How to fix an office chair if it falls down?

Icer
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Icer November 12, 2018Specialization: master in the construction of plasterboard structures, finishing work and laying floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

Sometimes, while using the chair, a problem arises - the seat lowers all the way when a person sits on it, and does not respond to the lever of the lifting mechanism. In this article I will tell you how to solve this problem on your own. You will learn about the causes of the malfunction and learn how to fix the breakdown yourself.

A special element called a gas lift is responsible for raising and lowering the chair and is installed at the base of the structure.

What you will need

With a hose clamp

Hose clamp for hoses and pipes 2cm wide and large enough to wrap around the gas lift cylinder on a chair
Sandpaper, rubber strip or sealing tape
Cleaner or degreaser (optional)
Screwdriver (in some cases)

Fixing an office chair with scraps of PVC pipes

Ruler or tape measure
PVC pipe corresponding to the dimensions of the gas lift
Hacksaw, back saw or other cutting tool for PVC pipes
Vise

Replacing a gas lift chair

We turn the device over and remove the spring latch holding the gas lift rod in the cross.
Read also: Furniture for all occasions - we make a wooden chair for a summer house with our own hands
Remove the chair crosspiece and the support cover from the gas cartridge rod.

Now the most difficult thing is to remove the gas cartridge from the “piastra” or the chair swing mechanism.
The mounting of the pneumatic cartridge in the piastrum (oscillating mechanism) is made “under a cone”, which does not require additional retaining elements. There are two ways to remove the cartridge from the piastres “saddle”:

Having dismantled the seat of the chair and knocked its cone out of its seat.
By turning and swinging the element in the socket, for example using a gas wrench.

Tip: To make this operation easier, we recommend treating the junction of the elements with any penetrating lubricant, such as WD-40.

Now you need to knock the gas lift column out of the cross. This is quite simple to do, using any ring attachment (punch) with a diameter of 30 - 32 mm. A 32" head is perfect for this operation. The location of the impact is shown in the photo.

Reassemble in reverse order:

We put a support cover on the new gas lift.
At one end we insert its piaster socket (into the seat).
We put a cross on the other end.

For better fixation of the elements at the points of the conical connection, we recommend hitting the inside of the cross several times with a mallet or rubber hammer. The impact location is shown in the photo below.

The last step in replacing the gas lift is to install the locking spring latch in its original place, holding the gas lift in the mounting socket of the cross.

To see the gas lift replacement process more clearly, watch this short video:

Thus, if the gas cartridge is working properly and the model of the office chair matches your weight, the lifting mechanism will work normally.

Depth

The correct seat depth allows a person not to slouch and helps minimize the load on the back.

To determine the appropriate chair depth, you need to sit with your back straight and feet flat on the floor. Then measure the distance from the front edge of the seat to the back of the shin. The ideal length of the space is about 5 cm. If the distance is less, then the chair is too deep and the backrest should be moved forward. If the length is longer, move it back.

Most chair models allow you to adjust the depth using a special lever. If this is not possible, use a special backrest or orthopedic pillow.

Gas lift operating technology

The design of such chairs mainly consists of mechanical and hydraulic parts. A special mechanism called gas lift is responsible for raising and lowering the chair. It is installed on the frame of the structure, directly under the seat of the chair.

The gas lift performs important functions in the operation of the chair:

Depreciation. The gas lift absorbs the shock load when you suddenly sit down into the structure. This creates a pleasant, shock-absorbing effect when landing. This relieves tension from the spine and allows you to feel maximum comfort.
Descent and ascent. Thanks to a special mechanism, the chair lowers and rises itself, which allows you to fully adjust the height to suit people of different heights and builds. The gas lift raises and lowers the seat literally in a matter of seconds.
360 degree rotation. Rotation of the chair around its axis is ensured by the operation of a pneumatic cartridge. This element allows you to freely rotate the seat in both directions.

Based on this, we can conclude that if your computer chair sinks under weight, then the problem lies precisely in the failure of the gas lift.

