FIXED: G2 Hinge Teardown/Repair

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verkion

Senior Member
Sep 3, 2007
350
33
So, I decided to fix my G2 hinge which was a little on the loose side but didn't want to use magnets because it would affect the Compass. If you don't think magnets do affect the compass, i invite you to open up HTC or Google Navigation GPS app and wave a magnet around your phone and watch your direction change.

In any case, I looked for a teardown online in hopes that it would show the actual spring mechanism for the Z-Hinge...but all of them seemed to have skip that part. So...here's a photo of the ACTUAL MECHANISM responsible for the "snapping/springy" action of the phone. As you can imagine, assuming you can get to this point in terms of disassembly, tightening up the mechanism is SUPER EASY. All you have to do is take out the spring, stretch it, put it back in. I think the only way they could have made this mechanism smaller and more reliable is to have used a tiny hydraulic piston in place of the spring, but since I'm an EE and not a Mech Eng. well, what do I know!

<EDIT>
Link with instructions for taking apart your phone. You will need a T5 Screwdriver and a puny Phillips Screwdriver.

http://tjworld.net/blog/htc-desire-z-tear-down
</EDIT>

Ok, without further ado:
P1010689.jpg


Enjoy!
verkion
P.S. I can have the KB open, G2 upside down and shake it fairly vigorously before it will begin to close now! Definite improvement!
 
Last edited:
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ddgarcia05

ddgarcia05

Senior Member
Mar 28, 2010
2,287
114
Edinburg / Mcallen, Texas
Damn...

Assuming you could find a spring small enough to fit you could buy a spring with a higher tension. That's what I did with my Ruger LCP to help the feeding cycle.

You could have taken a couple dissemblely pics to help us get to that point.

Thanks for the info.
 
Last edited:
luis86dr

luis86dr

Senior Member
May 27, 2009
2,224
1,590
Jersey
Might want to add this voids warranty. Lol. Secondly if you could add some insight as to how you actually managed to disasemble the phone to access the hinge. That would be great. Might actually try this myself. Big might. Lol.

[G2/HTC Vision]
 
V

verkion

Senior Member
Sep 3, 2007
350
33
luis86dr said:
Might want to add this voids warranty. Lol. Secondly if you could add some insight as to how you actually managed to disasemble the phone to access the hinge. That would be great. Might actually try this myself. Big might. Lol.

[G2/HTC Vision]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Tear down is here...
http://tjworld.net/blog/htc-desire-z-tear-down

You only need to tear it down as far as PCB Removal to access the spring mechanism in the hinge (its the top side near the power button). BE SUPER DUPER careful with PLUGGING IN the micro-SD ribbon cable when you reassemble. One of the spring tension pins (its a flip up type ribbon cable clamp), broke off on me. I was like OMFG for about 2 minutes until I realized it was just the tension pin NOT an actual connection pin.

Oh yeah, and for anyone that hasn't figured this out already...WARRANTY = VOID!!! :p Oh, and the normal CYA (cover your a$$ clauses) apply...I'm not responsible for any damage etc. etc. etc. that YOU might cause doing this fix/mod.

verkion
 
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luis86dr

luis86dr

Senior Member
May 27, 2009
2,224
1,590
Jersey
verkion said:
Tear down is here...
http://tjworld.net/blog/htc-desire-z-tear-down

You only need to tear it down as far as PCB Removal to access the spring mechanism in the hinge (its the top side near the power button). BE SUPER DUPER careful with PLUGGING IN the micro-SD ribbon cable when you reassemble. One of the spring tension pins (its a flip up type ribbon cable clamp), broke off on me. I was like OMFG for about 2 minutes until I realized it was just the tension pin NOT an actual connection pin.

Oh yeah, and for anyone that hasn't figured this out already...WARRANTY = VOID!!! :p Oh, and the normal CYA (cover your a$$ clauses) apply...I'm not responsible for any damage etc. etc. etc. that YOU might cause doing this fix/mod.

verkion
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thanks bro. :cool:

[G2/HTC Vision]
 
sino8r

sino8r

Senior Member
Sep 7, 2006
3,549
735
Birmingham, Alabama
Thanks for finding a REAL cure! Magnets lol! morons... nice work though! I glad you found a fix for those how have (or imagine they have) a hinge problem. maybe this will shut folks up about this finally...
 
