Ipad 2 keeps freezing - hardware problem?

Question

I have an iPad 2  (Model MC979LL/A) running IOS Version 7.11 (11D201) and the screen keeps freezing.
I have pretty much exhausted all the good advice regarding hard resets with the two buttons, resetting from settings, and I have used iTunes to do multiple restores both automatically and manually (with & without Recovery Mode) from the .ipsw download  for Version 7.11. No matter what I do, the screen will freeze within 2 minutes, if not sooner.
Is there a likely hardware issue that might be the cause of all this? The battery seems to keep it's charge. Because it freezes I haven't been able to really use it, so the battery is in the 98% to 100% range. When it freezes, the screen doesn't go black. It just freezes wherever it is, and buttons are unresponsive.
Is it possible that the Versions 7 and above have  put a strain on some component that now causes a freeze up, or what component would be likely to cause something like this over time?  Any techs out there that might have a likely guess?
I don't think it's a software issue, but I could be wrong. Nothing on the iPad is important, and it was given to me by someone that was having the same problems, so I'm not adverse to taking it apart. Maybe I'll get lucky.  If I "brick it", no loss.
Thanks
Gary

Answer 1

Since it appeared to be a hardware issue, I figured I would take a chance and open the iPad up.
Upon opening, I saw two similar connectors, one for the battery and one for the lcd screen.
I disconnected them, cleaned them, and reseated them, figuring it might make a difference. But it didn't.
After putting everything back together, the ipad still froze exactly like before after 2 minutes. At least
I didn't make it worse!
So I started to think that this screen freezing problem seems to have gotten worse since the seasonal
change in weather has gotten progressively warmer here in Pennsylvania  from February to June, and that
it would be interesting to put the iPad in the freezer for 15 minutes and see if cooling the iPad improves it's
performance.
It did! After 15 minutes in my freezer, the iPad was able to respond properly for 26 minutes before the screen "froze".
Is this because there is a component that is heating up inside, and cooling the iPad slows down that process,
OR
is the touchscreen more capable of "distinguishing" my warm fingers when the iPad is generally cooler?
All thoughts welcome.