Computer chairs have long outgrown their status as exclusively office furniture. Today they are increasingly being purchased for apartments and houses, which is explained by the versatility, ergonomics and durability of the design. But even such reliable products can experience breakdowns, the most common of which are malfunctions in the gas spring. To find out the degree of wear of this part, you will have to figure out how to remove the gas lift from an office chair to repair it or completely replace it. You can cope with the task without professional help, the main thing is to know the features and operating principle of this mechanism and strictly follow the instructions presented in the article.
What is gas lift in an office chair?
The design of such furniture is multi-component and complex, so it is not recommended to do the repair of office chairs yourself without first understanding their “stuffing”. So, the main task of the backrest is to support the spine of a sitting person. Its sizes and shapes may vary, but the angle between it and the seat is always about 90 degrees, which allows you to relax your lower back when leaning back.
The seat can be of several types, they are discussed in the table.
| Type | Filler |
| Soft | Springs, foam rubber |
| Hard | Metal, wood, straw |
| Semi-soft | Polymer materials |
It is recommended to choose seats that have a rounded front edge. The width can vary from 40 to 50 cm, depth - up to 48 cm.
Armrests serve as a support for the elbows; with their help, the load is removed from the person’s spine and neck. These elements may be adjustable or non-adjustable. A piastra is a metal platform on which a lever is attached. Its function is to change the height of the seat. As for the gas lift itself, it is a steel cylinder filled with inactive gas. It adjusts the product in height, it can be long, medium and short. There is also a cross - a load-bearing component of the structure. It is a large-diameter base with rays, their optimal number is 5 pieces. It is the cross that bears the main load.
The crosspiece is made of metal or plastic - in the first version the chair itself will be heavier.
Rollers are used to move the computer chair. They are made from polymers, polyurethane or nylon. All these components are the main components of the design. In addition to them, manufacturers equip products with additional mechanisms that improve the functionality of office furniture.
Having understood the general principles of design, it is important to understand what a gas lift is in an office chair. A hydraulic cylinder, designed specifically for this type of furniture, is an elastic spring with air compressed and pumped into it. When the piston pressure is high, the structure lowers; when the piston pressure is low, vice versa . The device is located in the crosspiece and is fixed at the base of the seat.
Understanding the functions of a gas lift will help you repair a computer chair yourself:
- Absorbs shock load on the spine. The design acts as a shock absorber when a person sits down. The system springs the seat, which reduces the load on the back.
- Adjusts the sitting position. With the help of a gas lift, a person can easily adjust the height of the chair. If you press a special lever installed under the seat, you can quickly raise or lower the structure.
- Rotates furniture around its axis. A sitting person can turn around and take what he needs without getting up from his chair.
The gas cartridge system is quite simple, so repairing an office chair with gas lift is not difficult. The operating principle of the device is as follows:
- The product includes a valve and two reservoirs. When the first element is closed or opened, compressed air flows through the bypass channel from one reservoir to another.
- If the chair needs to be raised, the lever must be pressed. The valve will open, the air in it will begin to press on the piston, it will go down, and the seat will rise up.
- To fix the computer furniture, you need to release the lever. The valve will close, the piston will stop and fix the structure in this position.
- To lower the product, you need to press the lever again, the seat will lower under the weight of the sitting person.
If you need to raise the seat of an office chair, it is recommended to stand up a little before pressing the lever so as not to create resistance with your weight.
Required Tools
Before you begin disassembling the product, you need to prepare all the necessary tools. Any home craftsman has them. To dismantle the chair parts you will need:
- screwdriver;
- hammer;
- chisel;
- pliers.
If you need to replace the gas lift, you can add technical grease and a bolt with a minimum diameter of 10 mm (or a little more) to this list. Instead of a screwdriver, it is more convenient to use a screwdriver. Having unscrewed the fasteners, you need to immediately put all the fasteners in a box or tin can, since the loss of even one bolt will deprive the repair of any meaning.
Technical lubricant is needed to make the parts move away from each other more easily. If the chair has served for many years and has never been disassembled, the fastenings gradually become tighter, and then it is very difficult to separate them. Upon completion of the repair, remove greasy oil marks with a soft cloth (for example, a piece of flannel).
If the crosspiece is made of plastic, if a malfunction occurs, it is recommended to replace it with a new one. New rollers are usually installed at the metal base. Experts say that crosspieces made of high-strength aircraft aluminum are least susceptible to wear. However, they are found only in expensive models.
Tools
Accessories
Causes of failure
Computer chairs, when used correctly, last for many years. In the event of a manufacturing defect in the gas spring, the furniture can be replaced, especially if it has a warranty. But replacing the gas lift, either with your own hands or with the help of professionals, may also be necessary if the product is used incorrectly. Main causes of breakdowns:
- Creating an advantage. It is not recommended to sit on one side of the seat; you need to sit in the middle.
- Irregular furniture care. It is recommended to lubricate parts at the intervals specified in the instructions for use.
- Frequent placement of two people on one chair. The structure can support a weight not exceeding 120 kilograms.
It is not recommended to sit down from a jump or run, otherwise there is a high probability of the gas spring breaking, as a result, you will have to change the gas lift on the office chair, which will entail additional financial costs.
Operating principle of gas lift
Replacement of gas elevator
If the gas cartridge does not compress, and the device is required when using a chair, that is, fixing the device in one position is unacceptable, then a complete replacement of the mechanism is required.
To replace you need:
- prepare a certain set of tools and additional materials;
- familiarize yourself with the work flow chart.
