You made that repair so simple, thank you! The pawl and ratchet are guaranteed for life (my chairs are currently 10 years old), the company only charged a few bucks for shipping the parts. Curiously, my bride had found that hardened pawl tip in the carpet years ago (or the vacuum did) but nobody knew what it was. She had an 'ah-ha' moment when you showed it in the video. She'd saved it all this time just in case. 😄
Thanks for this video. Last night I repaired our old lazy boy, not only saving a thousand dollars but also having the satisfaction of repairing something myself in what has become a throw away world. It is people like you making the world a better place by sharing your knowledge.
Thanks so much for posting this video. I had to replace the paw and pawl rack on my 2005 La-Z-Boy Recliners. It is truly amazing that they even lasted this long. The La-Z-Boy Factory sent me three replacement assemblies for only $15 total. All I had to do was provide chair serial numbers (ACK numbers) off of the original chair tags. Thank goodness I recorded those numbers on one of the La-Z-Boy owner's books because all of the original ID tags were removed when we had the chairs reupholstered. The 1.5" x 0.25 blocks definitely did the trick on reattaching the base. There was no need to tap the new pawl racks. The self-tapping original screws worked just fine. It took me about one hour per chair to do the repair. The only challenging part of the repair was restapling the leather near the interior of the recliner. PS: I called my original Lazy Boy store and they gave me a La-Z-Boy number in Michigan to call and get the parts. There is no need to buy parts off of ebay for an exorbitant price when you can get them, brand new, from La-Z-Boy for next to nothing. And, they came within two weeks of ordering them. As a footnote: I purchased two clips (pawl caps) off of Amazon for the pawl (a short term fix) . . . they didn't work at all and I returned them. Bottom line . . . get replacement parts from La-Z-Boy! I always wondered what those metal slivers were on my carpet over the last few years. It was those clips gradually falling apart. LOL
Thank you for saving my chair. Husband used your video to fix it several years ago and I’m still enjoying it. Simple and clear instructions, I got to keep my favorite recliner. And my Border Collie loves it too.
We recently purchased some la-z-boy recliners from 1997 online that were in great shape still. And had this exact same issue, so thank you! I had no idea where to start, and after seeing this video, I was able to order the part off Amazon and can now enjoy my la-z-boy recliners!
I replaced the ratchet and pawl on my lazboy following this video. Your instructions and video are so specific and clear I managed without any trouble. Thanks so much - it saved me over $100 to get a repairer to do it.
Thank you! I bought a used la-z boy recliner to replace my other used la-z boy recliner, my "new" one would slide down randomly. thanks to your video I was able to take the parts out of my old one and put it in my "new" one! also thanks to another one of your videos about having difficulties getting parts, I decided to cannibalise that entire recliner for spare parts.
Thanks for this great video. After getting the pawl and pawl rack shipped from La-Z-Boy I was able to replace the parts this morning and the chair now fully reclines like brand new. The only problem I ran into was that the 3 holes in the pawl rack were not pre-threaded. I had to put the pawl rack in a vice and slowly turn the screws into each hole manually, by hand, to cut threads into them. Then it was much easier to tighten it in place on the chair.
This video was everything I needed! Thank you SO much! After watching this, I figured I needed to order a new assembly. However, I noticed the spring which attaches the pawl to the arm, was missing. I happened to have a small spring from a pack of drum brake hardware which fit. It probably has a bit more tension than the proper spring, but it has completely fixed the collapsing issue. The pawl and rack are in good condition. On a side note, the bang you mentioned at the end, I thought was a sign of wear. I'm glad to know it's normal. However, since replacing that spring, the bang is gone, and releasing the lever is basically silent. Thanks again!
