PowerBook 5x0 series hinges

[just.in.time]

Are they all destined to break?

What can be done to protect hinges that aren't yet broken?

What is the best way to repair hinges that have already broken?

Do we already have threads on these topics? Thanks

 

[Challenger 1983]

I believe hinge destruction is inevitable the only way to make them last is if you take of them

 

[beachycove]

The plastic degeneration probably can't be helped, but reinforcement of the area is possible with epoxy or shoe-goo or the like.

What I have sometimes wondered is whether there is a safe lubricant that can be used on the hinges, given that there are ribbon cables in the vicinity. It's hard to think that the hinges would not originally have been greased with something or other, and accordingly, it is hard to think that any original grease has not dried up. Lithium?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

Lithium was my first thought as I was reading you post. Research how it reacts with the ribbon cable base, AFAIK it's inert, but I don't know too much.

 

[just.in.time]

I have a can of lithium that I use when restoring floppy drives, so that's good if it works here as well.

Okay, if I'm understanding properly this is a two part problem:

1)plastic getting brittle

2)hinges are seizing up as the original grease dries out

So if we can keep the hinges moving smoothly it will buy the plastics some time due to reduced force needed to move the display.

 

[Byrd]

My experience with 5x0 hinges is that the hinges themselves are fine, but the plastic can be brittle and break around the site.  Finding a donor 5x0 isn't difficult

 

[just.in.time]

That works for a while, but eventually the donor plastics will also brittle up as well.  I think over the next decade the vast majority that haven't already turned brittle will reach that point as well.  Eventually there will be no more 5x0 series PowerBooks.

Looked into using white lithium grease.  If it is good enough for the floppy drives, it should be acceptable for the hinges.  HOWEVER, on auto parts sites, it seems like most manufactures have drifted away from using it, opting for a silicon based lubricant instead for parts around electrical components.  The only thing I'm not clear on is if the silicon grease is an insulator or conductor.  I think it is an insulator.  That's good.  If any excess were to drip I don't want any surprise shorts happening.

As to the plastic side of the equation, I'm wondering if building up the area around where the screw comes into the lid with an epoxy of some sort would help spread the load a little better.  I'm thinking a 1 inch radius around where the screw goes in, and maybe 1.5-2 millimeters in thickness.  Just a matter of which epoxy to use.  Also, possibly using the hot air gun from my rework station set to something low like 200 degrees to preheat the plastic a bit to help it bond with the epoxy a little better.  Obviously this whole paragraph would only be good for a lid whose plastics haven't yet broken.