Apple 23" ADC Cinema Display Hinge and Kickstand Replacement

wottle

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Oct 30, 2021
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I recently got a Cinema Display from goodwill for $8 (+ $15 shipping) but it did not have a stand. I was hoping I could just use the leg from one of my 17" Cinema displays. Unfortunately, when it arrived I realized it wasn't just the leg that was missing, but the metal tab was actually snapped off from the back of the hinge that mounts to the back of the display. However, I have some 17" cinema displays that weren't in great shape, so I decided to give it a go, knowing that the metal hinge piece is like $50 and I didn't really want to have some ugly metal rod jammed into the back of the monitor to keep it upright.

The mounting locations for the 17" hinge are actually wider than the 23" hinge, but initially seemed to be the correct height. So I originally was going to try to bridge the two pairs of mounting holes with a piece of metal, then drill holes in the metal cross piece and then possible use slightly longer screws to secure in place. However, I actually decided that the metal bracket the hinge attached to is removable. So I changed my strategy, and decided to drill holes below where the new, wider bracket holes are, then marry the plate to the hinge with some m3 screws with nuts. I was hoping the screw heads would be flat enough to allow the mounting plat to be screwed back in place.

All that went relatively well, other than I wasn't able to access all the screws to mount the plate back down to the monitor. So I had to unmate the hinge then screw the plat down. So the mounting plate was attached to the monitor, with the screws sticking up from the monitor's back. The lower screws were being pinched to the monitor, so tightening the nuts was easy. The upper screws were loose, so I had to push up from the bottom to keep the screws from spinning as I tightened the nut. But I got it mounted securely. Unfortunately, I realized that the case wouldn't close because the hinge was mounted too low. Apparently, when I figured the location of the new hinge, I was comparing it to the original hinge mounted upside down (I couldn't tell because the hinge tab was broken off, so I couldn't tell orientation).

So, I pulled everything off and aligned the hinge properly. This time, because of how high the hinge placement was, I had to trim off a bit of one side of the hinge mounting arm (it was in the way of a grounding screw), and then had to drill holes in the hinge mounting arm itself to line up with one of my previously drilled holes in the mounting plate. Then I marked and drilled a hole in the mounting plate for the lower holes on the hinge. Once I did that, I repeated attaching the mounting plate with my 8mm long 3mm screws sticking up from the plate, lowered the hinge onto the screws, and tightened down the nuts. It seemed to be really securely mounted. So I snapped the silver plastic cover over the hinge assembly (make sure you use the 17" hinge cover (the 23"hinge cover will work, but it is too wide for the clear acrylic cover from the 17"). I was able to successfully put the back plate back on (it all lined up properly with the new hinge placement). Once that was back on, I was able to attach the leg to the hinge. I had eyeballed the height before the install and it looked like the leg would work, but I was a little worried that it would be too short and the monitor would always be at too steep of an angle. Fortunately, it seems to be the exact right height and I can go from straight up, to a pleasing tilt with no problems.

So, this post is mainly to let anyone know if they need a hinge / leg for the 23" Cinema ADC display, they can cannibalize a 17" and have a near stock look for the leg. If anyone wants more details of how I mounted it, I could open it back up and take pictures of the successful mounting.

I think @Stephen has a 3d printed version of the clear parts from the kickstand (which I was planning on using to fix this, until I realized the metal tab I'd need to screw the kickstand into was snapped off). The other thing, I'm not sure of (because I didn't have a tab to compare to) is if the screw holes in the 23" tab are located at the same locations as the 17". Because I used everything from the hinge to the kickstand from the 17", they all lined up. I'm curious if the leg from a 17" is exactly the same as the 23", but not curious enough to spend 20 hours printing Stephen's leg to compare.

Just wanted to throw it out there in case someone else is in the same boat with a broken kickstand on a 23" with a working kickstand from a 17". I'm getting old and need the screen real estate from the 23".

Attached is the picture of the broken hinge from the 23"
 

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Certificate of Excellence

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I have a number of 23” adc but luckily no hinge issues. I did inherit a 17” with snapped hinge. My fix was $1 worth of epoxy injected into the break area & cured. It holds it weight fine but I doubt I’d be able to get it back apart now. 🙂
 
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wottle

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I have a number of 23” adc but luckily no hinge issues. I did inherit a 17” with snapped hinge. My fix was $1 worth of epoxy injected into the break area & cured. It holds it weight fine but I doubt I’d be able to get it back apart now. 🙂
Unfortunately I didn’t have the tab or I’d have tried to JB weld that piece back on.
 

Stephen

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I think @Stephen has a 3d printed version of the clear parts from the kickstand (which I was planning on using to fix this, until I realized the metal tab I'd need to screw the kickstand into was snapped off).
Yes, the Cinema Hinge replacement is here. I wonder if a replacement hinge / tabbed component could be 3D printed with a carbon fibre / nylon filament? Looking at the alloy from the photo, it's clearly not very strong.
 
