Replacing a cracked screen

[greyghost04]

Dropped my phone and put a crack on the screen. Now it still works perfectly. I discovered you can buy a new LCD and glass cover on ebay for around $40. I watched a video on YouTube showing how to remove the old screen. Doesn't look easy, but it looks doable. Has anyone done this yet? How well was finished product working? I figure I can make it to December when I can upgrade, but I like the challenge.

[Dark Lazer]

I was in the same boat as you when I had my Thunderbolt. It fell from no more than 2 feet off the ground and landed at the perfect angle to just crack the screen. It was like an X on te screen, though the screen and phone still functioned fine, but it bothered the hell out of me. So I looked up replacing the digitizer and since I've opened up and built computers, I figured I would be comfortable enough to do this.

I ordered the digitizer, got it a few days later, and started working on it. Apparently while removing the digitizer (quite a bit harder to do than the videos make it look) I slightly scratched the LCD screen. but I didn't realize this until it was all put back together. I turned on the phone, and instead of the normal colors, I got some weird lines all across the screen (plus a few of them where I scratched the LCD). So I ordered a new LCD screen and had to replace that. Got it all replaced, and it looked like it was a success.... BUT there were a few area on the digitzer that didn't respond to touch, pretty much making it useless. I sent the digitizer back and got a new one. This digitizer ALSO had areas that didn't respond to touch (pretty much the bottom half of the screen).

One thing I didn't mention was that you need something sort of adhesive tape to put on the digitizer to stick onto the LCD screen on the sides, that you manually have to cut to be just the right size. It's a pain in the ass, and if you get even the tiniest dust particle in between, you'll probably need to keep removing the screen to clean it out (well you don't HAVE to, but it sure is annoying to look at).

That, along with everything I went through, felt like a huge waste of my time. I ended up just ordering a replacement through my insurance.

I hope I didn't discourage you from doing it, it was interesting to see how the they put it together and just how everything works together, just giving you my experience on the whole thing. If I had to do it again, I probably wouldn't because of how one little thing can ruin the whole thing, plus all the money I spent on the LCD and digitizers, but if you attempt it, good luck!

[greyghost04]

Thank you so much. My screen crack is only 3 inches in the upper corner and it barely broke the surface of the glass. Works perfectly. After reading your great report, I think I'll just live with it for 3-4 months till I can get a Razr Maxx or some version of Galaxy III.
Thanks again.

[justin82]

i have replaced one and will do another when the screen comes in .. i dropped my wifes phone on a tile floor at starbucks .. broke it .. . when and if you do it .. make sure you have a heat gun and you use the air that they make to blow out keyboards etc.. also wear gloves .. takes hour or so for the first will notify you on second

[dangitzawarmboi]

The two hardest part in replacing your digitizer on your thunderbolt is removing the touch screen digitizer then putting the screen back together correctly. Any mishaps can mess up the screen. I replaced my friend thunderbolt take me forever, because i didn't know what i was doing. Before you even put the glue on try to make sure the screen works first. Only tips i can provide.

[greyghost04]

The two hardest part in replacing your digitizer on your thunderbolt is removing the touch screen digitizer then putting the screen back together correctly. Any mishaps can mess up the screen. I replaced my friend thunderbolt take me forever, because i didn't know what i was doing. Before you even put the glue on try to make sure the screen works first. Only tips i can provide.

Do you think it's worth $30 more to buy the digitizer and LCD as one piece?

[jimmyco2008]

Just wondering, in any cases mentioned in this thread, did the Thunderbolt have a case on it?

[justin82]

Do you think it's worth $30 more to buy the digitizer and LCD as one piece?

depends on your patience. and tools that you have . if you dont have the metal pry tools i doubt it could be done easily . i would buy them as 1 piece it is then a 20 min job at most

[justin82]

Just wondering, in any cases mentioned in this thread, did the Thunderbolt have a case on it?

broke screen in mine had no case on it . dont know if a case would have helped a 5 foot fall face down :/

[greyghost04]

I had my bolt mounted on my handle bars of my mountain bike. This 1 time I didn't put the rubber band around it . I hit a bump in the dirt and it went flying and hit a rock on the ground and gave it the new racing stripe across the screen. It was in a case and the case came off and the back of the phone came off.