The Office Chair is Bent

If an office chair is bent and causing it to tilt, targeted repairs are needed based on the specific cause. Here are common causes and repair methods:

I. Wheel Issues

If the tilt is caused by bent or deformed wheel feet or an uneven floor, check and replace the wheels:

1. Check the wheel feet: Invert the chair and observe each wheel foot for signs of bending, breakage, or wear. If the chair is placed on an uneven floor, the wheels may not all touch the ground when unoccupied, causing it to tilt to the lower side when sat on.
2. Remove old wheels: Pull out the wheel feet directly by hand; if they are stuck, insert a flat-head screwdriver into the gap between the wheel foot and the chair's contact point, using it as a lever to slowly pry it open. Once about 1 centimeter of the rod is exposed, pull it out again. A very small number of wheels are fixed with screws and need to be removed by loosening the screws with a screwdriver.
3. Lubricate the sockets: Spray a small amount of lubricant such as WD-40 (or apply a pea-sized amount of Vaseline) on each socket of the chair base to reduce resistance when installing new wheels.
4. Install new wheels: Align the rod of the new wheel with the socket and gently push it in using a rubber mallet; if it is not securely fastened, lightly tap the bottom of the wheel or near the base of the stem (avoid tapping the edge of the wheel) until the rod is fully inserted.
5. Test the effect: Place the chair upright and sit on it to roll and test. If it is stable and does not tilt, the repair is complete; if it still tilts, check other components.

II. Structural Design or Connection Issues

1. Forward tilt function not locked: If the chair has a built-in forward tilt function (such as an ergonomic chair), check if the physical lock button on the seat base is engaged. Turning it off will fix the angle.
2. Loose screws or failed springs: Tighten the M8 hex socket screws at the connection between the five-claw wheels and the seat cushion, or adjust the backrest resistance knob to restore base stability.
3. Rusted or stripped connection parts: For chairs used for 3-5 years, the iron screws connecting the five-claw base to the seat cushion may rust or become stripped. Replace the screws or add an L-shaped seat support frame to enhance front-end load-bearing capacity.

III. Usage Habits or Material Aging

1. Long-term forward-leaning posture: Habitually leaning over the desk or close to the screen can cause excessive load on the front feet, leading to steel deformation. Adjust your sitting posture or replace the chair frame with a reinforced bow-shaped base for users weighing over 90 kg.
2. Material deformation: Nylon chair legs may tilt forward under pressure of 1-3 mm. Use a level every six months to check the chair surface tilt. If the error exceeds 3 degrees, replace the gas lift or seat cushion; it is recommended to replace the gas spring (Class 3 level) every 3-5 years, prioritizing parts with "SGS" certification.

IV. Floor or Assembly Issues

1. Incompatible floor: For soft carpets or tilted floors, adjust the wheel lock function or use wooden shims to balance; debris on hard floors can jam the wheels and requires cleaning of the support frame.
2. Assembly errors: If the chair back is connected to the seat cushion in the wrong direction, it will cause the front to be higher than the back. Reassemble it to ensure the correct connection direction between the gas lift and the base.