How to Fix a Recliner Footrest

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Your recliner isn’t just another piece of furniture in your home; it is more of a safe haven for you. What else can be quite as relaxing as enjoying a great rest in your favorite recliner footrest while reading a book, watching a game or cuddling with a pet and sometimes fall asleep later at night?

A recliner footrest serves as your comfort zone, which is why it tends to be overused more than other furniture in the house. However, a recliner can stop giving you comfort and cause you more frustration if it starts malfunctioning due to excess usage.

The most common complaints people give about malfunctioning footrests are refusing to lock in place, not staying up and getting stuck in one position. Any of these usually occur when you have not given much thought to the maintenance of the entire recliner or its vital parts.

At a time like this, when your recliner footrest sustains an injury, you don’t have to spend money having a furniture repairer deal with it or just toss it away. You can repair your recliner if you are a DIY kind of person. This article provides you with information on all these and how to fix a recliner footrest on your own.

The major causes of the faulty recliner footrest

However, you need to know why your recliner footrest started malfunctioning in the first place, identify what the problem is. You also need to be familiar with its mechanism and get all the tools and parts that are required.

This way, you will be able to prevent the recliner from breaking again. So, what happened to your a lazy boy recliner footrest? Your footrest may be making you uncomfortable due to the following reasons:

Slamming down the footrest

Slamming down your footrest too hard or too often usually leads to a footrest break. Slamming your recliner footrest down at all-time puts too much stress on the mechanism of the chair. If this continues, the mechanism will be faulty and stop working.

With this, it will remain in the position it was left in when last used. So, you should always be careful whenever you close the recliner footrest, even if you just got a new recliner. Pulling it up and closing it shouldn’t be done too quickly because it can damage the functionality of your recliner footrest chair.

An old recliner

Your recliner may develop a fault due to age and have its part loosen, especially if the recliner was assembled by you or someone else in the family. The parts or screws can become loose, so check around for this. However, if the recliner footrest is too old, you should consider getting older ones to replace it to avoid any future issues that will always arise every time you fix it.

Rust on the mechanism

The residential area is also very important to your recliner footrest. Is the weather suitable for it? Is it humid or is there dirt and dust affecting the recliner’s mechanism? If the case with your recliner footrest is among any of these, the best idea is to turn the footrest chair on its side. Get rid of any dust you can see by wiping them out. After this, spray some lubricant in the working parts.

How to fix a Lazy Boy power recliner footrest -What will you need?

If you want to learn how to fix a broken reclined footrest and be able to apply the knowledge efficiently, you will need the following tools:

Rag/Disposable Cloth
Spare Parts
Lubricant Oil
Old Newspaper
A standard screwdriver
A Phillips screwdriver
Wood screws

Footrests malfunction when they get stuck, refuse to stay up or lock properly. Follow these steps learn how to fix a recliner footrest that won’t stay up.

Flip it over to gain access to the locations of the screws’ underside and tighten them using the right tools. If there is a need for it, you can replace them but use longer screws this time. You can also use new screws to tightening the footrest brackets to make them firm enough. Once this is done, return the recliner to its upright position.
If your footrest is stuck in one position, lubricating it will get it working again. Flip the recliner over; loosen the screws that are attached to the frame at the footrest’s bottom. Protect the cushion with a cover so that it doesn’t get soiled by the lubricant. Generously apply the lubricant to all the joints.
A stuck footrest that also needs some adjusting can be loosening by turning the recliner over and detaching the bar from the ratchet and seat. Check the footrest to know if it responds well. If this doesn’t work still, then you may have to replace the old spring.

How to fix recliner footrest springs

Whenever you make use of your recliner, all the comfort and relaxation benefits you enjoy comes from the mechanisms and cushions. Just like every product that has a working mechanism, your recliner footrest also has a spring. The springs will eventually get worn out with excess use or overtime.

You don’t have to panic whenever this happens. All you have to do is to spare a few minutes of your time and get the appropriate equipment to fix the problem. Tools needed are a new recliner spring, adjustable wrench and maybe someone to assist you. This is how you fix this problem:

Have your recliner turned upside down and with the help of a flashlight, locate the bolts holding the spring.

