Problem with chair build

[Reverend Conehead]

I was able to assemble the office chair that I bought, but one bolt that holds the left side arm in place I think is damaged. The other upper bolt his holding the arm firmly in place, but this lower bolt is loose, and no matter how much I try to tighten it, it doesn't go in further. It just spins and spins. I think it may be stripped out. Previously, I had it in the upper position in the arm and it did the same thing there. The other bolt held the lower position okay when it was there. So it does seem to be the bolt and not the chair.

Assemble-yourself furniture used to come with extra pieces like bolts, but this one didn't. If one piece goes bad, you're in trouble. Can I just go to a hardware store for a replacement bolt? I think only the bolt is stripped. I hope so. If that's not the case, if there's some stripped threads in the chair itself, are there any hacks that could fix the problem? Everything else about the assembly is fine. It's just loose at that one point. The bolt is holding it in place somewhat, but not firmly like I had hoped. So I've thought of just bringing the whole chair to the hardware store after work for help. If they have a bolt or screw that holds it firmly in place, I'm good, even if it's not an allen-wrench-based one.

 

[Runwildboys]

I was able to assemble the office chair that I bought, but one bolt that holds the left side arm in place I think is damaged. The other upper bolt his holding the arm firmly in place, but this lower bolt is loose, and no matter how much I try to tighten it, it doesn't go in further. It just spins and spins. I think it may be stripped out. Previously, I had it in the upper position in the arm and it did the same thing there. The other bolt held the lower position okay when it was there. So it does seem to be the bolt and not the chair.

Assemble-yourself furniture used to come with extra pieces like bolts, but this one didn't. If one piece goes bad, you're in trouble. Can I just go to a hardware store for a replacement bolt? I think only the bolt is stripped. I hope so. If that's not the case, if there's some stripped threads in the chair itself, are there any hacks that could fix the problem? Everything else about the assembly is fine. It's just loose at that one point. The bolt is holding it in place somewhat, but not firmly like I had hoped. So I've thought of just bringing the whole chair to the hardware store after work for help. If they have a bolt or screw that holds it firmly in place, I'm good, even if it's not an allen-wrench-based one.

Are you sure that bolt is the right one? Did you compare it to its counterpart on the other side?

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Are you sure that bolt is the right one? Did you compare it to its counterpart on the other side?

Yes, the instructions were specific that all those bolts for the arms were ones they called #10 bolts. All the other identical ones worked in the arm slots. I think I may have trashed this one. It was hard to keep it going in straight. I really needed someone to hold the thing in place, but I was working alone, so it kind of went in slanted at first.

 

[Cowpolk]

Yes, the instructions were specific that all those bolts for the arms were ones they called #10 bolts. All the other identical ones worked in the arm slots. I think I may have trashed this one. It was hard to keep it going in straight. I really needed someone to hold the thing in place, but I was working alone, so it kind of went in slanted at first.

Take it out and spread some gorilla glue on it then screw it back in

 

[MWH1967]

https://encrypted-tbn0.***NOT-ALLOWED***/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcRNS1rNAOvDLZ_7Cslvzk8soQgs0xFtX6fvf3V4ry8nlZdKPqGYy6WncIaxQOOSsigDeeBEC9N2pQ&usqp=CAc Take the bolt back out use this and put it back. Tape in place or clamp and in the morning it will be just fine.

 

[Runwildboys]

Yes, the instructions were specific that all those bolts for the arms were ones they called #10 bolts. All the other identical ones worked in the arm slots. I think I may have trashed this one. It was hard to keep it going in straight. I really needed someone to hold the thing in place, but I was working alone, so it kind of went in slanted at first.

Well that's what ya get for following the instructions!!

 

[Cowpolk]

Well that's what ya get for following the instructions!!

I never follow instructions And I have 5 grand kids so I dont build stuff anymore

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Take it out and spread some gorilla glue on it then screw it back in

I considered that, and I even have gorilla glue, but I was concerned that that would be jury rigging it.

https://encrypted-tbn0.***NOT-ALLOWED***/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcRNS1rNAOvDLZ_7Cslvzk8soQgs0xFtX6fvf3V4ry8nlZdKPqGYy6WncIaxQOOSsigDeeBEC9N2pQ&usqp=CAc Take the bolt back out use this and put it back. Tape in place or clamp and in the morning it will be just fine.

