Dell Latitude 3490 replace keyboard

[Castle Computer]

A customer needs the keyboard on a Dell Latitude 3490 replaced. He has the replacement keyboard and gave it to me with the laptop. I opened the laptop but can not get to the keyboard easily. There doesn't seem to be a way to pry off the top cover on the laptop either. I looked on the Dell support site and cant find instructions for replacing the keyboard. Also googled and didn't find anything on the 3490. Anyone replace a keyboard on the 3490. I must be missing something to remove the existing keyboard and replace it. Thanks

 

[Larry Sabo]

Do any of the youtube videos here help?

 

[Porthos]

Those are usually replaced whole palm rest and all.

 

[AlohaTech]

Here is the manual with disassembly and reassembly instructions. https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/latitude-14-3490-laptop_owners-manual4_en-us.pdf

As @Porthos said you replace the entire palm rest. There is nothing about replacing the keyboard.

 

[Romaniac]

Yep - eBay out the part. Just make sure you pick a quality one if they are not new or as new.

 

[nlinecomputers]

As stated the keyboard is molded into the palm rest. Your client doesn’t have the correct part.

 

[phaZed]

Just an aside to the situation... I actually do replace the keyboards in those hot-riveted (Heat stakes) palmrests. I use my hot air reflow gun to soften the stakes and pull back the metal backing and the keyboard... follow up with melting the heat stakes back down with a soldering iron.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Just an aside to the situation... I actually do replace the keyboards in those hot-riveted (Heat stakes) palmrests. I use my hot air reflow gun to soften the stakes and pull back the metal backing and the keyboard... follow up with melting the heat stakes back down with a soldering iron.

The keyboards are available as a separate part?

 

[phaZed]

The keyboards are available as a separate part?

Usually, yes. There are some select models that don't have a match or only have a part directly shipped from China (I don't do that, takes too long and returns are horrible)

This Dell 3490 only has a Spanish board on ebay, stateside.. but Amazon has an english keyboard for $22

https://www.amazon.com/Backlit-Keyb...=Latitude+3490+keyboard&qid=1573518313&sr=8-1

 

[nlinecomputers]

I’d be afraid of warping the palmrest by accident.

 

[phaZed]

I’d be afraid of warping the palmrest by accident.

For sure. I found that the palmrest isn't ever a problem, but melting the keyboard keys' scissor mechanisms or the plastic 'backplane' that has the traces/button contact points is something to be careful about.

I usually run my hot air gun with a 1/8 nozzel @ 250c - low air. This way you get precise heat application to the individual heat stakes and at 250c it's a good balance between time taken, and not heating up surrounding stuff too much.

When I put it back together, I use a "bull-nose" soldering iron tip and also set at a low temp, to melt the stakes back into a 'rivet'.

EDIT: I'll have to make a TN guide/video next time I get one in the shop. *Mental note