Remove the bolts, using the adjustable wrench
Separate the spring from the recliner and have it placed on the floor with its right side facing up
Remove the bolts that hold the spring to the footrest with the wrench.
Tighten the new spring to the footrest still using the wrench
The new footrest spring should be attached to the recliner’s frame while tightening all the bolts properly
Return recliner to its normal position. Test to see if it’s working well.

How to fix a recliner leaning to just one side

A lot of things could cause your recliner to lean to one side; either due to the worn-out or broken-down parts that need replacement. Follow these steps to fix it:

You need a screwdriver, pry bar, and wood glue.
Overturn the recliner to access the underside.
Check the spring’s condition to tighten the loose ones or replace the work-out ones if there are such.
For oversized wood springs and screw holes, reduce the size of the hole by using the wood glue, as skewers can as well help you achieve this effect.
For springs mount on metal, tighten the loose attachments if there are any.
Replace old and worn out mounting plate

How to fix a recliner chair back

Recliner backs come in 3 different types. There are backs with locking tabs, locking levers and the ones bolted on the backs.

For the backs that have locking levers be sure the brackets are well fixed. Have them flipped downwards and lock them onto the seat’s metal posts when you seat.
The locking tabs lock into place as you slip the back on. Remove the bracket fasteners and have them firmly tightened. Once the back is fitted on, make sure the tab is properly placed in its slot using a flat screwdriver.
For the backs with bolts, loosen the back panel’s lower side. Remove the bolts underneath and refasten it to ensure that the bolts hold the back onto the posts of the seat tightly.

How to fix a recliner that doesn’t recline?

There are two types of mechanisms involved in the chair’s reclining mode. One makes use of a cable system while the other reclining mode is operated with an arm. For the one that uses a cable system, the usual cause of the malfunction is a loose or broken cable, and this problem can be fixed with the following steps:

Remove the cushion to access the handle or lever
Find out if the cable is just loose or broken.
Replace it with a new one if it is broken and if it is loose, have it hooked back to the lever.
Check the lever’s condition to see if the lever is loose. If it is, tighten the bolt and nuts holding the lever in place as this may be the cause of the problem.
There is only one remedy to a stripped lever, which is replacing it with another.
Check for bent or weirdly-positioned parts and have them set right by bending them back to their normal positions. This should fix the problem with the reclining feature of the chair.

How to fix recliner pull handle

A broken or missing handle can make the recliner stop functioning well. Without the pull handle to the footrest in position, the footrest will be forced into an upright or closed position. You can fix the handle by replacing it with a new one using the right tools during your spare time or have someone assist you on this. These easy steps below should help repair the handle.

Push or press an opened footrest into a closed position.
Have the recliner turned upside down. Both the armrest and headrest should be touching the ground in this position.
Locate the mechanism or screw that holds the handle in position and remove it with a wrench or a screwdriver.
Have the old handle detached from the recliner and detach the cover protecting the handle too.
Place the retaining screw inside the new pull handle. Fasten it and you are done.

How to fix a recliner cable

Faulty recliner cable makes the back fail to recline or to move up and down on its own. To fix this, loosen the cable stop, then pull and tighten it after ensuring that it’s held against the piston bracket. Turn the chair upside down and unscrew the bolts on the footrest and those that hold the squab to the frame. Detach the squab to replace the cable and refit the squab afterward.

Conclusion

Fixing a recliner doesn’t come easy to some people, which is because they don’t know how to fix a lazy boy power recliner footrest but anyone can. I hope everything you have learned on how to fix a recliner footrest can be of great help as you roll up your sleeves to get down to work.

However, if you need a solution to a recliner footrest’s issue that is not mentioned here, you could just consult with a furniture technician if you do not have the confidence to do it yourself.

Don’t forget; you should also acquire more knowledge on how to perform basic cleaning or lubricating task for all your recliner footrest’s parts and learn to do that more frequently now so that the recliner’s function a longer period. However, you should consider replacing it at some point.

Check to see if the warranty from the manufactures covered the repair of your recliner footrest. Not only will this save you money, but you will also be able to save your time. The manufacturers can send a technician to your place to fix up any issue arising with your purchase, as long as their warranty covers it.

Check to see if the warranty from the manufacturer covered the repair of your recliner footrest. Not only will this save you money, but you will also save your time. The manufacturers can send a technician to your place to fix up any issue arising with your purchase, as long as their warranty covers it.