Thank you for the video. I have 4 Aeron chairs all over 15 years, They all have the same problems. The cables won't move. Your video gave me some confidence to open them up and see if I can fix them
Per Herman Miller - "Using thumb pressure, press front of bottom tilt cover to start separation of tilt covers." That lets the top cover release. If the left-hand side (by tensioner knob) is still clipped together, press in on the lower housing there too and the top housing should separate. This seems to be the easiest & least risky way to go. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for this video. For a chair that originally retailed for $1K+ (depending on the options you chose) you'd think Herman-Miller would use a part NOT made of plastic.
completely agree, i'm taking mine apart and realizing what crap this piece is. Mine is shredded. Would be ok on a $150 chair but for these, that part should be more durable.
@@imunchienandalusia Sometimes it's difficult to estimate the amount of wear a specific part will accumulate over time. I suppose this is where the 12 year warranty comes into play.
Not all plastic materials are the same. We have to be aware that there're some real quality plastic. Even spacecrafts contain components made from plastic.
Thank you for this. I ordered a replacement piece on ebay that came with 2 different pieces. I assumed one of them would be the right one, but nope. I needed a "generation 1" piece that I could only find for $40+. Once I had it open I decided to take this route. Easy. Should have done it from the start and save myself $11 on a wasted purchase.
I've had this exact same chair (Mfg'd in 1996) for about 14 years, got it free when an employer was replacing a bunch of these with newer ones and said we could have our old ones. Tilt lock never worked, and I didn't really care until the last few years when working from home 95-100% of the time and I've started having lower back pain. Anyway, I thought I'd see if I could find some info on how to fix this, and here it is! I'm pretty handy but was hesitant to open this up until I had some guidance. I'm going to give this a shot but it looks pretty straightforward and I'm sure it will work out. Thanks a lot!
This worked great for me. The only thing I did differently was that I used a sheet metal screw in an appropriately sized hole and took off the excess with a grinder, since I didn't have a correct tap for any of the machine screws I had on hand. I thank you, and my back thanks you - the chair feels great now. :-)
@@TheCount1111 Just saw this comment today. That's awesome! 👍 Great idea with just using a screw and grinding off the excess. Glad you got it fixed, and cool you didn't have to buy a new part. Have a great rest of the weekend!
Great video. Thanks. Just got this chair from a reseller and it doesn't tilt. Hoping the seller will just send the part. Excellent description of how to do this repair.
I’ve watched 3 of your Aeron videos and I don’t even have an Aeron. I have the Logitech Embody but I’m looking into an Aeron and your videos are informative. I subbed because you asked the viewer to and I don’t sub with a lot of youtuber’s but since you presented it so nicely I subbed. Probably won’t be watching anymore of your videos unless you do one for the Embody but I’m glad to have been able to help you out. After all, it don’t cost me nothing. Lol. Gj, Pal!
Thanks! That was super nice and I really appreciate it! You just made my day 😊. I have never sat in an Embody yet but I hear they are really comfy. I need to find a local HM store and try one out. Although I have 3 Aeron's in the house now would have a hard time justifying a new Embody to the wife. Have a great rest of the weekend! Thanks again!
Thanks! For me, the plastic stop (bar) at the top of the sector gear (which the spring attaches to) was broken off, but I retrieved the broken piece from within the housing cover upon disassembly. I super glued it back together for now.... so far so good! Looks like I can replace this piece (I think a newer version than yours without post in middle) for ~$15-20 if need be....
That's great! I hope it holds up well for you with the superglue. I wish the sector gear was made out of metal as that would really have helped out with these issues. Have a good day and thanks for the comment, I bet others might have the same issue.
Thanks for the vid ... in my case the these broke off on the front piece but I guess I had not lined it up with the arrows properly ... when I had bought the front tilt adjustment upgrade :-) ... anways. Thanks for the video it was super helpful!
Threading into plastic might hold up. There is an alternative way to secure the machine screw pin replacement that comes from the 3D-print world: melt a 10-24 heat set insert into the plastic part, and put some blue thread locker on the 10-24 machine screw before you screw it into the insert. The result is super strong. You have to shorten the insert to match the thickness of the geared part, but that's not difficult. I have three Aeron chairs; all had the pin snapped off. The fix has been rock solid for months.
Helpful. Just to note the two screws on the bottom only need to come out if you want to remove the bottom half of the plastic cover. The top half just pries off (with a lot of effort).
I have an old 1997 Aeron that I got for free and the only part broken was exactly this (apart from the drooping tilt limiter). Thanks a lot for this video!
Great, I hope the video helped out. What a great deal you got getting one for free :-) . Such a comfortable chair for sitting all day. I was curious and just checked the date on my Aeron that I fixed in the video and it was dated 9/20/1998. So pretty close to when yours was made. I am going to be keeping an eye out for more broken ones like this locally for cheap. See if I can get a couple more for the family. Have a great rest of the weekend.
You should pull off that 10/32 screw and just grind or sand down the threads just below the head to reduce the diameter so that it's smoother contact with the cable loop.
