In search of a chair

[Rastoff]

Maybe you can salvage it.

If you're at all mechanically inclined, I would turn your present one on its side(the one opposite the foot control of course), try to find the problem, and fix it if at all possible.

Gents, I have turned it on its side and inspected the mechanism. The cause of the problem has eluded me. I think that's largely because I can't duplicate it while it's on its side. Still, I'll keep trying until I just can't take it anymore.

I don't really want a new chair. This one is all broken in. It's not pretty, but it is large and comfy. Plus it has some memories that cannot be replaced or duplicated:

We bought the chair because my wife was pregnant with our son...

Comfortable enough to put a 3 year old to sleep...

Big enough for three (Mom, son, cat)...

Still big enough to curl up in even when he was 9...

It is the chair I sat in for a year with a broken femur...
I held my cat in this chair as she died from an incurable disease...
It is the chair I was sitting in when the Cavaliers finally brought a championship to Cleveland...
It is the chair I was sitting in when Trump won the presidency even though he was so far behind in the polls...
I was sitting in this chair as the US won an Olympic gold medal in curling for the first time in history...


So, yeah, I want to fix it, but it may be beyond my talents.

 

[snowman]

Rastoff,

If you haven't already, you might check YouTube. As you might expect, there is a large number of videos addressing the troubleshooting and repair of recliners. I just gave it a look, but don't have time to view them now. Maybe in the next few days sometime.

Best wishes,
Andy


P.S. Out of curiosity I just looked under mine just to get an idea of the design and possible trouble points. Didn't have time to accomplish much, but there doesn't look to me to be any parts which can't be readily adjusted or replaced. Of course you first have to determine the source of the malfunction, but I wouldn't give up just yet. I can see why you would want to keep that chair!


P.P.S. You may have a coworker or former trainee who has successfully repaired one and can help. Who knows?

 

[oldbrownhat]

Rastoff,

I don't suppose contacting La-Z-Boy Customer Care (emphasizing the sentimental significance of your old unit) might result in them being able to send you a parts breakdown?

 

[Rastoff]

Well, that might help, oldbrownhat, but mine is not a La-Z-Boy.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Well, that might help, oldbrownhat, but mine is not a La-Z-Boy.

Oops... All I saw throughout the thread was "La-Z-Boy" and neglected to note that yours wasn't so identified! It's held up pretty well nonetheless, though.

Wait... how old is your son now? Kids can often fix stuff that baffles us older folks. (Or does that only apply to technology?)

 

[swsig]

These chairs, La-Z-Boy or not, are pretty stout to last as long as they do. Two days ago, I found the pictured piece (with my Shield .45 for comparison) under the leg rest of the love seat I'd mentioned in my previous post (#7). I thought, "Oh no, this is really the end this time." Nope. The ol' love seat still works great, even without this substantial piece of hardware. Substantial as it is, it represents 5% or less of the mass of hardware under the seat, so I guess the seat can get along just fine with the 95% that remains.

 

[99savage308]

La-Z-Boy in leather

 

[Jebus35745]

Make sure you have a proper burial for your old friend, Larry

 

[DWalt]

I bought a very nice leather (real leather) recliner at Sam's Club about a year ago. It doesn't rock or swivel but I like it anyway. It was on sale at the time, I think I paid about $350 for it. I had another leather rocker recliner with about 10 years use on it but my wife gave me orders that because it was so ratty it had to go. I think the Sam's chair was made in China, but it seems very well made.

"I heard this as a true story. USAF measured 1000 recruits 12 ways, calf length, thigh length, butt width, length of hips to shoulders, etc and averaged all. Build chairs to those specs and presented another 1000 recruits the opportunity to sit in the chairs and be fit to them. 12 fit exactly."

This is over 10 years ago now, but I did probably the largest ergonomic study on hand dimensions ever done anywhere to set the specifications for the proposed new USAF service pistol (which never came to pass), the idea being to require grip sizes which could be altered to fit most hands. It involved making a series of hand measurements on over 2000 basic trainees (male and female) at Lackland AFB. I statistically analyzed that data about every possible way. It's a shame it was never used for anything. I may still have the analysis of all that data somewhere. At least I am sure I didn't throw it away.

 

[phulklip]

I had the same problem three years ago. I turned the chair oven and lubed it with vaseline, no mess no drip, used a q-tip. Still going strong

 

[fiasconva]

We have a Lazy-Boy that looks exactly like the one in your pic. It has been great. My mom came for a visit and told us how they hated recliners and would never get one. After spending a week or so in the Lazy-Boy, she and my step dad went home and ordered two.

 

[carpriver]

When we bought our Lazy Boy Chair they came with a guarantee, and a toll free number where you could order replacement parts. But I can't find the number now.

 

[Old_Cop]

My wife wanted a new chair about a year ago. We looked locally, nothing we really liked. Bought one, a leather Lazy Boy, on line, ez pay, $825. They came, set it up, comfort and enjoyment.

 

[Old TexMex]

American Leather makes an awesome, fantastic lounge chair. I have 2 in my office ( "elliot style")
Comfort Recliner - American Leather

 

[Onomea]

(American Leather also makes terrific sofa beds. Seriously pricey, but very good.)

 

[Salty RI]

American Leather makes an awesome, fantastic lounge chair. I have 2 in my office ( "elliot style")
Comfort Recliner - American Leather

I guess you dont get much work done.[emoji1]

Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk

 

[JackM]

Take a look at Ekornes Stressless recliners, but you might want to be sitting in one when you see how much they cost. There are lots of styles and all are different in subtle ways. If you go that route, try out as many as you can. You might just find one that's perfect.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Try a Lane. You'll never go back to lazy boy again.

 

[Old TexMex]

I guess you dont get much work done.[emoji1]

Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk

It's an excellent spot for thinkin'

When I works, I works hard.
When I plays, I plays hard.
When I thinks, I falls asleep.

 

[oldbrownhat]

It's an excellent spot for thinkin' ...

aka "hamster time." When I have a bunch of thinking to do, I hit the couch for a bit and imagine that while I'm cogitating, there are hamsters on tiny wheels in my head, working away at the problem while I relax. You'd be surprised how clever those critters can be...

I suspect I may be alone in this concept.