Among the many problems we've had with this washer, the latest is that the lid cracked and disintegrated at the hinges. We bought a replacement lid for it but I'm hesitant to try to install it because I know how weak this plastic is. I know I have to separate the top and bottom pieces so I can lay the metal hinges in it, but after removing all the screws (testing on the old lid) it seems the parts might snap together, and I'm afraid it will break rather than separate. Is there a trick to separating the lid pieces without breaking them? Also, since this will be the third lid for this machine, I'm wondering if it's just a terrible design. Specifically, the spring loading of the metal hinge seems to be too strong for the material. The machine will operate just laying the old lid on the washer without the hinges. So, if anyone has advice on separating the lid pieces, experience with lid failure rates for these machines, or general advice on whether to try to install the new lid or return the part, I'm all ears. Thanks.