Related
Here is my sad story.....dropped the T-bolt for the first time and the digitizer cracked (had it in a case even). So I ordered a new one from repairs universe and they advertised that it would come with a guide. It did not, but the digitizer arrived quickly. So being an electrical engineer I decided that I could probably do it anyway.
I managed to get it apart and learn the hard way about a few things not to do. I manged to crack the LCD :-( I looked an no one has them :-(
My model used a Sharp lq043y1dx04 according to the sticker.
Anyway, I have figured out how to take the T-Bolt apart and figured that while I wait for a new LCD to become available I could at least share some pictures with the community. Being a new poster though, how would you suggest posting pictures?
***Update - photos are here, let me know if there are any that you would like to see better: s1098.photobucket.com/albums/g378/bscythe/ ***
Finally, I do not recommend anyone try this....you need to remove the LCD in order to replace the digitizer. The LCD is double sticky taped to a metal tray. To get the two apart you must do a lot of prying which can destroy the fragile LCD. If you are going to try it, I'd recommend a 4" wide razor used for scraping windows to insert along side the LCD to use to pry with. Be careful not to cut the ribbons though!
I'm a mechanical/acoustical engineer...
For pics, I would use photobucket...
As for the screen and tray, usually they are one piece, is there any kind of tabs through the board that look like they may hold the tray in?
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
Imgur.com
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Wow, I am surprised there is not more interest!
Never realized how badly I am addicted to having a phone with a data connection
bscythe said:
Wow, I am surprised there is not more interest!
Never realized how badly I am addicted to having a phone with a data connection
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found the pictures very interesting. However, you couldn't pay me $250 to try to open one up.
bscythe said:
Wow, I am surprised there is not more interest!
Never realized how badly I am addicted to having a phone with a data connection
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, if it makes you feel better, I'm very interested in taking a look. As someone that has had their Galaxy S apart numerous times, anytime I can take a sneak peak I'm all for it!
Very cool. I love tear downs.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
I would take a broken one and figure out the proper way to disassemble it.... But no way am I gonna open mine...
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
eallan said:
Very cool. I love tear downs.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too!
Thanks for posting, OP.
Well I hope that my misfortune is at least helpful to others at some point since I could not find a teardown to reference before I tried fixing the phone myself.
I was able to get a new one from work (thank goodness for the large number of available upgrades on our account), but still plan to finish fixing this one when the LCDs become available. Putting it back together will be the easy part....I'll take better pictures during the process too.
Did you happen to notice where the cell and wifi antennas are located?
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
They are located in the battery cover. If you take it apart you will see the metal tabs on the battery cover that connect to the phone for the antennas.
This is the first phone I have ever purchased insurance for. My nexus one took a few tumbles and survived but I would hate to try to replace this phone at retail price. At least ebay had nexus one pretty available for reasonable prices.
Good luck maybe you can still purchase the insurance through VZ.
repair
Well I dropped mine too and the digitizer is cracked bad. It still works and tape is holding it all in place but I need to get it fixed. I have taken apart laptops and fixed them and am a mr fixit in many departments, so I hope I can do it without cracking the lcd. I ordered the digitizer and am hoping to get some tips from you. Is there any way you put a step by step together that could guide me through this process? I would greatly greatly appreciate it.
I looked at the pics and with the beveled edges of the tray it seems to be very hard to separate the lcd from the tray with a flat blade. Does the LCD have to be detached from the tray? Also, since the bottom part of the case is a molded piece do the internals slide up and out?
Thanks
I'm sure that isn't the only antenna.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
So i've been an Atrix owner for about 2 weeks now and my worst nightmare happend today. I was buying a drink from a vending machine and the phone slipped out of my pocket and fell SCREEN FIRST onto concrete.
I quickly picked it up and noticed THERE WAS A HUGE CRACK in the screen!
I AM SO SAD RIGHT NOW cause i bought the atrix outright from AT&T
i dont think the LCD panel itself was damaged but the glass on the surface only. The display looks perfectly fine still so i was curious if anyone knows how to switch out the glass part? What tools do i need?
I found this one ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Motorola-MB860-...838?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588d7db4fe
is this the right part?
or do i have to buy the entire LCD, cause its much more expensive:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AT-T-MOTOROLA-A...507?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33666a4883
also, does anyone know any reputable sellers that sell LEGIT parts such as the digitizer? I'm not sure if i can trust these random ebay sellers...any suggestions would be appreciated
i attached some pictures to show you what happend - i still can't believe it happend
i'm also really surpirsed the gorilla glass broke so easily. The drop was at MOST 1.5 feet..
