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Eug · Oct 19, 2011, 08:47 AM

My iPhone 3G case is cracked. I wouldn't care so much because I have an iPhone 4, but after a couple of months of use, my GF has decided she wants to keep using it. However, the plastic back is cracked in a couple of places including at the bottom port and the mute switch. The latter means it tends to switch to mute rather easily in her purse, more easily than when the back cover was intact.

She doesn't have much use for a higher end model at this point since she doesn't have a data plan, so I'm considering getting those back cover replacement kits off eBay for $10-20 with tools. How hard are those backs to replace? Would I be able to clean under the glass at the same time by the way? There is some dust under there. I figure I'll buy an iPhone 5 when it comes out, and then give her my 4.

I have replaced the battery and drive of my iPod mini, but it was quite a pain, and I scratched the aluminum case with the screwdriver trying to get the end inserts out. However, it works perfectly now.

This iFixit teardown makes it looks moderately reasonable, but they always look easier than they really are in those teardowns.

BTW, is there any difference between the 8 GB and 16 GB models? They are labelled differently on eBay.

Waragainstsleep · Oct 19, 2011, 09:50 AM

They are less of a pain than iPod Minis were. Just that you have to take everything out, its a complete disassembly and the back panel is the last piece so to speak. I did a battery in one not so long ago, they are really not so bad. Just mind the tiny fragile ribbon cables.

You should be able to clean the dust out if you want. Its just a few small screws holding the LCD in place if memory serves. Make sure you use a clean micro fibre cloth.

Eug · Oct 19, 2011, 10:01 AM

Thx. Do you need the suction cup? I note that a few of the kits with tools come with a suction cup, presumably to help lift the glass up, but most of them don't include the suction cup.

-Q- · Oct 19, 2011, 10:13 AM

My co-worker recently replaced his screen on his wife's 3GS and he said the suction cup was quite useful. Wasn't sure if it was required but he said it did make the process much easier.

Waragainstsleep · Oct 19, 2011, 10:52 AM

You can lever the screen up with something but I'd bet a suction cup is probably a better way of doing it.

cgc · Oct 19, 2011, 11:20 AM

I assume you can't duct tape the crack?

Eug · Oct 19, 2011, 01:13 PM

Thanks. I've ordered a red back, with the two lever tools, suction cup, and the screwdrivers. For 12 bucks shipped I'm not expecting much, but hopefully it should look half decent... as long as I don't screw it up totally. It's supposed to look something like this:

Eug · Nov 16, 2011, 11:26 PM

The suction cup was very useful. VERY useful.

However, this was still a major PITA, and quite delicate. It took me 3 hours to take this apart and then put it back together again. At least it works now, and it has a shiny red back too.

Actually, it wouldn't turn on initially. However, it did turn on after I plugged it in to a powered dock connector, and after that it's been working fine.

I couldn't figure out how to remove the glass from the LCD to clean the dust out, so I just left it. You don't usually see it anyway, unless the screen is off. I figured I wouldn't push my luck.

Big Mac · 12:35 AM

I have a small vertical crack toward the bottom of my 3GS back. I guess you could call it an iPhone arse crack. I thought about a new case, but I looked at the process and was quickly deterred. Maybe it if it ever gets worse I'll find a pro to do it for me, but that's not a repair I feel like doing myself at all.

Eug · Nov 17, 2011, 07:28 AM

The non-user serviceable Apple stuff I've done included fixing an iMac G4, some Cubes, an iBook G4, and this iPhone 3G.

Now that I'm aware of what to do, I'm not sure this iPhone 3G was the hardest in theory, but it certainly was the most delicate and I constantly felt like I was going to break something. Plus, I couldn't initially figure out how to open it up completely, because one spot seemed to have a connection not reported in the teardown articles. It turns out it was just adherent to the other piece and not actually connected. That alone took me 15 minutes to figure out. And then several other pieces are intentionally stuck down with adhesive, but most of the teardown articles didn't mention that.

Trying to pull off a stuck down 1 mm thick plastic piece which is right beside or connected to a couple of very small connector ribbons is a nerve-wracking experience for a n00b like me.

BTW, my previous case had the butt crack as well as a side crack, and the bezel was also coming off. It turns out the bezel was coming off because the metal nut holding one screw had pulled right out of the previous plastic case. It took me a bit to figure that out too because it was so small I didn't even notice it, until I tried to put the new case on and it wouldn't fit.