The gas lift technology itself works quite simply: it is a sealed cylinder with two chambers, inside of which gas is located. When interacting with the lever, the partition between the chambers opens and gas is transported from one chamber to another. When the lever is released, the baffle closes, causing the mechanism to lock into the selected position.

The chair does not hold height: causes of failure

The problem of a malfunction of the lowering and raising mechanism occurs quite often. To ensure maximum service life for the chair and minimize the likelihood of breakdowns, you need to know why they most often occur:

When they sit on a chair “on the fly.” Sudden landings create an overload inside the gas lift mechanism. During one of the next “falls” the valve will simply be squeezed out and the system will fail.
Wear of mechanism elements. Sometimes the chair does not maintain its height because the gas cartridge casing wears out from long-term use. Manufacturers recommend periodically lubricating the elements with some kind of oil to reduce wear.
Overload. If the technical characteristics of a model say that it is designed for a 100 kg load, then you should not seat a person with a large weight in this chair. It is also not recommended to sit together. All this increases the likelihood of problems with the device. It is better to choose furniture with a margin of safety.
Manufacturing defects. This situation is rare, but it also happens. Therefore, if your office chair is falling down and the warranty period has not yet expired, contact the seller.

Features of self-repair

Be careful: the gas inside the structure is under very high pressure, so any careless damage to the seal of the cylinder can become a danger to human life. If you have the opportunity to eliminate DIY repairs and leave the repairs to the hands of professionals, it’s better to do so. But if you are skilled enough and know how to use a hammer and screwdriver, then you can repair the gas cartridge yourself.

So, the chair lowers under the weight: what to do and what tools are needed? To begin, prepare:

Screwdriver Set. The most commonly used screwdrivers are Phillips and shaped screwdrivers, but the tool needed may vary depending on the model and type of construction.
Hammer with rubberized part. If this is not the case, an ordinary hammer will do, but then you will need to work carefully so as not to damage the metal parts of the structure.
Punch.
Spray lubricant.
Vise. They are necessary for fixing the parts of the gas cartridge, but are not mandatory.
New gas lift. Be sure to check that it is the right length and diameter for your chair.

Everything you may need during renovation is sold in almost any furniture store.

Design features

It’s only at first glance that all office chairs are twin brothers. In fact, there are major differences in design.

This type of furniture is more susceptible to wear and tear than the same Soviet wooden chairs.

Let's look at what you should pay attention to.

Executive chair. Five-beam cylindrical base, multi-block for adjusting the position of the back, roll level and seat depth.
Chair for employees. Multi-block adjustment of seat height, backrest angle, armrest height. The model is lightweight.
Guest chair. Four legs, soft seat, backrest at a comfortable height.

And yet, despite the diversity of the model range, there are components that are present in most chairs. In particular these include:

Five-pointed cross. This is the support of the entire structure; it can be made of metal or plastic.
Rollers. Attached to the edges of the base. Made from polymer materials or metal. The maximum number is five. A distinctive feature is the presence of a hinge and metal fasteners.
A gas lift (also called a gas shock absorber) is the leg of the chair, which is responsible for the elasticity of the entire structure.
Rocking mechanism. Thanks to it, the chair takes a comfortable angle and fixes the selected position. Due to the fact that the axis is mixed, smooth swinging is ensured.
Piastra is a metal platform with a lever. Thanks to it, the height of the seat changes in relation to the cross.
Permanent contact. A unit that connects the backrest to the seat and is responsible for changing its position.

If your office chair drops down, or the position adjustment mechanism does not work, and the chair is stuck, the gas lift may be the cause of the problem.

What you need to repair a chair

First, you need to understand what parts a computer chair consists of. It consists of:

Cross of five rays. It is made of plastic or iron. The latter material is stronger, but more expensive.
Wheels. Like the previous part, they can be made of plastic and metal. All fastenings and internal hinges are made of iron only. But preference is given to metal wheels, since plastic ones wear out faster.
Gas lift. This is the leg of the chair. It is responsible for the elasticity of the stool.
Rocking mechanisms. With their help, you can tilt the chair along its axis and return it to its original position. Modern structures are equipped with mechanisms with axes that move. This ensures smooth swinging.
Piastra. The part looks like a lever with a metal platform. He changes the height of the chair.
Permanent contact. This is the name of the connection between the back and seat of the chair. It allows you to change the position of the backrest.