N

nivlac978

Senior Member
May 26, 2010
413
35
Hudson
Nice job man. Quite the set of balls you got there my friend. I may try this when my warranty expires.(and my hinge gets to a point where i can,t stand it.)

Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
 
Lennyuk

Lennyuk

Inactive Recognized Developer
Jan 26, 2010
6,327
1,829
Suffolk, England
Now I havn't tried magnets on this phone (or any other).. but I do know that the magnetic strength of magnetic tape, such as was used in the other "fix" is not very strong at all, as it barely strong enough to work as the fix it was intended to do, for this reason I could believe that it had no effect on the compass.

However sure, if you use a proper magnet it will mess things up.

However, very nice job on this but I doubt many will want to void their warranty when they could just send it back under warranty and do it that way.
 
sino8r

sino8r

Senior Member
Sep 7, 2006
3,549
735
Birmingham, Alabama
Lennyuk said:
Now I havn't tried magnets on this phone (or any other).. but I do know that the magnetic strength of magnetic tape, such as was used in the other "fix" is not very strong at all, as it barely strong enough to work as the fix it was intended to do, for this reason I could believe that it had no effect on the compass.

However sure, if you use a proper magnet it will mess things up.

However, very nice job on this but I doubt many will want to void their warranty when they could just send it back under warranty and do it that way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

You are correct about the warranty. Although there are a few stickers on the torx screws that say void... they won't refuse your phone and claim that your warranty is voided. Its bs. They just check for eextremely obvious things like water damage and physical damage. I was a cell tech forever... they hardly care about that crap like is its rooted or whatever. Just don't make it too obvious like a phone stuck in a boot loop with cyanogen logo flashing over and over, lol!

But it does depend on the tech... if he/she is an asshole and dont root their own phones or hack... they could reject it. personally, I think those are the type that have no buisness being a tech nor would understand that rooting a phone is going to cause any serious damage to it. unless you flash the wrong spl/hardboot but at that point... 90% likely it wont even boot into bootloader in which there's no way to tell what happened whether it was a custom flash or a bad board. those are instant replacements as long as there's no physical/liquid damage. well, sorry for hijacking the thread and my poor spelling. good work with the hinge, OP! those ribbons can be a pain to reseat!
 
Last edited:
C

Crey23

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2010
406
19
Ft. Lauderdale Florida
dude great find....but way toooooooooo deep for me....If my hinge continues to drive me insane, I'll just start calling tmo like crazy until they give me a anew phone.
 
O

ostinq

Senior Member
Sep 29, 2010
106
10
Arlington TX
Stretching the spring is a good temporary fix. The best real fix would be to find one the same size but with a higher spring tension. Good find none the less.
 
funkadesi

funkadesi

Senior Member
Jun 23, 2006
346
17
So I HEARD something interesting today. TRY THIS....

1st: Turn Off Unlock sounds if you can.........

2nd. Put the G2 close to you face, open the screen (top) very SLOWLY.... when the screen is parallel to the keyboard (halfway) push it a little bit more and you will HEAR a CLICK..... im guessing its the spring... but my understanding is that if spring stays stationary (in one spot) and just twists..... there shouldn't be a click sound..... which means something is mis-aligned (maybe the hinge part that is connected to the spring)... my hinge came in good condition, still stays intact when I hold the phone upside down.

Those of you with loose hinge... I encourage you to try this....
 
C

Crey23

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2010
406
19
Ft. Lauderdale Florida
funkadesi said:
So I HEARD something interesting today. TRY THIS....

1st: Turn Off Unlock sounds if you can.........

2nd. Put the G2 close to you face, open the screen (top) very SLOWLY.... when the screen is parallel to the keyboard (halfway) push it a little bit more and you will HEAR a CLICK..... im guessing its the spring... but my understanding is that if spring stays stationary (in one spot) and just twists..... there shouldn't be a click sound..... which means something is mis-aligned (maybe the hinge part that is connected to the spring)... my hinge came in good condition, still stays intact when I hold the phone upside down.