Great video. I'm elderly and I'm going to show this to my son and see if he can fix mine for me. I looked at new chairs and most are electric or have the button on the side, meaning you have to be strong to push the foot rest down, which I can not do. I need the handle. Your video seems so well done and explains everything in detail. Hopefully my son can find the time to repair mine. He is great with repairs so I think he can. Thank you so much for the video.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Fixed mine for free. The furniture store owner gave me the piece no charge. The only thing I did was slide the wood shims in from the side instead of the ends. I used door shims,worked perfectly
Great instructions - clear and easy to follow. I was able to replace the rack and pawl on our recliner based on this walk-through. Contacted La-z-boy and ordered the parts late on Tuesday, 6 October - just a $14.83 handling charge since the parts are covered by a lifetime warranty. Received the parts on Saturday, 10 October via UPS. Installed on Sunday. Installation went smoothly for the most part. A couple of the screws for the rack were very tight, but they were eventually removed. Installing those screws was again a little challenging as they were quite tight going back in. The end result was better than expected and the recliner is very quiet again. Very much appreciate the guidance - thank you!
I just replaced the ratchet, with a new one, on one of my chairs. The holes in the ratchet were not tapped "No threads" so I had to tap them, 1/4-20 and the bit to remove the bolts is a T-30. Thanks to Recliner Repair Guy for the great videos!!
Thank you so much for this video! My poor wife has a five-gallon bucket holding up the foot of the recliner, and has to crawl out of the chair with great effort when she gets up. With your help I should be able to fix this for her.
I found a La-Z Boy recliner at a garage sale in what looked like brand new condition. It was vintage enough that it was made with a hardwood base instead of the particle board they use now. It looked like it had never been sat upon. The only problem it had was that the ratcheting recline wasn’t working. They wanted ten whole dollars for it. While sitting in my car at the garage sale I did some googling and found this video. Then I went back in and looked at the pawl. The steel tip had fallen off. I checked eBay and found a new part for $45. I told the seller at the garage sale I’d give them five dollars. I brought it home and waited for the pawl. I now have a beautiful and comfortable La-Z Boy in perfect working order for a grand total of $50. Thank you!!!
@reclinerrepairguy4155 - The two screws that hold the pawl mechanism in keep getting loose causing the ratchet to slip. Do you have any suggestions to prevent that? I’ve thought about drilling through the wood and using bolts, but there’s VERY little space where the nuts would be and the wooden floor.
@@marshallgatten6465 - The easiest thing to try is to plug (or partially plug) the hole with wood. Then run the screws in by hand until they have a good "bite" or hold. If the first attempt or two only pushes the pieces of wood to the side of the hole, add more as needed. I use slivers or chunks cut off of a hardwood dowel for the plug.
@@reclinerrepairguy4155 Interesting. I’ve done that to fix stripped holes (for door hinges in particular), but it wouldn’t have occurred to me for a hole where the screws are turning themselves loose in a hardwood. I’ll give it a shot!
Thank you for an excellent video on replacing the ratchet/paw parts. One of the easiest to follow video's I have seen in years. The step by step is very clear, clean, and easy to follow. The spacers for the rocker springs is an excellent tip. Wish I have thought of that the first time... I did not know that the paw had a hardend cap on it. So I removed it and built it up with some 8013 welding rod and the ground it back to angle...Of course here I am a few years down the road with the same problem...Going to track down the parts and do it right this time. Thanks again for the excellent video. Keep up the great work!
Wow! Thanks so much for this video & your knowledge. My 77 year old mom just received those exact two pieces from Lazyboy… you made it look easy, I’m gonna give it a try this weekend… very grateful sir
Thank you for all these instruction so clearly demonstrated! With your help we ordered our replacement parts and did the repair ourselves. I am grateful that my husband’s favorite 14-year old chair operates like new! He has no more sad face....so we are both pleased as punch!
Thanks for making this video. It gave me the confidence to fix my chair. The wear on my pawl was exactly the same as in the video. I couldn’t find parts online so contacted La-Z-Boy and those parts are covered by a lifetime warranty. The parts cost $13 for shipping and it took me less than an hour to fix it. Thanks again!
YOU ROCK! I had no idea why my wife's La-z-boy kept slipping. It turns out that the "pawl cap" came off. One of the tiny tabs on one side broke off. I would never have been able to figure that out without your video. How did anyone ever figure this stuff out before UA-cam?!?