Thanks- used parts of this to figure out what was wrong with my chair. My particular issue is that the teeth of the tilt limiter gear are broken! And the tilt lock will not work properly. It locks the tilt, but as soon as you let it go, it doesn't lock anymore. Was sort of curious to see the normal behavior of how it locks in place once you pull the lever and how it releases, but at 13:00 your hand blocks how it stays in place without going back!
Sorry about that, I went and looked at 13:00 LOL. Let me pop off the cover of the chair I am in now and will film it real quick. Will paste the link here once done.
FYI - This Video is a different chair then the original chair in my video, but I think the tilt part is the same. I had not taken this one apart before and see its a slightly newer version. I chatted a bit and showed how it goes up and down which I know you already know about, but hope the video shows you what you wanted as far as you how it stays when I have the lever in various positions. Here is the link th-cam.com/video/2FvR7mYEjcw/w-d-xo.html
This saved me!! I was just about to throw out the chair completely. This took me 15 mins to do, though i lost the horse shoe clip... any clue what size it is?
Glad it helped! I am not sure what size the clip is, but looks like they have it here for a couple bucks. www.aeronsale.com/store/p28/E_ring_to_hold_on_tilt_gears.html But amazon has a bunch of kits of E-clips in various sizes for ~10 bucks. I think Harbor Freight also has kits and probably cheaper if you have one close to you, I see this link, but they are updating the website so can't see price... www.harborfreight.com/300-piece-e-clip-assortment-67653.html I tried to find the size online but no luck. I am sure there is a manual someplace that would show it. Next time I am at HF I might pick up a set and see what matches. If I do I will post it here.
I used some Metric Hex sockets and just attached it to a ratchet wrench - The seat pan was a 6mm hex bolt. They were pretty tight so the ratchet wrench really helped. (I think the seat back is a 5mm) Basically a ratchet/socket set like these : www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-metric-hex-socket-set-6-pc-69546.html www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-quick-release-ratchet-62287.html?_br_psugg_q=3%2F8+ratchet If I recall correctly, the Aeron has 4mm,5mm and 6mm hex screws on it.
I think it may be somewhat normal to sink just a little, when I sit I feel mine go down maybe an inch then stop, and when i take weight off it I feel it rise just a little. You can replace gas cylinders if they go bad, but I have not done that before. I assume the symptom is they just keep sinking all the way to the bottom, but not sure. Maybe someone else can respond if they had a bad one. Here is a great reddit thread for Herman miller and they have a lot of gas cylinder posts and questions. www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/search/?q=aeron%20gas%20cylinder&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=
Thanks a lot for making this video! Excellent job at getting the necessary angles and lighting to show the different components you were talking about! I have a question I am hoping you could answer. First to clarify the terms I'm going to use: - fully up locked = back tilt lever fully up, forward tilt lever fully down - fully forward locked = back tilt lever fully up, forward tilt lever fully up So now to the question: I got a refurb Aeron and the chair has significantly more play when "fully forward locked" (a few degrees of seat rotation) than when "fully up locked" (almost no play). Basically I lose some of the forward tilt because of this. Does you chair behave the same or is there some wear in the mechanism on mine? Thanks a lot!
Thanks for the nice comments on the video. I just took my Aeron with forward tilt over to my moms last week as I found out she was using a folding chair at her computer. Her cheap office type chair had broke. My Aeron chair I am in now does not have forward tilt but I do have a little bit of play in it with it fully up locked. I guess a little tiny wobble forward and back would describe it if I try rocking forward and back with my body. Normally I don't notice it. I am trying to find my mom a used size A and then I will bring that one back home and compare. But next time I am over there I will try it and see if it feels any different.
Ok, just tried it. When in the Fully forward lock. I notice that as I release weight on chair (like about to stand) it does go forward a few more degrees, and as i sit back down it goes back then stops. It does feel like there are a few more degrees it might have been able to lock forward. Is that what you meant? I assume its normal, but my work Aeron does not have forward tilt to compare another chair.
@@MyRandomTechBlog First of all, thanks a lot for remembering to try it out. Yes, what you're describing is what I'm experiencing as well on my refurb. Good to know that it's normal, although I wish it was a bit tighter.
Thanks for video, it helped me understand the mechanism. Is your fix still working? I opened up my Aeron and that piece is still ok. But I needed to get the gear unstuck from the tilt limiter. I have a feeling that it could get stuck again.
Just checked and the fix is still working on the chair, it's my sons chair so I dont sit in it much. Glad you got yours unstuck, and hope it doesnt happen again on you.
oh, its not turning... I am not sure. I did see this post... www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/comments/ra9038/aeron_tilt_tension_knob_issue/ You might try asking in the Reddit thread and may find someone who had the same issue.
For the bottom of the shell clam cover you hit with your palm, do you happen to know what size screws they are? I bought one used and it's missing those screws.
I just pulled one out and looked at it. They are 5/8 inch long and about 3/16 wide at the thread. They are a real course thread with a self tapping type end. I will have to see if I can figure out what it actually is as I am not sure offhand. I will see if I can figure it out and get back to you.
