Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

Flexsteel armrest drooping

July 11, 2016, 09:59:38 am

The driver's right side Flexsteel armrest is drooping and has a very loose floppy feeling.
Any remedies for a 27 year old chair?
I do know how to get the arms off but is it possible to replace the "bad" or wornout parts?

Quote Selected

Re: Flexsteel armrest drooping

Reply #1 – July 11, 2016, 10:48:40 am

I think they are just a nut and bolt, sort of. I would bet that Flexsteel can tell you ... or any of the guys in the remodel department at FOT!

Quote Selected

Re: Flexsteel armrest drooping

Reply #2 – July 11, 2016, 10:57:51 am

I repaired two of mine. One only needed the foam reglued. The other had a broken piece of wood inside that I replaced. Once you get the arm off the seat, everything else is quite straightforward.

Quote Selected

Re: Flexsteel armrest drooping

Reply #3 – July 11, 2016, 12:05:55 pm

Took the arm off. Discovered that the bolt nearest the pivot shaft was loose and the bolt located away from the pivot shaft was just hanging in the air. Not into anything!. Tightened the near bolt, drilled a hole thru the metal after confirming proper location on the seat and added a deck screw to prevent rotation. Darn metal sure work hardened ahead of the drill bits!
Arm is nice and tight now.

Quote Selected

Re: Flexsteel armrest drooping

Reply #4 – July 11, 2016, 12:53:24 pm

Good job, Norm.

Brett

Quote Selected

Re: Flexsteel armrest drooping

Reply #5 – July 12, 2016, 12:10:01 am

Mine was loose also.....
If you are careful and patient, you can slip a 7/16" box end wrench in thru the slot on the inside of the rest and slip it over the two 1/4 -20 bolts that hold the rest on. Both of mine were loose and after a couple turns on each bolt they are snug now.
Maybe yours has the same mounting bolts. You can't see the heads but you can feel them thru the vynyl. 

Quote Selected

Re: Flexsteel armrest drooping

Reply #6 – July 12, 2016, 07:54:28 am

So how do you get the arms off? Inquiring newbies want to know.

Quote Selected

Re: Flexsteel armrest drooping

Reply #7 – July 12, 2016, 08:57:42 am

To remove an arm it must be pushed (strongly) into the back of the chair and then rotated clockwise (on my driver's chair, right side) while pressed in until about the five o'clock position was achieved. The arm will then pop out and be easily removed.
On my chair arm the bolt farthest from the pivot post had come out of the wood nut and the entire weldment was 90 degrees out of position.
I had to remove about  40 staples and then roll back the leather in order to access the far bolt and start it in the hole. The bolt nearest the pivot post was also loose so had to tighten that bolt.
Make sure the weldment is parallel to the arm itself as this does effect position when down.
7/16 box end wrench and a good staple gun with at least 3/8 leg staples.
To put the arm back you will see the "keyslot" for the 90 degree locating pin sticking out of the pivot post. Push the arm in hard enough that you overcome the spring. Then rotate the arm upward until it stays in position and no longer can be rotated down.
Very simple but does take a bit of persuasion to get the arm/post in far enough to be able to rotate it. I did tip the chair back rearwards enough that the arm cleared the seat.

Quote Selected

Re: Flexsteel armrest drooping

Reply #8 – July 13, 2016, 04:01:29 am

Just to restate Nighthawk's instructions on how to remove the arm rest from any "captains" type chair:  rotate the arm to the vertical, press the arm strongly (sometimes very strongly) toward the center of the seat back.  While pressed in, rotate the arm about 30 degrees toward the back of the chair. You should then be able to slide the arm out away from side of the seat back.

Once you remove the arm and see how it all works, it is easy to put back on.

Good luck

Quote Selected