There were severel TF 700 sold which show a not completely fixed display. In one ore more positions of the display you can press it slighty inwards and it "creaaks"
After seeing the broken tabs in step 4 I think that these tabs could also break during assembling in the factory. That would explain the creaking display. I wonder how they do it for repair at ASUS service if the tabs were that fragile (provided they have a service ;) )