Wheels for a chair: silicone, polyurethane and rubber How to remove, disassemble and repair wheels from a chair Choosing a set of wheels: rubberized and other options

The office chair has wheels at the very bottom, which are responsible for comfortable moving the chair over short distances without getting up from it. This option is very convenient to use, because they do not damage the floor covering and save working time perfectly. But sometimes situations arise when they need to be replaced immediately. Don’t panic and buy a new chair; you can deal with this problem yourself.

Design features of a computer chair

Repairing an office chair with your own hands requires some knowledge. There are many features to consider when purchasing furniture. You should not buy products where the manufacturer does not provide a warranty of at least one and a half years. Otherwise, you will have to constantly repair the product, which will cause significant difficulties.

One of the most common causes of failure is the gas lift, as the part that is most susceptible to wear.

Structurally, the product consists of several elements: a back, a seat, a cross part with rollers for moving on the floor. If any of these components fail, the chair cannot be used. It is necessary to repair the damage in order to continue to use the furniture normally.

If you are faced with a malfunction of your computer chair, you need to find out which part requires repair.

The product includes the following components:

Piastra. Made from high quality metal. This element is made in the form of a lever. Used to change the height of the seat relative to other components. Rollers. Depending on the manufacturer, they may consist of metal or plastic. The first option is more preferable, as it has high performance properties. The hinge mount is made of metal. It connects to the main structure to allow movement on a smooth floor surface. Base. It can be metal or plastic. The first option is more preferable, as it has high strength and reliability compared to plastic. The latter breaks down faster under the influence of high physical stress. Permanent contact. It is a connecting component. Used to attach the seat and backrest. Allows you to change the position of the backrest relative to the vertical. Rocking mechanism. Responsible for deviations and fixation of the seat in one position. More expensive models are equipped with complex mechanisms that provide more stable fixation and smooth rocking when leaning on the back of the seat. Gas elevator

This detail is important for a computer chair. Responsible for elasticity

When a part breaks, this property is reduced, causing discomfort to the owner.

Parts may be required for replacement. They can be purchased in specialized stores. You can also purchase spare parts on the manufacturer's official website. It is for this reason that it is recommended to buy only furniture from trusted companies. This makes it possible to repair the product at minimal cost, using available materials and simple tools that are found in every home.

Before you begin repairing a computer chair, experts recommend carefully studying the types and design features of such products.

How to independently disassemble the wheels of a computer chair to clean it from rubbish, screw it up. on the bushings?

How to independently disassemble the wheels of a computer chair to clean them from junk that is screwed onto the bushings?

It is believed that most office (computer) chair wheels are not collapsible, i.e. - unrepairable due to the fact that the wheel is mounted on the axle with such a tight tension that one careless movement and the wheel will have to be thrown away. But this is not entirely true; nevertheless, sometimes it is possible to disassemble them if you work carefully.

I’m not speaking out of nowhere, not very long ago I also had to worry about this problem - several wheels did not spin, but literally rolled on the floor. An attempt to remove accumulated dirt (lint from the carpet, hair mixed with small debris) using tweezers did not yield any results.

After scouring the Internet, I managed to find this video, where a young man confidently, with a minimal set of tools, easily disassembles, cleans and reassembles them.

Of course, I didn’t have such clever “toothy” scissors, so I worked with duckbill pliers with long thin jaws. Something like this:

Additionally, I advise you to do the following: before work, pour VD-40 fluid into the contact area between the wheel and axle. The wedge will penetrate into the contact area and thereby, acting as a lubricant, will make it easier to remove the wheel. Before you begin removing the wheels, remove all grease stains so that your hands do not slip. Don't forget to wipe everything dry before reassembling.

But if you decide not to bother with repairs, or if you fail and have to change the wheels, then here you will find detailed information about their selection and replacement (last section and video).

Source

Kinds

The main rule is that on a hard floor the wheels should be soft and vice versa. Otherwise, there will be either scratches on the coating or great effort when rolling. Therefore, you need to choose the right roller material.

Material

Plastic. The most inexpensive and installed on most chairs. They are suitable for carpets as they do not leave marks on them. Parquet can be scratched, and thin linoleum can be pressed through.

