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Replacing the gas lift on an office chair. How to fix an office chair if it drops? Do I need to remove the cover from the gas lift chair

A modern office chair is a functional and comfortable piece of furniture, equipped with a fairly complex mechanism that sooner or later fails. In such a situation, there are three options for the development of events: purchase a new one, give it to a specialized workshop, or repair an office chair with your own hands.

As practice has shown, it is quite possible to perform such work on your own. The only thing that is required from the master is to strictly follow the sequence of actions and follow the instructions that will be given in this publication.

Today, there are three types of chairs on the office furniture market:

For the leader
Such a piece of furniture usually has a maximum of possibilities: a five-beam steel cross; synchro-mechanism (a device that makes the seat and back repeat the movements of the owner); mechanisms for adjusting the backrest resistance, seat depth, negative tilt, etc.
For staff
Furniture of this type has more modest characteristics and functionality. Most varieties are light in weight (providing high mobility), equipped with mechanisms for adjusting the height of the seat, armrests, and backrest angle.
For visitors
Office chairs of this modification are simply beautiful, stable and comfortable furniture, devoid of any functionality. Often they do not even have a rotation mechanism and are produced on four legs, instead of one supporting leg with a cross on wheels.

Design features

Despite the variability of designs and functional content, almost all chairs consist of one set of elements:

Five-beam cross(base). This part is made of metal or plastic. The first option is better and more expensive
Rollers. Just like the cross, the wheels can be made of metal or plastic. However, the mount and internal hinge of any roller is metal
Pneumocartridge(gas lift). The part serves as the leg of the chair and is responsible for its "elasticity"
swing mechanism contributes to the axial deviation of the chair and its fixation in one position. On expensive models, a mechanism with an offset axis is installed, providing the smoothest possible swing.
piastra. This element is a metal platform with a lever. Serves to change the height of the seat relative to the crosspiece
Permanent contact- an element that connects the back to the seat and is responsible for changing its position

Most office chair models have armrests. In cheap models, these elements are made of plastic; in more expensive ones - from anodized or stainless steel.

Common breakdowns

As noted above, an office chair is a rather complex device and any of its structural elements can fail.

Cross damage

The problem of this element may be destruction at the junction of the beams. The material from which the cross is made is important here.

As a rule, the base is a hollow structure, inside which you can insert a polypropylene pipe of suitable size and cross section. It, in turn, must be rigidly fixed to the base and the damaged beam.

Plastic parts cannot be spliced with glue or a soldering iron. due to the heavy load on the paws. It makes no sense to restore the integrity of this element. The best option would be to completely replace the damaged structure with a glass-filled polyamide base.

In order to dismantle the crosspiece of an office chair, you need:

Shoot videos. As a rule, they do not have a rigid fixation and are simply removed from the mounting sockets. For clarity of the process, it is recommended to watch the video:
Carry out the dismantling of the piastra. Fastening to the seat is made "on a cone". Disconnection from the gas lift is carried out by tapping on the attachment point. The correct process for disassembling an office chair is shown in the video:
Remove retaining clip located in the recess of the upper part of the hydraulic lift.
Knock out the gas lift for repair or replacement of the five-arm.
Note! In case of critical damage or destruction, it is impossible to knock out the gas elevator from the base. In this case, the working cylinder with a seal and bearing should be pulled out of the "glass".

The process technology and dismantling tool are shown in the video:

Destruction of the swing mechanism

If the chair does not hold the “horizon”, then the problem is most likely in the destruction of the rocking mechanism.

Fastening to the seat is made with four screws for a curly screwdriver. The element is dismantled as follows:

Unscrew the bolts that secure the swing mechanism from the seat
The gas lift is knocked out of the device mount.

This item is made of metal.

You can independently solve the problem of a collapsed device by completely replacing it (recommended) or using a welding machine.

It should be noted that domestic spare parts are not suitable for most chairs from the Middle Kingdom. This concerns, first of all, the rocking mechanisms (mismatch in size).

Chinese mechanisms: 200 x 200 mm.
Domestic: 200 x 150 mm.

In order not to over-drill holes when replacing an element, we suggest using adapter plates. How it looks assembled can be seen in the figure below.

