Hi. I got this vintage Eames Aluminum Lounge Chair off of Craigs List. The tilting function doesn't work, and I thought this was a simple fix, replacing a spring or something. A closer look revealed that someone must have altered the piece, in an attempt to tilt what was originally fixed or something. Anyway, the chair tilts back but does not come back (or stay) up. Does anyone know how I can fix this problem? Someone I know took his similar chair to a well known repair shop but was told that his chair was too old to be repaired, and my chair is as old as his. I don't want to spend a fortune reparing it, but since the over all condition is amazing, I'd like to save it if possible. Any information helps. Thanks!
tortion bar
Inside the tilt mechanism is a tortion bar. It has probably snapped in yours. It's kind of a pain in the ass to fix. Graham Mancha has it available as a spare part - see link below. I'm not sure exactly what the method is of replacing it, but Graham has always been very helpful.
http://www.mancha.demon.co.uk/spares.html
Thanks LuciferSum! I don't...
Thanks LuciferSum! I don't know how that bar would fit on my chair (I think mine is missing a lot more than just a bar), but I'll contact this store and see if they can figure out.
If anyone else knows of any good repair shop in the US, or if you've successfully repaired a similar problem, please share your information. Thank you!
TK
There have been two different tilt-base designs for the lounge chairs; they're illustrated in a pair of photos I posted to this thread:
http://www.designaddict.com/design_addict/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/th...
Take a look and compare what you see in those photos to what's on your chair. Graham Mancha's replacement torsion bar fits only the newer base (shown in the lower photo of the brown vinyl chair).
If you have an older base (the one shown in the upper photo), you need a replacement cylinder for the Flo-Tilt mechanism. Bassick sold millions and millions of those mechanisms, so cylinders aren't TOO hard to find... Try PPF in Minneapolis: 800 801-2523 or 612-870-0702, or ppf@pastpresentfuture.net .
http://www.designaddict.com/design_addict/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/th...
Thanks zepp02
Thanks for your photos, but that's different from my chair's mechanism; mine does not have a long shaft and the piece that connects to the seat has more streamlined design.
Does anyone have this flo-tilt mechanism for sale? Perhaps a chair with badly damaged seat but this piece intact?
If PPF doesn't reply...
...maybe Abacus can help:
713 861-9980help@swivel-chair-parts.com
http://www.swivel-chair-parts.com/Contact.html
UPDATE to my Aluminum Group Lounge Chair Repair
OK, so it's been 4 months since I found out that the store called PPF in Minneapolis has the piece (flo-tilt cylinder) my chair needs. Shortly after, I paid $65 and they mailed it to me. I was so excited that I could finally fix my chair!
Long story short, I was missing more than a cylinder and was not able to fix it. PPF Steve told me that he would send me the rest of the parts, so I waited but he kept ignoring my requests and did not send me the parts.
So after 3 months of waiting I finally gave up, bought a couple of shell chair tilt bases on ebay, took them apart and used them to fix my chair. Perhaps I should have done this long time ago. Steve initially was helpful and taught me a lot about this piece (and that's why I was able to fix it by myself in the end), so I don't know why he stopped helping me. Very disappointing.
Now finally, my beautiful lounge chair is tilting back and forth flowlessly! It was worth waiting for 4 months, I guess. I have an extra cylinder that I took out from a shell chair base and put it up on ebay, in case anyone else is in need of this piece.
This picture shows what the flo-tilt mechanism part consists of, just for your information.
Try Graham Mancha http://www.mancha.demon.co.uk/spares.html
I bought 4 glides for 19 GBP including shipping.
If you need any help, please contact us at – info@designaddict.com