Where To Buy New Casters For Computer Chair

[JetsetBkk]

A second caster has failed on my super comfy computer chair, so I thought I'd try to find replacements.

Here are some pictures.

Here is what a good caster looks like:

Here is what the leg looks like after I pulled off the broken caster. I can't believe the metal stem is supposed to come out too, although that is what I have read:

That metal pin will move when I attach a Mole wrench (also known as Locking pliers or Mole grips), but it is extremely tight fitting and can be rotated only with a lot of effort. It is difficult to believe that it is supposed to come out.

Here it is from another angle:

And here is the broken castor:

Anyone had experience of replacing these casters and where I can get them?

Thanks for any help.

[Costas2008]

Global House has got a good selection of casters.

[harrry]

You may have to use a tool like a pulley extractor to remove that pin.

[JetsetBkk]

Global House has got a good selection of casters.

Thanks! Unfortunately Global House hasn't reached the people's republic of Phuket - where I am.

[JetsetBkk]

You may have to use a tool like a pulley extractor to remove that pin.

Yes, I am hoping I won't have to. If I can find the exact same caster, I'm hoping to remove the pin from the new caster, without damaging it. Even better would be if the new caster came without the pin fitted.

Too much to hope for?

[Pib]

HomePro...I've bought casters for my computer chair multiple times (guess I need to lose some weight) at various HomePro stores here in Bangkok. Global also has them. The HomePro caster offering at the different stores seemed to be identical like it's a standard setup for each store. The pin still stuck in the leg will come out with a good pull from some pliers, vicegrips, etc. I've replaced two so far...and on my last trip to HomePro I bought some spares....I think they cost around Bt60 per caster but I can't really remember...but I do know they are not expensive at all/low cost. The new caster will come with a new pin....or at least mine did...and yours look just like mine. Each time mine broke the pin was left in the leg but came out with a good pull.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Pib

[JetsetBkk]

HomePro...I've bought casters for my computer chair multiple times (guess I need to lose some weight) at various HomePro stores here in Bangkok. Global also has them. The HomePro caster offering at the different stores seemed to be identical like it's a standard setup for each store. The pin still stuck in the leg will come out with a good pull from some pliers, vicegrips, etc. I've replaced two so far...and on my last trip to HomePro I bought some spares....I think they cost around Bt60 per caster but I can't really remember...but I do know they are not expensive at all/low cost. The new caster will come with a new pin....or at least mine did...and yours look just like mine. Each time mine broke the pin was left in the leg but came out with a good pull.

Excellent info, Pib! Much appreciated. We have a HomePro or three in Phuket so I'll be having a look tomorrow.

[JetsetBkk]

HomePro...I've bought casters for my computer chair multiple times (guess I need to lose some weight) at various HomePro stores here in Bangkok. Global also has them. The HomePro caster offering at the different stores seemed to be identical like it's a standard setup for each store. The pin still stuck in the leg will come out with a good pull from some pliers, vicegrips, etc. I've replaced two so far...and on my last trip to HomePro I bought some spares....I think they cost around Bt60 per caster but I can't really remember...but I do know they are not expensive at all/low cost. The new caster will come with a new pin....or at least mine did...and yours look just like mine. Each time mine broke the pin was left in the leg but came out with a good pull.

Excellent info, Pib! Much appreciated. We have a HomePro or three in Phuket so I'll be having a look tomorrow.

Got some new casters from Home Pro - 47 baht each:

They are almost identical to the original ones - a slightly thicker plastic in some places, and more strengthening radii:

As you can see, they didn't come with the pin, so I presume this is a different type and I don't have to pull the pin out of the chair leg!

The only problem now is how to get the new caster on the old pin. It goes in up to a point, but I haven't managed to get it over the last 2 mm when it is supposed to click into place. The old caster was similarly hard to push on, but the new one is impossible!

I tried some pressure and hitting with a hammer, but don't want to give it a real whack for fear of breaking the leg or damaging the caster.

I tried standing on the leg with the caster in place and resting on the floor, but 85Kg in not enough to pop it into place.

So both new casters are now being held in place temporarily by friction - I inserted a rubber band in the caster's hole to jam it against the pin.

Any ideas how to get them on the pin?

[Pib]

You may have got the wrong caster. My caster came with the pin and the bar code number on the while label is "855250 001355" which is different than your bar code label. Mine are made by PAREO just like yours. Mine didn't have that large handwritten part number on any of them (I have three spares).

Also in your first picture above there appears to be a gray colored tab....mine does not have that. If that tab moves when pressing it, maybe you need to press the tab in when pressing the caster on otherwise the caster will not go on....hard to tell from the picture what I think I see. Did you old caster have that tab or whatever it is?

After evaluating that tab thing I think I see, have you tried again to pull the pin out of the leg with pliers or even using a flat tip screw driver to ply under the ridge in the middle of the pin.

I'm thinking you may have the wrong caster...but then again that gray looking tab I think I see may be the key.

[JetsetBkk]

Hi Pib - that grey tab that you mention, is it the thing that I've arrowed here?:

- because that is only a piece of paper I used to keep the caster horizontal while I photographed it.

After replacing the caster that recently broke, I attempted to remove another one that broke years ago and has been wrapped and taped up since. Its pin did start to come out a bit while I was levering off the caster. But I managed to get the caster off and then pushed the pin back.

I'm fairly happy with the situation now, as the 5 legs do sit flat on the floor, but I will go back to Home Pro again anyway as I need to get a couple more as spares for the future.

So I'll check if they have anything similar. I'm pretty sure the ones I bought were the only ones resembling those on my chair - I didn't see any with the same plastic wheels and with a pin fitted.

I'll let you know what happens.

[ThaidDown]

I've had broken castors on office type chairs and have always replace them with this type of caster.