Pneumocartridge failure

The pneumocartridge of the chair is a two-chamber structure filled with air. When the adjusting lever is pressed, the valve closes the air flow between the chambers.

If, when the valve is pressed, the gas lift rod does not extend, then the integrity of the piston, seal, etc. is broken.

It's important to know! The gas lift cannot be disassembled. In case of damage, a complete replacement of the element is required.

The dismantling process is described above. For clarity of the process, check out the video on replacing the gas cartridge on office chairs:

A fairly common cause of gas lift failure is the bending of the adjusting lever, which does not allow pressing the cartridge valve. In this case, the repair can be easily carried out on your own: you need to bend the lever to its original state.

Video: Chair Permanent Contact Repair

If the contact is loose and the back “does not hold”, you will need to seal the connection. How to do it, see the video:

As a conclusion

As can be seen from the above, almost all work to restore the health of an office chair consists in replacing failed elements. In most cases, any "handy" man will be able to perform such work. Finding the parts needed for replacement is quite simple: all components can be purchased in specialized stores or in companies selling office furniture. To complete the picture, we recommend watching a video about repairing office chairs with your own hands:

All experts in office and home furniture, and in particular chairs, argue that the adjustment and position mechanism most often fails. Replacing the gas lift in an office chair is required if the foot does not respond to pressing and the chair is stuck in one position. Of course, it is possible to repair it, but only a complete replacement is allowed, since the repair of certain parts will not bring results.

The plus is that any office chair can be repaired with your own hands, using photos and videos from the Internet.

Chair gas lift device

Before you start repairing a gas lift, you should figure out what it is. By internal and external similarity, it is compared with a shock absorber, only not disassembled.

Gas lift operation scheme:

Figure 1. Do not sit on the chair. Gas lift unloaded Figure 2. Sit on a chair and press the lever (button)
Figure 3. Gas lift in the lower position Figure 4. Pressed the lever (button) to raise the chair up (without load)

If the seat does not go down and does not go up, then the internal parts are worn out and only a replacement will correct the situation.

Be sure to know how to pull the gas lift out of the chair so as not to damage the rest of the fasteners and parts, the replacement of which will also lead to a loss of money.

There are not many details in the chair, so the restoration process will not be stressful.

Causes of failure

The computer chair itself breaks quite rarely. This device lasts longer if you follow some rules:

You can not sit on a chair from a jump.
Lubricate parts with a little oil.
Do not sit in two people, creating an advantage.

The gas lift of an office chair keeps a person throughout the entire service life. If the chair has stopped rising and falling and it is impossible to fix the position, it will be cheaper to ask how to replace the gas lift than to buy a new one. How this system works is quite simple to explain, shock absorbers most often fail due to heavy load.

Parts replacement process

Before replacing the gas lift of an office chair, it should be checked for operability. You need to sit on a chair with all your weight and try to raise or lower its position. If there is no reaction, then in a specialized store you can easily choose a gas lift for the chair. There are all the necessary sizes and hydraulics, as well as a gas cartridge, since they are the same almost everywhere. Experienced specialists who are more accurately oriented in the models of this furniture will help you choose the right model.

Be careful! There are gas lifts with an unusual high cone

Repairing a gas lift yourself is quite simple, you just need to follow the instructions:

Now many people know what to do if the chair mechanism is constantly junk. Replacing a descending gas appliance does not take much time, the standard procedure lasts no more than fifteen minutes. The whole course of work is described above, how to repair or change the gas lift, in order to feel comfortable when you sit in a chair. Try and do everything right in order not to spend money on a complete replacement of an office chair.

Computer chairs have long outgrown the status of exclusively office furniture. Today, they are increasingly being purchased in 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 for its repair or complete replacement. You can cope with the task without professional help, the main thing is to know the features, the principle of operation of this mechanism and clearly follow the instructions presented in the article.

The design of such furniture is multi-component and complex, therefore it is not recommended to do the repair of office chairs with your own hands without first understanding their “stuffing”. So, the main task of the back is to support the spine of a seated person. She may have different sizes and shapes, but the angle between her and the seat is always about 90 degrees, which allows you to relax your lower back when you lean back.

The seat can be of several types, they are discussed in the table.