Those of you with loose hinge... I encourage you to try this....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Um .... click? misaligned? i think that if it twists, then it should be in good shape as it's doing what it ought to be doing.

Either way, my hinge sucks, and there is no click....
 
V

verkion

Senior Member
Sep 3, 2007
350
33
I was just thinking about what the teardown again. Now that I really consider it, I don't think that I had to unplug all the cables, just unscrew the PCB. I think there is enough slack to carefully maneuver the hinge out..maybe. LOL. Where do you get replacement springs? I guess I should really have measured the length...maybe I still can from my photo and a couple reference points.

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk
 
V

verkion

Senior Member
Sep 3, 2007
350
33
collins521 said:
Mine just started clicking when I open it..just started on Sunday and can't figure it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Ignore the click...its not a "misalignment" of the spring or stars or whatever else. Look at the photo I posted, it doesn't matter if the spring twists. In fact, I'm pretty sure it does swivel and move in there. The back end of the spring is simply braced against the metal side. The other end against the actual "pivot" (2 pieces of very smartly cut plastic) is "centered" in place with a small pin jut like most other hinge/spring mechanisms.

Now if someone could tell me where to get a super strong spring...I'll be all over that! LOL. It was already really hard to get the spring back in after I stretched it but a mega strong one would be worth the hassle...

verkion
 
M

mayurolla

Senior Member
Jun 15, 2008
269
16
Chicago
verkion said:
Ignore the click...its not a "misalignment" of the spring or stars or whatever else. Look at the photo I posted, it doesn't matter if the spring twists. In fact, I'm pretty sure it does swivel and move in there. The back end of the spring is simply braced against the metal side. The other end against the actual "pivot" (2 pieces of very smartly cut plastic) is "centered" in place with a small pin jut like most other hinge/spring mechanisms.

Now if someone could tell me where to get a super strong spring...I'll be all over that! LOL. It was already really hard to get the spring back in after I stretched it but a mega strong one would be worth the hassle...

verkion
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check McMaster Carr. They have a ton of things.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#springs/=a1qb2j
 
C

Crey23

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2010
406
19
Ft. Lauderdale Florida
verkion said:
Ignore the click...its not a "misalignment" of the spring or stars or whatever else. Look at the photo I posted, it doesn't matter if the spring twists. In fact, I'm pretty sure it does swivel and move in there. The back end of the spring is simply braced against the metal side. The other end against the actual "pivot" (2 pieces of very smartly cut plastic) is "centered" in place with a small pin jut like most other hinge/spring mechanisms.

Now if someone could tell me where to get a super strong spring...I'll be all over that! LOL. It was already really hard to get the spring back in after I stretched it but a mega strong one would be worth the hassle...

verkion
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

So just to be sure....the stretching of the spring worked for you....you actually got it to be tight?
 
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  • 7
    V
    verkion
    So, I decided to fix my G2 hinge which was a little on the loose side but didn't want to use magnets because it would affect the Compass. If you don't think magnets do affect the compass, i invite you to open up HTC or Google Navigation GPS app and wave a magnet around your phone and watch your direction change.

    In any case, I looked for a teardown online in hopes that it would show the actual spring mechanism for the Z-Hinge...but all of them seemed to have skip that part. So...here's a photo of the ACTUAL MECHANISM responsible for the "snapping/springy" action of the phone. As you can imagine, assuming you can get to this point in terms of disassembly, tightening up the mechanism is SUPER EASY. All you have to do is take out the spring, stretch it, put it back in. I think the only way they could have made this mechanism smaller and more reliable is to have used a tiny hydraulic piston in place of the spring, but since I'm an EE and not a Mech Eng. well, what do I know!

    <EDIT>
    Link with instructions for taking apart your phone. You will need a T5 Screwdriver and a puny Phillips Screwdriver.

    http://tjworld.net/blog/htc-desire-z-tear-down
    </EDIT>

    Ok, without further ado:
    P1010689.jpg


    Enjoy!
    verkion
    P.S. I can have the KB open, G2 upside down and shake it fairly vigorously before it will begin to close now! Definite improvement!
    View
    1
    V
    verkion
    luis86dr said:
    Might want to add this voids warranty. Lol. Secondly if you could add some insight as to how you actually managed to disasemble the phone to access the hinge. That would be great. Might actually try this myself. Big might. Lol.