I have only been able to get the pin out of the actual caster if that caster was cracked. Sometimes difficult to remove the pin from the chair but mole-grips on the pin' something like a tyre lever between the leg of the chair and the grips to 'persuade' it to come out has worked in the past for me.

Why they break for me I do not know I'm not overweight. I look at it a different way.....I'm just underheight !

Edit to add pic

Edited April 26, 2015 by ThaidDown

[Pib]

I've replaced two casters so far...each time when a caster broke/cracked the pin was left in the chair leg...but with a good pull using some pliers/vicegrips with some wiggling motion the pin came out. I then took the caster and pin with me to HomePro and got the exact replacement....they had so many different casters without the original one I could have easily brought home the wrong one. But hey, there are a lot of different chairs with different casters that are either big time different...or with very little difference but just enough difference to not work. I'm just surprised the HomePro's and Global I've visited have such a large selection of casters. Good luck.

Edit: and if your correct caster replacement is suppose to come with new pin because the pin is meant to only tightly fit into the chair leg, it's unlikely you'll be able to press an old pin into a new caster without damaging the caster because that particular caster is just made differently...the pin in the caster can only be properly installed at the factory.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Pib

[JetsetBkk]

I've replaced two casters so far...each time when a caster broke/cracked the pin was left in the chair leg...but with a good pull using some pliers/vicegrips with some wiggling motion the pin came out. I then took the caster and pin with me to HomePro and got the exact replacement....they had so many different casters without the original one I could have easily brought home the wrong one. But hey, there are a lot of different chairs with different casters that are either big time different...or with very little difference but just enough difference to not work. I'm just surprised the HomePro's and Global I've visited have such a large selection of casters. Good luck.

Edit: and if your correct caster replacement is suppose to come with new pin because the pin is meant to only tightly fit into the chair leg, it's unlikely you'll be able to press an old pin into a new caster without damaging the caster because that particular caster is just made differently...the pin in the caster can only be properly installed at the factory.

You raise some good points. When I go next, I'll see if I can take a picture of their selection. It might be worthwhile pulling out a good caster with its pin from my chair and taking that to Home Pro as an example.

Today I took only my cracked one - without the pin - and saw what I thought was an exact replacement, without a pin. Of course, I could try another Home Pro in Phuket Town as they may have a bigger selection - maybe the same as mine with a pin.

Also, I wonder if all the pins are the same diameter? If so, I could buy a set of five and replace all the current casters.

Or maybe just start off with one to try...

[Pib]

I would just concentrate some more effort on getting the old pin pulled out and then take that pin and old caster to the hardware store....unless one of the good casters happens to come off easily and how it comes off will tell you a lot about if the pin is suppose to come off with the pin or the caster comes off with the pin being left in the arm leg. There are casters with different pin diameters, shape, and length.

Here's how my caster replacement has went: one broke and I went and bought one replacement....a few months later another one broke and I went and bought a replacement along with three spares. It's now been around a year with no more caster failures---of course not since I have spares in-hand.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Pib

[JetsetBkk]

I would just concentrate some more effort on getting the old pin pulled out and then take that pin and old caster to the hardware store....unless one of the good casters happens to come off easily and how it comes off will tell you a lot about if the pin is suppose to come off with the pin or the caster comes off with the pin being left in the arm leg. There are casters with different pin diameters, shape, and length.

Here's how my caster replacement has went: one broke and I went and bought one replacement....a few months later another one broke and I went and bought a replacement along with three spares. It's now been around a year with no more caster failures---of course not since I have spares in-hand.

Sorry, no activity on this subject yesterday or today - doing the bank run and yearly extension! Might do more tomorrow! (Chair is behaving itself at the moment... )

[Pib]

OK...I just don't want to read that a farang in Phuket was killed when his chair caster failed and he then fell out of chair busting his head wide open. Take this seriously...HomePro caster specialists are on 24 hour standby awaiting your return.

[Crossy]

OK...I just don't want to read that a farang in Phuket was killed when his chair caster failed and he then fell out of chair busting his head wide open. Take this seriously...HomePro caster specialists are on 24 hour standby awaiting your return.

I've been dumped squarely on my arse (ass) on two occasions when the plastic spider (the bit with the casters on) on my desk chair has failed. Not a nice feeling to be on ones back, legs in the air, head / neck up against the wall, a difficult escape.

Current seat has a steel spider, currently showing no signs of stress

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Good topic... Glad to hear all the expertise and experience here on this subject.

I too had a couple casters on my office chair fail a while back. The chair was one I had bought at one of the furniture sales at QSNCC from a retailer who had an actual store at MBK and some other locations.

So, I brought the wife along to their shop in the furniture section at MBK, and they said yes, they could repair the chair. So a week or so later, a couple guys from the shop showed up at my home and proceeded to replace the broken casters, for a price, of course. Mostly a few hundred baht for a housecall visit to my home.

I can't remember for certain, but I think the replacement parts they brought/used were casters with the pin already installed. But I remember, it took them a fair amount of exertion to get the old piece out and the new pieces installed into my chair.

Reading with interest here the guidance on how to do these kinds of repairs on a do-it-yourself basis.

[Pib]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITHzzFMUi9o#action=share

[GanDoonToonPet]

I have a similar problem, although my chair is of a more fancier (bad) design. It cost 5000B from MBK so I'd like to fix it. I had one of the wheels fixed already by asking a chang to weld the hell out of it but I'm looking for a less brute force solution.

Will post pics later. I'm just posting now so I can find the thread again.

[Gary A]

I weigh 180 pounds. I have had two chairs break. Both had 5 castors and the plastic piece that connects them to the chair broke. This time I bought a chair that has a metal piece. I hope the metal is a lot stronger.