The armrests serve as a support for the elbows, with their help, the load is removed from the spine and neck of a person. These elements can 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. He adjusts the product in height, can be long, medium and short. There is also a cross - a bearing component of the structure. It is a base of large diameter with rays, their optimal number is 5 pieces. It is on the crosspiece that the main load falls.

The cross is made of metal or plastic - in the first version, the chair itself will be heavier.

The 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 design principles, it is important to understand what a gas lift is in an office chair. The hydraulic cylinder, designed specifically for this type of furniture, is an elastic spring with compressed air pumped into it. At high piston pressure, the structure lowers, at low pressure, vice versa. The device is located in the cross, and is fixed at the base of the seat.

Understanding the functions of a gas lift will help you repair a computer chair yourself:

Reduces 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 own axis. A seated person can, without getting up from his chair, turn around and take what he needs.

The gas cartridge system is quite simple, so fixing a gas lift office chair is not difficult. The principle of operation of the device is as follows:

The product includes a valve and two reservoirs. When closing or opening the first element, compressed air passes through the bypass channel from one reservoir to another.
If the chair needs to be raised, press the lever. The valve will open, the air in it will begin to put pressure on the piston, it will go down, and the seat will go up.
Release the lever to fix the computer furniture. 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 seated 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.

Causes of failure

Computer chairs, when properly maintained, last for many years. In the event of a manufacturing defect of the gas spring, the furniture can be changed, especially if it has a guarantee. But replacing the gas lift, with your own hands or with the help of professionals, may be necessary if the product is used incorrectly. The main causes of breakdowns:

Creating an overweight. It is not recommended to sit on one side of the seat, you need to sit in the middle.
Irregular maintenance of furniture. Parts are recommended to be lubricated at the intervals specified in the instructions for use.
The frequent arrangement of two people in one chair. The design can withstand a weight not exceeding 120 kilograms.

The principle of operation of the gas lift

The process of dismantling the part depending on the type of base

If the structure has stopped rising and fixing in the desired position, it means that the gas lift on the office chair needs to be repaired. You can do it yourself. The algorithm of actions will be almost identical for both plastic and metal bases.

plastic

The dismantling of the structure, the basis 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 the gas lift is removed from office chairs, he will need an assistant. Instruction:

Loosen the screws under the seat. Carefully remove it from the fasteners.
Stand on the crosspiece, gradually, with swinging movements, pull the chair up by the armrests. Put it aside.
With a rubber mallet, 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 that, you need to replace the part and perform the same steps in reverse order.

Loosen the bolts under the seat

Removing the base

We insert a new gas lift and fix the cross

metallic

The principle of dismantling 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 must be weak so that the cross does not crack..

In fact, repairing the gas lift of an office chair with your own hands is a simple process. If you approach the solution of the problem responsibly and study all the nuances, you can fix the furniture yourself and very quickly, and not spend money on a new product.

Unscrew the bolts and pull the seat towards you

When knocking out the gas lift, be careful, we strike weak

A computer or office chair is one of the pieces of furniture that, due to the constant load, is highly susceptible to natural wear and tear. This factor, together with violations of operating conditions, is the most likely cause of a breakdown. How to make repairs? In what situations will it be necessary to replace the gas lift in the chair and how to do the work yourself? Answers next.

Causes of broken office chairs

Before proceeding with the repair with your own hands, you must:

understand the design of the object;
find out which element is faulty.

computer chair design

The main components of an office chair are:

seat and back;
permanent - a contact that connects the back to the seat and allows you to adjust the angle of inclination;
armrests;
piastra - the mechanism by which the chair is controlled;
gas lift for seat height adjustment;
cross with rollers acting as support and movable mechanisms, respectively.

To connect all parts, fixing screws with a sufficient margin of safety are used.

Definition and causes of faults

The presence of malfunctions in the operation of a gas lift (lift, gas cartridge) is signaled by the following aspects:

gas lift does not hold the seat in a given position;
the seat does not lower or rise when the control lever is actuated;
the seat falls down under the own weight of the seated person;
the chair is deviated from the axis to one of the sides;
the chair "dangles" in different directions.

