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Slipping chair and/or bedchair legs - any solutions/fixes?

L

Les Watts

Member
There's a lot of chairs and bedchairs out there with adjustable legs.
I'd never had any problems with my ancient Fox's [with square-section legs and locking pins] but a couple of years ago I treated myself to a new "duralite" model and have slowly realised that one of the legs was struggling to remain fully extended when any weight was applied. The slippage was minor at first but has become increasingly problematic and needs to be addressed. One side of the inner leg appears polished due to this slippage.
Has anyone here had any similar problems and can offer any suggestions how to carry out a repair?
 
Les Watts said:
There's a lot of chairs and bedchairs out there with adjustable legs.
I'd never had any problems with my ancient Fox's [with square-section legs and locking pins] but a couple of years ago I treated myself to a new "duralite" model and have slowly realised that one of the legs was struggling to remain fully extended when any weight was applied. The slippage was minor at first but has become increasingly problematic and needs to be addressed. One side of the inner leg appears polished due to this slippage.
Has anyone here had any similar problems and can offer any suggestions how to carry out a repair?
Click to expand...
It’s a crap design unless the anodizing is nice and thick and hard wearing. Some are definitely better than others.
Once the first slip happens and it takes off the anodized coating on the aluminum…… that’s it! Done! Snookered, your leg is useless and will continue to slip because the bear aluminum can’t offer the same level of grip against the spring loaded washer.
I had it happen once and I was in a fortunate position to cut off the leg and change it to a screw lock design which as you know is crude but does the job perfectly.
F473CC61-8EB5-4E12-A098-351B77E565D1.jpeg
A510AE07-A681-4BBD-BD9F-AEFCE5F4999A.jpeg
 
Not quite right there Richard, or at least I should say that exactly the same thing happened to my chair, it was nothing to do with the anodising, it was actually the spring mounted plate. I just removed the plate, replaced it ”upside down” (reversed the plate on the leg ) and because it now had a sharp horizontal edge to grip with it worked again, and still does.
The same effect can be had by simply taking a fine file and re-dressing the flat plate where it has worn through constant use .

Dave
 
David Craine said:
Not quite right there Richard, or at least I should say that exactly the same thing happened to my chair, it was nothing to do with the anodising, it was actually the spring mounted plate. I just removed the plate, replaced it ”upside down” (reversed the plate on the leg ) and because it now had a sharp horizontal edge to grip with it worked again, and still does.
The same effect can be had by simply taking a fine file and re-dressing the flat plate where it has worn through constant use .

Dave
Click to expand...
I tried both those things Dave and found it wouldn’t grip the aluminum on that system anymore. I even swapped the rear leg with a front and that worked again and held well because the anodising was still intact.
 
Les, please see my post " chair modifications " October 2020. Turning the locking plate over as David suggests was one of the tips given to me by kpspares, they may also stock a new leg.
 
David Craine said:
Not quite right there Richard, or at least I should say that exactly the same thing happened to my chair, it was nothing to do with the anodising, it was actually the spring mounted plate. I just removed the plate, replaced it ”upside down” (reversed the plate on the leg ) and because it now had a sharp horizontal edge to grip with it worked again, and still does.
The same effect can be had by simply taking a fine file and re-dressing the flat plate where it has worn through constant use .

Dave
Click to expand...
Mike Thompson said:
Les, please see my post " chair modifications " October 2020. Turning the locking plate over as David suggests was one of the tips given to me by kpspares, they may also stock a new leg.
Click to expand...
This is what I've done to 3 chairs and its worked fine every time.. I have more weight than I should have to test them out to so need to repeat the task occasionally
 
Thanks for all the replies. There's some useful info there.
The problem with the Fox Duralite is that the locking plate and spring are enclosed within a moulded plastic housing which I can't work out how to dismantle without potentially destructive and irreversible results.
I'm wondering about alternative options:
1. Would cutting a series of notches along the inside of the inner leg (using a junior hacksaw for example) create gripping points for the locking plate?
2. Would drilling a small hole through the inner leg enable fixing a pin/nail that would lock the leg in position or is this risking the strength of the leg?
3. Richard's tightening screw looks ideal but alas is beyond my very limited metalworking skills!
 
The spring & plate make it sound just like my chair.. It is easy to take it apart and refit,,
I've just received two new lengths of tube to replace the front legs on my chair which is a job I'll be doing on Sunday morning so if I remember I'll take pictures and post them on here for you.
 
Les Watts said:
Thanks for all the replies. There's some useful info there.
The problem with the Fox Duralite is that the locking plate and spring are enclosed within a moulded plastic housing which I can't work out how to dismantle without potentially destructive and irreversible results.
I'm wondering about alternative options:
1. Would cutting a series of notches along the inside of the inner leg (using a junior hacksaw for example) create gripping points for the locking plate?
2. Would drilling a small hole through the inner leg enable fixing a pin/nail that would lock the leg in position or is this risking the strength of the leg?
3. Richard's tightening screw looks ideal but alas is beyond my very limited metalworking skills!
Click to expand...

My chair was as you described, the locking spring plate is enclosed in a “plastic” moulded unit that seemed as though it would not shift. Being a stubborn so and so I would not be beaten, and gripped the moulded unit in some adjustable parallel grips, and gave it a sharp “twist” that freed the adhesive and freed the unit enableing me to remove it and turn the plate .
I replaced the unit after turning the spring plate using some big standard super glue to keep it in place .
If the above does not work, you could try heating it up using a hot air gun .

David.
 
I've just stripped down and refitted the spring and locking plate on my Chub hi-lite chair and it is just a case of slipping the spring and plate out of the plastic holder and they do just slip straight back in
 
Having this problem on my Duralite. Cant get to the locking plate. The housing is fixed to the leg. Anyone managed to fix or is it case of sourcing a new one??
 
Mike Thompson said:
Les, please see my post " chair modifications " October 2020. Turning the locking plate over as David suggests was one of the tips given to me by kpspares, they may also stock a new leg.
Click to expand...
Have you got a link to kpspares? I'm after some mudfeet for my camper steps
 
One easy fix for my avid bedchair was to put parcel tape in single strips, they don't need to overlap & it done the trick for me.
 
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