*REALLY* well done 'how to' - TY for the time & effort to share this. I'm on a tight fixed income & must sleep in my recliner for health reasons, so being able to have my chair fixed for the parts cost is truly fortunate. Again, THANKS !!!
Thank you so much for this video. I was able to identify the mystery part I found under my chair ages ago (tip off the pawl), then correctly diagnose the problem and identify problem parts. I was able to get the parts under warranty from lazy boy. Just paid shipping. Finally got it all fixed today flawlessly because I watched your video. Thanks again!
@womanofsamaria - You're welcome! Unfortunately a $190/hr labor rate means "we really don't want to work on your chair unless you throw a lot of money at us!"
Thank you Recliner Repair Guy. Your video was a great help when I replaced the pawl and gear rack. Did it just as you said and it worked perfectly. You obviously know exactly what you are doing. The tips on those shims for the springs shows you have done this a time or two. Thanks again for your help.
Thanks. We bought a nice used recliner and got it home and found this problem with it. Turned out just to be the blade part was worn. I took the old part off our old recliner and put it on the one we bought. Luckily they were a match. Thanks for your videos, they are great.
What a nightmare dealing with the company! I had a wild idea to look for parts on Amazon and found them for a fraction of the cost. The two bolts that fasten the power rod were so tight I couldn't get them out but after an hour I did. Thank you so much for your videos, I saved $1500 doing it myself. Ex/aircraft mechanic.
Great instructional video! I ordered the pawl and pawl rack from ebay b/c I couldn't find them on the la-z-boy website. Got the parts today and it's fixed. Thank you!
Thank you! I moved to a new house and somehow this piece was no longer connected to the seat. Luckily it just needed to be put back in place. Couldn't find it without you.
Thank you for the detailed video. I was able to fix a recliner that didn't lock with the footrest up - discovered that the two screws holding the pawl in place had pulled out of the wood. Good as new now!
I am a 78 year old woman who uses her Lazy Boy every night to sleep in. Your video is wonderful! I know I'm not up to fixing my recliner, but that's one of the things that needs to be done to it. The other thing is that, as I rock, the chair sort of twists a little bit and starts bumping. It sounds like wood on wood. So I have to stop rocking and put my feet down on the floor while I twist/jerk the chair counterclockwise. It stays for a while, and soon I have to do it again. Repeat as needed!. Do you have a video on fixing that? I'll say what everybody else probably would like to say...I WISH YOU LIVED NEXT DOOR!!! Thank you so much for your video. At least I know what needs to be done to it. God bless you!
@Cookie - It's not unusual for rocker/recliners to have some side-to-side movement. But when parts start rubbing or bumping (& you're not over-rocking), you likely have some loose or damaged parts causing the problem. Have an experienced La-z-boy repair tech check it out. They can also check out your ratcheting recline parts while they're at it.
You have very good info on all this stuff. You are very good with this. I forgot to put a wood rocker between the springs and upset because I couldn't match the hose with the wood. I then saw your video about how to put a new bottom on The Lazy Boy recliner chair. I saw you left one side of the spring up and then the other side and put a wood there. Thank you so much you are great
Thank you for making these videos im in europe and where i live its hard/impossible to find local knowledge on how these work :) im on my third lazy boy in 20 years due to not knowing how to repair them, even had to order my current recliner from abroad since there is no local retailer anymore. Your videos helped when i installed the swivel since the instructions werent that great for someone that didnt know the names of the parts that it reffered to especially the spring removal and replacment was helpfull.
Great Video! Simple process once you know it. I ordered the 2 pieces from La-Z-Boy directly. No Charge! Under their warranty, just paid shipping. The only issue was the 3 holes in the new Pawl Rack were NOT tapped as required. It's a 1/4-20 screw. Tapped these and everything went smoothly.
Thanks for a very informative video. I was able get pawl and pawl rack from the area Lazy Boy outlet. My Lazy Boy was five years old but thankfully these parts have a lifetime warranty. The local furniture store where it was purchased had not advised of the warranty and was going to charge for the parts and labor. With your video I was able to do the repairs and that done the trick. I did observe the hardened metal piece was missing on the original pawl and it had two worn groves in it. Thanks again.
