Clank

[kevin_standlee]

While setting up the new office chair, I lifted the handle that unlocks the tilt mechanism, allowing for "infinitely adjustable tilt." We know it worked initially because Lisa tried it out in the store before we collected the chair. This time there was a loud clank and the seat tried to tip me backwards over the top of the chair. I recovered and Lisa and I investigated. You can't see inside the seat adjustment mechanism, but in the linked photo, the paddle is third from the left. The large knob to the right of that paddle is the spring tension, which is supposed to adjust how tight or loose the "rocking" chair motion would be when the paddle was raised. That knob now freewheels and will not tighten.

We assume that the recline tension spring either broke or came loose from a mooring. I've submitted a warranty request to the manufacturer. They do offer a lifetime warranty on the hardware, and given that it failed on the first day we had it, we're pretty confident that they'll fix it, although how that fix will happen, we don't know yet. Fortunately, it wasn't a critically urgent need, although we definitely do need another office chair, because most of the others we have (salvaged from when one of my past offices closed) have failed or are on death watch.