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wottle

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The alloy used in these ADC acrylic cinema displays stinks. I seriously think the plastic is stronger than the alloy used (in the amounts it was used).
It would be interesting to see if the kickstand from mine broke, or if the plastic kickstand was intact with the metal tab snapped off inside. I'm thinking the latter, by how that metal looked where it broke.
 

Stephen

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I think I have a working kickstand and hinge connector, but frankly I don't think I have the time to tear it all down. If someone wants to mail an example working hinge connector to me (highlighted in red) I will gladly make a 3D model for testing.

Screen Shot 2022-01-10 at 4.02.34 PM.png


I seem to recall there's another version with ~10 screws. Perhaps I am remembering it incorrectly? It's been a while since I looked at this.
 

Certificate of Excellence

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It would be interesting to see if the kickstand from mine broke, or if the plastic kickstand was intact with the metal tab snapped off inside. I'm thinking the latter, by how that metal looked where it broke.
The plastics were intact and fine - the alloy behind them is what snapped on my 17". They are very fragile - I think because they were designed too small outright. A higher mass hinge while heavier would have worn better.
 

wottle

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I think I have a working kickstand and hinge connector, but frankly I don't think I have the time to tear it all down. If someone wants to mail an example working hinge connector to me (highlighted in red) I will gladly make a 3D model for testing.

View attachment 2338

I seem to recall there's another version with ~10 screws. Perhaps I am remembering it incorrectly? It's been a while since I looked at this.
Unfortunately the broken one is the only one I have.
 

evantretro

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Oct 24, 2024
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I think I have a working kickstand and hinge connector, but frankly I don't think I have the time to tear it all down. If someone wants to mail an example working hinge connector to me (highlighted in red) I will gladly make a 3D model for testing.

View attachment 2338

I seem to recall there's another version with ~10 screws. Perhaps I am remembering it incorrectly? It's been a while since I looked at this.

I have the piece from the 20", which I think is the same as the piece from the 17". I will confirm this because I also have a 17". My 20" hinge broke and I epoxied it back together but I don't think it will hold.

I can take measurements with a digital caliper, or mail it to you.

Note that the springs seem to have worn away the metal tabs that were supposed to hold them in place, so the original was a little more "filled in" around the repair area.
 

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Stephen

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I have the piece from the 20", which I think is the same as the piece from the 17". I will confirm this because I also have a 17". My 20" hinge broke and I epoxied it back together but I don't think it will hold.

I can take measurements with a digital caliper, or mail it to you.

Note that the springs seem to have worn away the metal tabs that were supposed to hold them in place, so the original was a little more "filled in" around the repair area.
Thanks! I would prefer if you mailed it so I could reference the parts directly. I've managed to collect excellent quality metrological equipment over the last couple of years.

Regarding the tabs, you're referring to the wear inside the two red circles of the attached image?
 

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evantretro

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Oct 24, 2024
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Happy to mail you the broken, sort of repaired, one.

Turns out the 17" studio display hinge is exactly the same as the 20" cinema display hinge. Compare to these pictures of the intact 17" piece; I marked the notches that are completely gone on the broken one.
 

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Paolo B

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I must admit that sometimes it’s really baffling to see how premium and expensive products are in fact poorly designed and engineered.
That hinge is a compendium of how not to design a mechanically stressed component, mixing fragile metal cast, concentrated loads and sharp corners.
Good that with modern technology it’s relatively easy to produce a replacement.
 

evantretro

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Oct 24, 2024
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mechanically stressed component, mixing fragile metal cast, concentrated loads and sharp corners

Don't forget, shear stress on weak acrylic leg. Apple had a lot to learn in the last 25 years. At least it looks cool.
 
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My brother in law helped me build a replacement for the 15" display, I've been thinking about doing up the others as well so that people can have them 3d printed in aluminium or steel just haven't had the time to modify the file.

If anyone wants to take on the challenge our original 3d model for the 15" is on thingiverse (located here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6590582) you would need the dimensions of the other components and then modify the model since they're different sizes as far as I know.
 

Stephen

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Thanks to the kind loan of @evantretro, I have released a 1:1 model of the original hinge. It's available for download on both Thingiverse and PCBWay. Orders for replacements can be submitted directly to PCBWay and at the time of this post Aluminum / Steel replacement parts are just under $30 (for personal use).

PCBWay
Thingiverse

Screenshot 2024-10-30 at 1.47.12 PM.png


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evantretro

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Oct 24, 2024
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Thanks, great work. Note that for aluminum it's one for $30 or two for...$30. Goes down to around $10 each for five or more. Steel goes down to $18 or so. Which is better?

If a bunch of people express interest I could make a bulk order.
 
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Stephen

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I decided to model the spring retention bolt while I still had it on hand — this all ships back to EvanRetro tomorrow. Thank you again for loaning it to me to make a model from.

Screenshot 2024-10-31 at 8.22.11 PM.png


I'll attach the model to the thread. The threads are M5 and the part is press-fit into the hinge bracket. It's trivial to push out with an arbor press but takes a little finesse without one.
 

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