Sorry, I still am not sure the exact screw size, the closest I could find was a size 10 Sheet metal screw, but the threads on the size 10 are a little too far apart to match and I didn't want to force it in. Here is a quick video showing the screw in case it helps. th-cam.com/video/peXxlFysqGk/w-d-xo.html Next time I go to Home Depot I will try to bring it with me to see if I can match it better.
Thanks for the post! My Aeron still locks...usually. I suspect the teeth may be worn on the gear, so I might have to just buy the replacement part. :( Still, it looks easy to fix, if a little time-consuming. Great guide!
The two metal bars around the 2:00 mark what is the purpose of those two bars? My left side is getting really loose in terms of it shifting from left to right in the socket but my right side is tight. And I can’t see seem to adjust it at the bolt is pretty darn tight. In terms of functionality I’ve had no issues
Do you mean the two little bars that go from the back of the seating are to below the front bigger pivot point. Wish I could paste a pic here. Mine have a little wiggle also, one side a little more that the other. But when I sit in the chair and have pressure on the seat and reach under to feel them they seem to have less wiggle. Not sure if that's the one your talking about though.
My 96 Herman Miller Aeron needs a new cylinder. I ordered one from office oasis but not sure it's right size. Any feedback on whether it will work and if not where to get a replacement cylinder? Thanks! J
I saw this one online at amazon that mentions it fits a 1996 - 2012 aeron classic . You can check the size of yours you ordered to the dimentions they show in the picture. I haven't had to replace mine yet so cant vouch for a specific brand. www.amazon.com/dp/B07QF8XDCQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_Zrj7FbG6G5JVR
I have an irritating issue with tilt mechanism. The first 5-6 cms when I tilt back, it tilts very easily (irrespective of tilt tension). After that, it tilts according to the tilt-tensioner setting. Any idea how to resolve this? It has something to do with the tilt box.
I have not had that issue, so not sure. I did see this post in the Herman Miller Reddit. Does this sound like what you are experiencing? www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/comments/gxacnz/reclinetilt_limiter_part_failing_what_is_this/ Basically it mentions the Rear limit Cam having some rounding (worn).
Is it possible to adjust the armrests on your chair? My Aeron doesn't have armrest levers either that most other Aerons seem to have at the back. Thanks.
Great question! I have not tried to adjust them on my older chair with the "Fixed Position" arm rests. Hmm. I would think it is possible, but really I am not sure. I will try it out today or tomorrow if I get a chance and post a vid if it works and let you know.
@@MyRandomTechBlog awesome thanks so much! After a long wait and much excitement, I finally bought an Aeron that was within my price range, but only realised afterwards that this one has fixed arm rests haha. So would be great if its possible to adjust them as they're slightly too low for my desk at the moment.
@@maxinekoen I am not sure if they are meant to be able to be adjusted, But I just tried and was just able to adjust them on my sons Aeron. I did have to remove a plastic spacer which I am not sure if it is for assisting with keeping the armrest locked in place and from sliding, or just for aesthetic purposes. I will see how it works for us. Here is a video I took this morning th-cam.com/video/b85qjPhJYI4/w-d-xo.html
My chair seems not to be tilting forward. I suspect the cable or lever is not working right to engage the spring. Any video on how the forward tilt function is supposed to work?
That's a great idea! It took me a while to figure out how mine worked. Not sure if your is broke, or like what I have. For mine the only way to engage it is to recline back and then once reclined the forward tilt lever will then be able to be pulled up to engage it. Then when I lean forward it will go all the way forward and I can lock it. Hope that makes sense. Not in my chair right now to verify, but pretty sure that's how it work. I will make a quick video though as it is kinda odd to engage forward tilt.
Glad this helped the tilt lock. Not really sure about the rocking. Wonder if something is making the tension too high? Do you mean it's hard to tilt back and forth with the lock off? I have to turn my tension knob a lot to adjust. But have not played with the internals for it. Maybe someone who sees this and has fixed that will respond. Also there is a herman miller reddit channel that you might ask on. They have a lot of good info.
@@MyRandomTechBlog Yes, with the lock off tilting back and forth while seated is near impossible. Thanks for the info! I will be checking out that sub.
I dont like this system. If I lean back into the chair the (white plastic piece) tilt limiter slips from it's position. I dont understand why it's doing it , I already disassembled it twice and adjusted it.
My tilt lock lever works in every setting except from 90 degrees. If i try and lock it at 90 and rock backwards it makes a loud clunk and unlocks again. Every other angle is fine. Does anybody know what this might be please?
I was watching this and hoping someone would respond. I haven't had that issue so not sure if its something worn to much, or an adjustment needed. I did see this which resembles your issue. www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/comments/la8gxc/aeron_not_staying_tilt_locked/ It mentions a worn/dirty tilt limiter lock gear... But you may want to search through the reddit a bit as I bet someone else has had that issue and may have more details. Good luck.
Not sure, Maybe someone replaced it with new bolts? Or maybe HM changed it at some point? Would be interesting to see if anyone else comments they have a different size in theirs.
