Recently damaged the base of an aluminum group chair - it's the old 4 leg base and swivels - i honestly have no idea how to remove the base. Can anyone help with suggestions? Thank you for any help!

I've only removed the bases from 5-star chairs, but I suspect the removal and installation is the same for both types.

First, do you need to remove the seat completely from the base, or just the bottom part of the base with the casters? The reason is...well...one is easy, and one isn't.

There should be a set screw on the side of the base of the chair above the casters and below the u-shaped frame that attaches to the bottom of the base. If you unscrew this set screw, you should be able to pull up on the chair and remove the casters from the chair. The base will still be attached to the bottom. Be careful as there is a lot of grease on the base where it slots into the casters.

If you need to take the whole base off of the seat, you will likely need 2 spreaders. You can buy them at any DIY store like Home Depot. It's like a clamp that can be reversed. You will need ones that can be spread wider than the seat of the chair.

First, turn the recline adjustment so that the chair is in the least-reclined mode. This is important as you'll have a tough time getting the base out of the frame.

With that done, you will have to place the spreaders on the underside of the seat towards the front and the back of the chair and extend them until they are really snug between the frame of the chair.

Once the spreaders are in place, unscrew the 4 screws holding the base onto the frame. The base is jammed in there pretty tight, which is why you need the spreaders...they have to spread the frame apart enough for you to pop the base out.

The base should pop out once you've got the screws out...if it doesn't, just use a big rubber mallet to coax it out of the frame.

To reinstall, you will need to reverse the procedure. I will say it's a lot harder to get the base back on than it is to get it off. That base keeps the seat of the chair nice and taught. If it weren't hard to get in, the chair wouldn't be very comfortable.

Also, under no circumstances should you undo the end caps that hold the material on the frame...you will have a terrible time getting the material back in and it will do you no good to do so.

Hope this helps.

fm