I found lots of useful information here in finally repairing an early Aluminum Group lounge chair by replacing the Flo-tilt mechanism. I thought I'd share my take on the process to help/encourage others who have the same issue.
Like I wrote in the post, if I were looking for a vintage example of this chair, I'd almost certainly opt for the non-tilting model. Probably the same with a new one, as its a more elegant base.
http://middlebrowmodern.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/eames-aluminum-group-lounge-ottoman-repair/
Nice . . .
and a beautiful chair and ottoman, too !
We like to see these nuts-and-bolts case studies, if only as an antidote to the "what's my [nasty old second-rate] end table" posts we seem to attract. Good work on the rehab. I wouldn't have been surprised to find the rubber hardened -- but perhaps that was avoided in the manufacturing spec. There was some anecdotal evidence, in the old days, of rubber items like tires suffering from disuse; in other words, if the object wasn't "exercised" the substance could cease to exhibit its original elasticity . . .
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