The set of parts listed above is found in almost all office chairs. And each of these parts can be broken.

It all depends on the type of damage. For example, if the crosspiece is damaged, you need the same material from which the crosspiece is made.

For repair you need the following tools:

Screwdriver.
New fasteners (if the old ones are broken).
Drill and drill bits (if you need to make new fastenings).
Welding machine.
The part that needs to be replaced.

What will be useful?

In order to fix an office chair if it falls down, you need to acquire the following tools:

Furniture chair.
Set of different screwdrivers.
Mallet.
A drift made of metal material.
New gas cartridge that will fit your furniture.
A vice that will make the work process a little easier.

Important! If for some reason the repair takes place in the cold, then there is a possibility that the liquid in the gas elevator has frozen, and in this condition this part cannot be used. Wait until it reaches room temperature completely (this may take about a day).

Replace a broken component

Well, for a successful result you should follow these tips:

We take a shaped screwdriver in our hands and proceed to dismantle the seat from a special “swinging” mechanism, or piastres. Simply turn your office chair over, mark the rocker side of the face, and remove the four screws that secure the chair seat to the rocker mechanism. You can move the housing to the side.
Remove the protective cover and take the gas cartridge in your left hand so that the mechanism is facing down. Apply medium force blows while tapping the base of the gas lift. Make sure that the mechanism itself is not deformed.

Important! If you can’t dismantle the structure, use a vice and turn the installation around.

If the structure has been removed, then you can safely knock out the broken component from its cross: simply turn the parts over with the rollers facing up and use a metal drift to carefully knock the part out of the cone.

Important! Be careful not to cause mechanical damage to the front part of the cross and the stiffeners.

If the component has been dismantled, then further work will go like clockwork. We assemble the chair by screwing the rocking mechanism to the backrest seat, making sure that everything corresponds to its position.
Now we simply lower the cross onto the wheels and remove the transport cap from the gas cartridge. We insert a new component into the structure, forgetting about the correspondence of the diameters of the parts.
We put the protective casing and housing in place. If all the steps were completed without errors, you can press your hands on the surface of the case and check the functionality of all elements.

Important! If there are any problems with the new element, then there is a possibility that you are faced with a manufacturing defect. Before contacting the manufacturer, check that the button on the element is secured using a lever. It is also not recommended to press the button while the component is in your hands.

Failure options

A computer chair is a complex mechanism, and breakdowns, alas, are an inevitable reality.

You can save money by repairing the chair, or replacing broken parts yourself.

Professionals identify several of the most common faults.

Broken crosspiece. This is a fairly common problem with plastic crosses. If your model has a crosspiece made of metal, you have nothing to fear; they break extremely rarely. The intersection of the beams is in the risk zone of the plastic cross.
Deformation of the rocking mechanism. Because of this problem, you are unable to rest against the vertical and elastic backrest. If the backrest falls back, this indicates a malfunction of the position locks.
Gas lift failure. In this case, the office chair does not maintain the specified height. Most often we are talking about deformation of the pneumatic cartridge. This part has a two-chamber structure, and each chamber is filled with air or gas. And if, when you press the lever, the mechanism does not operate and does not lower, then most likely the piston, seal or other element of the system is faulty.

If you are replacing a gas lift in the cold season, do not use it right away.

VIDEO: Is your office chair broken? Cheap repairs

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Height

You need to adjust the chair according to the height of the table and your own height.

How to determine the optimal chair height.

Stand next to the chair, the highest point of the seat should be below your knee.
Sit at a comfortable distance from the table, place your hands on it and straighten your back so that your shoulders are parallel to your spine and the angle of your bent arm is 90°. If your palms are below your elbows, the seat is low for you.
Sitting in a chair, place your feet on the floor. If the distance between the front of the seat and the thigh near the knee is more than 2 cm, then the chair needs to be raised.

