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Office Chair Won’t Lean Back! How To Fix This Problem? [2023 Updated]

To perform your office work, you must need an office chair on which you can sit comfortably and run your office work for a long time. It is often seen that some office chairs lean back, which makes the employee feel uncomfortable working while sitting on the chair. The reason behind this issue’s new office chairs impacted by this issue is a manufacturing error.

In the case of the old office chairs, over time, the chairs tend to start malfunctioning. The most common issue with a chair is leaning back. Well, in this article, office chair won’t lean back. We’ll show you the proper techniques to help you fix your chair tilt problem.

Why Does an Office Chair Lean Back?

Before discussing the solutions to fix the leaning back of the office chair, let us tell you the exact reasons which lead to the tilt of the office chair. So, broken casters of chairs that may break as the chair get older, damaged casters due to low-quality casters or excessive rubbing on the ground, and changes in office chair tilt tension can cause an office chair to lean back.

In addition, the loose chair seat plate can also cause the chairs to lean backward. In short, a malfunctioning of an office chair causes it to lean back.

What are the Solutions?

So, the solution to leaning back on the office chairs is to remove the causes of chair tilt. This means replace the damaged or broken casters with a set of high-quality casters, adjusting the tilt tension of the chair, and tightening the office chair’s seat plates.

How to Fix the Office Chair Won’t Lean Back?

Now, we come to our main topic of the article, how to fix the back leaning issue of the office chair. We have already mentioned the solution to this problem above. Now, we will describe every factor of the solution.

1. Replace the Damaged or Broken Casters of Your Office Chair

It is expected that, with time, everything will malfunction or its quality will deteriorate. So likewise, the casters of office chairs can also break or get damaged over time. It can also be damaged for cheap quality casters or by excessively rubbing casters on the ground. All casters should be at the same height so that they touch the floor evenly.

If one or two casters do not touch the ground properly, the casters may break or be damaged due to the uneven weight distribution. As a result, the chair will not function properly and may lean back. However, suppose you replace your casters with a new set of casters. In that case, all the casters will be touching the floor evenly, and the weight will be evenly distributed over all the casters, allowing the chair to function correctly.

2. Remove the Old Casters

To remove the old casters:

1. Lay the chair on the ground on its side.

2. Apply a few drops of lubricating oil to the spot where the caster stem is attached to the chair leg.

3. If you have a threaded stem, turn the caster clockwise, and if your caster has a grip stem design, simply push a flat-head screwdriver into the spot where the caster stem and chair leg connect until the caster is not detached from its base.

3. Attach the New Casters

After removing the old caster, place the new grip stem casters, if you have purchased this caster type, into the same hole where the old caster was attached. Take a rubber mallet, and tap it on the top of the caster to insert the stem of the caster into the hole.

4. Adjust the Tilt Tension of the Chair

Over time, the tilt tension of the office chair loosens as the pressure of the weight remains constant at the tilt tension, causing the office chair to lean back. In that case, to fix the problem, you just need to adjust the tilt tension of your office chair. And this work is very easy, which you will be able to handle effortlessly.

5. Sit on the Chair

To adjust the tilt tension of the chair, you simply sit on the chair and plant your feet firmly on the ground. Your back should be against the backrest. To find out how far back the chair will lean, lean back.

The tilt knob can then be found by reaching underneath the chair. Typically, this is present on the bottom area of the chair.

Push the knob to the bottom to tilt the seat forward while remaining seated in the chair. When you get the tilt level you want, release the knob.

It is essential to test whether you have achieved the appropriate tilt level, and for this, try leaning back by tilting your chair back.

If you think you have not achieved your desired level, tilt the chair forward and press the tilt knob once more to be sure you have received it.

6. Tighten Your Chair Seat Belt

Due to regular use of your chair, the seat plates may lose their natural alignment and become loose. One thing to do is lay your office chair on its side to check the seat plate if this is the situation. Under the chair’s cushion is a thin steel structure called the seat plate, typically colored black. If any screws have come loose, tighten them with a screwdriver.

Check to determine if your office chair still tilts backward by standing it upright. You might need to purchase a new office chair, or the problem will be resolved by just swapping out the plate if you find it’s still tilting. The replacement cost will change based on the chair’s brand and quality. For pricing on a replacement seat plate, it is preferable to get in touch with the dealer where you bought your office chair.

What Should You Do While Solving Office Chair Tilt Control Mechanism Not Working?

You have started the process of adjusting the tilt tension, but you are experiencing that the tilt tension resolving is not working. In that case, what should you do? Well, we present some helpful tips on that matter that will fix your problem.

Tools That You Need?