Silicone. Well suited for uneven floors. They do not leave marks on parquet and laminate flooring and allow you to avoid noticing joints. The strength of such wheels is lower than polyurethane ones.

Rubber. Similar to silicone, but may leave dark streaks on varnished floors. Not suitable for sterile environments.

Polyurethane. High strength is combined with an attractive appearance and an abundance of colors. They have proven themselves well on all types of coatings. They are resistant to aggressive influences, which allows them to be used not only at home or in the office.

In addition to the material, there are differences in the design of the rollers.

Design

The design of the wheels should match the style of the chair, so different models have their own options.

Office. They can be open or protected by a skirt that prevents wires from getting into the wheel. The latter option is more beautiful and safer, but it is more difficult to maintain. Often wheels are rubberized - this is when a rubber tire is put on a plastic hub. This increases comfort and the wheels run silently.

Gaming or gaming. They are stylized to resemble the rims of cars and motorcycles and are painted accordingly. Some are very similar to roller wheels and have spokes, others differ from office wheels only in the pattern. You need to be careful with them, because if a foreign object gets into the knitting needles while moving, there may be unpleasant consequences.

Wheels with locks. They have a rotation locking mechanism, which in theory allows you to lock the chair in one position. In practice, the chair can slide on the floor. Yes, and you need to fix all 5 wheels, which is not very convenient. Fortunately, the lever can be pressed with your foot.

How to remove wheels from an office chair

For those who have held a screwdriver in their hands at least once in their life, disassembling the wheel of this office furniture will not be difficult:

First, purchase a new wheel from a specialized store. As a rule, they all come in standard sizes. Manufacturers do everything possible to ensure the convenience of their customers.
If the fastening is not clogged or rusted, then you can pull the structure out of the groove with your bare hands. If the wheel does not budge and you need to apply more force, use a flat screwdriver or chisel.
Simply pry the metal pin of the broken part at the entrance to the groove. Use the screwdriver as leverage to push the broken wheel towards you. There is no way to reuse it, so don’t be afraid to use extra force.
If necessary, remove dirt and wipe the mechanism.
Insert the new wheel into the notch. As a rule, there is no need to secure it in any way. The design involves a small groove on the wheel axle. When placing it in the holder, the gutter fits into a special protrusion and is securely fixed. Just press the wheel until it clicks.

No one guarantees the identical functioning of parts from different manufacturers. Not only can this lead to rapid wear of the remaining wheels, but the structure of the chair itself can be seriously damaged. Buying a new chair for yourself is quite expensive.

How to repair or replace a gas lift in an office chair if it constantly falls down

14.05.2017

All experts in office and home furniture, and in particular chairs, claim that most often the adjustment and position mechanism fails.

Replacing the gas lift in an office chair is required if the foot does not respond to pressure and the chair is stuck in one position.

Of course, it can be repaired, but only a complete replacement is allowed, since repairing certain parts will not bring results.

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

1 What is gas lift?
2 Causes of failure
3 Parts replacement process

What is gas lift?

Chair gas lift device

Before you start repairing a gas lift, you should understand what it is. Based on its internal and external similarity, it is compared to a shock absorber, only in an unassembled form.

Gas lift operating diagram:

Figure 1. They do not sit on the chair. Gas lift in an unloaded state Figure 2. Sit on the chair and pressed 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 lower or rise, then the internal parts are worn out and only replacement will correct the situation.

You definitely need to know how to remove the gas lift from the chair so as not to damage other fasteners and parts, the replacement of which will also lead to a loss of money.

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

Causes of failure

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

You cannot sit on a chair from a jump.
Lubricate the parts with a small amount of oil.
Do not sit in groups of two, creating an advantage.

The gas lift of an office chair holds a person throughout its entire service life. If the chair has stopped rising and falling and you can’t 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.

Breakdowns and ways to fix them

Even the best quality rollers break over time. But thanks to the simplicity of the chair’s design, the vast majority of breakdowns can be repaired yourself. In this case, you do not need to be a top-class specialist or have a special tool - you can remove and install the wheels by hand.

But before repairing, you should find out the causes of the malfunction.

