Extremely simple SSD mounting bracket for Lenovo IdeaPad Y510P

Last crawled date: 4 years, 2 months ago

UPDATE from B to C: The depth of the thicker boss was decreased by 1/4". This makes the removal process a lot easier than the previous version, which required you to pick up the drive and pull at an angle to remove it. Using version B could put undue stress on the SATA connector or lead to a minor injury. If you previously downloaded version B, then please delete it and download/print version C. Version letter is in the file name. :)
I bought a used Lenovo IdeaPad Y510P on eBay without a hard drive, and quickly realized that it was also missing the metal sled. My options were to order a $25 replacement part and wait a week for it to show up (which is somehow more expensive than the 240GB solid state drive I bought for it); or design and 3D print one myself, and have it in an hour. I'm pretty certain that this will not work in most other laptop models, but as I accumulate other laptops, I will probably design hard drive mounts for them as well. Feel free to experiment with this one for the time being.
Installation instructions:
First and foremost, remove the battery; then unscrew and remove the plastic cover from the bottom of the laptop. To install the mount, attach it to the solid state drive first as shown in the photo, on the opposite side from the SATA connector, with two M3x4mm screws. Then, simply line up the SATA connector with the one on the motherboard, and slide the drive in. (The connector may initially translate to a slight angle; but once it is fully seated, the mount will seat down in the bay and keep the drive securely in place.) Finally, attach the mount to the laptop case using two M2.5x5mm laptop screws.
Removal instructions:
Opposite of installation; first, remove the two M2.5 screws holding the mount to the laptop chassis. Next, grip the mount with three or four fingers where it is attached to the drive, and pull the drive out of the SATA connector. It will slide and then stop when the connector is disengaged. (This makes a much sturdier removal method than the flimsy plastic film pull tab on the stock sled, that stretches and tears after maybe three uses!)
If you don't have the right screws on hand, eBay and Amazon both sell them in absurd quantities for under $10. Here's a good link to a variety kit:
https://www.amazon.com/CO-RODE-Notebook-Computer-Samsung/dp/B01GE9AK7I/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=laptop+screws&qid=1574496524&sr=8-3
Note that if you are using a mechanical hard drive in your Lenovo, then I don't recommend using this mount. The reason is that the stock mount will do a better job of protecting a HDD from shock damage. SSDs are obviously not susceptible to mechanical shock, so all that is really needed is strain relief for the SATA connector.
My wife has the 3D modeling skills, so she drew the model in Rhino 6.