Thank you so much! Fixed my issue of it slipping, the ratchet was all worn down. I really wish LaZBoy would secure that flap with Velcro rather than 50 staples…
I called LaZBoy and they sent me the pawl and rack assembly for free, plus $14 shipping. There is a lifetime warranty for the mechanism @@springtheobald7876
My first two recliners I kept for 50 plus years before replacing the Pawl sub assembly and the Paul indentured metal mechanism they came in a set and I got them from the local lazy boy dealer where I purchased the two new chairs after fixing the 50-year-old chairs which I gave to habitat for humanity as the two chairs were inspected by them and had many years to go as I kept them in well maintained order including shampooing the cloth every 6 months and I did have the original papers as the original owner to get the free parts with the lifetime warranty on the metal parts. Couple of weeks ago I went back to the lazy boy showroom and the original closed its doors two and a half years ago because the owner retired. Here it is 2021 2 1/2 years for the new chairs and I had to replace the PAWL sub assembly and the indentured metal unit. My experience with the lazy boy's for 53 years has caused me to look at how that assembly is made and the hardened steel portion needs to be electrically welded and not clipped on. When that p a w l assembly is made and it appears that it's been used for at least 50 years a slight re-engineering would cause it to last the life of the chair. However, lazy boy in my opinion based on what I know having fixed several parts on that specific chair the part lasts longer than most people keep the chair. My first two lazy boys are in a new home and those folks tell me the quality of The originals 50 years ago were better and I would agree. Thank you for producing these videos on how to repair a lazy boy and the chair is very easy to repair and replace a part it only took me 20 to 30 minutes as I wanted to be very careful I did not cause any damage to my brand new chairs. Thank you for having a professional video showing customers how to do it yourself and not having to pay someone to do something that anyone with a 8th grade education can do with the proper tools. Your safety comment about hand starting the screws before using the power tool is spot on and anyone doing this kind of work and send themselves to the hospital and have lots of stitches not to exclude the pain and suffering.
Wow, I think this is the problem with my chair. Thank you for the video and now all I need to do is order the parts and find a nice man to fix it for me.
Thanks again for the video. The boys at Lazyboy comped me both parts and I just changed them. Didn’t need to take off the rocker bottom. 70 yr ol lady😃
Great video, I am only a third of the way into it but I’ve already fixed mine. The ratcheting mechanism wasn’t engaging with the piece that is held by my failing wooden frame. Also, the background music is fire.
THANK YOU! for posting this video. My recliner was built in 2006 and has the ratcheting feature -- that is currently not holding its place. The ratchet appears to be worn, the pawl appears to be ok - not worn like the one you showed. Anyway, thanks for helping me troubleshoot!
I was relaxing in my recliner the other day when my 85 pound German Short Hair decided it was time for cuddles. She jumped up on the foot rest and the chair made a loud pop and the ratchet let loose and the chair dove down. Now I know how to fix it.
This video was really informative and helpful! We were able to diagnose the problem and fix it very quickly thanks to this video! Thank you, Recliner Repair Guy!