Bakedbread said:
So i've been an Atrix owner for about 2 weeks now and my worst nightmare happend today. I was buying a drink from a vending machine and the phone slipped out of my pocket and fell SCREEN FIRST onto concrete.
I quickly picked it up and noticed THERE WAS A HUGE CRACK in the screen!
I AM SO SAD RIGHT NOW cause i bought the atrix outright from AT&T
i dont think the LCD panel itself was damaged but the glass on the surface only. The display looks perfectly fine still so i was curious if anyone knows how to switch out the glass part? What tools do i need?
I found this one ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Motorola-MB860-...838?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588d7db4fe
is this the right part?
or do i have to buy the entire LCD, cause its much more expensive:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AT-T-MOTOROLA-A...507?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33666a4883
also, does anyone know any reputable sellers that sell LEGIT parts such as the digitizer? I'm not sure if i can trust these random ebay sellers...any suggestions would be appreciated
i attached some pictures to show you what happend - i still can't believe it happend
i'm also really surpirsed the gorilla glass broke so easily. The drop was at MOST 1.5 feet..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, thats not a bad deal. You could use DealExtreme though if you wanted. But this seems like a good deal.
Teardown Video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbR56jSplRs
Watched a bit and it looks like a good tutorial.
Also, if you don't have the tools you might want this kit.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Motorola-MB860-...195?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2310051643
It's about the same price and those are both going to ship from Hong Kong. So expect a wait. I didn't find any sellers in the U.S.
There are some that would ship from the U.S. without tools but the price is more like fifty bones instead of 30 something.
Good Luck
JdgM3NT4L said:
Teardown Video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbR56jSplRs
Watched a bit and it looks like a good tutorial.
Also, if you don't have the tools you might want this kit.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Motorola-MB860-...195?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2310051643
It's about the same price and those are both going to ship from Hong Kong. So expect a wait. I didn't find any sellers in the U.S.
There are some that would ship from the U.S. without tools but the price is more like fifty bones instead of 30 something.
Good Luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are brave soul for recommending such a bad tools.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the recommendations everyone
Do you suggest a better pack of tools? Why do you say they're bad?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
greenstuffs said:
You are brave soul for recommending such a bad tools.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, they are more than capable. I replace digitizers frequently and I rarely have to break out my "good set' of tools. Yeah these are simply cheap lumps of plastic. But they work. And these tools should be safer to use than almost anything that the average person, who doesn't do this sort of thing regularly, might have on hand. I just didn't want him to order a digitizer and attack it with a butterknife. I was trying to be subtle about it tho... We don't want anyone to scuff their bezel now do we?
I am always on the lookout for great deals on tools for this. And I look forward to your recommendation for a tool set.
Atrix 4G Glass
You can find a replacement glass here. globalpartsdirect dot com
G2Smooth;129674
33 said:
You can find a replacement glass here. globalpartsdirect dot com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean http://www.globaldirectparts.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=atrix
Your phone should be under warranty! Call company first!
Sent from my MB860 using XDA Premium App
gonka95 said:
Your phone should be under warranty! Call company first!
Sent from my MB860 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Warranty covers a broken screen? Reason I ask is because I would rather have MOTO replace the screen (or the phone entirely) than me replacing the screen and voiding the warranty. I do not have insurance
I broke the glass on my phone 3 weeks after I bought it and didnt have insurance on it. I called motorola and they sent me an rma. I sent it in and they sent it back to me fixed in less than a week. If I remember right it cost $90 for them to fix it.
so it was only the digitizer after all?
+1 for photo of toilet roll by the bed, classy...
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
JdgM3NT4L said:
Nah, they are more than capable. I replace digitizers frequently and I rarely have to break out my "good set' of tools. Yeah these are simply cheap lumps of plastic. But they work. And these tools should be safer to use than almost anything that the average person, who doesn't do this sort of thing regularly, might have on hand. I just didn't want him to order a digitizer and attack it with a butterknife. I was trying to be subtle about it tho... We don't want anyone to scuff their bezel now do we?