For taking off the seat and such I just used Allen sockets like these on my 3/8 Ratchet. www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-metric-hex-socket-set-6-pc-69546.html
That's a bummer. I hope you can get it fixed for cheap. At least there seems to be a lot of parts available. Sometimes new is nice as no hassles, but the chairs are just so spendy new.
Did you solve it? If not hopefully I can help. I have the remastered and it wouldn't recline it was locked in the upright position, it was a simple enough fix. At the back is a little part that pops off, on the left you'll see a little ladder looking thing, if you move that your problems should be solved. Good luck!
@@drastic209562 Glad you got it fixed. it does sound like the issue I was having but nothing I did would unlock it so if it should happen again you should be well equipped to fix it and continue enjoying your chair.
Note, small correction, you mention a 10/32" (pronounced "ten thirty-seconds") screw, which isn't really a thing. There is a thing called a 5/16" (what 10/32" reduces to) but that's not what you used. You used a #10 ("number ten") screw with a thread pitch of 32 teeth per inch (tpi), which is commonly written as #10-32 or just 10-32 (pronounced "ten thirty two"). Note how similar that is to 10/32", so it's a very easy mistake to make. FYI a 10-32 screw is extremely close to the common 5 mm screw, M5 x 0.8, so close that in most situations (not aerospace) they're interchangeable, a class-B fit but very usable. I would use the M5 screw on a Herman Miller chair since everything else seems to be metric already, but use whichever one you have handy. I don't know why American sized small screws use a number system (#6, #8, #10 etc.), when they go to fractional sizes for 1/4" and up - they musta had a reason back in the day. It's confusing. Metric is so much more logical IMHO. OK I'm belaboring the point. The video is fine and it gives good info you probably won't find elsewhere. Thumbs up! And I'd bet your repair is not only strong enough, it's better than new. Well maybe that's not saying much since the original broke. But now that pin is stronger than it was before.
What a great comment with some great information 👍. Thanks for taking the time to share it. I will make sure I use the correct terminology next time 😊. Have a great weekend!
To be fair, that's not a hack, that's a perfectly legitimate fix. I'm here because my forward tilt appears to have ceased to function and I suspect it could very well be the same issue on that side, I haven't taken it apart yet to have a look.
Thanks, Not sure if it will help, but here is what my forward tilt looked like inside. I have not had to fix a forward tilt yet. *Crossing fingers th-cam.com/video/InOSldVMx7U/w-d-xo.html
It's called a sector gear. They seem to have changed it at some point to a different style without a post. So suggest you verify you get the correct one. Here is a blog post that has a better picture with a label in case it helps. When I was looking it came with a cable attached. But also saw them for sale on ebay with no cable. Good luck. myrandomtechblog.com/misc/herman-miller-aeron-tilt-lock-fix/
DO NOT pop the covor off that way. It's easy, there's youtube videos on how to do it properly without brute forcing it. HTere are 4 tabs and some thing flexible pry tool will do it. I used a cut up grift card to slide in to the right places.
Im subbing because youre the only person who mentioned the little arrow and its always about the little details. Appreciate it.
Thanks! For both the nice comment and the sub! Super appreciate it! 😊
I FIXED MY CHAIR!!! Thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without you.
That's awesome! Great job!
Thank you for the video. I have 4 Aeron chairs all over 15 years, They all have the same problems. The cables won't move. Your video gave me some confidence to open them up and see if I can fix them
Per Herman Miller -
"Using thumb pressure, press front of bottom tilt cover to start separation of tilt covers."
That lets the top cover release. If the left-hand side (by tensioner knob) is still clipped together, press in on the lower housing there too and the top housing should separate. This seems to be the easiest & least risky way to go. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for the tip! I will try that next time!
Thanks for this video. For a chair that originally retailed for $1K+ (depending on the options you chose) you'd think Herman-Miller would use a part NOT made of plastic.
100% agree with you!
completely agree, i'm taking mine apart and realizing what crap this piece is. Mine is shredded. Would be ok on a $150 chair but for these, that part should be more durable.
@@imunchienandalusia Sometimes it's difficult to estimate the amount of wear a specific part will accumulate over time. I suppose this is where the 12 year warranty comes into play.
$100k cars have plastic on them. Newer Aeron's have a slightly different piece that is less prone to failure.
Not all plastic materials are the same. We have to be aware that there're some real quality plastic. Even spacecrafts contain components made from plastic.
Thank you for this. I ordered a replacement piece on ebay that came with 2 different pieces. I assumed one of them would be the right one, but nope. I needed a "generation 1" piece that I could only find for $40+. Once I had it open I decided to take this route. Easy. Should have done it from the start and save myself $11 on a wasted purchase.
Picked up an Aeron off Marketplace for $60 (yes, $60) because of this issue. THANK YOU! Found my weekend project!
Today I learned something new and was able to fix the problem. It was exact same issue
Thats awesome!