The wheels don't spin well. This is probably due to the fact that foreign objects, stripes or threads got into them. In this case, you need to clean them of debris and then lubricate them with WD-40 or I-20A. For cleaning, use something like a knitting needle or scissors.
Cracks on the wheel. In this case, the part must be replaced, since the glue will not provide the required strength. Most likely, this is due to a long service life or a manufacturing defect.
Noise when torsioning. The roller needs to be lubricated. It is better not to delay this, since “oil starvation” increases wear and reduces service life.
The roller is rocking. This may indicate wear on the plug on the cross where the rod is inserted. In this case, the plug and wheel must be replaced.

Device and principle of replacement (video)

How to change a wheel on a chair? The mechanism for attaching the rollers is quite simple. To remove them, no auxiliary tools are needed. The wheels are inserted into special holes drilled in the crosspiece. The algorithm for replacing rollers is as follows:

Pull the rollers out of the cross. To do this, just pull them.
Remove the plastic covers from the crosspiece.
Remove the broken plugs and replace them with new ones.
Insert the new parts into the crosspiece, after putting on the covers.

Now let’s talk about how to clean the chair wheels from hair and other dirt. At the same time, the videos themselves are quite functional. The procedure is as follows:

Turn the furniture over and inspect the wheels for hair, textile fibers, or animal fur. First of all, try to clean them by hand. If you succeed, the rollers will spin freely again, like new. Failed to clear manually? Use regular scissors.
Now let's talk about how to remove casters from an office chair to clean them from dirt and dust. Turn the chair over and unscrew the mounting bolts.
Clean the wheels of debris and dirt, and then wash them thoroughly.
Wait until they are completely dry before screwing the parts back on.

How to independently disassemble the wheels of a computer chair to clean them from junk that is screwed onto the bushings?

After scouring the Internet, I managed to find this video, where a young man confidently, with a minimal set of tools, easily disassembles, cleans and reassembles them.

Of course, I didn’t have such clever “toothy” scissors, so I worked with duckbill pliers with long thin jaws. Something like this:

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Office chairs are convenient, comfortable furniture that has become widespread. They have become so popular due to their beautiful modern design, ergonomics and portability. The furniture is equipped with small wheels that allow you to move short distances without lifting your “fifth point” from the seat. In fact, it's very convenient. And office chair racing has become a slightly unusual, but quite spectacular sport. But, unfortunately, sometimes these parts become unusable. They must be immediately replaced with new ones or simply cleaned of dirt. Let's look at how to disassemble the wheel from the chair to clean it, as well as how to remove it to replace it with a new one. It's not difficult at all. You can cope with this problem yourself.

Features and Requirements

The peculiarity of furniture is that the more comfortable and durable it is, the heavier it is. To maintain mobility, you need wheels, which have a number of requirements.

Strength. Not only durability, but also safety depends on this. If the wheel suddenly breaks, the chair will tilt and you may fall.
Durability. Wheels must withstand significant loads over long periods of time. Ideally, the entire life of the chair.
Comfort. Joints are possible on the floor surface, and soft wheels absorb small impacts better.
Ease of rotation. The chair should save energy and not turn into a simulator. This parameter depends not only on the quality of the wheels themselves, but also on the correct choice.
Aesthetic pleasure. The rollers on gaming chairs can be stylized to look like car rims.

Recommendations from experts

If the wheel falls off on its own, you will not have to remove it from the mount. This situation greatly simplifies the task and the further algorithm of actions.

Turn the mount over and remove the remaining elements using a screwdriver. They can no longer be used, so just throw them in the trash. It is recommended to completely replace each fastening part. Choose wheels of the same brand, as different elements can make it difficult to move in a confined area. Comprehensive equipment replacement will significantly extend the life of your seat.

To replace the rollers on a chair, it is not necessary to contact specialists. To do this, you will need a little time, a minimum number of tools, as well as step-by-step instructions with comments. If replaced correctly, your device will last for many years.

Selection rules

Once you decide on a design, there are a few things you need to know.

The possibility of installing wheels is determined by the dimensions of the landing rod. It may vary among different manufacturers. For Russian ones, the diameter is usually 10 mm and the length is 20 mm. For foreign companies, the diameter is usually 11 mm and the length is 30 mm.

