While an office chair consists of many important parts, the office chair base is one of the most crucial chair parts. An office chair base is responsible for the chair’s ergonomic capabilities, which help prevent pain and strain.
Knowing how to fix a broken office chair base is important, so you can avoid further issues and discomfort.
The office chair base withstands a lot of weight daily, meaning it’s easy for it to crack or get stuck when you try to move. It may also sink when you sit down, or the wheels may be tough to move around with. Regardless of our weight, we tend to be pretty rough on our office chairs, constantly adjusting the base height and rolling around our office.
Depending on which part of the base is broken, you might have to replace some or all of the parts that are broken. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace the entire base.
It’s important to inspect the base on its own to look for the problem, as the base may just need lubrication or cleaning.
Read on to become an expert in fixing a broken office chair base no matter the problem.
If particularly your chair’s leg is broken then follow my other article to solve the problem of a broken office chair leg. We have an in-depth guide on this problem. Click Here to read.
Table of Contents
1. Remove The Base To Examine It Thoroughly
Before you start removing the base to work on it, be advised that it’s possible it contains a gas chamber that is greasy and messy. You’ll want to put down a towel or something to contain the mess.
Turn the chair upside down so you can see the base clearly. There will be a clip that you want to remove with pliers by bending the clip and pulling it off.
There will be a washer on top of the piston, which is what you just pulled the clip off of. You want to pull that off.
Now, you’ll be able to pull off the base by turning it counterclockwise until it becomes loose. Pull it off carefully, as the gas chamber will be inside the base.
2. Check The Wheels And Castors To Diagnose If These Are The Problem
Sometimes you might think your office chair base is broken because your chair doesn’t move as well as it should. You might just need to clean out the dust and gunk that has been caught in the wheels and casters. If either of these is broken, it is very easy and fairly inexpensive to replace them.
Once you’ve cleaned out the wheels, casters, and gas chamber, consider going over these parts with some WD40 to help make the gliding actions of these parts more smooth.
3. If The Base Is Cracked, Replace It
Trying to repair a cracked office chair base with adhesive will only temporarily fix the problem if it does anything at all. If this is how your chair has broken, you will need to replace the base. Follow the steps above to remove the base, and then follow the accompanying instructions carefully to install the new base. Be sure it’s secured very tightly.
You can attempt to use some Gorilla glue to repair any cracks or chips if they are quite small. Be sure to stay off the chair until you allow the glue to dry for best results.
4. Check The Gas Cylinder
The gas chamber is located in the cylindrical part of the base that attaches the base to the rest of the chair. You may just have to tighten it using a hose clamp and some duct tape as this part can become loose sometimes. If this doesn’t work, you may need to replace the gas chamber.
Replacing the gas chamber is fairly inexpensive but is the best solution to make sure you can adjust your chair again. You can purchase a replacement kit that comes with detailed instructions. You’ll want to remove the base from the chair like in step one before getting started.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, many of the issues you could have with a broken office chair base require some type of replacement part. Thankfully, these replacements can help you avoid having to replace your office chair altogether. In order to take the best care of your office chair to avoid breaks in the future, be sure to be gentle on your chair and keep the base clean and lubricated.
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