Any idea how to fix this chair?

[Scott W]

I have this swivel office chair that I got add free CL.  Only issue was a wheel won't stay in. These are Bassick Casters and I can't find anything about this model on installation or repair.

Anyone with experience and can share?

I assumed I was going to drill out the wood part and insert a glued dowel. And then something would probably need to go in there to receive the press-fit... But I could be wrong.

Any ideas? Thank you

[DaveR1]

I have this swivel office chair that I got add free CL.  Only issue was a wheel won't stay in. These are Bassick Casters and I can't find anything about this model on installation or repair.

Anyone with experience and can share?

I assumed I was going to drill out the wood part and insert a glued dowel. And then something would probably need to go in there to receive the press-fit... But I could be wrong.

Any ideas? Thank you

I'd fill it with epoxy thickened with a bit of sanding dust and drill it out. Before adding the thickener, run some straight epoxy in and make sure you get it into the crack, too. Then work in some epoxy mixed up to creamy peanut butter consistency. When it's cured, drill it out.

[Mark A Smith]

I'd see if I could get some steel tubing with the right ID to hold the stem and close-enough OD that you could epoxy it into the worn hole. I'd glue in the tubing, drill out any epoxy that got in, lube the stem shaft and insert it.

[Bill Holt]

Scott, you are on the right track.  The metal receiver with the teeth originally fit the hole snugly then the caster was pressed into the receiver or socket.  Fill/repair the damage then drill for the receiver.

[Wild Turkey]

When I overhauled a similar chair I went with "plate" casters that were the right size for the leg and replaced them all.  Improved the rolling considerably.


I'd do the epoxy thing first to patch the hole.

[Phil S.]

You actually have all the parts there if I can see well enough.  There is a solid pin fastened to the wheel that passes through a chintzy sleeve with a toothed washer gizmo that is supposed to be fixed into the wooden part of the leg.  The hole in the wooden part of the leg is worn out so the whole works has come loose.  I hate this kind of caster.

I was repairing an old office swivel chair with these type of casters and after repairing the casters a few times, ended up throwing everything away up to the hub the legs fasten to.  I cut new legs and found some rollerblade type casters.  They are flashier than I like, but they roll very well, are quiet and look like they'll last longer than me.  The real bee's knees though was they offered a piece of thick walled steel tubing for mounting the wheels to some steel frame by welding.  The tube was about an inch or a little more long and exactly 5/8" in diameter. I bored a 5/8" hole on the underside of each leg's foot and tapped in the tube.  I was going to add a bit of epoxy, but the fit was snug enough that it wasn't necessary.  The peg on the caster snaps into the tube.  They are as tight as the day I put them in.  The chair rolls smoothly and quietly.  I am a happy camper and have gotten to where I can ignore their looks.

[Stwood_]

Yes the insert is stuck on your wheel stub. Pop it off and that's what fits in the chair hole.
Glue in a dowel, epoxy as suggested above.

[Scott W]

Thanks for all the responses. Appreciate the help.

[daddo]

I had good luck using a tee nut. Drilled the tee nut out to the right fit, then filled the hole with epoxy and tapped the tee nut in place and after the epoxy set up for 48 hrs, drilled it out again and set the caster in. A snug fitting O-ring in the shafts inset helped the caster from falling out too easily. Lube it well with silicon grease- any resistance in the wheel or shaft puts a lot of stress on the mechanism.

[bhh]

I have this swivel office chair that I got add free CL.  Only issue was a wheel won't stay in. These are Bassick Casters and I can't find anything about this model on installation or repair.

Anyone with experience and can share?

I assumed I was going to drill out the wood part and insert a glued dowel. And then something would probably need to go in there to receive the press-fit... But I could be wrong.

Any ideas? Thank you

Yes, I'd drill out the worn oversized hole and insert a glued dowel of appropriate size.   You can buy a new caster socket, though yours looks like it might be OK.
Then drill a pilot hole for the socket.   Insert the socket and pound it down to embed the prongs.   Push in the wheel until it pops, indicating the mushroom end has passed the socket.  I sometimes use a nail set to punch in on the shaft to get that to happen.