The main reasons for the formation of these faults are:

lack of lubrication in the mechanism. During the entire period of use, the gas lift requires periodic maintenance, which consists in applying lubricants;

For lubrication, you can use any ready-made compounds and / or oils.

natural wear. Manufacturers guarantee the operation of the mechanism for 18 - 24 months. After the specified period, it is required to carry out repair work or replacement of the main furniture units;
improper use: exceeding the load limit, jumping on the seat, and so on.

Gas lift repair

The gas lift for an office chair consists of the following elements:

outer case made of high-strength metal;
a cylinder consisting of two tanks and equipped with a bypass valve;
a piston with a rod located inside the cylinder and designed to lower / raise the chair;
button that is actuated by the control lever.

The gas elevator is a completely sealed equipment, and even if a breakdown occurs, the gas cannot enter the surrounding air.

To achieve the specified level of safety in the use of the mechanism, gas is pumped into the cylinder exclusively in the factory. Therefore, you can only do a partial repair of an office gas lift on your own, which boils down to “jamming” of the mechanism in a certain position.

How to fix a gas cartridge by fixing? To repair the lift and fix the lift at a certain level, you must:

access the mechanism. To do this, a decorative cap (if any) and a pin - lock are removed from the lower part of the cross at the place where the lift is attached;

the cross with a decorative casing is removed, thereby opening access to the lift;
a piece of pipe suitable in length is put on the piston. It is this element that fixes the gas lift in one position. Therefore, it is important to determine in advance the optimal seat height and the required pipe length;

For fixing, you can use pipes made of any materials: metal, propylene, polypropylene, metal-plastic, and so on. When choosing a pipe, it is also necessary to take into account the diameter in order to "hide" the mechanism in a decorative casing.

chair is being assembled.

Gas lift replacement

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 specific set of tools and additional materials;
see the work plan.

Preparing to replace the gas lift

To replace the gas lift swing mechanism, you will need to prepare:

new chair lift. You can buy it in a specialized store. When choosing a gas lift, the dimensions of the equipment and the maximum load indicator should be taken into account. If you cannot determine the parameters yourself, then you can use the help of sales consultants;
Phillips screwdriver for assembling and disassembling furniture;
a hammer. In order 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;

Knockout - a tool for pulling out (the so-called "knocking out") parts from holes

vise. You can replace the gas lift without a vice, but the use of a metalwork tool will simplify the work;
liquid WD-40.

Replacement sequence

How to remove the old gas lift from the chair and install a new lift? The work is performed in the following sequence:

treatment of all joints of the elements of the chair with WD-40 liquid. This will facilitate the disassembly process;

In accordance with the recommendations of specialists, the application of WD should be carried out on the eve of other replacement work. 12 - 15 hours should be enough for the grease to penetrate into all joints. In addition to facilitating disassembly, the indicated time is required to obtain a normal gas lift temperature when changing during the cold season.

detaching the seat.

How to disassemble the chair? Using a Phillips screwdriver of the appropriate size, the bolts securing the seat to the piastra are loosened.

disconnecting the lift from the piastres and crosspieces.

The work is done by knocking out the gas lift with a hammer with a rubber tip. To facilitate the process of disassembling the cross and the lift, you can also use a metal drift.

Before knocking out, the retaining ring is removed - checks located on the back of the cross at the point of attachment of the gas cartridge;

Work must be carried out very carefully so as not to damage the connecting elements. Hammer taps are made in different places for the systematic exit of the gas elevator.

installation of a new gas cartridge. To do this, at the first stage, it is necessary to insert the device into the crosspiece (until it clicks, indicating the fixation of the element), with some effort, put on a protective and decorative casing and connect the semi-assembled structure with the piastra;
assembling the computer chair in reverse order.

You can learn more about the independent process of replacing a gas elevator on a computer chair by watching the video.

Replacing the gas lift of the chair is not a difficult process, so even a novice master can do the work on his own. With all the tools, a new lift and pre-treatment, the job is done within 15 to 20 minutes.

Unlike all cabinet furniture, a computer chair is subject to extremely high wear and tear, because, in addition to daily use, it contains mechanical, and most importantly, hydraulic elements. For example, it is possible to repair the gas lift of an office chair with your own hands, but first you need to understand the causes of the breakdown. So for what reason did one user's chair break after a few months, while for another it lasts for years without the slightest breakage? How to remove, disassemble and repair the gas lift device? How do you get a gas lift out of a bar stool? Adjustment of lifting, gas lift and its design. This is what we will deal with in this article.