I've had this exact same chair (Mfg'd in 1996) for about 14 years, got it free when an employer was replacing a bunch of these with newer ones and said we could have our old ones. Tilt lock never worked, and I didn't really care until the last few years when working from home 95-100% of the time and I've started having lower back pain. Anyway, I thought I'd see if I could find some info on how to fix this, and here it is! I'm pretty handy but was hesitant to open this up until I had some guidance. I'm going to give this a shot but it looks pretty straightforward and I'm sure it will work out. Thanks a lot!
Good luck! Hope its an easy fix for you!
oh, and if you run into any issues, this is a good Reddit for the Herman Miller with a lot of helpful people. www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/hot/
This worked great for me. The only thing I did differently was that I used a sheet metal screw in an appropriately sized hole and took off the excess with a grinder, since I didn't have a correct tap for any of the machine screws I had on hand. I thank you, and my back thanks you - the chair feels great now. :-)
@@TheCount1111 Just saw this comment today. That's awesome! 👍 Great idea with just using a screw and grinding off the excess. Glad you got it fixed, and cool you didn't have to buy a new part. Have a great rest of the weekend!
Thanks for making this.. My chair was a bit different, but you game me the confidence to take it apart !
Great video. Thanks. Just got this chair from a reseller and it doesn't tilt. Hoping the seller will just send the part. Excellent description of how to do this repair.
Thanks for the nice comment. Bummer yours isn't working when you got it. Hope they can help you out. Good luck!
Exact fix I needed. Took 20 minutes to make the fix to the chair and I was done.
Thats awesome! Glad it worked for ya!
I’ve watched 3 of your Aeron videos and I don’t even have an Aeron. I have the Logitech Embody but I’m looking into an Aeron and your videos are informative. I subbed because you asked the viewer to and I don’t sub with a lot of youtuber’s but since you presented it so nicely I subbed. Probably won’t be watching anymore of your videos unless you do one for the Embody but I’m glad to have been able to help you out. After all, it don’t cost me nothing. Lol. Gj, Pal!
Thanks! That was super nice and I really appreciate it! You just made my day 😊. I have never sat in an Embody yet but I hear they are really comfy. I need to find a local HM store and try one out. Although I have 3 Aeron's in the house now would have a hard time justifying a new Embody to the wife. Have a great rest of the weekend! Thanks again!
Thanks! For me, the plastic stop (bar) at the top of the sector gear (which the spring attaches to) was broken off, but I retrieved the broken piece from within the housing cover upon disassembly. I super glued it back together for now.... so far so good! Looks like I can replace this piece (I think a newer version than yours without post in middle) for ~$15-20 if need be....
That's great! I hope it holds up well for you with the superglue. I wish the sector gear was made out of metal as that would really have helped out with these issues. Have a good day and thanks for the comment, I bet others might have the same issue.
Thanks for the vid ... in my case the these broke off on the front piece but I guess I had not lined it up with the arrows properly ... when I had bought the front tilt adjustment upgrade :-) ... anways. Thanks for the video it was super helpful!
Threading into plastic might hold up. There is an alternative way to secure the machine screw pin replacement that comes from the 3D-print world: melt a 10-24 heat set insert into the plastic part, and put some blue thread locker on the 10-24 machine screw before you screw it into the insert. The result is super strong. You have to shorten the insert to match the thickness of the geared part, but that's not difficult. I have three Aeron chairs; all had the pin snapped off. The fix has been rock solid for months.
Helpful. Just to note the two screws on the bottom only need to come out if you want to remove the bottom half of the plastic cover. The top half just pries off (with a lot of effort).
Thank you so thats probably my issue at the moment when it release upon putting pressure I can still reset the cable and it stays put
I have an old 1997 Aeron that I got for free and the only part broken was exactly this (apart from the drooping tilt limiter). Thanks a lot for this video!
Great, I hope the video helped out. What a great deal you got getting one for free :-) . Such a comfortable chair for sitting all day. I was curious and just checked the date on my Aeron that I fixed in the video and it was dated 9/20/1998. So pretty close to when yours was made. I am going to be keeping an eye out for more broken ones like this locally for cheap. See if I can get a couple more for the family. Have a great rest of the weekend.
My chair won’t spring back up if it’s reclined is this the same part? If it’s locked in it holds itself up fine.
Thank you for these great instructions! Helped me loads.
That's great! Glad it helped!
Thanks for sharing this. I'm going to try this today
Buddy you rock!!! Thanks for this fix.
Thanks for the awesome video. This was exactly what I needed to fix my chair.
Great! Glad it helped and you got your chair fixed 😊
thank you so much been trying to get into that bottom box for awhile and now the tilt isnt jammed
Great, glad it helped. 👍
You should pull off that 10/32 screw and just grind or sand down the threads just below the head to reduce the diameter so that it's smoother contact with the cable loop.
Thanks- used parts of this to figure out what was wrong with my chair. My particular issue is that the teeth of the tilt limiter gear are broken! And the tilt lock will not work properly. It locks the tilt, but as soon as you let it go, it doesn't lock anymore. Was sort of curious to see the normal behavior of how it locks in place once you pull the lever and how it releases, but at 13:00 your hand blocks how it stays in place without going back!