I really enjoyed watching your video and was ready to order the parts and do the job myself. I even turned the base of the chair over and looked at the parts. But the more I thought about it the problem with my chair isn't ratcheting. The problem with my chair is when the lever is engaged to raise the footrest sometimes it gets "hung up". By dropping my leg on the footrest a few times it will "release" and the footrest can be raised. It sometimes does the same thing when lowering the footrest. I have noticed, however, that since having turned the base over it seems to be operating very smoothly. (Tempting the Fates!) What I discovered when looking at the pawl and ratchet is the pawl was not in the middle of the rachet but was over to one side of the rachet. Apparently, the pawl was actually falling off one side of the pawl and that was what was causing it to get "hung up." I moved the pawl more to the center of the rachet and at the other end of the pawl where it is attached to the drive rod I moved it over a bit too. From that description can you tell me if you think my actions may have remedied the problem I described? And do you think the adjustment is permanent or if it is going to reoccur? And...am I pushing my luck? LOL! Is there another repair that needs to be done to correct this situation? And an observation. Commenter Matt Ferguson said he couldn't find this part new anywhere online other than from au. I also found it at the au store. eBay had 4 or 5 used assemblies. By enlarging the pictures it was easy to see that the teeth on some of the rachets were worn but one, in particular, seemed very new looking. I started out with the dealer here in town but they were very discouraging because my chair is so old. The tag said the expected shipping date was in 1987! They told me that parts prior to 1992 were no longer stocked. But since then I've found on a website that the pawl and rachet will fit any LaZBoy chair regardless of age. But the dealer told me I'd have to contact the manufacturer. I almost gave up. That's when I started searching online. Thank you for reading this long comment and for any answers you may provide! PS: I have pictures of the underside of my chair.
@klesmiley - It's not uncommon for the Pawl to not be aligned perfectly with the Pawl Rack. However, if the Pawl is not making contact with both rows of the metal teeth on the rack, that suggests another problem. Have an experienced tech diagnose it for you. By the way, the 3-Position Footrest mechanism could be contributing to this opening / closing problem as well. And yes, the Pawl & Pawl Rack parts are still available for your chair. It's important to understand that some dealers will focus primarily on sales, and will not want to help people with parts or repairs. There's not enough profit in it for them. That's why they discouraged you... and misled you. This is not uncommon. To learn more about the ups & downs with trying to get replacement parts & repair service, see this video ---> ua-cam.com/video/w8e6LZMxOvQ/v-deo.html Also, if you don't purchase mechanism parts directly through La-z-boy or one of their dealers, the parts are not likely to be new, and you may be grossly overpaying for those parts as well.
Bruce Thompson One thing I didn't see mentioned is that the holes in the rack are not threaded. The bolts that go into the rack thread into the rack itself. That means that the bolts actually have to cut the threads I wound up having to put the rack in my vise to hold it steady, then used my drill on the bolt to cut the threads. Much easier than leaving the assembly on the chair. Also, I found it easier to remove a couple more staples to get the fabric loose rather than cutting the fabric. But the overall instructions were very helpful and some of the little tricks (the wood blocks on the springs) made the job much easier.
This knowledge would have helped me so much in repairing a broken lazy boy i once had. And also in the slow destruction of said recliner to fit it in the garbage over time. Now I'm shopping for a new one. Looks like it will cost at least $1000 to get my butt a new rocker swivel. I could have fixed the old one :(
Side note, the first break was the handle. Went to local dealer and they pulled one out of a box and sent me on my way. One of the extra long ones too. Never asked questions. My chair was like 30 years old. That is service.
Excellent video. I was able to fix my chair. The two screws holding the pall (not sure of spelling) to the bass were lying on the floor. I think it will need a third screw since the holes may be partially stripped. But the chair is now working and I understand how to fix it. Thank you!
Have a question about lazy boy chair mine when I recline it my feet are so high in air I can not get out of it. My weight is around 300 bought chair new from lazy boy dealer in Toledo . I cant figure out whats wrong with it. Do you have any Ideas.? Thank you.
Awesome! Just what I needed to know! Had the chair upside down earlier today! Didn’t notice the condition of the bracket bit to the pawl bit (ratcheted?) that it can slip from. Forgotten the right words already! 😽
My ratchet &pawl are still in good shape on this 25 yr old lazy boy ive got, My problem is the major "CLUNK" I get when releasing the pawl as mentioned in your video. Im on a 2nd floor hardfloor & ive had complaints from 1st flr and so what i did was 1: place a rug to help absorb sound. 2: lift up leg pressure as you push the release handle forward ( which is very counterintuitive). Saying this is normal operation to have a clunk sound is not kosher. I would think that the R/D dept @ LB would have an answer for this by now? They must have better designs? thanks for the vids Recliner repair Guy!!!