The reasons

Much to my surprise, this circumstance does not always depend on the reliability of a particular model. First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the weight of the owner, as well as to care during operation.

Important! Modern chairs, as a rule, are designed for a weight of no more than 120 kilograms, and the manufacturers themselves, in turn, provide a guarantee for any malfunction from 12 to 18 months.

From this we can conclude that the causes of failure can be:

careless handling;
non-compliance with weight restrictions;
the warranty period has expired.

But in the event that your chair is broken, and the warranty period has already expired, then, with sufficient knowledge and skill, you can easily repair a computer chair at home.

Important! Since you have taken up the repair of the chair, it makes sense to clean up the entire workplace. And since a computer desk is, as a rule, a bunch of paper wires and little order, let's start with the main thing -. The next step is the countertop:

Self-repair - how possible?

If your computer chair lowers on its own when you sit down and rises when you get up from it, while the period of lifting or lowering can vary from a couple of seconds to a day, this is a sign that gas has come out of the gas cartridge.

Important! Gas lifts are not subject to any repair, because their disassembly is quite dangerous for human life.

In this situation, you can fix the chair with the help of improvised means in the required position, or you can change the gas cartridge to a new one.

Important! The price of a gas cartridge is not so high, and it can be purchased at absolutely any specialized store.

So, you have decided to replace the gas cartridge yourself. For this case you will need:

Armchair;
Curly screwdriver;
Rubber mallet;
Metal punch;
A new gas cartridge that will match the length and diameter;
Vice for more comfort.

Disassembly process for gas lift replacement

In the event that you carry out repairs in the cool time of the day, the liquid in the gas lift may well freeze - it is strictly forbidden to use it. Wait until the new gas cartridge is at room temperature. To achieve this, you will need to leave it for approximately 24 hours.

First of all, use a curly screwdriver to unscrew the seat directly from the piastra or rocking mechanism.
Turn the chair over, mark the front side of your rocking block.
Remove the 4 screws that secure the chair seat directly to the rocker mechanism, and then set the chair body aside.
Dismantle the protective cover, take your gas cartridge in a comfortable hand, the rocking block down.
Tap the rocking mechanism at the very base of the gas cartridge with moderate blows.

Important! Carefully monitor the degree of bending of the swing mechanism, do not allow it to bend. If you failed to knock down the block, try to fix the base of the gas cartridge in the clamp and turn it.

After removing the swing mechanism, knock the gas cartridge out of the crosspiece.
Turn the crosspiece over with the rollers up and, using a metal drift, knock out the gas cartridge from the conical base of the crosspiece with precise and accurate blows.

Important! Be sure to look for damage to the front side of the chrome-plated cross, as well as the stiffeners of the plastic cross.

reverse process

Thus, you disconnected the cross. This means that the difficult task is over, now assemble the chair:

Screw the swing mechanism to the back seat itself and pay attention to the matching of the front sides of the seat and this unit.
Next, put the cross on the floor with wheels, dismantle the shipping cap from the new gas cartridge.

Important! You should be able to see the button, but in any case, do not press the gas cartridge button in your hands, because it is dangerous.

Install a new gas chuck and make sure that the diameter of the gas chuck fully matches the cross.
Slide the protective cover and then the chair body directly onto the rocker mechanism.
In the event that everything is in order, press the chair body with your hands, re-check all the elements.

Now you can sit on a chair, thereby checking the performance of the new gas lift.

If you have problems with the gas cartridge immediately after assembling a new chair, it is likely that you got a defective gas cartridge. But before you go and complain about the trading organization and demand a replacement of the element, check if the button on the gas lift is fixed with a lever from the swing mechanism.
When the gas lift does not respond at the moment the lever is pressed, check if you have fixed the piastres or the swing system correctly, if the lever for pressing the gas lift button is damaged.

In all other cases, it will be necessary to replace the gas cartridge.

Now you have an idea of when you need to repair the gas lift of an office chair with your own hands, how exactly it happens. Are you ready to do this work or is it better to turn to a specialized master - decide for yourself, given your technical skills, knowledge and dexterity when repairing various items.