As previously discussed in the earlier post, adjustable office chair gas lift cylinders typically have a life span of 5 years or even less for cheaper ones. When your office chair starts to sink you generally have 2 options. You can buy another ergonomic office chair or try to save a little money by purchasing a replacement gas lift cylinder and fix it yourself.Option 1) Go buy another ergonomic office chair
- Go to an office supply store
- Look at ergonomic chairs
- Don't find anything you like your current office chair for a reasonable cost
- Go to another office supply store
- Look at more office chairs
- Find one you like enough to buy
- Cart the new office chair back home
- Kick the sinking office chair to the curb
- Call the garbage company to make a special pickup
- Cost $150 to $1000 depending on the type and quality of adjustable office chair you get
Option 2) Purchase a replacement gas lift cylinder and fix it yourself
- Find out what model of chair you have
- Search for the correct cylinder on-line
- Search some more because the information is not readily available
- Settle on something that is kind of close and touted as a universal replacement
- Make sure it will fit because there are NO refunds on purchases
- Don't forget a bearing kit or the specialized tool to get the cylinder out
- Wait a week or so to get the parts
- Take the next hour or two trying not to destroy the cylinder and bearing kit while installing it
- Congratulate yourself if you are lucky enough to get that cheaper universal cylinder in
- Throw the old parts in the trash
- Hope you get another 2 years out of that inexpensive cylinder
- Cost $75 to $150 depending on the type and quality of the gas lift cylinder
The reality is the rest of your adjustable office chair is functional, but can't be used unless you can keep the correct ergonomic height. In most cases only one person uses the chair in business and home offices. You should never need to adjust your office chair again, unless the cylinder drifts out of the original setting. This drift or sinking is common in cheap cylinders or cylinders ready to give out.
In the next post I will show you an easy and less expensive way to fix your sinking office chair in less than a minute.