This means that before purchasing a set of wheels, you need to measure these dimensions with a caliper. Or, as an option, take an old video with you and choose according to the sample.

Make sure there is a stopper on the rod. It is this part that fixes the roller in the cross

Some rollers are equipped with a threaded rod and nut. When choosing, make sure that the diameter and thread pitch match.

You can also select the diameter of the roller itself. Usually it is 37-50 mm. The larger the wheel, the better it rolls and overcomes bumps, but the more cumbersome it is.

Some wheels (mostly furniture ones) are equipped with a plate instead of a rod. If necessary, the plate can be replaced with a rod and vice versa.

Before buying a set of wheels, it is better to find the reason why the old ones failed. This will either prevent you from repeating mistakes or not be too upset about a breakdown.

Why do the wheels on a chair break?

There may be several reasons for this:

Wrong chair

When purchasing a chair, be sure to pay attention to the maximum weight that the chair can support. Otherwise, you will soon receive an unpleasant surprise in the form of a breakdown.

Manufacturing defects

This scenario cannot be ruled out. In such cases, the seller always provides a guarantee for his product. If the product breaks down while the warranty card is valid, your money will be returned or the chair will be replaced with a new one. The main thing is to follow all operating rules so as not to cause wear of initially high-quality parts. Uneven floor. Because of this, the load on different wheels will differ from the standard one. Consequently, it will lead to their rapid wear. Dirty room. If the office is rarely cleaned, then a large amount of garbage accumulates on the floor. Dust, dirt, and hair can cover or simply wrap around the moving mechanisms of the wheel and prevent the mechanism from performing its direct function. Normal wear and tear has not been canceled either. Like any other part, wheels have their own service life. This is a natural process. So just buy a new wheel and replace the broken one.

In order for your “colleague” to serve for a long time and not disappoint with unpleasant incidents, choose the right model correctly. And also make sure that the load during the working day is evenly distributed across all the wheels in the system. Keep your work area clean. And don’t forget to carry out preventive cleanings if necessary. After all, it’s easier to prevent another breakdown than to repair a chair.

Sequence of installation of new parts

After you have disassembled the office chair wheel, you can begin to inspect and possibly replace the broken elements. The option for repair and installation of new parts depends on the nature of the failure:

The rollers do not rotate. Possible cause: contamination. The chair is turned over, the wheels are detached and inspected. If there is dirt and dust, they are cleaned with a brush or scissors (if they are wrapped in hair or thread). After you have managed to clean the wheels, they need to be washed and dried. Dry rollers are installed in place.
The wheel falls out. Malfunction – the plug (the socket in the cross that secures the roller) is worn out. It needs to be replaced. To do this, the wheels are separated and the plastic protective covers are removed. Then, using a screwdriver, the plugs are pulled out. New sockets are installed, housings and rollers are returned to their place.
Wheel damage. The roller itself or the locking ring, which is located on the axis of the landing pin, has broken. Thanks to this detail, the rollers are springy. Many people do not know how to change wheels. There is nothing complicated about this. The broken part is disconnected, the socket is inspected for damage and foreign objects, and a new wheel is installed.

In addition to damage to the rollers, other damage to the computer chair will occur:

Gas lift malfunction. This is a detail that is responsible for a person’s comfortable position while working. With its help, the chair takes the desired height and backrest position. If the gas lift is broken, the seat does not rise, falls strongly or skews to one side. There are two ways to repair the chair - replacing or fixing the gas lift in one position.
Broken crosspiece. This chair is quite durable, but if it breaks, the only way is to change it. Metal crosspieces are more durable and expensive, plastic ones are lighter and more affordable.
Backrest malfunction. If the backrest does not lock in the desired position and hangs, then it needs to be changed. If the permanent contact handle, which secures the backrest, does not work, it is advisable to replace the permanent contact.

Damaged computer chair wheels cause a lot of inconvenience. Finding out the cause of the breakdown and eliminating it is easy and simple. This does not require special knowledge or professional tools. You can do the repair yourself, without the help of a specialist. This will save time and money.

Main malfunctions and features of the replacement process

First, let's figure out why the rollers can fail, and then we'll tell you how to properly replace broken elements.

