Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

So my White n9 has been officially beaten up, usb door messed up, sim tray pops out every now and then, crazy scratches on the back.

I'm looking into replacing the housing. Can anyone recommend me a tutorial? Something easy to follow and least risk of damage. Last time I tried replacing a housing was on a blackberry 8900, broke it.

Also any recommended links to buy? I found this, is it worth not going for OEM? Anyone knows any housing outside the black, cyan and pink?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-White-Fu...-/380617152976

BUT looks at this, was looking up how much these things cost now, came across this. Where the heck can I get this orange housing????
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nokia-N9-Unl...-/280861620741

Pretty sure its photoshop damit.

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

i have changed mine...

originally my n9 was black, but i chenged for a white one.

i have buy this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:AAQ:US:1123

it's like an original one... the only thing that i am not fully happy is the with the camera lens and the metal sheet. it doesn't fill 100% right, but it's ok for me.

the body is perfect and wothout any rare sounds...

just be careful with the torx drivers, they are not normal torx, they are torx plus, but with a t4, t5 and a lot of firmely hands you can dissasembly your n9 without any issues.

excuse my stupid english hahaha :D

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

Nicee thanks! The one on ebay looks to come with drivers so I technically should be good :) Hopefully that is lol

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

yeah, it will come with the traditional t4 and t5, not the torx plus that you will need...

just press the screwdriver firmly with both hands before turning and you will be ok.

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

I found this on my replacement too! around the lens the metal was not flush! otherwise perfect.

these might be reject housings? they are too good to be copies!

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

yeah... good copies.

at least mine come from hong kong. and yours grazy?

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

not sure to be honest! I would assume so! still think they are just housings that failed quality control!

They are too good!

Plus my screen is perfect too! I saw a few on ebay with no Nokia logo and wonder if they are just made in the same factory? with logo removed?

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

This video from LE55ONS is the best disassembly/reassembly and component swapping video I've seen.

A standard T5 torx worked for me.And it was an excuse to get a set of small range mini drivers . . .

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

my solution for this is to very carefully, with a wirecutter or a boltcutter, chomp off the left 'tooth' of the sim tray. the spring is only on the left, and without the tooth, the tray just slides in and stays in. this means that removing the sim tray requires pulling it out with your nail a credit card underneath it, but its not hard, and the only thing damaged is the sim tray, which are super cheap. i recommend buying a spare and trying this out.

EDIT: you may need to trim down the the bottom left of your microsim {oriented with the normal cutout on top left}. just shave a teensy bit more off until it slides in easily, and make sure you dont damage the contacts

EDIT: my case was a bit beat up, and the phone was old, so my sim became disconnected OFTEN, and i would miss calls. i couldnt even tell it was out visually, because it was always slightly lifted.
after i cut off a little of the sim tray and my sim, it never disconnected again, and i can remove the sim with my thumbnail no problem.

i stripped a screw with torx, and i was being nice and firm. i had to do it twice, tho {once to replace the battery a month before}.

youll PROBABLY be fine with torx, as long as you have strong steady hands and move with confidence, but if it goes wrong, its a HUGE PITA. it is MUCH easier to strip the screws than you think.
dont use the wrong tools, torx-plus are like 5 bucks!

Re: Replacing housing, any non-OEM worth it?
 

maybe you are right... maybe the chinese people are so damn good por piracy hahaha