How To Fix An Office Chair Popping Noise? With Root Causes

If you hear a popping noise from under your office chair when you move around or spin it, it’s time to repair your office chair.

In this article, we’re going to teach you how to fix this popping noise yourself.

You may switch out your entire gas cylinder, or you can simply clean it out and apply a good-quality lubricant. Doing the latter will usually solve the popping noise problem.

It is a common misconception that the popping noise comes from the undercarriage.

You can apply as much lubricant on the hinges and mounts as you want on the undercarriage, but that is not going to fix the popping noise.

The noise actually comes from the bottom of your gas cylinder. It may not always sound like it’s coming from that location, but most of the time it is.

What Causes the Noise?

Over time, bearings and washers get worn out by constant movement.

The bearing and washers at the bottom of your gas cylinder usually take the most damage.

When these components crack or dry up, they will produce noise and roughen the movement of your office chair.

This is the single most common cause of popping noises produced by your office chair.

How to Fix the Popping Noise

To fix this popping noise, you will need to take off the bottom part of your office chair, clean out the base of your gas cylinder, and lubricate it along with the bearing and washers.

You will need to position your office chair upside down so you have access to the bottom of the chair.

Flip the chair over and have it lean on a small ladder or wall so it stays in place.

On the bottom of the chair, at the very center, you will find a small lock pin. Remove the pin using a set of pliers.

Underneath the pin, you’ll find a washer and a small rubber bumper. Remove those and set them aside.

Now, you will need to remove the base from the gas cylinder.

To do this, take a rubber mallet and gently tap on the base in an upward direction.

Once the base is off, you will find a washer and bearing at the tip of the gas cylinder. Take those and set them aside for now.

Take a can of WD-40 and spray some on a piece of cloth.

Clean the tip of your gas cylinder. If you need to restock on WD-40, you can get a 2-pack for a great price below.

Remove all the grease and dirt on the cylinder. Try to reach into every crack and corner. You will also want to clean out the washers and bearing.

When everything is clean, get some new grease and thoroughly apply it on the tip of the cylinder.

Also, apply grease on the washers and bearings. Don’t be stingy with the grease. Apply a generous amount.

We recommend using Lucas Oil Heavy Duty Grease for all your greasing needs.

After greasing everything up, you can proceed to put everything back together.

It’s important to take note of the placements of the washers and bearings.

This will allow you to put everything back without running into additional problems.

Conclusion

Popping noises from your office chair is a common problem.

The good news is that you can easily fix this issue without having to spend a lot of money.

It’s a simple fix, but it will require some time and attention to detail. We hope this article was helpful to you!

Vance

My name is Vance, and I am the owner of To Ergonomics. Our mission is to improve your workflow by helping you create a supportive and welcoming environment. We hope that you’ll find what you’re looking for while you’re here.