Sorry about that, I went and looked at 13:00 LOL. Let me pop off the cover of the chair I am in now and will film it real quick. Will paste the link here once done.
FYI - This Video is a different chair then the original chair in my video, but I think the tilt part is the same. I had not taken this one apart before and see its a slightly newer version. I chatted a bit and showed how it goes up and down which I know you already know about, but hope the video shows you what you wanted as far as you how it stays when I have the lever in various positions. Here is the link th-cam.com/video/2FvR7mYEjcw/w-d-xo.html
@@MyRandomTechBlog Hey that was really quick! I appreciate it!
Thanks for the video, you just made my day.
Thanks! Hope it worked out for you.
SOOOOOOO HELPFUL! Thanks a ton for sharing this.
Thanks Man! Super appreciate the nice comment! Have a great night! 😊
This saved me!! I was just about to throw out the chair completely. This took me 15 mins to do, though i lost the horse shoe clip... any clue what size it is?
Glad it helped! I am not sure what size the clip is, but looks like they have it here for a couple bucks. www.aeronsale.com/store/p28/E_ring_to_hold_on_tilt_gears.html
But amazon has a bunch of kits of E-clips in various sizes for ~10 bucks. I think Harbor Freight also has kits and probably cheaper if you have one close to you, I see this link, but they are updating the website so can't see price... www.harborfreight.com/300-piece-e-clip-assortment-67653.html
I tried to find the size online but no luck. I am sure there is a manual someplace that would show it. Next time I am at HF I might pick up a set and see what matches. If I do I will post it here.
Thank you for your video. Can you please share the hex tool you were using? I found my Aeron chair extremely hard to screw.
I used some Metric Hex sockets and just attached it to a ratchet wrench - The seat pan was a 6mm hex bolt. They were pretty tight so the ratchet wrench really helped. (I think the seat back is a 5mm)
Basically a ratchet/socket set like these :
www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-metric-hex-socket-set-6-pc-69546.html
www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-quick-release-ratchet-62287.html?_br_psugg_q=3%2F8+ratchet
If I recall correctly, the Aeron has 4mm,5mm and 6mm hex screws on it.
I have the classic and when I sit it get down a bit , is it normal or is there a way to fix it?
I think it may be somewhat normal to sink just a little, when I sit I feel mine go down maybe an inch then stop, and when i take weight off it I feel it rise just a little. You can replace gas cylinders if they go bad, but I have not done that before. I assume the symptom is they just keep sinking all the way to the bottom, but not sure. Maybe someone else can respond if they had a bad one.
Here is a great reddit thread for Herman miller and they have a lot of gas cylinder posts and questions.
www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/search/?q=aeron%20gas%20cylinder&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=
Thanks a lot for making this video! Excellent job at getting the necessary angles and lighting to show the different components you were talking about!
I have a question I am hoping you could answer. First to clarify the terms I'm going to use:
- fully up locked = back tilt lever fully up, forward tilt lever fully down
- fully forward locked = back tilt lever fully up, forward tilt lever fully up
So now to the question: I got a refurb Aeron and the chair has significantly more play when "fully forward locked" (a few degrees of seat rotation) than when "fully up locked" (almost no play). Basically I lose some of the forward tilt because of this. Does you chair behave the same or is there some wear in the mechanism on mine? Thanks a lot!
Thanks for the nice comments on the video. I just took my Aeron with forward tilt over to my moms last week as I found out she was using a folding chair at her computer. Her cheap office type chair had broke. My Aeron chair I am in now does not have forward tilt but I do have a little bit of play in it with it fully up locked. I guess a little tiny wobble forward and back would describe it if I try rocking forward and back with my body. Normally I don't notice it. I am trying to find my mom a used size A and then I will bring that one back home and compare. But next time I am over there I will try it and see if it feels any different.
Ok, just tried it. When in the Fully forward lock. I notice that as I release weight on chair (like about to stand) it does go forward a few more degrees, and as i sit back down it goes back then stops. It does feel like there are a few more degrees it might have been able to lock forward. Is that what you meant? I assume its normal, but my work Aeron does not have forward tilt to compare another chair.
@@MyRandomTechBlog First of all, thanks a lot for remembering to try it out.
Yes, what you're describing is what I'm experiencing as well on my refurb. Good to know that it's normal, although I wish it was a bit tighter.
Thanks for video, it helped me understand the mechanism. Is your fix still working? I opened up my Aeron and that piece is still ok. But I needed to get the gear unstuck from the tilt limiter. I have a feeling that it could get stuck again.
Just checked and the fix is still working on the chair, it's my sons chair so I dont sit in it much. Glad you got yours unstuck, and hope it doesnt happen again on you.
Do you have any tips for fixing the tilt tension knob? My just keeps slipping not just keep turning like most
oh, its not turning... I am not sure. I did see this post... www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/comments/ra9038/aeron_tilt_tension_knob_issue/ You might try asking in the Reddit thread and may find someone who had the same issue.
For the bottom of the shell clam cover you hit with your palm, do you happen to know what size screws they are? I bought one used and it's missing those screws.
