How to spend $257 on a $7 dryer repair

[TangoWhiskey]

OK, our Maytag Neptune dryer started making a REALLY bad squealing sound a few weeks back. Pulled the front panel and quickly determined the idler pulley (keeps the belt tight on the drum) had a bad bearing. Squirted it with WD40 (temporary fix), ordered the new part online (www.partselect.com) and this morning I went to install it.

No problem, work done... then I notice that the LCD screen on my LG VX8300 cell phone is cracked... I had it in the canvas holster I wear on my right hip, and apparently I laid on it when I reached in to put the belt over the drive motor/pulley assembly.

Can you get the screen replaced affordably? I really DON'T want to buy a new phone ($200-$250), and I didn't pay extra money to VZ for a "warranty" on the phone. I'm even willing to attempt the repair myself (oh, wait, I might kill another item!) if I can find the part online. Ideas?

 

[TangoWhiskey]

OK, our Maytag Neptune dryer started making a REALLY bad squealing sound a few weeks back. Pulled the front panel and quickly determined the idler pulley (keeps the belt tight on the drum) had a bad bearing. Squirted it with WD40 (temporary fix), ordered the new part online (www.partselect.com) and this morning I went to install it.

No problem, work done... then I notice that the LCD screen on my LG VX8300 cell phone is cracked... I had it in the canvas holster I wear on my right hip, and apparently I laid on it when I reached in to put the belt over the drive motor/pulley assembly.

Can you get the screen replaced affordably? I really DON'T want to buy a new phone ($200-$250), and I didn't pay extra money to VZ for a "warranty" on the phone. I'm even willing to attempt the repair myself (oh, wait, I might kill another item!) if I can find the part online. Ideas?

Aha! Looks like I can get an OEM screen for $20:

http://cnn.cn/shop/vx8300-screen-p-1481.html

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Aha! Looks like I can get an OEM screen for $20:

http://cnn.cn/shop/vx8300-screen-p-1481.html

OK, I'm still open to alternatives/suggestions. I'm not getting warm fuzzies about this company (cnn.cn) after reading this thread.

 

[KennyFlys]

For a distribution warehouse supposedly based in Hong Kong, the shipping rates are incredibly cheap. Something tells me this site was set up off shore to eliminate dealing with returns and refunds. But, the mailing point for them may be stateside. I'd wonder where exactly the funds are being paid for by the credit card company. If there is an issue, most card companies will still do a refund (especially for smaller amounts and even off shore), often out of pocket and then add that merchant to a watch list for possible fraudulent business.

 

[wsuffa]

Can you get the phone - even a refurb - on eBay? If so, just swap the screen....

 

[KennyFlys]

Can you get the phone - even a refurb - on eBay? If so, just swap the screen....

I saw several options there ranging from $12 on up with the lower ones being for parts only. It may be worth paying that or more and have a more certain assurance.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

I saw several options there ranging from $12 on up with the lower ones being for parts only. It may be worth paying that or more and have a more certain assurance.

After more research, I found just as many "good reports" as I did "return issues" for CCN, so I ordered the part from them using a virtual one-time-use credit card number tied to my PayPal account.

I'll let you know how it goes... now, if I could just find tear-down instructions for the VX8300 online.

 

[KennyFlys]

I'll let you know how it goes... now, if I could just find tear-down instructions for the VX8300 online.

I did a tear-down on my sister's transistor radio when I was six-years-old. Of course, I had no instructions and I was not yet all that proficient at reading technical manuals.

I'm not sure whatever happen to that radio. But, I doubt it ever worked again.

 

[CJones]

I'll let you know how it goes... now, if I could just find tear-down instructions for the VX8300 online.

You need instructions to take something apart!? Come on Troy. I have more faith in you as a man than that. The whole point is to get it apart and then say "Hmm.. Now how do I put this back together?" AND THEN have 'spare parts' that really weren't necessary in the first place.

 

[mikea]

You need instructions to take something apart!? Come on Troy. I have more faith in you as a man than that. The whole point is to get it apart and then say "Hmm.. Now how do I put this back together?" AND THEN have 'spare parts' that really weren't necessary in the first place.