I think I like this solution the best. It's designed specifically for this problem. I'll have to buy a clamp, but no biggie. I'm sure they're not that expensive. Do you think I should still try replacing the bolt?

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Well that's what ya get for following the instructions!!

Yeah, no kidding. This was really a two-person job. One was needed to hold it in place while the other person screwed in the bolt. I think it being offset is what stripped the bolt. Instructions on these things often suck.

 

[MWH1967]

I considered that, and I even have gorilla glue, but I was concerned that that would be jury rigging it.


I think I like this solution the best. It's designed specifically for this problem. I'll have to buy a clamp, but no biggie. I'm sure they're not that expensive. Do you think I should still try replacing the bolt?

The threads in the chair are most likely ruined as well. You could look with a flash light. This is just the easiest fix. Good luck RC.

 

[Runwildboys]

I considered that, and I even have gorilla glue, but I was concerned that that would be jury rigging it.


I think I like this solution the best. It's designed specifically for this problem. I'll have to buy a clamp, but no biggie. I'm sure they're not that expensive. Do you think I should still try replacing the bolt?

Once you use that stuff, you're stuck with it, I believe. You may want to take one of the good bolts to your local hardware store and see if they have something to replace it.

 

[Runwildboys]

The threads in the chair are most likely ruined as well. You could look with a flash light. This is just the easiest fix.

I was under the impression he tried one of the other bolts and it worked, but I could be giving him too much credit.

@Reverend Conehead , whenever you assemble something like this, always put the bolts in finger tight until you're sure they're threading properly. If you haven't tried one of the other bolts in that hole, do it before you go to the hardware store. If one of the other bolts doesn't work, you'll either need to buy a very slightly coarser bolt, or try one of the hacks submitted to you in other posts.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

All fixed up! I'm sitting in my nice, new office chair now. I got lucky. The threads inside the seat of the chair were fine. Only the bolt was stripped. Here's where I went wrong. I knew you were supposed to tighten each bolt a little at a time rather than getting one tight and then tightening up the other. I did that, but only one arm at a time. In other words, I had the right arm all tight in place with both its bolts, having done that side each bolt a little at a time. Then I tried the left, but it was a major hassle getting it into place. What I should have done was have all 4 bolts for both the left and the right arm loose and then tighten each of the 4 a little at a time. I was going by each side when I should have treated both arms as the same part.

Anyway, they had the bolt I needed, and so I started with all 4 bolts loose, then doing each a little at a time. Voilà! Made all the difference in the world. I'm extremely lucky that the threads of the seat aren't stripped.

I bought the JB Weld stuff, but ended up not needing it. Now I have a choice. I can either return it or use it to fix the old office chair that I replaced, but which I no longer need. It's all good. I learned about JB Weld, and about how to assemble a two-armed chair.

 

[Runwildboys]

All fixed up! I'm sitting in my nice, new office chair now. I got lucky. The threads inside the seat of the chair were fine. Only the bolt was stripped. Here's where I went wrong. I knew you were supposed to tighten each bolt a little at a time rather than getting one tight and then tightening up the other. I did that, but only one arm at a time. In other words, I had the right arm all tight in place with both its bolts, having done that side each bolt a little at a time. Then I tried the left, but it was a major hassle getting it into place. What I should have done was have all 4 bolts for both the left and the right arm loose and then tighten each of the 4 a little at a time. I was going by each side when I should have treated both arms as the same part.

Anyway, they had the bolt I needed, and so I started with all 4 bolts loose, then doing each a little at a time. Voilà! Made all the difference in the world. I'm extremely lucky that the threads of the seat aren't stripped.

I bought the JB Weld stuff, but ended up not needing it. Now I have a choice. I can either return it or use it to fix the old office chair that I replaced, but which I no longer need. It's all good. I learned about JB Weld, and about how to assemble a two-armed chair.

You don't do a lot of mechanical work, do you?

 

[Reverend Conehead]

You don't do a lot of mechanical work, do you?

Not really, but I've assembled chairs before. But it's all good. I'm glad I didn't pay the extra $45 to have it assembled. This way I learned some more.