DIY office chair gas lift repair

A gas lift or gas cartridge, which is the same thing, is a mechanism that changes the height of the surface of an object and fixes it in a position convenient for further operation. The main elements of the office chair gas cartridge are the cylinder and the spindle. Gas lift chairs are an indispensable accessory to a production table. They are used not only in enterprises. Nowadays there is a computer chair in almost every home. All chairs often break down as they are used daily. Gas lift chairs are no exception. Some of them can last for many years, while others fail too quickly, literally after months. The service life, first of all, depends on how carefully you handle the product. Weight is not the least important factor here. This piece of furniture provides a maximum dynamic load weighing no more than 120 kg. The product itself fails quite rarely. In order for it to serve for a long time, the following rules must be observed:

sitting down from a jump onto a chair is strictly prohibited;
periodically lubricate all elements of the chair at their joints with special oil;
It is prohibited to create an advantage (more than one person cannot sit on it).

The gas lift supports one person during the entire operational period.

Signs indicating the need for restoration

The chairs in question include mechanical and hydraulic adjustment systems. If the seat lowers when you sit down, it is likely that the gas cartridge is empty. This creates inconvenience and reduces employee productivity. If it is uncomfortable to sit in a chair, performing any actions at the computer will be slowed down. In addition, problems with posture may arise, your back may begin to hurt, and even the development of scoliosis. Therefore, it is necessary that the seating area remains in order at all times.

Before deciding to replace the gas lift, you need to check the computer chair for its functionality. You need to sit on it and try to change the height of the seat: raise it and then lower it. If no changes have occurred, you can safely go to the store for a new device. There you will select the necessary parts with the required dimensions and a gas cartridge. Experienced consultants who are well versed in all models of gas lift chairs will help you choose the types of spare parts suitable for your chair. The gas cartridge itself is not worth repairing on your own. This is a health hazard and can even take your life. The best option would be to buy a new part. Its cost is not that high. If your hands are skilled, you will be able to independently replace a failed gas lift with a new product. What you need to repair the chair can be bought at a store that sells this product. Of course, home renovations will save your finances. But, if in doubt, it is better to seek the help of specialists. And here there is no need to deliver the seat to the workshop, since most of them provide similar services at home. There are not many parts in the gas lift chair, so restoring it will not be particularly difficult. And if you still decide to make the replacement yourself, you will need materials and tools. Materials: chair, gas lift sized to fit the chair, WD40 spray lubricant and bearing lubricant. Tools for work: flat and figured screwdrivers, vice, tape measure, rubber hammer, metal drift and pipe wrench.

Rules for using office chairs

In order for the chair to serve for a long time and not cause inconvenience due to breakdowns, it is recommended to follow the following simple rules:

The chair should be located in a dry, well-ventilated area.
If for some reason the chair was in a low temperature zone (for example, it was transported in winter), it cannot be used immediately; it must be given time to adapt. Minimum time is 24 hours.
During the assembly process, be very careful and careful, especially with regard to screw-on parts - do not strip the threads.
Make sure that the load on the cross is not excessive.

Handle your office chair with care.
Experts remind that one chair is designed for use by one person. If a huge number of people use it, it will have sad consequences. You need to sit down on an office chair very carefully, avoiding sudden movements.

If the damage is minor and does not require complete replacement, a welding machine is required for repairs.

The armrests also need to be treated with care. You should not press on them, much less sit down. For overweight people, it is better to purchase designs with metal elements.

In the event of a complete breakdown, you need to buy a ready-made part.

You can repair an office chair yourself without resorting to the services of a professional technician. And if you follow the operating requirements, it will serve you faithfully for many years.

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.

Why the gas lift of the chair broke down - the main reasons

The task of any gas lift is to ensure a soft landing for the user, reduce the rigidity of the seat and provide the required height of the chair.
If the seat lowers under the weight of a person, or vice versa, does not fall, or suddenly jumps up, this indicates a malfunction. In 85% of cases, the breakdown of such a part is due to improper use by the user of the furniture:

sharp jumps, jumps;
the use of the chair is uneven and inappropriate: for example, children sit on the railing, jump, and periodically sit on it with sudden jumps;
lubricating the gas lift with additional grease or oil provokes its breakdown;
using the chair in an unheated room also causes it to break;
The user's weight is higher than that specified by the manufacturer. So, a cheap chair, as a rule, is equipped with an equally cheap gas lift. For example, Chinese products are, at best, equipped with a 2nd generation gas lift. The specific load on such chairs is no more than 120 kg. If we are talking about children's (as a rule, in the understanding of the parent - a temporary and simplest chair) models, then the maximum load is 80 kg. There is no point in talking about the quality of the product;
rocking in a chair with the mechanism in a fixed position. For example, if you sit in a chair and fix it in one position without the possibility of swinging, and at the same time push off with your feet from the floor, rocking the product, then the load on the gas lift will be uneven - the gas lift breaks, if it is a plastic mechanism, then it will crack.

Gas lifts break down most often due to improper operation.

