We have all been there, finding excuses to push the inevitable just so we could procrastinate a little more, but one way or another, no matter how much you seem you could push it, there is no way around the job or task you assigned to.
The Story for dismantling an electric recliner chair is no different, or at least it was for me when my chair malfunctioned on me; I have to be honest here because not only does it require tons of finesse, but you also need to prepare with the appropriate tools at hand because the last thing you would want is to dismantle your electric recliner chair only to be stuck with a piece that you cannot put together afterward.
Nevertheless, whatever the circumstance might be for you if you are going to do the deed all by yourself, you need to stick to my highly comprehensive guide on how to dismantle an electric recliner chair. It might be a little bit sophisticated, but you will get the job done.
How To Dismantle An Electric Recliner Chair?
Things You Might Be Needing
- Working gloves (Rubber Ones)
- Safety goggles
- Phillips screwdriver
- Flat screwdriver ( Optional)
- Wire Cutters
- Pliers
Once you have gathered all the appropriate tools, it’s time for you to move to the real action. Double-check before proceeding.
Safety First
The first and foremost thing you need to do is wear rubberized gloves, make sure they don’t have any holes in them and are comfortable enough to be used for a longer duration.
You will also need goggles to protect your eyes because there are some parts in an electrical recliner chair that often fly off or chip away when hit with a hammer when dismantling it.
This step is highly important because electric recliners tend to have static electricity even when they are disconnected, so it’s in your best interest to proceed with caution.
You also need to find a space that is at least free of clutter or obstacles so you can move around easily and avoid tripping.
Keep in mind that the room also has to be well-lit because you will undoubtedly dig into complex mechanical parts that are otherwise hard to get into without proper lighting.
Disconnect Power
Speaking of power, electric chairs like these usually have a power cord, make sure you have unplugged it for obvious reasons, you clearly don’t want to get zapped.
As obvious as it may sound, I have seen tons of people make this mistake, thinking the chair is turned off and might not have the current required to harm anyone, but they are indeed wrong.
On the other, even if you have your chair unplugged, there might be a slight chance that your electric recliner may even include emergency batteries, which are not as powerful as an electrical cord connected to the direct source but might still zap you regardless consider if you are poking the innards with a Phillips screwdriver afterward.
The batteries in question will be located right underneath the backrest; you might want to look for the swiveling area and unplug those batteries.
You can even glance over the manual if you have any doubts regarding the location of the batteries and whether or not your recliner may even have any to begin with.
There is also a higher probability you might have lost your manual; if that’s the case, you can often find a digital copy of the manual on the manufacturer’s website. On the other hand, you can also try searching online for a PDF version of the manual using the model number of your recliner.
Once you have gotten rid of the electrical source, it’s time for you to wrap your sleeves and start dismantling.
Remove Upholstery and Padding
Start by removing the things that are covering the innards, these include upholstery, fabric, and any other sort of padding that can be removed, if they are glued you may want to use force to get the job done.
Nowadays, most upholstery can be easily removed to assist consumers with cleaning or dismantling purposes, so you won’t be worrying about ripping it off.
Once you are done, locate all the screws and bolts located all across the recliner, round them up one by one and pick them apart with your Philips head screwdriver.
You could even use a flathead screwdriver to get the job done. Keep in mind some of these might be riddled with rust and other debris forming over them after all these years, so a gentle tap with a hammer would do the trick and help them unscrew easily.
Alternatively, you could use WD-100 spray to get rid of rust clogging up the screws which are otherwise hard to remove.
Disassemble Mechanism Components
An electric recliner chair is made from tons of sophisticated parts and mechanisms that obviously allow it to operate normally on a regular basis. Keep in mind these mechanisms are usually covered with panels, so you need to remove these panels as well.
After removing the access frame, get rid of the metal linkage bars as well as other crucial parts such as gears and motors. Use scissors and wire cutters to remove any wiring that might be blocking the chair operations.
Make sure you only cut the wires that are making connections so that they can be connected once again if you are planning to assemble the chair again. If you aren’t really good with assembly, make sure you take a picture before disconnecting the wires.
Seating Removal
After getting rid of the preliminaries, it’s time for you to remove the seating, which could be attached to the base or swiveling mount.
If you have the bolts and screws removed, it would be as easy as taking Lego pieces apart, however, if you still feel like the chair is being attached to the mount, you may have missed a piece.
Nevertheless, if all screws and bolts have been removed, giving the chair a couple of taps could loosen the mount, making it slide right off. Be as gentle as possible because there might be some electrical components located underneath the seat frame that control the movement of the chair.
Armrest & Backrest Removal
Removing the armrest and the backrest is as easy as removing other crucial components because the armrest itself is attached to the seat frame which is bolted with screws, all you have to do is remove them and the armrest will come right off.
Keep in mind that one of the armrests might include electrical wires to operate the heating, and vibrational modules so make sure you unplug those wires carefully without ripping them apart, otherwise, it will result in malfunctioning once assembled back because these parts are incredibly sensitive and fragile.
Once you are done, remove the latch that is securing the backrest from the seating and make sure to wiggle the backrest right off from the seating with a firm force. And voila, there you have it, completely dismantling all the chairs by yourself, now pat your back because it’s a job well done.
Make sure you keep the screws and bolts in a bag and mark the panels and latches with a marker so that you can easily remember which part attaches to its corresponding place.
Bottom Line
Referencing each aspect by marking it helps a lot once you assemble the whole chair back to a whole. Make sure you hand tighten each screw gently to avoid cross threading, and while wire reconnection, make sure the polarity matches on the connector; otherwise, it might catch fire and even short circuit the whole connection, so be wary of it when connecting the wires back to its place.
Nevertheless, With the right tools and dedication and showing patience, you could methodically disassemble each section quite effectively; all you have to do is follow this guide on how to dismantle an electric recliner chair, and you follow the precautionary measures such as how to sleeping on a recliner chair and you won’t have any hurdles to face. Feel free to comment below if you have other queries in mind.
I am a furniture expert with a passion for recliners. With years of experience in the industry, I offer invaluable insights and creative ideas for selecting the perfect recliner to suit any space and your needs.