I just learned in my old age it's a good idea to make a diagram of how it fits together. I made a second attempt to fix the hot water valve on the lavatory sink in my main bath. I got the valve body out and then when I didn't have a chance to get to the Ace in time, I decided to reassemble it and go back to cold water only. Then I couldn't get the innards back in. The only saving grace was that the cold water valve is separate. I took it apart to see how it went and then reassembled the cold and the hot. Whew!

 

[TangoWhiskey]

You need instructions to take something apart!? Come on Troy. I have more faith in you as a man than that. The whole point is to get it apart and then say "Hmm.. Now how do I put this back together?" AND THEN have 'spare parts' that really weren't necessary in the first place.

Ha ha! I've been there done that before. The trick with some of these smaller devices it to figure out WHERE the screws are--if any. Does it pry apart? Are there tiny screws behind a label or panel?

I've taken to snapping digital photos as I go, on some of the more complicated projects to ensure things go back together like they should. There's nothing like pictures, from various angles, of how it looked "before" to make sure it is back together right "after".

I remember the time we did the owner-assisted annual on the PA32-300 and had several screws and bolts left when we were done... that'll make you nervous!!

 

[TangoWhiskey]

After more research, I found just as many "good reports" as I did "return issues" for CCN, so I ordered the part from them using a virtual one-time-use credit card number tied to my PayPal account.

I'll let you know how it goes... now, if I could just find tear-down instructions for the VX8300 online.

Part showed up from Hong Kong yesterday, nicely packaged (my daughter swiped the two Hong Kong "bird" stamps on the outside). Part was brand new, with the screen protective material on it. These phones have TWO screens (a small one outside, a larger one inside). Turns out that they are both mounted on a single double-sided board.

I couldn't find tear-down instructions, but the phone opened up with no trouble. On the inside of the flip-open part, around the edges of the screen, are four rubber plugs you remove, then four small phillip screws. Two halves of the case separate with a little finger-nail encouragement. A small gold ribbon cable "plugs" into a chip on the display. Pop that off. The screen is plug-and-play replacement, except for two small items... the microphone, and the "buzzer", which are soldered onto four VERY small pads (two wires each item) at the bottom of the display. With some care, I was able to remove the wires from the old screen and re-attach them to the new screen. This is the first time that the "cold-solder" iron I bought actually worked for what I needed it too. All my other irons were too hot/bulky for this work.

Put everything back together and it works!! No issues with CNN at all; they even filled out export declarations that we had to sign for (no duty due to the small cost) when the postman delivered it.

 

[KennyFlys]

Good deal! I'm glad that worked out. Did it state an actual shipping cost on the package?

I completely forgot about the declaration forms for international shipping. I had to deal with those a few times I sold aviation radios overseas. Oddly, the most difficult of all countries was England. They were also the only one to add VAT to the cost. By the time it was done, the buyer would have paid $58 VAT on top of the $365 for the radio.

 

[alaskaflyer]

After more research, I found just as many "good reports" as I did "return issues" for CCN, so I ordered the part from them using a virtual one-time-use credit card number tied to my PayPal account.

I'll let you know how it goes... now, if I could just find tear-down instructions for the VX8300 online.

What is this "one-time-use credit card number" of which you speak?

 

[TangoWhiskey]

What is this "one-time-use credit card number" of which you speak?

Lots of banks and credit cards have these now... you log on to your normal web account for that card, and fill out a simple form (vendor name, amount, good for one charge or multiple (subscriptions, etc.).... they then give you, on screen, a "pseudo card number", expiration date and PIN (the 3 digits on the back of the card). You use that "fake" card number instead of your REAL one. It's only valid for the amount you specified, the usage count you specified, and for the vendor you specified.

Why go through this hassle? If said vendor stores your credit card number in the database, and some Ukranian hacker gets past their "security" and gets your "credit card info", they don't have your REAL card... they have a fake card number that's no longer valid--if they try to use it, it will be declined.

If you have a PayPal account, you can get a virtual debit card tied to the account here.

Ask your other credit card vendors if they have this feature--it's GREAT for preventing identity theft when shopping online.

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