Sequence of work carried out

We remove the seat. First you need to unscrew it from the pumping device. Turn the chair over, mark the back and front sides of the rocking mechanism, use a Phillips screwdriver to unscrew the four bolts and carefully, so as not to strip the threads, remove the seat.
We disassemble the gas lift. We try to knock it down by gently hitting the rocking mechanism at the base of the changing part of the chair with a hammer. If you do not succeed, squeeze the base of the adjusting device with cleats and turn the “rocker”.
Separate the gas cartridge from the cross. To perform this procedure, you will need a metal drift. To make the actions simple and easy, spray the top and bottom of the crosspiece where it joins and the gas cartridge with WD40 lubricant. Now place the cross with the rollers facing up. Gently tap the device out of the cone base. It is better to do this part of the work together, since it will not be possible for one to do it alone.
We replace the broken gas cartridge with a new device. With some effort, we insert the new one into the crosspiece. It is necessary to make sure that the diameter of the gas lift matches the size of the hole in the cross. The cover must be placed on the device before attaching it to the seat.
We attach the swinging mechanism. The procedure is carried out in the reverse order of the first operation. The mechanism is secured with the same four bolts. The main thing is to ensure that the sides of the seat and mechanism, which were designated at the initial stage of repair, correspond.

PS Now you know what to do if the gas lift height adjustment device for the chair begins to fail. Replacing a gas appliance does not require much time, and it is carried out in just 15 minutes, no more. Here is a description of the work sequence. Do everything right so that the money spent on buying a new mechanism is not wasted.

Selection rules

There are a huge number of modifications of office chairs, so the gas lift for them is selected individually. It is recommended to consider three factors:

The class determines the thickness of the cylinder wall and the ability to support a certain mass of a person for a specified period of operation. On average, chairs are designed for a load of 80 to 200 kg.
Gas spring sizes vary. An important parameter is the diameter of the glass body, which in most cases is 50 mm. The length depends on the height adjustment range of the office chair.
The manufacturer plays an important role. The service life largely depends on the quality of the manufactured product.

Types and sizes

There are different types of gas lifts, which is why in order to select the right option you should know the different models of mechanisms and what is special about them. Usually they are all made from the highest quality steel. Typically, gas lifts are divided into classes depending on thickness. There are 4 of them in total.

A feature of the models that belong to the first is that the thickness of the steel here is only 1.2 millimeters. These are the cheapest devices;
In the second group, the steel thickness will be slightly larger - 1.5 millimeters;
The third group will already have a steel thickness of 2 millimeters. Such gas lifts can withstand loads of up to 120 kilograms.
The last group consists of the most durable devices, where the steel thickness is 2.5 millimeters. Such a reinforced gas lift can withstand 30 kilograms more than models from the third group.

In addition, the devices in question may differ in case diameter. They can be of 2 types.

38 millimeters. This option is not used very often. It is usually used in executive chairs where the crosspiece is too high
50 millimeters. Used in 90% of chairs.

Another important parameter will be the length of the mechanism in question. The range of height settings will depend on it.

There are the following groups of gas lifts according to this criterion.

From 20.5 to 28 centimeters. This version will be used in relatively affordable office products designed for sitting at desks with standard characteristics. Such a gas lift will be short due to the fact that its adjustment range is extremely small.
From 245 to 310 millimeters. Such gas lifts are used in places where the structure must rise higher. Although the length of the device is longer, the adjustment range here will be even smaller than that of the above-mentioned analogue.
From 290 to 415 millimeters. These are the longest mechanisms that have wide possibilities in terms of height adjustment, which makes it possible to greatly change the position.

These groups of gas lifts are considered the main ones, although other models can be found on the market. For example, 180 mm. But they are used quite infrequently, which is why they are more of an exception to the rule.

How to buy a quality product?

One of the selection parameters is the working length. It should allow the chair to be lowered or raised to the required amount. In some cases, the lifting height is purposefully limited. The simplest designs work on the principle of increasing resistance when raising/lowering, making movement smoother. Modern models have already introduced automatic systems. Work on the production of gas lifts is carried out on modern equipment using exclusively high-quality materials. Although some manufacturers seriously save on components.

Is it worth saving and purchasing a cheap gas lift? What troubles could this entail? Smooth movement and silent operation of the rod is ensured by high-quality processing of the cylinder surfaces. This operation is very expensive. If the technological process becomes cheaper when operating a gas lift, there is a possibility that it will jam, and its operation itself will be accompanied by noise. The use of low-quality valves with a short service life leads to their weakening. They will lose their initial effort pretty quickly. The use of poor steel for the manufacture of the stem and body causes excessive wear on these elements. As a result, the shock absorber will begin to jam, and squeaks will be heard during its operation. The cheaper the seal, the faster it will begin to leak gas, completely rendering the device inoperable. Another common problem when using low-quality gas lift is the breakdown of the air regulator. This can be solved by replacing the entire mechanism with a more expensive one, specifically designed for office chairs. Quite often, a gas lift is a supporting or load-bearing element in an office chair that can bear heavy loads. If the mechanism fails, the user of the chair may be seriously injured.