I haven't seen this posted already so I figured I would share. Anyways my brother just got a S4 for $120 but it came with cracked front glass. I told him I would fix the glass for him (my first time touching a S4 let alone replacing the front glass). Well I meant to take more pictures, but in the moment I just wanted to get the phone done. I followed a guide on iFixit and watched a couple videos on Youtube, alot of people are right when they say that the Youtube videos make it look simple. Anyways this was my first time working with LOCA glue (removing and replacing).
Here are some helpful tips:
#1 Make a jig that will hold your heat gun above your workspace, you will need to adjust the height depending on how well your heat gun works.
#2 Put some clear packaging tape on the front of the glass to avoid glass chipping and flying, also to keep glass from entering under the glass and scratching the digitizer..
#3 The glass is easiest removed with a temperature between 155f and 165f.
#4 Work top to bottom. Ear piece to button.
#5 When prying the glass off MAKE SURE you are between the glass and the digitizer, it is easy to lift the whole LCD assembly.
#6 Work slowly, if the glass if badly broken it will not pull up as easily as a less shattered glass. I found that the digitizer was not as fragile as I was made to believe.
#7 Have plastic razor blades or a plastic putty knife/scraper handy for the removal and cleanup of the LOCA glue.
#8 Have 2 lint free cloths handy for the cleanup and removal of the LOCA glue.
#9 When the glass is almost off remember to pry off the back and home button sensors from the bottom of the glass.
#10 When it is time to clean up the digitizer use your putty knife/scraper to get most of it up.
#11 I found that Eucalyptus oil works well at removing the rest of the LOCA glue. Just put some on a Q-tip and swab the area you want to clean.
Here is a pic of what the digitizer looked like after cleaning with Eucalyptus oil.
EDIT: Sorry pic wouldn't link, had to make it an attachment.
I'm not gonna lie, while putting the new glass on I could not get all the air out, I did not get pics of the finished screen, but it only has a couple small bubbles. Well worth the $10 for the new glass.
Here are some helpful tips:
#1 Make a jig that will hold your heat gun above your workspace, you will need to adjust the height depending on how well your heat gun works.
#2 Put some clear packaging tape on the front of the glass to avoid glass chipping and flying, also to keep glass from entering under the glass and scratching the digitizer..
#3 The glass is easiest removed with a temperature between 155f and 165f.
#4 Work top to bottom. Ear piece to button.
#5 When prying the glass off MAKE SURE you are between the glass and the digitizer, it is easy to lift the whole LCD assembly.
#6 Work slowly, if the glass if badly broken it will not pull up as easily as a less shattered glass. I found that the digitizer was not as fragile as I was made to believe.
#7 Have plastic razor blades or a plastic putty knife/scraper handy for the removal and cleanup of the LOCA glue.
#8 Have 2 lint free cloths handy for the cleanup and removal of the LOCA glue.
#9 When the glass is almost off remember to pry off the back and home button sensors from the bottom of the glass.
#10 When it is time to clean up the digitizer use your putty knife/scraper to get most of it up.
#11 I found that Eucalyptus oil works well at removing the rest of the LOCA glue. Just put some on a Q-tip and swab the area you want to clean.
Here is a pic of what the digitizer looked like after cleaning with Eucalyptus oil.
EDIT: Sorry pic wouldn't link, had to make it an attachment.
I'm not gonna lie, while putting the new glass on I could not get all the air out, I did not get pics of the finished screen, but it only has a couple small bubbles. Well worth the $10 for the new glass.
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