Office Chair Tray Removal

The removal of the tray from an office chair can be carried out according to the following steps, with preparations and precautions to be taken:

Preparations

• Tool Preparation: Prepare a rubber mallet, screwdrivers (cross-head, flat-head, or hexagonal), an adjustable wrench or a monkey wrench, a cloth, and if the screws are rusty, prepare a loosening agent or rust remover. You can also prepare anti-slip gloves. The rubber mallet can prevent the metal hammer from damaging the paint surface, and the loosening agent helps deal with rusty screws.
• Part Confirmation: If replacing the tray, measure the hole spacing (commonly, for example, 14cm*17.5cm) and the diameter of the central hole of the old tray. Take clear photos (including the screw holes and the central hole) and consult the merchant with the data to confirm the compatibility of the new tray. Prioritize selecting a reinforced tray made of steel with a thickness of 3.0mm or more.
• Environment Preparation: Clear a flat and spacious work area and lay soft pads (such as cardboard or old towels) on the ground to protect the floor and the appearance of the chair. Ensure that the gas lift of the chair is at the lowest position and not in the lifting state.

Removal Steps

• Flip the Chair: Completely flip the office chair and place it upside down on a stable and soft-padded ground for subsequent operations.
• Separate the Seat from the Tray: Check the bottom of the seat. If the tray is fixed to the underside of the seat panel with screws, use a screwdriver to remove the usually four fixing screws and separate the seat panel from the tray base. Skip this step for an integrated design.
• Separate the Five-Star Base from the Gas Lift: The five-star base and the gas lift are connected by interference fit or snap-fit. Do not pull them forcefully. Use a rubber mallet to evenly knock around the connection between the central steel ring of the five-star base and the gas lift. Try to pry the five-star base with your hands to make it loose. Repeat the process of 'knocking - prying' until they are separated.
• Separate the Tray from the Gas Lift: The gas lift and the tray are connected by an inverted conical insertion, which is tightly fixed. First, raise the gas lift to the highest position. Use a rubber mallet to knock forcefully and evenly around the steel ring where the base (tray) is connected to the gas lift. At the same time, try to pry the tray up and down with your hands or step on it lightly with your feet to assist. Use the lever principle to promote separation, which may take a few minutes. If they are stuck, you can also lightly knock on the connection with a rubber mallet and then separate them.
• Handle Other Connections: When removing the gas lift, use a flat-head screwdriver to pry open the snap ring that fixes the gas lift in the center of the tray and lift the lift (gas lift). When removing the wheels, for snap-fit wheels, use an iron nail to hook the snap-fit part of the iron core and knock it off with a hammer. For screw-fixed wheels, simply unscrew them. For the universal wheels on the five-star base, pull them upward forcefully.

Common Problems and Solutions

• If the tray and the gas lift are too tightly stuck and cannot be knocked off, knock them multiple times and continuously around the circle. If the rust is severe, first spray the loosening agent and wait for a while before knocking.
• For rusty screws, use a small amount of lubricant and let it sit for 10 minutes before trying again.
• If a plastic snap-fit breaks, use epoxy resin for temporary fixation.