glue for case???

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Level 1

6 points

glue for case???

Recently had a friend take apart my Macbook Pro top case to replace the hard drive. The swap went fine, but one of the latches on the front right side broke. So now there is a very small gap right where the latch is - where the top of the case should sit firmly to the bottom case. Certain parts of the top case (near the trackpad) now make a squeak when I place my palms on them, and I've tried pushing down the piece of the top case where the gap is and the squeaks disappear...

So I'm wondering if there is a special type of glue (epoxy possibly?) that I could use to apply in the gap so that I would be able to push the case down and it would hold/sit flush with the bottom base and eliminate the noise issue? Any suggestions?

MacBook Pro 2.33, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Jun 8, 2008 12:52 PM

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Answer 1

S.U.

Level 6

9,601 points

Jun 8, 2008 2:58 PM in response to gotfilm123

Ditto "DO NOT EPOXY". If you have access to an Apple Store, see what a genius might recommend. If you have access to an authorized Apple repair shop, you might check and see if they have a dead parts Mac. If it is a latch hook that is broken, the latch hook assembly is supposed to be replaceable. It shouldn't cost too much for the part.

Good luck!

Message was edited by: S.U.

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Answer 2

gotfilm123 Author

Level 1

6 points

Jun 9, 2008 11:15 AM in response to S.U.

I assumed using glue would make the case impossible to open in the future. Although, to be honest, I would be pretty furious if I had a reason to open up my laptop again to replace something else after replacing a failing HD from a less than two-year-old $2700 machine.

As for the latch idea. I didn't know the latch was replaceable. Question is, would I be able to replace without having to take apart the entire laptop (including bottom case) or would I just have to open up the top case like I did for the HD? When I say latch hook, I mean the hook itself... not the latch. As in, the part that's connected to the bottom case, not the top. I'll contact an apple repair shop to find out about the price of the latch.

Thanks for the advice!

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Answer 3

gotfilm123 Author

Level 1

6 points

Jun 9, 2008 12:12 PM in response to gotfilm123

Just realized I misspoke. I didn't mean the latch. I meant the clasp inside the laptop, just above the optical drive which is meant to hold the top case to the bottom case. There are about 4 or 5 of these clasps and one of the clasps is broken on the bottom case. But I believe it's part of the bottom case and not a separate replaceable part. Am I correct?

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Answer 4

Courcoul

Level 6

18,684 points

Jun 9, 2008 12:14 PM in response to gotfilm123

According to what my local Level 2 AASP told me, the latches are easy to break off if you try to "straighten" them and since they're spotwelded, cannot be repaired. It is a common issue when care is not exercised opening the MBP's. Replacement of the part, called the "top case" is the only surefire solution.

You can, of course, purchase the part from Powerbook Medic, iFixIt or other providers. I think you will have to purchase a new keyboard as well, cause it is held by adhesive and very difficult to unstick and transfer over to the new top case without it having future issues. The trackpad can be transferred without undue issues.

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Answer 5

gotfilm123 Author

Level 1

6 points

Jun 9, 2008 2:43 PM in response to Courcoul

Thanks for the info, but the piece that broke is the snap thats attached to the bottom case, in front of the optical drive. The snap is what the clip clicks into when you reset the top case. So, if I were to replace anything, it would have to be the bottom case. Which, as I know, is a ridiculous thing to replace (you have to take apart literally the entire laptop). What I wonder is if the piece that broke off is still lodged somewhere inside the laptop. If I can find it, I wonder if I can glue it back and then try to reapply the top case...?

Or I can take the risk and glue the case down which would solve the noise issue but would put my laptop into a state where I wouldn't be able to open it up for any repairs again (although should I really need to do this again...?). Big risk...

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Answer 6

bdkjones

Level 4

1,335 points

Jun 8, 2008 1:12 PM in response to gotfilm123

DO NOT epoxy the case. If, for any reason, you need to disassemble the laptop in the future, that would make it almost impossible to do so without destroying the case.

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