First, let’s know what specific tools are needed to solve the problem of tilt tension not working.

  • Grease Oil
  • Cordless Drill Machine
  • Tools Box
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Step-by-step Tips to Solving the Tilt Tension Not Working Problem

Step: 1

Before making any modifications or beginning any repairs, you need to check the placing of all pieces. You can think about taking images so that if you are not able to resolve any issues, you must be aware of all pieces’ places, and you can put them in their places more conveniently. You can make this issue worse unless you recall the areas of their parts.

Step: 2

To solve tilt tension that is not operating in the proper manner quickly, apply using a drill machine when eliminating any bolts.

Step: 3

Never avoid adding the recommended grease oil to the parts or bolts that can corrode. As rusty pieces are readily damaged, which is something not expected.

Step: 4

Once you are done, clean up every piece appropriately, such as the knob and the chair cylinder.

Step: 5

You can follow the user manual provided with the chair by the manufacturer. You’ll be able to see where each component is installed.

How to Maintain Your Office Chair?

The durability and functioning of any furniture such as sofa, bed, table, and of course, office chair depends on their regular and proper maintenance. There is excessive use of chairs throughout the day, due to a lot of pressure on the chair. Hence, the office chair requires proper cleaning. Let’s give you some effective tips to maintain your office chair properly.

1. Examine the Casters

The chair casters constantly move over dirt, dust, and other things on the floor surfaces, whether carpeted, wooden, or hard concrete floors. To remove the dirt and dust stuck on the casters, turn the office chair upside down and remove the dirt. You may also opt for a vacuum cleaner to clean up the casters.

2. Tighten Every Fastener

Chairs are held together by a number of screws as well as bolts that sustain the height of the human body. You should examine the chair after an interval of a few months (6 months) and tighten any slack screws of the office chair. Seat plate checking is also important.

So, inspect the chair’s seat plate by turning it on its back and tightening the bolts. Additionally, ensure that the fasteners under the armrest are screwed tightly.

3. Keep the Chair Away from Direct Sunlight

Always keep your leather chair out of the direct sunlight to prevent damage to the upholstery. In order to prevent fading of the office chair’s fabric, if you have many windows around your working area, try to protect your chair from the midday sun.

4. Use Conditioner for Your Leather Office Chair

To protect the chair’s leather material from drying out while losing moisture, a good solution is to use a conditioner on your leather office chair at intervals of a few months. It enables you to upkeep the quality of leather for a long time.

5. How to Know When to Buy a New Office Chair?

An office chair may eventually be replaced, in spite of its routine upkeep and regular clean-up. The following tips enable you to know when it’s time to purchase a new office chair.

  • When duct tape is keeping the chair together.
  • After spending several times in your office chair, you’re beginning to experience backache.
  • Your office chair mechanism, such as the chair tilt action, height adjustment, etc., starts to malfunction.

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

Q1. Why won’t my desk chair recline?

A1. Assuming your chair is a fairly standard office chair, you can use a lever to adjust the height. Keep pushing this lever in the rod’s direction, which will bring your office chair to an upright position. Pulling it out causes the chair to tilt back and forth. You can try and see the technique we have been told.

Q2. How to fix an office chair that won’t lean back?

A2. If your office chair doesn’t lean, you should grease the gas cylinder of the chair. It may indicate that you should adjust the chair’s tilt tension until the desk chair simply tilts back.

Q3. Why did my office chair stuck leaning back?

A3. Several reasons contribute to why your office chair might eventually stop leaning back. Underneath the chair,  you’ll find the tilt tension knob. The office chair won’t recline in case the tension knob is higher enough.
Hence, you must change the tension knob in this case to solve the issue. Another element that may contribute to the chair’s tilt problem is the reclining spring. If you find some issue with the reclining spring, replace it.

Q4. What is the most durable office chair?

A4. Herman Miller Aeron and Herman Miller Embody office chairs are the most popular and durable office chairs. When it comes to toughness and comfort, both chairs are a good choice. They come in appealing designs and provide decent lumbar support. The recliner spring is another component that can cause the chair to have issues leaning to the back. The recliner spring needs replacement.

Conclusion

Whenever you feel your office chair has turned black, do not ignore this problem, and try to fix this problem as soon as possible. This is because if you keep doing your office work for a long time sitting in such an uncomfortable chair, it can cause you many health problems, which you will have to pay for later. This article gives a detailed description of how to prevent the chair’s lean back issue.

If you follow all the techniques we’ve suggested, you’ll notice that your office chair won’t lean back anymore. Still, if you are unable to fix this problem, call a professional who is more knowledgeable about rolling chair mechanisms and can handle various rolling office chairs issues.

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