Macbook-like clickpad for my zenbook?

Apologies for repeating a question I posted on notebookforums.com, but those forums seem to be pretty dead.

So I have an Asus Zenbook UX51VZ, and it's a very nice laptop. But the problem with it, and pretty much every PC laptop in existance (as in, not a macbook) is the clickpad only clicks at the bottom, and you either need way too much force to click it at the top or it doesn't click at all.

I'd like to have a clickpad that behaves like a macbook clickpad, that is so that I can click it at the top.

In linux I used synclient to get rid of the right "button", then two finger click is right click, it has two finger scroll, etc. and it behaves very macbook-like, EXCEPT that I cannot click it at the top. In windows the situation is more difficult, but I'm thinking of adding Elantech support to the twofingerscroll open source driver.

I want to somehow either replace the clickpad with one that clicks everywhere (according to the ifixit breakdown, the clickpad is replaceable without destroying anything.)

Or to mod the clickpad somehow (add buttons? springs? levers?) so that it clicks everywhere.

My modding experience: taking laptops/netbooks/ultrabooks/imacs/mac-minis apart to do upgrades etc.. I have passing familiarity with how to use a dremel cutting disc, a glue gun, a spudger and a heat gun. I don't know how to solder yet, or do any plastic crafting type stuff.

Any help greatly appreciated. This is the only thing I need for my laptop to be great and make me regret not buying an rmbp less.

 

First: do you really need it? I'll have to admit that before buying the UX51VZ all notebook computers I've used have had hardware buttons and unless a friend had "forced" me to use taps exclusively this machine hadn't been an option. After using taps a while on my previous Sony computer I learned not only to like it but prefer it before buttons _and_ press-to-click Okay IMHO the best pointing solution is a touchstick but that's not an option on most computers...

But to answer your question or at least try to help you a bit: it should be possible if there is enough room for the touchpad to move. The problem is to get enough downwards mobility while still limiting it and hinder horizontal movement. Oh and unless the button is moved (or paralleled with another one - either way it requires soldering) a click still needs to tilt the touchpad board forwards. It can be harder than it sounds to get it right. Perhaps loosening the hinge or just thinning the plastic there could get enough extra flex?

Edit: looked inside my machine and tried partially unscrewing the touchpad hinge. This made it possible to click higher up than before but it still required much pressure. Decreasing the thickness of the hinge + adding some kind of spring should IMHO work.