Learning how to properly remove gas lift from an office chair to replace it
Computer chairs have long outgrown the status of exclusively office furniture. Today, they are increasingly being purchased in apartments and houses, due to the multifunctionality, ergonomics and durability of the design. But even such reliable products can cause breakdowns, the most common of which are malfunctions in a 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 the 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, the principle of operation of this mechanism and clearly follow the instructions presented in the article.
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What is a gas lift in an office chair
The design of such furniture is multicomponent and complicated, 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 maintain the spine of a seated person. The size and shape of it can be different, but the angle between it and the seat is always about 90 degrees, which allows you to relax the lower back when leaning back.
The seat can be of several types, they are considered in the table.
A type | Filler |
Soft | Springs, foam rubber |
Hard | Metal, wood, straw |
Semi soft | Polymer materials |
It is recommended that you select seats with a rounded front edge. Width can vary from 40 to 50 cm, depth - up to 48 cm.
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 unregulated. Piastra is a metal platform on which a lever is mounted. 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, can be long, medium and short. There is also a cross - a bearing component of the structure. It is a large diameter base with beams; their optimal number is 5 pieces. It is on the cross that accounts for the main load.
A cross 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 construction, it is important to understand what gas lift is in an office chair. The hydraulic cylinder, designed specifically for this type of furniture, is an elastic spring with compressed and pumped air into it. At high piston pressure, the structure lowers; at low pressure, the opposite. 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:
- Suppresses shock 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 the special lever installed under the seat, you can quickly raise or lower the structure.
- Rotates furniture around its axis. A seated person can, without getting up from a chair, turn and take what he needs.
The gas cartridge system is quite simple, so fixing an office chair with a gas lift is not difficult. The principle of operation of the device is as follows:
- The product includes a valve and two tanks. When closing or opening the first element, compressed air passes through the bypass channel from one tank to another.
- If the chair needs to be lifted, it is necessary to press the lever. The valve will open, the air in it will begin to put pressure on the piston, it will fall down, and the seat will rise up.
- To fix the computer furniture you need to release the lever. The valve closes, the piston stops and locks the structure in that 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 bit before pressing the lever so as not to create resistance with your weight.
Breakdown reasons
Computer chairs, with proper operation, serve for many years. In the event of a manufacturing defect in a gas spring, furniture can be changed, especially if there is a guarantee for it. But replacing a gas lift, with your own hands or with the help of professionals, may be necessary if the product is used improperly. The main causes of breakdowns:
- Create an edge. It is not recommended to sit on one side of the seat, you need to settle in the middle.
- Irregular furniture care. It is recommended that parts be lubricated at the intervals specified in the instruction manual.
- The frequent arrangement of two people on the same chair. The design can withstand weight not exceeding 120 kilograms.
It is not recommended to sit down from a jump or take off, otherwise there is a high probability of a gas spring breaking, as a result, you will have to change the gas lift on the office chair, which will entail additional financial costs.
The process of dismantling the part depending on the type of base
If the structure has ceased to rise and lock in the desired position, it means that you need to repair the gas lift on the office chair. 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 base of which is plastic, occurs in a certain sequence. If a person changes the gas cartridge for the first time and does not know how to remove gas lift from office chairs, he will need an assistant. Instruction:
- Remove the bolts located under the seat. Carefully remove it from the mounts.
- To get on the cross, gradually, with swinging movements, pull the chair by the armrests up. Set it aside.
- Use a rubber mallet to apply a few gentle, 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.
Metal
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 brittle material in the manufacture of the structure. Therefore, it is recommended to be careful when driving out a gas lift. Impacts must be weak so that the spider 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 furniture yourself and very quickly, rather than splurge on a new product.
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