So before you know it, your chair will be dropping again. ", article saved my back from sitting nearly just 25 cm off the floor. Slide the plastic skirt off the cylinder. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Never even thought to do something so simple. Here's a quick story. You can save a ton of money by repairing your sinking office chair. If the cylinder looks dirty or greasy, clean this off first. (it is actually quite simple and straightforward). This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. I used the first method (with clamps) and now the chair stands upright! So I've had this office chair for about a year now. Most office chairs have a plastic tube over the extendable cylinder. … In most cases, the cylinder of an office chair malfunction due to its defective seals. You shouldn't need an exact measurement, but you can. The difference is the use of the mediums used to make the core function work. The first thing you should do is assess the problem and check all possible sources of it. Main Points: Costs ~$30, Permanent Solution, Adjustable Chair, Professional, Click here for a complete Chair Cylinder Replacement Kit (includes new cylinder, all required tools, instructions & 6 year warranty). Slide it in such a way that it goes either all the way up or all the way down. Do you ever feel like you are sinking when you sit on your desk chair? Office Chairs That Don’t Sink; 3. -- measure 127mm (or whatever your value from the previous point was) starting from the thick end of the PP tube . Thank you. This removes a lot of the liquid or gas pressure. But when i get back up, the chair immediately rises again. Sign me up! I thought there had to be a better, easier, more cost effective way to fix a sinking office chair other than throw it away in a landfill and buy a new one. In most cases, people think of acquiring replacements when they experience this issue with their office chairs. As soon as he sat down in his office chair, he sank to the bottom. Sent it back, found this website and voila, my old desk chair has new life! Fixing a sinking office chair – Helpful tips and informationThese simple steps will allow you to bring your chair back into shape. One way is to replace the cylinder. Office chairs are meant to stand the test of time - especially if you buy good quality ones. However, it is a costly affair, as it may cost you a lot. ", "This was very helpful and we are going to try it. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. The duct tape is used to help the clamp from sliding. Alternatively, scuff up this area of the cylinder with sandpaper. An office chair cylinder is the part of the chair that connects the base to the seat. The cylinder is the metal pipe that connects the wheels to the seat. wikiHow's. This will keep them from slipping so easily on the piston. Can this be fixed or is it time for a new chair? Replacing the chair cylinder is actually much more simple than you might think, and will have your office chair feeling brand new for another 6+ years. You sit down on your Herman Miller Aeron chair but it immediately sinks on its own. You can buy a replacement cylinder to restore full function to your chair, but this is nearly as expensive as buying a replacement. That’s the best fix. Set the chair to the desired height and snap some more pieces, until the height is achieved. A sinking office chair doesn't mean the entire chair is bad. Our set by step-by-step video below can guide you through entire process. "Googled how to stop a sinking chair, saw the hose clip suggestion, happened to have one the correct size, fitted, "After reading about the duct-tape-with-clamp method, I just wrapped some masking tape around the cylinder to block. Not so fast. Slide the wheels back on. However, it's not realistic to think that you won't run into some problems from time to time. If the grip won’t tighten, you can easily use sandpaper to grind the pipe a little bit. Pick the height you want for the chair and tighten the pipe clamp until it is firmly secured on the piston. More technical specifics about gas springs can be found here, Click here for a complete Chair Cylinder Replacement Kit. Office Chair Casters That Are Full of Hair; 9. So you might not know where to start. Like you, (and Jack) we have been there before. Finally got the, "My employer had no budget to replace my sinking chair. Here are three easy fixes: Lubricate the joints and other vital mechanical components. So he stood up, pulled on the chair lift lever, and nothing happened. You can also buy a replacement pneumatic cylinder for your chair. To do this, turn the chair upside down, push the retaining clip at the base with a screwdriver, and pull off the wheels, then the skirt. If your office chair keeps sinking, the straightforward solution to the problem is to replace that cylinder. This happened to me when my expensive ergonomic chair started sinking 4 years ago. However, there are other ways of making the chair reusable if you are not yet ready to meet … An industry standard size chair cylinder will fit ~95% of office chairs. How to Keep My Office Chair From Sinking By Rogue Parrish Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Fixing a sinking desk chair is not a hard job. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Like either the gas strut may be faulty, or the adjustment lever is not working, or the hydraulics cylinder ultimately fails, and you need to search out a new cylinder, look for a fixing kit, or have to purchase a new chair. So happy about the simple solution. Main Points:  Cheap Fix, Temporary, Not Adjustable, Not Professional. To fix a sinking desk chair, start by sliding the plastic cylinder on the extendable part of the chair up or down so you can see the metal underneath. So, is it time to throw out the chair and buy a brand new one? Well-designed office chairs are meant to be long-lasting. Try at your own risk. Or did he have to buy a brand new chair? The cylinder on most chairs fails within a few years, typically because the seals are too damaged to maintain pressure. There are several reasons why your office chair keeps sinking. Answer Save. Safety is a must. The sinking of the chair is usually directly connected to a pneumatic cylinder located directly below the seat. The reason it lowers is down to a faulty valve that is failing to hold the compressed nitrogen in the cylinder chamber under the weight of you sitting. Well done. Or worse yet, try to install a new non-returnable cylinder using special pullers, pipe wrenches and rubber mallets - and don't forget the bearing kit. Thanks. Thank you! ", "Thank you, it works on a dxr racer as well, thank you! So, it is the cylinder causing the chair to sink. ... Keep in mind that this has to hold the entirety of your weight, plus the upper part of the chair. Or you can … Once the cylinder has failed, the cushion is likely going to be in, "Brilliantly simple solution which I would not have thought of otherwise - wikiHow is so SO good in this respect. Has something like this ever happened to you? My office chair keeps sinking. ", "Love my office chair, and can't wait to try this fix! Written by officechairdesign. I used the PVC pipe with cable tiers, it seemed far superior. Using an extension pipe that goes to a shop vac this is a quick and easy fix or repair that works perfect and even. ", bright idea to check for a fix online. So it will only make struggle your day. 1. The office chair cylinder has lost its lift. Recently, whenever i sit down it just sinks. You do not have to run up and down looking for an expert to assist you fix a sinking chair because you can do it yourself. If the plastic skirt covers the cylinder at this height, you will need to remove the skirt first. You can spend a little more money to buy a "chair saver kit" online instead. The chair won’t sink because of that. Do you have an office chair that keeps sinking under you? "This showed me I might as well buy a new chair. If you want it fully sunk and need it to stay there. As mentioned previously, the hose clamp and spacer options are temporary, only allow you to sit at one single height, and are not very professional looking. We spend a lot of money on our office chairs, making sure they are comfortable and ergonomic for our long work days. So instead, we recommend replacing the cylinder. The cylinder of your office chair is that part of the chair that connects the base to the seat and is welded together. The Best Way to Fix a Sinking Office Chair We repeat: When your chair starts sinking, start planning on either replacing its cylinder or purchasing a new one. If the clamp slides off, fasten it over a strip of rubber to improve the grip, or try the PVC pipe method below. Well-designed office chairs are meant to be long-lasting. To begin with, you have to assemble tools you may require while fixing the chair. Wearing a mask or respirator is recommended while cutting PVC to avoid inhaling irritating particles. I finally got the bright idea to check online for a fix. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Step 4: Adjusting the height Chances are, you’ve got a failing gas lift cylinder on your hands. Thank you. Then wrapped the, "A permanent fix for $.98? Thank you. Mess up and you have a ruined cylinder and a chair going to the trash. Office Chairs That Make a Noise; 7. We spend a great deal of capital on our office chairs, making certain that they’re ergonomic and comfortable to get our very long workouts. Approved. Then, you can reinstall or replace what's broken or has come loose. You’ll find it over the extendable cylinder the chair comes with. [1] X Research source Office chair keeps sinking, is it time for a new one? I had an unusable, sinking office chair and wanted to fix it without spending any money, so I only used what I already had in my apartment (not house/garage/workshop, so anyone should have what I do). Tax and shipping will be calculated at checkout. 9 Answers . They fail to maintain the pressure necessary to keep the seat at a certain height. Once the chair is at the right height, wrap a hose clamp around the metal cylinder and tighten it as much as possible so it holds the chair in place. "Just having the article available! This spacer, like the hose clamp, only acts as a stop and does not allow any height adjustment. % of people told us that this article helped them. ", arrived damaged. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 564,258 times. The chair was stuck at the lowest setting. When your chair keeps sinking, this means that valve, also known as a chair cylinder, is no longer working. This is a collection of clip-on clamps that work the same way as these DIY materials. What if my swivel chair keeps sinking? If you are the owner of a 3D printer, you can permanently fix your chair to the desired height with a simple 3D print job. To begin with, let’s talk about the two technologies your office chairs could have used if they are height adjustable: pneumatic and hydraulic. But regardless of the reason, sitting in an office chair that keeps sinking is … It held for 3-4 months. I had been going nuts over having to buy a new chair every two years or so. How to fix office chair that keeps sinking. Pretty much every adjustable office chair cylinder will let you down after a few years of use. ... Another quick and easy fix for a sinking office chair instead of replacing the cylinder is using the chair saver kit. Replacement of the piston of your office chair can be challenging … Before you spend hundreds of dollars on a brand new chair, consider fixing it instead. ", "I have tried the second method, it really worked! That’s why it is essential to know some DIYs or quick fix tips for your office chair that keeps sinking. When your chair keeps sinking, this means that a pipe that is also called a chair cylinder is no longer working. Using an office chair that won’t stay up can be frustrating and can potentially hinder productivity in the workplace. When the pneumatic cylinder on your office or computer chair goes kaput, as they are wont to do, often after just a few years, you may find that even the manufacturer doesn't have any suggestions on how to fix it. As per the other reviews, my office chair kept sinking and I was looking for an alternative to having to buy a new chair. ", the chair from going down. The primary reason for this problem is that the adjustable cylinders or hydraulic parts of the chair become faulty. Great graphics. However, as durable as they are, they may fall into a state of disrepair that makes them uncomfortable, and even unsafe. Office Chairs That Keep Losing Their Casters; 8. Here we put the right information on how you fix a sinking desk chair at home? How do I repair my chair? March 19, 2019. Lv 7. Inside the chair cylinder, there is a piston that is actuated using nitrogen gas. Jack was annoyed and frustrated, and wondered if there was anything he could do about this? So we recommend you simply follow our above ways from the list so you can get a clear idea of how to fix sinking office chair. Over time, the metal shaft wears out. And it is what allows us to adjust the chair and allow it to move from top to bottom. Chances are, you’ve got a failing gas lift cylinder on your hands. ", "Most helpful was the repairing of a sinking office chair using PVC pipe. Irked That Your Budget Desk Chair Keeps Sinking? If you are the owner of a 3D printer, you can permanently fix your chair to the desired height with a simple 3D print job. However, replacing the office chair's piston can be challenging, and sometimes, not possible. The gas cylinder also referred to as the gas lift or pneumatic cylinder causes some of the most common chair problems. I just have to make sure not to sit down too suddenly. It has a "kick" release and catch under the seat. ", calculating the diameter from the circumference, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf0_sN3FMqQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er-qsUiQJH4, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf0eeZGGkBg, https://www.qubicaamf.com/msds-forms/forms/gutter-coverboard-capping-en.pdf, Consertar uma Cadeira de Escritório Afundando, Een bureaustoel die niet op de juiste hoogte blijft staan repareren, Riparare una Poltrona da Ufficio Che si Abbassa da Sola, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Or maybe you're thinking you probably don't have the right tools. DIY is usually not recommended as installing a new pneumatic cylinder can be a tedious task. The hose clamp is placed around the cylinder piston at a desired height and acts as a stop. Use a plastic spacer pvc pipe. And since there’s now minimal pressure, the liquid or gas won’t be able to hold up the weight. To install the plastic, C-shaped spacers, raise the chair to its highest position and raise the cylinder skirt, a moveble outer ring, if present. Favorite Answer. Office Chairs That Lean Forward; 5. This option does not actually repair the office chair, but can stop your chair from temporarily sinking. Office Chairs That Won’t Recline; 4. Simply, pop open the cover of the Aeron chair controls under the seat. I just re-taped it today. One user reports using a tall stack of plastic shower rings instead of PVC pipe. Inside the chair cylinder is Nitrogen gas. ", "Security helped most. 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