I am always on the lookout for great deals on tools for this. And I look forward to your recommendation for a tool set.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A friend and I splurged on the $60 iFixit tool kit because we made some spare cash on the side repairing classmates' phones. It works well, although I still don't know if I would justify the price. It seems that the major complaint on reviews for replacement electronics parts are the parts that come with them, if at all, so maybe getting a better set is worth it if you replace digitizers frequently. Replacing the Atrix digitizer/screen is a fairly easy task compared to other phones until you get to putting the new screen on, at which point trying to get the cables back into the housing becomes a pain.'
Good luck!
consolation said:
+1 for photo of toilet roll by the bed, classy...
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol.....betting if you look hard enough there's lotion there somewhere too!
Sent from my MB860 using xda premium
Ugh I'm going to have to do this. My digi. Is farked as well. Now, is there a video to put this back together?. I agree that taking it apart is not the hard part at all.
iFixit will have a tear down guide.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
Surprisingly there is no video to put it together...
Let me tell you from experience that it's damn near impossible to put it back together without tearing the digitizer ribbon straight off the screen while trying to slip it through that tiny hole that you pulled it out of. I've replaced two screens and I still don't think I can get it right.
My screen cracked twice while still under warranty, so I played the clueless n00b after I replaced the glass (cracked screens are not covered under warranty) and claimed the phone wasn't working and I couldn't figure out why.
Strange thing is, I also couldn't find a place online that would do replacement digitizers either. I didn't look for long, but if you don't have an option of a warranty return, I'd pay the $50 or so to let someone else do this for you and get it right...
YMMV...
I recommend taking it apart completely, you can attach the digitizer to the bezel/chassis and then you don't have to deal with trying to slide the cable through that tiny hole, you can just clean the digitizer, clean the lcd, put them together and then put the entire mounting plate back together and it just clips straight in...essentially you make this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/180835204777?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
completely removes the chance of tearing the cable off the back of the digitizer...which is pretty common, sort of adds the step of getting the mounting plate off the fascia bezel...but its not to hard, be careful when popping up the volume/buttons camera cable area, that cable tears easily.
Hey All..
I saw a TBolt pop up on Craigslist and ended up trading my OG Droid (that I bought from a friend for $50) + $25 bucks for a Tbolt in very good condition but the Digitizer is cracked..
Its not Horrible, I still use the phone and love 4G.. but I want to replace the Digitizer.. I have done a few screens on IProducts and older phones but I have herd lots of horror stories about Digitizers not working after being replaced or dead spots and ghost touches on the TBolt..
So How many have done it and everything has gone 100% fine and where did you get your screen and adhesive? And then how many say i should save my pennies and trust someone else to do it?
I've done 2
1 successful and one a disaster
Put to much 3 m tape on one and it smudged on ends and touch screen
Only worked half way but if you use hair dryer and get really hot and use a small amount of tape it isn't that bad but watched video on YouTube of repair from a repair universe and that's where I bought it
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
carycooke said:
I've done 2
1 successful and one a disaster
Put to much 3 m tape on one and it smudged on ends and touch screen
Only worked half way but if you use hair dryer and get really hot and use a small amount of tape it isn't that bad but watched video on YouTube of repair from a repair universe and that's where I bought it
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So Repair Universe has good stuff? I was hoping someone had sourced a better (read; cheaper) replacement.. $40 is steep compared to the $15 Digitizers that are still working on Itouches i replaced 2 years ago.. and I have never had to separate a LCD and Digitizer before when they were glued together.. that was the biggest thing I am unsure of..
I replaced a digitizer/LCD combo on the Thunderbolt, but I've also replaced the digitizer alone on the HTC Inspire and HD2 many times, and the Thunderbolt is very similar to these two (especially the Inspire). It's not very hard to separate the digitizer from the LCD, just heat the glass up very good first, and make sure you get some good 2mm adhesive for reassembling them. The digitizer does not adhere to the frame at all (though the shell does sort of wrap around and clip onto the glass), it is only adhered to the LCD so you have to be sure to get them nice and tight. The best way to do this is to just get an LCD/digitizer combo pre assembled, then it only takes about 5 minutes from start to finish, and you don't have to be nearly as careful. You can get the combo for like $50 on eBay, just make sure you buy from a reputable seller. Repairs Universe is trustworthy, but they sell the same stuff you get on eBay, and everything is made in China to begin with.
