bad spring problem in them he thought? so i guess if you have a loose or drooping screen on your new 24 inch Penryn iMac, call Apple, it might be a manufacturing problem.

hope that helps if others google "iMac Screen falls down or droops", etc

peace guys and thanks for all your help - turned out i just needed to make a simple phone call to my good friends at Apple. 🙂

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