Thanks a lot for this video!! 😊 Although my recliner's mechanism was not used like the one from your video, I did experience the lock not locking to the furthest point. It would reach it and lock at first, but then, even without moving at all, it would skip down one level suddenly. And it started to do this a couple of days ago, and hasn't stop since. I removed the back, flipped the seat, and examined the mechanism as you have shown, only to find the little hardened metal plate on the floor. the little sort of hooks on the sides that keeps it on are broken, so the plate fell. I wonder if that means that I need to buy a whole new pawl, or if the little plate can be purchased by itself. But anyway, it seems the plate is also important to keep the locks up to the max. On lower levels it seems to stay locked. Thanks again!
@Vincent Allain - The small metal plate is the Pawl Cap. It's made of harder steel & protects the Pawl (black lever) tip -- that rides on the stairs -- from wear. When those come off you should replace the Pawl, as the Pawl Caps are not available separately. You should also replace the Pawl Rack (metal stairs). It's likely that a couple of the stairs have become worn, causing the lever to slip when it comes to rest on the worn spot.
I received the pawl assy and pawl rack yesterday from La-Z-Boy. Cost $14.00 for handling. The pawl rack isn't threaded. I didn't feel like going out to buy a tap (didn't know the size anyway) so I carefully made the threads by using the original 3 screws that hold the rack to the board. PITA. La Z Boy is lazy for not supplying the part threaded like it supposed to be. But following this video, the chair is like new again. Thank you so much for taking the time and making such a helpful excellent video.
@@reclinerrepairguy4155You have to use a ratchet and the correct size bit. You need the leverage of the ratchet to tighten them. They are tough to tighten, but they will work. I just replaced the pawl and pawl rack today.
OMG! Thank you SO much for this video! I was able to take the pawl from my broken la-z-boy (which was in perfect condition) & replace the grooved pawl on the la-z-boy that I use everyday. It works perfectly now & I couldn't have done it without this video! ☺
This video was perfect. It showed us just what to look for. What we found was the pawl and the rack both seemed fine (and maybe we're wrong, we'll use your tutorial to fix them if we are) but what for sure is amiss is there's no spring. And, for the life of me I cannot figure out what spring we need for it. And everywhere I look for parts I'm only seeing the pawl and rack with not spring. I'm sure I'm missing something, but it's making me feel like a real dummy.
@Brandi S Olson - As mentioned in the video, some chairs have that spring, others do not. Most of the chairs I work on do not. Remove the chair back & turn the bottom of the chair upside down. Next, open the footrest all the way. Then push down on the rear of the base to engage the Ratcheting Recline feature. You can see the Pawl engaging with the Pawl Rack. If it's slipping -- sliding over a section of the steps -- the Pawl Rack is worn and needs to be replaced.
@@reclinerrepairguy4155 🤔😟 I'm at a loss. The grooves of the rack don't look worn down at all. And the pawl still has the plastic cover and no wear. 🤷🏻♀️ Thank you!
So glad I found your channel! My old La z Boy rocks back fine and stays engaged but it suddenly won’t go back down when you close the foot rest. It stays engaged. How can I fix that?
@J W - Issues with the 3-Position Footrest can also cause that problem. Remove the back & turn the bottom of the chair over onto the floor. Now you can operate the mechanism & see what's going on.
Can easily be done without removing base. Torx T20 and T25. My paw rack came without the holes being threaded. Had to tap holes to 1/4-20 threads to use original 3 bolts.
I did same. Removed without removing base. Took about 15 minutes total time. I pulled the carpet off one side. Cut it with a razor knife and glued it back down. Also yes T25/T30 as corrected.
@@billuhman Can you help me locate the new ratchet? Have searched the La-z Boy site, is it necessary to request this on the contact us form? Thank You.
I replaced the rack and pawl on both our recliners thanks to you4 UA-cam videos. You are a great teacher. Thank you so much. I hop3 you can now help me with another problem. I am having them recovered by an upholsterer, one has been returned but the back no longer tilts back. It is locked in the upright position. What did the upholsterer do wrong? She doesn’t think she did anything to cause this problem. I hope you can help with an answer to this one.
