How to Fix an Office Chair That Leans Back

Reviewed by Betsy Sanchez
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Betsy Sanchez

Betsy Sanchez is a professional graphic designer with over 10 years of experience. She loves all things tech and that's why she started writing on different topics online now here, working with us to help the audience who are looking for perfect comfort.

How to Fix an Office Chair That Leans Back

You must be spending 8-9 hours sitting on your office chair, and if it is having issues, your productivity will be directly affected. Apart from this, a faulty chair can cause health issues as well.

In this guide, we will share a few fixes for an office chair that automatically lens backward.

Before we begin with the fixes, let’s understand how dangerous it is to sit on an office chair that leans back.

Extra Strain on Lower Back

Since the chair is leaning backward, your Spine won’t be in its natural position, and your lower back have to put in extra effort to hold your upper back straight. This will increase strain on your lower back and hip joint.

Neck Pain

Like your lower back, your neck will also face difficulty while holding your head. It might experience 1.5 or 2 times the actual weight for your head.

Sitting on a faulty chair for the long term can trigger a dozen of Spine related issues, and in the worst case, you might get a permanent back problem.

It is always better to fix the fault instead of adjusting the body according to the defect. Follow the below-mentioned fixes. We hope one of them solves the issue of the chair.

3 Fixes for an Office Chair that Leans Back

You will need a Phillips, screwdriver, and a wrench to fix any office chair. Besides this, different chairs use different components; therefore, keep a toolkit handy with you.

While using the screwdrivers, beware that you are only applying appropriate pressure. Additional pressure on the screws could break their threading, and you might replace the screw. In worst cases, you might have to replace the whole unit.

We have tried to cover all the basic things, but some of our instructions might not align perfectly with your chair. Your chair might be different, and it could have some additional steps; you have to troubleshoot a few things here and there.

If you cannot understand any of the steps, it is recommended to consult the chair distributer and get it done. Office chairs have a few very fragile components, a minor

Pre-requisites

  • Check for Damages on the chair. If your chair’s frame is damaged, it won’t be possible for you to fix the frame. You have to call for a chair expert.
  • Sit on the chair a couple of times and try to analyze which component is the root cause of the leaning issue.
  • Remove any cover from the chair

Once you are done with all the three steps mentioned above, and you are confident that your chair is damaged and removed all the accessories from the chair, you can proceed with the first method.

#1 Fix: Check the Casters

In the majority of the cases, the office chair leans backward due to damaged or un-even caster wheels. One of your chair’s wheels could be loose or too tight.

In case of a damaged caster wheel, you have to replace it with a new one, whereas, in case of loose or tight, you have to make appropriate adjustments using the Phillips or other screwdriver.

The other reason could be a missing screw in the caster. Look closely and check if any of your caster’s screw is missing. If it is missing, you must first search for it in your surroundings. If you can’t find it, you have to get it from your nearest hardware store.

While buying the screw, be very careful about its size and dimensions. It is recommended to take a similar screw with you.

If there is no issue with your caster wheels, you can try the next fix.

How to Remove Hair from Office Chair Wheels

#2 Fix: Check the Black Plate

There would be a black color round or square plate attached under your seat. This plate plays a vital role in the chair. It provides stability to the chair.

This plate will be having different screws and other components. Therefore the chances could be that one or more screws from the plate fall down, and now your chair isn’t aligned properly with the plate.

Again search in your surroundings if you don’t find anything. Visit your nearest hardware store and get the same screw.

However, if you see damage on the plate, you might not be able to fix it. In such a case, you have to reach out to a chair expert, or in the worst case, you might have to contact your chair manufacturer and replace the whole plate.

#3 Fix: Align the Armrest Correctly

At times, chairs act weirdly due to inappropriate alignment of armrests. You have to check whether your chair’s armrests have been dislocated or not. If they have been dislocated, you can realign them using the screwdriver.

Besides that, check the backrest as well. You must have a knob under your seat that allows you to adjust the backrest and check if it is working properly or malfunctioning.

Usually, knobs can be fixed quite easily using the Phillips; however, if you are unable to do that, you can get in touch with your chair manufacturer as the plate of the knob is bent, and you might need a replacement for it.

Conclusion

Your office chair is something that you must fix with top priority. It is not advised to ignore any issue in your chair.

Since you are spending 2/3 of your day on the chair, even a small fault in it could trigger pain and can cause long-term or even permanent issues in your body.

Besides that, even after trying the fixes mentioned above, your chair is leaning backward. It is suggested to consult your chair manufacturer or distributor and fix an appointment with the chair repair guy.

If the chair isn’t getting fixed, you must get yourself a new chair and this time, try to pick a different chair.