Common breakdowns

There are only a few options here:

The roller disk itself breaks. This happens either due to exceeding the maximum load, or due to a sharp impact (when someone sat down on a chair during a raid), or due to poor quality of the material. This problem is inherent mainly in cheap plastic options, but if you sit on the chair abruptly and with all your weight, you can deform even high-quality wheels.

To remove a damaged part, you need to twist it around its axis and not pull it out by force.

The wheels are locked. This usually happens to one of the elements, and is most often caused by hair, thread, or any other objects getting wrapped around the axle. The problem can be solved quite easily by eliminating everything that interferes with normal operation. Sometimes this occurs due to deformation of the axis; in this case, the entire roller is replaced, since it is unlikely that it will be possible to align this element.
The roller falls out of its seat. Most often this happens due to the fact that the locking ring is lost; if you cannot find it, you need to change the part or find an old damaged wheel and remove the locking ring from there; this spare part is not sold separately.

How to install rubberized casters for an office chair

If you do the work yourself, the recommendations below will help you get the job done efficiently and quickly:

Using a caliper, determining the diameter of the rod is not difficult

Before purchasing new items, remove at least one old wheel. This is due to the fact that there are two main options for rods with a diameter of 10 and 11 cm, and you are unlikely to be able to visually see the difference. And a difference of 1 mm will not allow placing elements that have a different size. You don’t have to take the old part with you, but simply measure its diameter.

Most often, modern office chairs use a variant with a rod diameter of 11 mm

Never install a wheel without a locking ring on the stem.

Advice from folk craftsmen on using tape or paper should not be taken into account - this technique causes the seat to be broken, and as a result you will have to spend a lot more money and time replacing the cross. Again, the retaining ring can always be removed from the old roller you are replacing

When working to replace a wheel, it is easiest and most convenient to turn the chair upside down.

Sometimes during the replacement process the new element does not want to fit into the seat. In this case, you need to first clean the hole using a thin screwdriver, as pieces of plastic or metal shavings may have accumulated inside. If you have cleaned the cavity and the pin still fits very tightly, you can use silicone lubricant to make the job easier.

If the rod does not fit into the seat, you should check whether there are any foreign objects inside

When inserting the wheel, make sure that it goes in all the way and clicks into place. If the element does not fit properly, this will eventually lead to breakage of the cross, as the seat will break. It’s easy to check that the installation is correct: pull the element towards you; it should not give way due to the fact that it is secured with a stopper.

The wheel must be inserted until it clicks, the rod must be completely inserted into the mounting hole.

Causes of office chair breakdowns

Before you begin making repairs yourself, you must:

understand the design of a piece of furniture;
find out which element is faulty.

Computer chair design

The main components of an office chair are:

seat and back;
permanent - a contact connecting the backrest to the seat and allowing you to adjust the angle of inclination;
armrests;
piastra - the mechanism by which the chair is controlled;
gas lift providing seat height adjustment;
cross with rollers, acting as support and moving mechanisms, respectively.

Main components of an office chair

To connect all parts, fastening screws with sufficient strength are used.

Definition and causes of malfunctions

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

the gas lift does not hold the seat in the specified position;
the seat does not lower or rise when operating the control lever;
the seat goes down under the own weight of the sitting person;
the chair is tilted from its axis to one side;
the chair “swings” in different directions.

Signs of a malfunction

The main reasons for the formation of these malfunctions are:

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

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

Special composition for gas lift lubrication

natural wear and tear. Manufacturers guarantee the operation of the mechanism for 18 – 24 months. After the specified period, it is necessary to carry out repair work or replace the main furniture units;
improper operation: exceeding the permissible load level, jumping on the seat, and so on.

Types of office chairs

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

For a manager, this piece of furniture usually has maximum capabilities: a five-beam steel cross; synchronization mechanism (a device that forces the seat and backrest to repeat the movements of the owner); mechanisms for adjusting backrest resistance, seat depth, negative tilt, etc.
For staff Furniture of this type has more modest characteristics and functionality. Most varieties are lightweight (ensuring high mobility) and are equipped with mechanisms for adjusting seat height, armrests, and back 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.