@Jackie Grimsey - The Seat Swings control the back tilt. She likely reinstalled them incorrectly, or tightened the tension adjustment thumbsrew all the way, which you do not want to do. For Seat Swings install, see -----> ua-cam.com/video/jzN1x5jZ-gA/v-deo.html For back-tilt tension adjustment, see ----> ua-cam.com/video/eGYS17hvOzY/v-deo.html
Mine was worn out so I removed the rachet and paul and welded dabs extra metal on using a 110v small mig welder then reground the teeth and the paul so far its working well.
La-Z-Boy recliners love them truly the best same with their reclining sofas! High quality that lasts!!! Only issue have a La-Z-Boy reclining sofa on the footrest it doesn't stay in the up position to recline back far enough what is up with it?
I enjoyed this video. It looked so easy I decided to try it myself. I worked for hours and finally installed a new pawl and rack. Sad to say it didn’t fix the problem. If you rock back and raise the foot rest it slips back. What now?
@TomCole-w5c - Something to check: make sure the Pawl is properly engaging with the Pawl Rack when the Ratcheting Recline is activated. To see what's happening, remove the chair back & turn the bottom of the chair upside down on the floor. Now you can operate the footrest & ratcheting recline by hand & see what's going on. If you're unable diagnose the issue, contact an experienced repair tech to help you.
Merci beaucoup, j'ai changé ces pièces sur mes deux fauteuils. On dirait qu'ils sont neufs. Merci pour le truc des petits morceaux de bois de 1 1/2", que l'on met aux ressorts.
I believe that the only thing that is broken is the retention spring that connects the linkage. But I'm not sure what size spring i need to get. Also the screws connecting the pawl to the base are stripped. Will use larger screws.
I got the change from right to left handed rocker recliner handle done.. PIA. I Ordered parts from layzboy they said I would need. Ended up none were needed except the drive shaft (the handle bolts to it) for left use. And even in that it was the one for the right side so none of the parts were used. I figured out by measuring were to drill for reversing the shaft for left hand use. The handle had to be made to fit the new angle. I didn't have time to try to reorder the right shaft as it took many weeks of phone calls to get them to ship it and get the order right. I lost out on $48 and they wouldn't take the parts back. I am a 2nd gen upholster of 45 yrs now and have lost respect for layzboy. As you know they've cut back of quality as well on their frames,etc. Mine is a 2018 Rocker Recliner. Astor model in Leather.
Jim - Unfortunately, messed up part orders are nothing new in the furniture business. I order directly from the manufacturer whenever possible. That way, if I don't get the correct parts (thru no fault of my own), they will (usually) make good on the part order and send the correct parts at no additional cost. As you pointed out,, however, that does take more time. I'm curious, did you order thru a dealer or directly from La-z-boy?
@@ciardiellofarms674 Ordered parts from layzboy they said I would need. Ended up none were needed except the drive shaft (the handle bolts to it) for left use. And even in that it was the one for the right side so none of the parts were used. I figured out by measuring were to drill for reversing the shaft for left hand use. The handle had to be made to fit the new angle. I didn't have time to try to reorder the right shaft as it took many weeks of phone calls to get them to ship it and get the order right. I lost out on $48 and they wouldn't take the parts back. I am a 2nd gen upholster of 45 yrs now and have lost respect for layzboy. As you know they've cut back of quality as well on their frames,etc. Mine is a 2018 Rocker Recliner. Astor model in Leather.
I have a LazyBoy 3-position with the plastic position clips like you show in your video. The problem I have is it won't stay/lock in the full open/up position 95% of the time. The other position are fine.
@Dan Harvey - Remove the clips and inspect them for damage. If there are any gouges or other damage on either clip replace both of them. If they are both ok, have a repair tech check out your recliner to determine what's causing the problem.
