Today we're talking about a bit of a scary problem some people have with their recliners. When they sit in their chairs and recline them all the way they tend to tip over backwards.
The Problem With Recliners
Let's get started by looking at some remedies or solutions you may be able to try. We'll discuss what steps you can take if you have this tip over issue with your chair or if you're considering buying a new chair.
So when I went to his home, I asked him about The Recliner Tip Over Problem since I was seeking confirmation, and when he leaned back in his chair, he toppled over.
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We picked him up off of the floor with one of his family members and I apologized, saying yeah, I was just asking for clarification on the problem and not to get you to demonstrate it, and that was a service call I will never forget.
He had just purchased this new chair a couple of weeks prior, so I had a guess to what the problem was. I decided to test my theory and I reclined in the chair in order to determine if my theory was correct.
Why A Recliner Tip Over Is Dangerous?
I verified that the chair worked properly and had no problems, after that I broke the news to the customer, telling him that his body type did not suit the design of the chair, which was the cause of the problem. For those of you shaking your head or crying at the screen, let me explain.
This gentleman stood six feet three two inches tall with a long torso. He was not a very large man with a solid build, but his legs he was extremely thin and slim he did not have a great deal of muscle.
As a result of his extra body weight in his upper body, the chair would be inclined nearly flat when it was fully reclined, so if he leans heavily against that back, it could tip over.
the good news was that the customer just purchased the chair and was able to make full use of its warranty coverage.
That's why you pay for warranty coverage to cover situations like this when there is a problem that isn't your fault.
The dealer would have wondered why he did not tip the chair over on the very first day he used it.
Let me fast forward to about a week ago when a gentleman brought a lazy boy rocker recliner chair into my shop for repair as I was finishing up his repair quote, he casually mentioned the chair tipped over backwards. Now that caught my attention.
In this case, he was rather large but he didn't have skinny legs, he was carrying a lot of weight in his upper body, he was rather square.
The chair was about eight or nine years old when he brought it to my shop.
Not Using The Right Screws On Your Recliner
The seat spring will not be able to open fully if the pin is on backwards. When properly installed, this pin will face the front of the chair, but when backwards, it will face the rear of the chair, and the seat will not be able to open fully.
In my opinion this is not a good thing, and the only thing preventing you from toppling over today is this tiny little metal pane and another on the opposite side of the spring.
The Different Ways To Secure A Recliner
Now let's talk about solutions to this tip-over problem. Let's say you have a recliner and you currently experience this problem. What can you do? The first thing you should do is to check all the mechanical components.
There are some things you can check yourself like the rocker springs and the restraints. If you think something is broken or if you think an accessory you have is broken you want a repair technician to do this for you.
Check where the back attaches to the rear of the seat to see if it's broken or loose okay okay so if the mechanical problem still exists there's really not much you can do other than to position your chair near a wall.
If you open it up, the back will touch the wall to prevent the chair from toppling over but it's going to leave scuff marks and maybe dents in the fabric with use, or you can stop using the chair.
If you don't have a mechanical chair, you can try to reconfigure it as some people have, but a better option would be to start with a new chair and make it work for you.
I advise not to buy a rocker recliner when you get this muscle issue because it just maybe those little restrictor pins two of them to prevent you from falling over. I suggest looking for a stationary chair instead. Next to check is the back's recline.
It's best to look for a chair that has just a slight recline and nothing that goes nearly flat because the deeper you go, the more likely that your chair will topple over.
When looking for a chair for a large person, you need to keep in mind that some companies will simply take their regular recliner and simply make it larger, that is not what you want a true big men's chair will be heavy duty and sturdy.
Conclusion
Lastly, when you go shopping, take a friend or family member with you so they can act as spotters since you do want to try a lot of different chairs out from different makes and styles.
If you have someone beside you in the store, they can catch you if you fall so that you don't fall over now if you do not have someone to assist you, then please visit my how to buy the right recliner article.
In addition, if you had this tip-over problem and managed to resolve it, let us know in the comments how you handled it or if you solved the problem by buying a new chair that didn't have the issue, let us know what brand, make and style worked for you.
Li Assist is a researcher, product tester, and writer for several sites. Her work includes writing content for Liassist.com, working with designers, and testing products in the field. Li brings a solid skill set to the team.
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