I just pulled one out and looked at it. They are 5/8 inch long and about 3/16 wide at the thread. They are a real course thread with a self tapping type end. I will have to see if I can figure out what it actually is as I am not sure offhand. I will see if I can figure it out and get back to you.
Sorry, I still am not sure the exact screw size, the closest I could find was a size 10 Sheet metal screw, but the threads on the size 10 are a little too far apart to match and I didn't want to force it in. Here is a quick video showing the screw in case it helps. th-cam.com/video/peXxlFysqGk/w-d-xo.html Next time I go to Home Depot I will try to bring it with me to see if I can match it better.
Thanks for the post! My Aeron still locks...usually. I suspect the teeth may be worn on the gear, so I might have to just buy the replacement part. :( Still, it looks easy to fix, if a little time-consuming. Great guide!
Thanks! Good luck!
The two metal bars around the 2:00 mark what is the purpose of those two bars? My left side is getting really loose in terms of it shifting from left to right in the socket but my right side is tight. And I can’t see seem to adjust it at the bolt is pretty darn tight. In terms of functionality I’ve had no issues
Do you mean the two little bars that go from the back of the seating are to below the front bigger pivot point. Wish I could paste a pic here. Mine have a little wiggle also, one side a little more that the other. But when I sit in the chair and have pressure on the seat and reach under to feel them they seem to have less wiggle. Not sure if that's the one your talking about though.
My 96 Herman Miller Aeron needs a new cylinder. I ordered one from office oasis but not sure it's right size. Any feedback on whether it will work and if not where to get a replacement cylinder? Thanks! J
I saw this one online at amazon that mentions it fits a 1996 - 2012 aeron classic . You can check the size of yours you ordered to the dimentions they show in the picture. I haven't had to replace mine yet so cant vouch for a specific brand. www.amazon.com/dp/B07QF8XDCQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_Zrj7FbG6G5JVR
I have an irritating issue with tilt mechanism. The first 5-6 cms when I tilt back, it tilts very easily (irrespective of tilt tension). After that, it tilts according to the tilt-tensioner setting. Any idea how to resolve this? It has something to do with the tilt box.
I have not had that issue, so not sure. I did see this post in the Herman Miller Reddit. Does this sound like what you are experiencing? www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/comments/gxacnz/reclinetilt_limiter_part_failing_what_is_this/
Basically it mentions the Rear limit Cam having some rounding (worn).
Is it possible to adjust the armrests on your chair? My Aeron doesn't have armrest levers either that most other Aerons seem to have at the back. Thanks.
Great question! I have not tried to adjust them on my older chair with the "Fixed Position" arm rests. Hmm. I would think it is possible, but really I am not sure. I will try it out today or tomorrow if I get a chance and post a vid if it works and let you know.
@@MyRandomTechBlog awesome thanks so much! After a long wait and much excitement, I finally bought an Aeron that was within my price range, but only realised afterwards that this one has fixed arm rests haha. So would be great if its possible to adjust them as they're slightly too low for my desk at the moment.
Can't find any info about adjusting them anywhere else
@@maxinekoen I am not sure if they are meant to be able to be adjusted, But I just tried and was just able to adjust them on my sons Aeron. I did have to remove a plastic spacer which I am not sure if it is for assisting with keeping the armrest locked in place and from sliding, or just for aesthetic purposes. I will see how it works for us. Here is a video I took this morning th-cam.com/video/b85qjPhJYI4/w-d-xo.html
My chair seems not to be tilting forward. I suspect the cable or lever is not working right to engage the spring. Any video on how the forward tilt function is supposed to work?
That's a great idea! It took me a while to figure out how mine worked. Not sure if your is broke, or like what I have. For mine the only way to engage it is to recline back and then once reclined the forward tilt lever will then be able to be pulled up to engage it. Then when I lean forward it will go all the way forward and I can lock it. Hope that makes sense. Not in my chair right now to verify, but pretty sure that's how it work. I will make a quick video though as it is kinda odd to engage forward tilt.
Sorry it took so long, But here is a video I just made showing it operating inside, hope it helps. Good luck! th-cam.com/video/InOSldVMx7U/w-d-xo.html
@@MyRandomTechBlog turns out my cable system was busted during shipping. They sent me a new part and instructions to install it. Got it working!
@@cypvh74 That's a bummer it was broke when you got it, but glad they got you a new part and you got it working 👍. That's awesome!
where do you buy parts?
I used this tutorial to fix the tilt lock, but for some reason my '98 Aeron has issues rocking back and forth. Any suggestions?
Glad this helped the tilt lock. Not really sure about the rocking. Wonder if something is making the tension too high? Do you mean it's hard to tilt back and forth with the lock off? I have to turn my tension knob a lot to adjust. But have not played with the internals for it. Maybe someone who sees this and has fixed that will respond. Also there is a herman miller reddit channel that you might ask on. They have a lot of good info.
@@MyRandomTechBlog Yes, with the lock off tilting back and forth while seated is near impossible. Thanks for the info! I will be checking out that sub.
What is the name of the tool you have at 15:21
i have this problem but on the Remastered version.