    [G2/HTC Vision]
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    Tear down is here...
    http://tjworld.net/blog/htc-desire-z-tear-down

    You only need to tear it down as far as PCB Removal to access the spring mechanism in the hinge (its the top side near the power button). BE SUPER DUPER careful with PLUGGING IN the micro-SD ribbon cable when you reassemble. One of the spring tension pins (its a flip up type ribbon cable clamp), broke off on me. I was like OMFG for about 2 minutes until I realized it was just the tension pin NOT an actual connection pin.

    Oh yeah, and for anyone that hasn't figured this out already...WARRANTY = VOID!!! :p Oh, and the normal CYA (cover your a$$ clauses) apply...I'm not responsible for any damage etc. etc. etc. that YOU might cause doing this fix/mod.

    verkion
    View
    1
    L
    lalalandrus
    @phazedplasma - any shim around .25" thick is good enough, just use a box cutter or a sharp knife to whittle it down to the size that fits in there. my shim came from an old CD-ROM gut that i had lying around. Lego seems to be 1/4" thick. cardboard, paper, credit cards, sim cards stacked up to around .25" is good too.

    @sinistersai4d4d - potato/po-tat-o :D the urban dictionary entry for "irregardless" is pretty funny

    @verkion - the oil is a nice finishing touch but not entirely necessary as there is already oil on the cam. however since we are increasing the force of the cam, more oil cant hurt.

    To remove the hinge without ripping out PCB (ie avoiding the flaky ribbon cables and ripping the backing sticker with the barcodes etc)

    1) Follow the tear down Blog until the removal of the "concealed screw" by the FLASH LED

    2) Remove the FLASH LED

    3) Remove all PCB screws (the PCB stays solidly in place due to the backing sticker)

    4) Placing the phone screen down landscape w.r.t you, open the KB. the Kb is facing you and the screen is away from you. The left hinge is completely free. The right hinge is wrapped around a standoff (see picture). To remove this, flex the PCB by pulling up the overhang where the power switch is located. The board will allow quite a bit of flex before snapping but it still can so be gentle.



    this picture shows where on the hinge is being caught on the standoff



    5) With the PCB flexed upward wiggle the hinge so that it closes but the KB does not move with the hinge. The KB should be where it is when it is open and therefore a natural fold for the ribbon cable that attaches to the screen.

    6) The hinge is now exposed. Reassemble by performing steps in reverse. Make sure that the bar connecting the left and right hinges are OUTSIDE the phone. I made that mistake and wasted 10 minutes getting the hinge out and in again :(.

    My phone is my only camera so I couldnt take any. However if someone wants to take more pictures I can edit them on what I did.
    View
    1
    tankmorph
    tankmorph
    MassimoM2 said:
    could anyone explain the role of the spring in this mechanism? it's not like the spring is just pushing the hinge to the housing and the friction makes it tight, right?
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse
    It appears that the hinge part shown in yellow twists when the hinge opens, pushing the purple cam against the spring. The mechanism then snaps in place at the next point where the hills and valleys of the cams interlock (approx 90 deg?).
    OTtVu.jpg
    View
    1
    K
    keele8
    Dummy Phone

    So I don't know if anyone read the post a long time ago when the G2 first came out about the dummy G2 phone at walmart. This guy even posted a video on the dummy phone and how the hinge seemed to snap open and closed. I was at Walmart the other day and checked it out. The hinge has a completly different feel. And the dummy phone feels about the same weight as my G2. I was wondering if someone was to buy a dummy phone and tear into it if there would be a different hinge mechanism that could be installed into an actual G2 to fix the problem. Or maybe it has a better spring. Just thought I would throw that out there. I would be willing to buy a dummy phone and tear it apart but I don't have the guts to tear apart my own G2. If you haven't played with a dummy G2 I suggest you take a minute to do it so you can see what I am talking about. Just an idea.
    View

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