Preparing to replace the gas lift
To replace the gas lift swing mechanism, you will need to prepare:
- new chair lift. You can purchase accessories in a specialized store. When choosing a gas elevator, you should take into account the dimensions of the equipment and the maximum load. If you can’t determine the parameters yourself, you can use the help of sales consultants;
- Phillips screwdriver for assembling and disassembling furniture;
- hammer. To ensure safety, it is better to use a hammer made of rubber. Such a tool will not damage the equipment during operation;
- ring punch;
Punch – a tool for pulling out (so-called “knocking out”) parts from holes
- vice. You can replace the gas lift without a vice, but using a bench tool will simplify the work;
- WD-40 liquid.
The process of dismantling a part depending on the type of base
If the structure no longer rises and locks in the desired position, it means that the gas lift on the office chair needs to be repaired. You can do this yourself. The algorithm of actions will be almost identical for both plastic and metal bases.
Plastic
Dismantling of the structure, the base of which is plastic, occurs in a certain sequence. If a person is changing a gas cartridge for the first time and does not know how to remove the gas lift from office chairs, he will need an assistant. Instructions:
- Unscrew the bolts located under the seat. Carefully remove it from the mountings.
- Stand on the crosspiece and gradually, using rocking movements, pull the chair up by the armrests. Set it aside.
- Use a rubber hammer to apply several light, precise blows to the body of the structure from the side of the cross - the gas lift should come out of the base gradually.
After this, you need to replace the part and perform the same steps in reverse order.
Unscrew the bolts under the seat
Removing the base
We insert a new gas lift and secure the crosspiece
Metal
The principle of removing a gas spring from a metal base is similar to the previous one. The only difference is that some manufacturers use fragile material in the manufacture of the structure. Therefore, it is recommended to be careful when knocking out the gas lift. The blows should be weak so that the cross does not crack .
In fact, repairing an office chair gas lift with your own hands is a simple process. If you approach the solution to the problem responsibly and study all the nuances, you can repair the furniture yourself and very quickly, rather than spending money on a new product.
Unscrew the bolts and pull the seat towards you
When knocking out the gas lift, be careful, apply weak blows
Ready
Repair process: guide
Often in such chairs the gas cartridge becomes unusable. The mechanism consists of two chambers that are filled with air. It can be activated using a lever that acts on the valve. Air will move from one chamber to another. This is how the height of the chair is adjusted.
During operation, you must use goggles to protect your eyes from dust particles from the cylinder and drops from lubricants. If you purchased a gas cartridge in the cold, do not start repairing the chair immediately after purchase. First, give her a day to warm up at home. Cover the floor with any paper, maybe newspaper, so as not to stain it.
The gas lift is firmly attached to the steel crosspiece.
If the cross is made of steel, the weight of the person sitting is more than 100 kg, the chair is old and the room is humid, the connection becomes covered with slight rust and the gas lift with the steel cross is stuck “tightly”
. In this case, there are two ways to remove the gas lift: the first is quick and the second you will have to wait a little
2.1. The quick method requires special tools, a workbench with a vice or a small mechanical workshop.
- It is necessary to make a device in the form of a support platform for the crosspiece with a central hole Ф52-55mm, about 40-45 cm high (in the form of a stool with a reinforced seat 30-50mm thick) for installation down into the gas lift holes.
- Remove the latch and carefully remove the working gas cylinder with the thrust bearing. Only the black cylinder Ф50mm remains in the crosspiece.
- We install the black cylinder down into the hole in the device, and on top there is a cross that lies on the stop.
- We place a wooden spacer (plywood, plank, etc.) on the end of the gas lift bottom looking out from the crosspiece and hit it with a hammer with a weight of 2-5 kg. A radical method always helps to knock out the gas lift.
Tips for use
A computer chair requires careful handling. This is especially true for an already repaired device. When using, you must adhere to certain rules so as not to break the furniture. Otherwise, the service life of the device will be greatly reduced. The following recommendations from experts should be taken into account:
- It is not recommended to use the product in rooms with high levels of air humidity, as this will quickly damage the integrity of the mechanism.
- If the furniture was delivered at low temperatures, it is prohibited to assemble it immediately after placing it in a warm room. It is better to start installation the next day to avoid compromising the integrity of the structure.
- Do not put pressure on the bolts and main fastening elements of the structure. Plastic does not withstand heavy mechanical loads.
- Do not put a large load on the crosspiece.
A chair that has been exposed to low temperatures is strictly prohibited from immediately being assembled and used; the optimal time for adaptation is 24 hours.
Several people cannot sit on a chair at the same time. Also, do not forget about the fragility of the armrests. If too much pressure is applied, they quickly become unusable. In many models, the fabric is also vulnerable to dust and dirt. Vacuuming frequently is necessary to avoid dirt buildup.
When assembling, extreme care must be taken to avoid stripping the threads by excessively twisting the elements. An office chair is comfortable and practical furniture
To make it last longer, you need to follow basic principles. Timely replacement of parts will help extend the life of the device
An office chair is comfortable and practical furniture. To make it last longer, you need to follow basic principles. Timely replacement of parts will help extend the life of the device.
We should not forget about regular preventive inspection, which includes lubricating all moving elements, as well as tightening loose nuts and screws.See what it looks like in practice to knock the gas lift body out of the steel cross.
The most difficult case is when the gas lift body has rusted to the steel cup of the cross and cannot be knocked out with an ordinary heavy hammer. A special stand for the cross is used, the gas lift is disassembled (only the black steel cup remains), we knock it out with a sledgehammer, while the first simple blow with a sledgehammer does not help, the second time we hit it with a full swing and with maximum force.
A radical way to knock out a gas lift housing from a steel cross when all other methods have failed
Additionally: You may need a new air chuck housing.
Source
How to remove a wheel from an office chair?
How to remove wheels
- turn the chair over and place it on a stable surface;
- try to detach the roller from the chair by hand;
- if necessary, pry up the casing with a slotted screwdriver, move it to the side, hook the wheel and pull it out.
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