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24" Aluminum iMac missing part nightmare

B

B. Lo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 20, 2009
3
0
Okay, being tech savvy and a bargain shopper I bought a 24" Early 2008 iMac off of eBay with a broken LCD for about $350. I then proceeded to find a replacement LCD on eBay for $250. (Making out like a bandit on this iMac) So I receive the iMac and all the parts and it works flawlessly when hooked to an external monitor and things are well. The screen comes in the mail in the next following days and it is immaculate and also works flawlessly; however, the LCD is missing the mounting brackets. The ultimate buzzkill to the entire restoration. The iMac has Applecare until June 2011, but since the screen was popped they want nothing to do with it, the screen at least. So I contacted the guy I bought the iMac from to ask where the broken LCD was, to salvage teh mounting brackets off of it, and he said since he lives in California the Apple Store was required to keep the broken LCD meaning the brackets plus the broken LCD are MIA due to California's sweet EPA laws. I have every single part for this iMac to get it restored to completion and have scoured internetland to find the mounting brackets to no avail. No one seems to have them or any means to getting them. So this is my leap of faith asking the community if they know where I can buy the brackets, if they are looking to sell the brackets if they have them lying around or know of any iMac "salvage yards" I can contact. My means are exhausted in the search. Thanks

~ Brice
 
B. Lo said:
Okay, being tech savvy and a bargain shopper I bought a 24" Early 2008 iMac off of eBay with a broken LCD for about $350. I then proceeded to find a replacement LCD on eBay for $250. (Making out like a bandit on this iMac) So I receive the iMac and all the parts and it works flawlessly when hooked to an external monitor and things are well. The screen comes in the mail in the next following days and it is immaculate and also works flawlessly; however, the LCD is missing the mounting brackets. The ultimate buzzkill to the entire restoration. The iMac has Applecare until June 2011, but since the screen was popped they want nothing to do with it, the screen at least. So I contacted the guy I bought the iMac from to ask where the broken LCD was, to salvage teh mounting brackets off of it, and he said since he lives in California the Apple Store was required to keep the broken LCD meaning the brackets plus the broken LCD are MIA due to California's sweet EPA laws. I have every single part for this iMac to get it restored to completion and have scoured internetland to find the mounting brackets to no avail. No one seems to have them or any means to getting them. So this is my leap of faith asking the community if they know where I can buy the brackets, if they are looking to sell the brackets if they have them lying around or know of any iMac "salvage yards" I can contact. My means are exhausted in the search. Thanks

~ Brice
Click to expand...

Great deal! To be honest, the chances of you getting hold of another bracket are slim to none short of you finding another faulty iMac. You'd be better off trying to fashion your own diy solution - especially since Apple knows the machine's a write off and so the Applecare's voided anyway. See if there's any way you can cut some wood to size so as to wedge the panel in place. As hammer fisted as it may sound, its probably your best solution.
 
Yeah I havent tried ifixit yet but I've checked ebay, We Love Macs, etc etc Yeah it just kinda blows for the fact you specifically cannot get this single part. I have seen maybe 2 people tops on ebay selling lcds that have the brackets attached that have a buy it now for about 400 to 500. Ive sent them emails more or less pleading to have them strip the brackets and sell them to me. Will they? Hard to say. Either way I just ask if anyone could spread the word or know of places.
 
B. Lo said:
Yeah I havent tried ifixit yet but I've checked ebay, We Love Macs, etc etc Yeah it just kinda blows for the fact you specifically cannot get this single part. I have seen maybe 2 people tops on ebay selling lcds that have the brackets attached that have a buy it now for about 400 to 500. Ive sent them emails more or less pleading to have them strip the brackets and sell them to me. Will they? Hard to say. Either way I just ask if anyone could spread the word or know of places.
Click to expand...

B.Lo,

Have you tried contacting an Apple authorized service center? They can probably order the part specifically from Apple, and then sell it to you at a slight premium. Or perhaps they may have some damaged LCDs that are lying around from which you can salvage the mounting bracket.
 
I have contacted two service centers in my area and you cannot order the specific part, Apple wants you buy the entire LCD assembly for an outragious price. One of them said since the imac is so new they have only seen one aluminum imac come through. Disappointing really. Someone out there must have a brken imac that can tear it down and recover brackets for me. Or at least hope someone exists.
 
sometimes we get caught up on finding he exact part that we overlook how easy it "MIGHT" be to come up with our own solutions.. I have opened my imac but don't remember how the brackets look like.. i'm sure it's not an easy job..

but if you go to a hardware store you might find a way to get the brackets on our own.. being that you opened and replaced the screen you seem to know what you're doing.. finding a semi thin aluminum sheet and bending it and drilling some holes might help.. best part you'll feel so proud of have done it yourself...

let us know if you find them or your final solution.. best of luck
 
Here's what I personally would do. Get someone to take a couple of high resolution photos of the brackets for you, including a ruler in the shots.

Then contact a machine shop. They should be able to machine you brackets that are the same dimensions so that you will be able to complete your project.

I really don't think the cost would be over $50-$100 and you'd have this project done.

All you need is a competent machine shop and the kindness of someone willing to photograph the brackets for you.

Option B would be calling literally every authorized servicer you can find in the U.S. I would be willing to bet a steak dinner that an authorized repair shop some where in the US has exactly what you're looking for.
 
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