Awesome to hear. I won't be going to repare universe then. 40 for the digitizer alone is steep to me. I am not sure if I want to try and just do the digitizer or just swap both. I bought this TBolt for $60 used so I can probably afford to just buy the whole assembly.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
Dropped my Thunderbolt at the bar last night and, unfortunately, the screen cracked =(.
Where would be the best place to buy some new glass? Does something like iFixit exist for non-Apple devices =P? Also, on a side note, from a previous accident I had with my phone almost a year ago, the backlight for back and search dedicated buttons died. While I have my phone apart, is there an easy way to replace those, or are they attached to something larger? In the mean time, I'll keep using "keyboard backlight" to keep them always disabled =/
You can buy a new screen from amazon. There are repair videos on YouTube that are pretty easy to follow too. The backlights for the capacitive buttons I'm not sure about.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
The reviews on Amazon make me weary... it seems to be hit or miss in terms of quality.
Try this site
http://www.repairsuniverse.com/htc-thunderbolt-screen-replacements-repair-parts.html
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
Research this method and please let us know how it goes. My screen is scratched pretty bad.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA
Just a tip, I fix phones for a living and it is incredibly difficult to remove the LCD without breaking it, I would highly recommended buying the LCD and digitizer together. Use repairs universe or wholesalegadgetparts.com, I've had great experiences with both.
I can see where you are coming from but all of the replacements I saw were both in one piece.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
I bought a replacement but never used it. I can sell it to you.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA
The place I usually get my screens are amazon and eBay I found them to be the cheapest
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA
Just a quick update for future reference:
I bought a digitizer ONLY from Repair Universe (RU) originally, but after reviewing the take apart guides/videos for the Thunderbolt, I figured it'd be smarter and easier to buy the LCD + Digitizer pre-assembled. So I returned my digitizer to RU.
RU didn't have the LCD+Digi combo, so I checked wholesalegadgetparts.com (WSGP) per brandogg's suggestion. They not only had the combo, but they had the digitizer MUCH cheaper than RU, keep that in mind if you're buying from the two.
The only problem was WSGP had the LCD+Digi on back-order until mid-May, and I didn't want to to wait. So I got onto eBay and bought the LCD+Digi from a high-ranked seller that a personal friend had purchased iPhone LCD's from before.
Received the eBay screen and an hour later, I have a fix Thunderbolt! It actually feels like a new phone since there are no tiny scratches or nicks on the screen! Not to mention cleaning out all the dust/dirt/grossness from the inside made my proximity sensor function correctly, huzzuh!
Thanks for the help and suggestions, you've saved my phone and wallet!
I realize the original poster has resolved his issue, but I'm posting this just as a reference for others.
My lovely wife has cracked her screen to the point it needed to be replaced twice in the last year. First time I paid $100 (including parts) to have a local place do it. The person did a poor job, claimed it was a difficult repair, and the sensitivity was wrong. When she cracked it a second time I fixed it myself using a screen from http://www.directfix.com/ and used this youtube video. I found it fairly easy and replaced it in about an hour taking my time. After my repair, it works fine although I did have to clean out some dust once (not as well sealed as factory obviously). I believe the screen, plastic pry tool, and small screw drivers was around $64 including tax & shipping. I have no connection to the company that I purchased the screen and tools from(just stumbled on them via google), but I am happy with their service.
I am an engineer and do have a little experience taking apart other electronics, but I am by no means particularly good at it. It's definitely doable by anyone with the patience, and I had no trouble replacing just the screen and not the LCD. It may have been a bit easier for me as it was the second time the phone was taken apart.
I've made Gorilla Glass a requirement for my wife's next phone...
It was definitely easier since the screen had already been replaced and the replacement LCD did not have the same adhesive that the original would have had...and the Thunderbolt does have Gorilla Glass.
Also, gorilla glass is made for scratch protection not impacts.
Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
sdnick484 said:
I realize the original poster has resolved his issue, but I'm posting this just as a reference for others.
My lovely wife has cracked her screen to the point it needed to be replaced twice in the last year. First time I paid $100 (including parts) to have a local place do it. The person did a poor job, claimed it was a difficult repair, and the sensitivity was wrong. When she cracked it a second time I fixed it myself using a screen from http://www.directfix.com/ and used this youtube video. I found it fairly easy and replaced it in about an hour taking my time. After my repair, it works fine although I did have to clean out some dust once (not as well sealed as factory obviously). I believe the screen, plastic pry tool, and small screw drivers was around $64 including tax & shipping. I have no connection to the company that I purchased the screen and tools from(just stumbled on them via google), but I am happy with their service.
