squeeky hinges

[RBTX2013]

Has anybody experienced the hinges making a squeeky noise when the screen is pressed with device open?

Would greasing the hinges damage the unit in any way?

[ianisthewalrus]

mine dont squeak, but they pop whenever i open the device.

[Pikku-iikka]

Mine were not squeeky at first, but after one or two days use they have been. Also, when device is fully open, and twisted carefully backwards, there is a 'snap' sound too. When listened closely, squeek comes from somewhere near the middle hinge. Daniel W has reported of a broken middle hinge in this thread.

Hmmm... Maybe I will try injecting a tiny amount of grease into the middle hinge, very carefully. Should not do any harm.

[Vistaus]

No squeeking here, even after a couple of months of use. But I know WD-40 usually helps against squeeking, so you might want to try a little bit of that.

[Pikku-iikka]

No squeeking here, even after a couple of months of use. But I know WD-40 usually helps against squeeking, so you might want to try a little bit of that.

Yes! A very little drop of WD-40, put into middle hinges with a tip of a small screwdriver. Squeeking is history.

[Vistaus]

No squeeking here, even after a couple of months of use. But I know WD-40 usually helps against squeeking, so you might want to try a little bit of that.

Yes! A very little drop of WD-40, put into middle hinges with a tip of a small screwdriver. Squeeking is history.

Happy to hear that!

[Zarhan]

No squeeking here, even after a couple of months of use. But I know WD-40 usually helps against squeeking, so you might want to try a little bit of that.

Yes! A very little drop of WD-40, put into middle hinges with a tip of a small screwdriver. Squeeking is history.

  I would rather recommend CRC 5-56. Just as long as you don't use silicone spray.

[Zarhan]

Now, after four months of usage, I'm getting my first problem with the hinge. Not a squeak, but rather a..."snap" when opening the cosmo to "fully open" position. Another snap comes when I start closing it. It's like there's plastic bending somewhere.

I can feel a slight "bulge" near the left hinge.

Maybe there's some dust or grain of sand gotten behind the hinge.

Did anyone manage to (non-destructively) open their Cosmo yet? I'm thinking that maybe I'd simply try vacuuming the hinge, but I'm just a tad uncertain on how fragile the construction is...

[vldmr]

Now, after four months of usage, I'm getting my first problem with the hinge. Not a squeak, but rather a..."snap" when opening the cosmo to "fully open" position. Another snap comes when I start closing it. It's like there's plastic bending somewhere.

Mine started producing something similar not long ago. Sometime it is quite loud crackling sound at the moment it starts to close, but most of the time it is very subtle, although present every time. I feel that it comes from the bending spring-like plate covering hinges from outside, not from hinges themselves

[Zarhan]

Mine started producing something similar not long ago. Sometime it is quite loud crackling sound at the moment it starts to close, but most of the time it is very subtle, although present every time. I feel that it comes from the bending spring-like plate covering hinges from outside, not from hinges themselves

You described it better than me - this is exactly what I'm witnessing.

[Zarhan]

Well, I just opened the lid, used vacuum cleaner to get whatever was causing the problem out of there. Problem solved.

[Darfonicus]

Have the same problem after nearly 4 months of usage. Applied WD40 but problem persists. I don't know what else to do. It's not a problem when using the device but i fear it may cause physical  damage over time. Sounds like the end of the front cover's plate rubs/scratches against the spine of Cosmo.

[TauPan]

No squeeking here, even after a couple of months of use. But I know WD-40 usually helps against squeeking, so you might want to try a little bit of that.

Yes! A very little drop of WD-40, put into middle hinges with a tip of a small screwdriver. Squeeking is history.

  I would rather recommend CRC 5-56. Just as long as you don't use silicone spray.

Thanks for the tip with the oil. I just got rid of a very bad squeak with Caramba (a silione free oil).

[Pikku-iikka]

Hello,

nice to be using my Cosmo again after a three months trip to Planet's Headquarters (2nd in a row). This is my Cosmoing history so far:

First week ok, then some squeeking from central hinge, a little snap too when closing. Applied a micro amount of WD-40. Kept using - with care - for a little over six months. And happy time this was, my device didn't have all those rebooting or keyboard issues whatsoever.

Then suddenly, without warnings, the middle hinge broke into pieces. Contacted Planet from their web form. Got fast responce asking to send a photo (see attachment). Then was asked to send the device in and given thorough packaging instructions. The whole repair process including transport to UK and back to Finland took only 18 days - not bad I think. And the email discussions worked well via an opened ticket. 10 points.

But. After about ten days of usage, the Cosmo started to behave badly when opened to full extend. Snapping sound while the "moving metal cover" popping back and forth. I contacted Planet again - with the same ticket. They gave instructions to make sure the "moving back cover" is fastened reliably. Doing that I realised, that a kind of 'nail' was broken from the middle section. I suspect it's job was to keep the "moving back cover" in place.

Took a photo again (see attachment). Still, I didn't wan't to send the device to UK again because the damage was merely cosmetic - I could open the device normally when supporting it by squeezing gently so that "moving metal cover" stayed in place. So I suggested to Planet that I could live with the fault as far as my warranty would still be valid, should something more serious damage happen. But they wanted me to send it in again, to be "investigated alongside engineering". Ougei, Another trip to UK.

This time, waiting took more time. After a month of silence, I asked how things are. After three weeks got a polite answer, that my device is scheduled to leave after a few days. After 17 days I asked again, was replied within a week, that Cosmo has left now. Got a tracking number, but it took a whole week before the parcel got moving. The it got through border customs, but got stuck when in DPD Parcel centre in Netherlands. I received mail and SMS stating that I have to pay a 17,95 %u20AC tax if I want to get my device. While I think that is not justified when I am not buying anything, I paid. Did not want the Cosmo to be sent back to Planet. That would have created a neverending loop, I think... And a PostNord (DPD representative in Finland) customer service person told me in phone, that I could request my money back from Finnish customs by filling a form. Maybe I will, indeed.

Well, long story with a happy ending. Another week went by, and yesterday a PostNord driver brought my Cosmo straight to my door. It seems to be in excellent condition - only a minor annoyance, that the 'B' and 'N' keycaps were in opposite places  . I was terrified at first that my keyboard is broken... We well see, if the squeeking starts again.

I would give Planet 8+ this time. But when I think that the fault was something that they wanted to 'investigate with engineering' (in China?), and there were Christmas / New Year holidays and the loved Brexit too in the mixture - not bad this either. Only the communication should have come from Planet side without the need to shout after.


-iikka

[Daniel W]

Hm... that looks a lot like my middle hinge, only worse.

I posted a picture of mine, a little over seven months ago, in the daily driver thread. It looked like this:
 

As far as I can tell, mine still looks very much the same, so mine doesn't seem to be gettings worse. Thus far, it works fine.