I dont like this system. If I lean back into the chair the (white plastic piece) tilt limiter slips from it's position. I dont understand why it's doing it , I already disassembled it twice and adjusted it.
My tilt lock lever works in every setting except from 90 degrees. If i try and lock it at 90 and rock backwards it makes a loud clunk and unlocks again. Every other angle is fine. Does anybody know what this might be please?
I was watching this and hoping someone would respond. I haven't had that issue so not sure if its something worn to much, or an adjustment needed. I did see this which resembles your issue. www.reddit.com/r/hermanmiller/comments/la8gxc/aeron_not_staying_tilt_locked/
It mentions a worn/dirty tilt limiter lock gear... But you may want to search through the reddit a bit as I bet someone else has had that issue and may have more details. Good luck.
hi, I have the same chair but the bolt on each side seems not to be the 6mm hex, it is smaller than 6mm but larger than 5mm, anyone knows why?
Not sure, Maybe someone replaced it with new bolts? Or maybe HM changed it at some point? Would be interesting to see if anyone else comments they have a different size in theirs.
What kind of allen wrench is that? Where it can reset
For taking off the seat and such I just used Allen sockets like these on my 3/8 Ratchet. www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-metric-hex-socket-set-6-pc-69546.html
For the seat pan it was a 6mm. If you were wondering size. Just checked :-)
Thank you sir !!
excellent Tutorial
Thanks for the nice comment 😊! Have a great weekend!
Having this problem with the Aeron V2. Should have bought it new
That's a bummer. I hope you can get it fixed for cheap. At least there seems to be a lot of parts available. Sometimes new is nice as no hassles, but the chairs are just so spendy new.
Did you solve it? If not hopefully I can help. I have the remastered and it wouldn't recline it was locked in the upright position, it was a simple enough fix. At the back is a little part that pops off, on the left you'll see a little ladder looking thing, if you move that your problems should be solved. Good luck!
@@chriscrooker5066 IDK what I did but it somehow just unlocked itself. Man I was relieved. I’ll try your method if it happens again. Thanks
@@drastic209562 Glad you got it fixed. it does sound like the issue I was having but nothing I did would unlock it so if it should happen again you should be well equipped to fix it and continue enjoying your chair.
Thanks, but you forgot to show that the chair is working after the repair.
Note, small correction, you mention a 10/32" (pronounced "ten thirty-seconds") screw, which isn't really a thing. There is a thing called a 5/16" (what 10/32" reduces to) but that's not what you used.
You used a #10 ("number ten") screw with a thread pitch of 32 teeth per inch (tpi), which is commonly written as #10-32 or just 10-32 (pronounced "ten thirty two"). Note how similar that is to 10/32", so it's a very easy mistake to make.
FYI a 10-32 screw is extremely close to the common 5 mm screw, M5 x 0.8, so close that in most situations (not aerospace) they're interchangeable, a class-B fit but very usable. I would use the M5 screw on a Herman Miller chair since everything else seems to be metric already, but use whichever one you have handy.
I don't know why American sized small screws use a number system (#6, #8, #10 etc.), when they go to fractional sizes for 1/4" and up - they musta had a reason back in the day. It's confusing. Metric is so much more logical IMHO.
OK I'm belaboring the point. The video is fine and it gives good info you probably won't find elsewhere. Thumbs up! And I'd bet your repair is not only strong enough, it's better than new. Well maybe that's not saying much since the original broke. But now that pin is stronger than it was before.
What a great comment with some great information 👍. Thanks for taking the time to share it. I will make sure I use the correct terminology next time 😊. Have a great weekend!
To be fair, that's not a hack, that's a perfectly legitimate fix. I'm here because my forward tilt appears to have ceased to function and I suspect it could very well be the same issue on that side, I haven't taken it apart yet to have a look.
Thanks, Not sure if it will help, but here is what my forward tilt looked like inside. I have not had to fix a forward tilt yet. *Crossing fingers th-cam.com/video/InOSldVMx7U/w-d-xo.html
Thanks so much!!
What is that part called if I want to buy one instead?
It's called a sector gear. They seem to have changed it at some point to a different style without a post. So suggest you verify you get the correct one.
Here is a blog post that has a better picture with a label in case it helps. When I was looking it came with a cable attached. But also saw them for sale on ebay with no cable. Good luck. myrandomtechblog.com/misc/herman-miller-aeron-tilt-lock-fix/
Very useful!
Thanks 🙂!
DO NOT pop the covor off that way. It's easy, there's youtube videos on how to do it properly without brute forcing it. HTere are 4 tabs and some thing flexible pry tool will do it. I used a cut up grift card to slide in to the right places.
Thank you!
Thanks for the comment 😊!
Thanks so much
Thanks for the comment, hope the video helped out.
Why not show how fix worked or even show what even worked on like what was issue. What a waste of 16 mins of my life. Wow
Yeah, he forced you to watch it for 16 mins. What an idiot.
@@somekindofdevil i know. 🤦♂️
@@prtbone78 Woooooshhh...
Thank you. Exactly what I needed!!!
Awesome, glad it helped!
Thanks!