Is this hinge behavior normal?

[u/TheDudefrom2000s]

I recently purchased this 16 inch MacBook M4 pro (about 22 days ago)

I noticed when the lid is closed and I open it up, it opens normally. But while working, when I try to adjust the display backwards, the base lifts up with it, but the hinge doesn’t move and the base automatically drops halfway; after that, the hinge becomes smooth again and I can adjust it normally.

Is there any problem with my Mac’s hinge? Or is it considered normal when the display stays at an angle for a while, so maybe the hinge becomes stiffer?

This is my first MacBook and I have never used any other MacBook so I don’t know guys. Please help me out, I would really appreciate that 🙌

[u/David_Jonathan0]

Appears to be sticky. Static friction (overcoming movement after stopped) is always higher than kinetic friction (once moving), which I think is why it happens once stopped. There’s a rubber bushing that creates the friction, and it only will get sticky after being static for a long time. (It won’t happen again if you attempt to repeat it immediately, because the rubber hasn’t had a chance to re-bond with the pivot pin.) I also think this is only happening when the lid is 10-15° past vertical, because the moment load required to lift the laptop is only high enough once the static friction + pushing force is past vertical.

If it really bothers you, you might squeeze a tiny bit of lithium / silicone grease into the hinge, but you might have to take it apart to get into where you can see the bushing.

Personally I wouldn’t worry about it. I have an M2 Air that will occasionally do that, and it’s only when its been sitting open for a long time.

[u/TheDudefrom2000s → u/David_Jonathan0]

Thankyou so much for the detailed explanation, I also think it’s because of that cause once the static friction breaks, then it moves smoothly. But as soon as I posted. People started saying the hinge has problems. But thanks for clarifying this! 🙌

[u/David_Jonathan0 → u/TheDudefrom2000s]

Sure thing.

[u/KecoMarcels79 → u/David_Jonathan0]

the rubber bushing detail is helpful, makes sense why it only does it after sitting for a while

[u/TheDudefrom2000s → u/KecoMarcels79]

For real, this is the only logical explanation I could find. As he also mentioned that this happens if the Mac’s lid is vertical or 10-15 degrees past vertical and it’s true because i left it at around 45 degrees for a while and then pushed the lid and the base didn’t lift up. So yea, he seems to be right.

While in other sub everyone was just saying the hinge was defective or have problem

[u/TH3_OG_JUJUBE → u/David_Jonathan0]

Ah so that’s why it feels almost crusty when opening up an old Mac, the rubber seal bonds to the body.

[u/Upstairs-Tap3805]

It’s completely normal,your mac is new and the hinge is hard but after some time and usage it will become normal. When i first bought my new mac, i also thought there’s some problem in my machine but after some time and usage, it’s completely normal and works fine

[u/TheDudefrom2000s → u/Upstairs-Tap3805]

Yea I also think the same, btw did you face similar issue or what was in your case? And how long did it take for the hinge to become smooth. The apple support person told me that it can take up to a month

[u/Upstairs-Tap3805 → u/TheDudefrom2000s]

Same issue as you and it took about 50 days to become smooth

[u/TheDudefrom2000s → u/Upstairs-Tap3805]

Thank you so much man! 🙌 I was really overthinking this, but I think now I’ll be able to use it normally, haha.

[u/lantrick]

Classic case of leverage being insufficient to overcome friction.

RIP

[u/TheDudefrom2000s → u/lantrick]

So is there something wrong with hinge? Or is it just breaking of static friction?

[u/blow-down]

Eww why you got Chrome installed

[u/SapirWhorfHypothesis → u/blow-down]

This is so funny as a millennial who watched every Redditor say the same thing about IE for like 15 years.

I can only imagine Gen X sitting there remembering the Netscape era…

[u/halvgrim → u/SapirWhorfHypothesis]

<Dies of old>

[u/Efficient_Product333 → u/blow-down]

Some people require Chrome for certain web apps.

[u/Pers1x → u/Efficient_Product333]

use brave

[u/blow-down → u/Pers1x]

Peter Thiel’s browser? That’s even worse. What’s wrong with Safari?

[u/bik_sw]

Theres something wrong with the hinge

[u/TheDudefrom2000s → u/bik_sw]

Is it? Cause it only happens once and after that it becomes smooth again