I am an engineer and do have a little experience taking apart other electronics, but I am by no means particularly good at it. It's definitely doable by anyone with the patience, and I had no trouble replacing just the screen and not the LCD. It may have been a bit easier for me as it was the second time the phone was taken apart.
I've made Gorilla Glass a requirement for my wife's next phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically why I said do it yourself and the thunderbolt already has gorilla glass but you might want to consider a otter box for this device
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions &
Read the Forum Rules Ref Posting
Moving to Q&A
Any had to replace theirs???
Any good sources just for the glass???
My lcd is fine
Thx
Sent from my DROID RAZR using xda app-developers app
nope. as for sources you can go here http://cellphone-repair-shop.com/motorola-droid-razr-parts-xt910-xt912/
Sent from my XT910 using xda premium
Thx for the link
Im just looking for the digitizer..not the lcd and all that
Was hoping to find someone that has actually ordered the glass and gone thru the process
Sent from my DROID RAZR using xda app-developers app
Youre better off replacing both at the same time. Most phones have some sort of adhesive holding the glass and the digitizer together.
If you ship it next day tomorrow 2 motorola it's like 179 and whatever you pay for shipping 4 to 5 days turn around. I now love my otter box. The other box is good because the silicone never slips never falls
.215 radio - SimplexROM 1.2 - Daily Driver - XT912 - Wigdetsoid - Linux Installer - Otter Box
Disassembly of an Amoded display and digitizer isn't an easy job as well as correct assembly, especially for thin displays like the one that XT910 sports. I suggest you to order full display assembly for the best practice. However, you can buy the digitizer itself from ebay. Prices are about 50-80 $ !
I have worked on cell phones for years!!
Heat gun works wonders
I will try the ebay stuff maybe try Motorola and see what tgey will do
Again was just hoping to find somebody that has actually bought one before
Thx again guys
Sent from my DROID RAZR using xda app-developers app
I broke mine after dropping it face first on the floor, and got quoted £250 plus postage, only to find that the company had finally received the screen only to find that it would only display green. So I told them to recycle it, it wasn't worth fixing it to wait another 2 weeks after waiting a month for it.
So just be careful whether the actual screen works or not.
Are there any good, thick protective screens that do not hamper the touch performance?
It doesn't matter how thick the screen is, it's still gonna break...I broke my Gorrilla Glassed Defy so had to stop putting it in jugs of beer until fixed it which was a bugger...great old pub trick.
Broke mine a few months ago and have been looking for parts sources since. It seems that the digitizer goes for around 180 to 200 $. But sending it to the repair service here in France costs a bit less. Go figure.
Anyway I'm actually waiting to see a good price on a used phone and will probably buy one and keep my old/broken phone for (other) parts. Or sell it on ebay.
Sent from my XT910 using Tapatalk 2
My screen cracked from a simple 1 foot fall onto my drive way.-. Gorilla glass fails honestly. It was a brand new one too, just got it a few weeks prior because my other wouldn't update to ICS.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using xda app-developers app
My wife's Razr Gorilla glass broke from a 1m fall. When she went to pick it up she also cut her finger in the broken glass, something that is surely an engineering problem. You might expect the phone to brake, but not to injure yourself. I contacted Moto and they changed the LCD for no charge, at least.
A friend was using a s3 when he dropped it.. Around less than a meter as well, he's really short.. Facing up.. The glass broke. So much for gorila glass.. At leastsamsung repaired his phone for free..
Sent from my ICS Moto Razr XT910
Bigger displays are easier to break no matter what kind of glass. Its simple physics
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
You cannot replace the digitizer alone. The digitizer and LCD and fused together, just like on the iPhone 4 and 4S, and the Galaxy S, S II, and S III phones. You can use a heatgun all you want (I also work in a cell phone repair shop), but you will end up destroying the LCD in the process anyway. The screens are often sold separately so that you can buy them individually, in case you drop your phone again it will be cheaper to repair the second time.
Gorilla glass is for scratch protection, if you drop it, it will crack. There is no getting around that.