[SAMIAM]

I took apart my old 4/4S snap-in adapter to remove the springs behind the dock connector, so my Lightning adapter will seat without having to jam something in there to fight the springs.

The most significant finding was a surprise. If, like me, you have used an adapter for the lightning cable, you will not have any connection to the Shark Fin antenna. They accomplish this with a "repeater" that wraps around part of the edge of the phone (its antenna), and what looks like something that may sense if the phone is there. On the upside, the cradle definitely provides a signal advantage if the phone is in it.

I don't recommend taking it apart, unless you are good with puzzles, because a number of things will probably fall out of place and rattle inside, and then you are committed. But if you want to, here are some brief instructions.

1. Remove four screws on the back. There's a little tab at the top end of the bottom plate. Prying this should release it. The back third should come off.

2. Carefully pull up the logic board. There is a single screw under there. Then the rest of it should come apart with some tinkering.

3. The springs for the dock connector pop out pretty easily.

4. Putting it together has to be done with the front face-down, then you put in the two spring assemblies. I'm pretty sure the little black thing that falls out goes on top of the middle spring. Then you gently reseat the middle part, put the one screw back in. Then the third part, and while holding it firmly, put the four screws back.

Here are some photos:

(Yeah, I taped the springs inside with cloth gaffer tape, just in case I ever wanted to reverse it. No sense in losing parts.)