Sometimes, the best bet is to fork out for a new, ergonomically designed office chair.
In other cases where your existing chair isn’t functioning the way it should, it may be possible to do some quick, cost-effective repairs yourself – or to turn to the professionals. K-Mark offers expert office chair repairs, which can significantly extend the life of office chairs, making them look and feel like new.
Here we summarise common office chair problems and their underlying causes, along with the repairs most likely needed to get your chair functioning optimally again.
Common office chair problems
| Problem | Likely Causes | Recommended Repairs |
| Seat shifts from side to side when seated | Worn gas cylinder pivot | Replace pivot |
| Seat tips forward while seated | Metal area around the pin has worn | Replace lift mechanism |
| Seat tips backwards when not in use | Loose tension spring or faulty lift mechanism | Adjust tension spring grip or replace lift mechanism |
| Empty seat rises and lowers | Worn cylinder seals | Replace gas cylinder |
| When seated, seat height mechanism doesn’t work up or down | Worn cylinder seals | Replace gas cylinder |
| Seat permanently stuck in a high or low position | Faulty cylinder seals or leaking gas | Replace gas cylinder |
How to repair an office chair’s lift mechanism
If your office chair’s lift mechanism has seen better days, it’s possible you’ll find yourself seated with your knees above your waist!
To repair the mechanism, you can follow these steps:
- Step 1: Turn the chair upside down and remove the retaining clip at the bottom of the pedestal with a pair of sharp-nosed pliers. Lift the pedestal off the chair, and twist and unfasten the column.
- Step 2: Remove all the small components – washers, bearings, and rubber bumper – and place them, together with the retaining clip, into a sealable plastic bag.
- Step 3: Detach the gas lift piston, and use a wrench to release and lift the gas cylinder out of the tilt mechanism. If you have problems removing the gas cylinder, spray the area with Q20 and give the cylinder a few sharp taps with the wrench.
- Step 4: Make a note of the cylinder’s dimensions, and buy a replacement part.
- Step 5: Reassemble the mechanism.
How to replace castors on an office chair
Castors can easily get clogged up by dirt, pet hair and grime. Before you install replacement parts, wash each castor with warm soapy water, allow to dry, and spray Q20 into the moving components.
If that doesn’t do the trick, use a flat bar to pop each castor from its socket. Take precise measurements of the length and height of the steel stem, and the wheel diameter of the castor.
Purchase one or more suitable replacement castors.
To install each new castor, rotate the open end of the grip ring on the steel stem into an upright position. Tilt the stem into the socket until the ring gap closes. Straighten the stem, and push it into the socket. Voila.
Contact K-Mark for professional office chair repairs (or new chairs)
K-Mark is a leading manufacturer of high-quality office chairs, for South African companies and individuals.
We also put our skills and capacity to use by offering cost-effective, professional office chair repairs.
As part of the repair process, we:
- tighten assembly screws
- realign the shell in relation to the chair base and arms
- check and service wheel castors
- repair chair height and tilt mechanisms
- re-secure upholstery, or re-upholster if required
- deep-clean chair fabric.
Whether it’s time to invest in a new office chair or to have your existing chair repaired, we can help. Contact us for more information or to discuss your needs.