To adjust the height of the chair upward, stand up and lift the lever under the seat. When the desired height is reached, release it.

You can lower the chair without getting up - just pull the lever. When the weight of your body lowers the chair to the desired height, release the lever.

Do-it-yourself troubleshooting

Making a high-quality repair of a computer chair is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
Some skills, as well as special tools, will allow you to solve the problem even at home. If you are racking your brain over the question: your office chair doesn’t hold its height, what should you do? The answer is simple, you need to change the gas lift. This is one of the few parts that cannot be repaired.

The procedure is as follows:

Remove all external elements;
Remove the outer casing;
Remove the spring fastener from its seat;
Remove bearings and all fixing elements;
Remove the crosspiece and protective cover;
Remove the faulty gas lift.

Gas lift is responsible for the elasticity of the stool.

After replacing the gas lift, all elements are assembled, but in the reverse order. If you are afraid that you will forget which element was taken from where, you can record each action on camera.

Rules for using office chairs

In order for the chair to serve for a long time and not cause inconvenience due to breakdowns, it is recommended to follow the following simple rules:

The chair should be located in a dry, well-ventilated area.
If for some reason the chair was in a low temperature zone (for example, it was transported in winter), it cannot be used immediately; it must be given time to adapt. Minimum time is 24 hours.
During the assembly process, be very careful and careful, especially with regard to screw-on parts - do not strip the threads.
Make sure that the load on the cross is not excessive.

Handle your office chair with care.

Experts remind that one chair is designed for use by one person. If a huge number of people use it, it will have sad consequences. You need to sit down on an office chair very carefully, avoiding sudden movements.

If the damage is minor and does not require complete replacement, a welding machine is required for repairs.

The armrests also need to be treated with care. You should not press on them, much less sit down. For overweight people, it is better to purchase designs with metal elements.

In the event of a complete breakdown, you need to buy a ready-made part.

You can repair an office chair yourself without resorting to the services of a professional technician. And if you follow the operating requirements, it will serve you faithfully for many years.

How to fix a falling office chair

You can repair the chair yourself, but you must strictly follow the instructions. If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to immediately contact specialists, otherwise you can completely break the mechanism.

Damage to the cross

A damaged crosspiece can be repaired as follows:

First you need to unscrew the cross from the chair. For this purpose, videos are made. It is worth noting that they are not fixed too tightly, so it will be enough to remove the fasteners.
Now we dismantle the piastrum. Fastening to the seat is made using a cone. You can disconnect the gas lift by knocking on the place where the fastening is located.
Now the release clip is removed. It is located in the recess where the hydraulic elevator is located.
We knock out the gas lift.
We repair or replace damaged parts of the five-beam.
If the damage is severe or some parts are broken, it may not be possible to remove the gas lift. In such cases, it is necessary to remove the cylinder, bearings and seals.

Breakage of the swing mechanism

To secure the mechanism to the seat, use 4 screws. They are screwed in with a shaped screwdriver. To repair you need to do the following:

We dismantle the element. To do this, unscrew the fasteners from the seat that hold the mechanisms responsible for the swing.
Now you need to knock out the gas lift.

Attention! The fastening mechanisms are made of metal. If the damage is minor and does not require complete replacement, a welding machine is required for repairs. In the event of a complete breakdown, you need to buy a ready-made part.

You need to choose the right part. At the moment there are 2 options for the swing mechanism:

Domestic.
Chinese.

The problem is the size mismatch. If the Chinese ones are 20x20 centimeters, then the domestic ones are 20x15.

If you don't want to drill new holes when replacing elements, you can use adapter plates.

The pneumatic cartridge is broken

If the pneumatic cartridge breaks, we will have to replace it. Repairs will not be possible. We start by dismantling the crosspiece from the chair. Disconnect the gas lift. We replace parts.

If the chair falls down, it means that the breakdown is in the gas lift and cross parts. To carry out repairs, you need to dismantle these parts, carry out repairs or completely replace damaged parts.