iMac Stand

November 3, 2009

In a couple of weeks I’m going to India and need to take my beautiful iMac with me. But I am little conscious about its transportation. Whether to ship it via FedEx (very expensive) or take it as my luggage (better idea). Finally I decided to take it in my luggage. Now the problem is how to adjust 24″ iMac safely in the luggage. The iMac aluminium back stand makes it harder to fit in. So I thought of removing it and packing it separately.

Removing the stand is not easy and putting it back … aah! the hardest thing. For removing the stand, I used the plastic playing card instead of Access-card which comes along with VESA-Adapter Kit and a torx T10 screwdriver. After successfully removing the stand I forgot to hold the bracket outside, infact I had no idea that it can go in. Now this is where the problem started. How to take out the bracket and fit the stand back? I spent hours finding on Google and found some help from Apple, Apple discussion forum and Apple store. I tried for 4 hours to take out the bracket but all in vain. I tried the fish string, as mentioned in PCMech forum, but it broke. I also tried to take bracket out using the stand but … failed!

Next morning, refreshed and filled with hope I started again and was anxious to see iMac standing by itself. With God’s grace, I succeeded in the very first attempt.

Here is how:

First you need ocean of patience and bucket of luck with you. I repeated the same process as yesterday, put the stand inside the back, pushed the latch to make more space so that stand can go more inside the back of the Mac. Now is the time where you need luck and patience. Once the hole on the stand fits into the pin of the bracket you need to lift the screen using the stand itself. Remember, don’t lift the screen but the stand. The screen will move slowly as it does normally. It needs lot of power because you have to balance and lift the screen (which weighs more than 15 pounds) while just holding the stand. Once it gets stuck start lifting the stand. After the screen stop moving towards the stand, use the plastic card to push the latch and the screen will move a little more and … what you see! … the screw holes are revealed! I felt relaxed after seeing the holes. Screws were put back, tightened, and I promised myself to never ever remove the stand again.

I also attempted to take out the bracket from front side after removing the screen glass cover, LCD, but no success.

I also called Apple customer service for help and advice. They voided my hardware warranty though and said that the stand for new iMac is not meant to be removed. They don’t encourage you to remove it and in case you do so they advice you to go to the Apple store to get it fixed. I would say that it is not impossible to remove and fix it back but there is a risk breaking of the pin on the bracket. So guys you better be careful before you do it.

4 Comments

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  • # erik
    says on November 04

    I took my macbook pro via luggage to Brazil from Washington DC and it ended up being the better idea. The printer however was found completely in disarray when landed.


  • # saad
    says on March 10

    hey i am going to india too. I just wanted to know did you encounter any problems while taking it to india on the customs and all.Also did u carry it with you inside the plane or you checked it as luggage.


  • # Amrinder
    says on March 10

    @saad: Luckily I didn’t face any problem during transporting iMac. I checked it as luggage though I had to make some adjustments with its packaging box before putting it in bag. I landed in Amritsar and had no custom issues at all.

    Best of luck!


  • # Emilia
    says on November 08

    I had been thinking about removing the stand so that I could attached the screen to a motorized lift (so that it could move up and down on my desk). But after reading your post, I think I’m going to have to find a way of using a lift with the stand attached. Thank you so much for the info.