Thank you for this lesson so much and I don’t think mine is repairable because the connection from the handle to the leg support is broken and it is stuck in the lock position so yea.. thank you for this
ratcheting works on mine, but back continually falls back until you are laying down. This has happened since day one. LB changed out mechanism once but it continues. I have tightened friction washers as tight as they will go. the metal band under the washers has bent in half. Once in full back position I can hardly get out of chair. I have screwed wooden stops to prevent it from going back so far, but shouldn't have to do that on a 2000 dollar chair. any thoughts.
bbirder - I have seen a case (many years ago) where a man would topple over backward whenever he reclined his Lane recliner. I inspected the chair and found nothing wrong. I sat down and reclined it myself, with no problems. As it turned out, the gentleman had an unusual body type. He stood about 6' 3-4" and carried most of his weight in his torso. As I recall, he had a medium build and was not obese. However, his legs were extremely thin. So, when he'd recline, most of his weight was pushing against the back. Without enough weight in his legs to counterbalance that force (weight) against the back, the chair would simply fall over backward. This was a rare case where his body type would not allow the chair to operate properly when he used it. Don't know if this might apply in your situation, but it is one example of how a user can have consistent problems when there is nothing mechanically wrong with the recliner. The design simply does not work with his body type. That's why it's always a good idea to try out those recliners before you buy!
Do you have a video of how to fix a lob-sided foot rest on a recliner that ratchets out. The right side is lower than the left side and looks goofy. Otherwise everything else works great. if you have a video could I please get the link to it? Thanks for making these videos
@garysmith9767 - Sounds like one of your Leg Extension scissors is bent, loose or broken. If one is damaged, I recommend installing a new set & replacing both.
La-Z-Boy is friendly but they want $150/hr labor. You, my friend, are a treasure! God bless!
You made that repair so simple, thank you! The pawl and ratchet are guaranteed for life (my chairs are currently 10 years old), the company only charged a few bucks for shipping the parts.
Curiously, my bride had found that hardened pawl tip in the carpet years ago (or the vacuum did) but nobody knew what it was. She had an 'ah-ha' moment when you showed it in the video. She'd saved it all this time just in case. 😄
Thanks for this video. Last night I repaired our old lazy boy, not only saving a thousand dollars but also having the satisfaction of repairing something myself in what has become a throw away world. It is people like you making the world a better place by sharing your knowledge.
@Mike Potter - Good job, Mike. And thanks for the kind words!
Thanks so much for posting this video. I had to replace the paw and pawl rack on my 2005 La-Z-Boy Recliners. It is truly amazing that they even lasted this long. The La-Z-Boy Factory sent me three replacement assemblies for only $15 total. All I had to do was provide chair serial numbers (ACK numbers) off of the original chair tags. Thank goodness I recorded those numbers on one of the La-Z-Boy owner's books because all of the original ID tags were removed when we had the chairs reupholstered. The 1.5" x 0.25 blocks definitely did the trick on reattaching the base. There was no need to tap the new pawl racks. The self-tapping original screws worked just fine. It took me about one hour per chair to do the repair. The only challenging part of the repair was restapling the leather near the interior of the recliner.
PS: I called my original Lazy Boy store and they gave me a La-Z-Boy number in Michigan to call and get the parts. There is no need to buy parts off of ebay for an exorbitant price when you can get them, brand new, from La-Z-Boy for next to nothing. And, they came within two weeks of ordering them.
As a footnote: I purchased two clips (pawl caps) off of Amazon for the pawl (a short term fix) . . . they didn't work at all and I returned them. Bottom line . . . get replacement parts from La-Z-Boy! I always wondered what those metal slivers were on my carpet over the last few years. It was those clips gradually falling apart. LOL
@raydelea5426 - You're welcome -- great post!
Thank you for saving my chair. Husband used your video to fix it several years ago and I’m still enjoying it. Simple and clear instructions, I got to keep my favorite recliner. And my Border Collie loves it too.
@zuzuspetals9281 - You're welcome -- and kudos to your husband!
We recently purchased some la-z-boy recliners from 1997 online that were in great shape still. And had this exact same issue, so thank you! I had no idea where to start, and after seeing this video, I was able to order the part off Amazon and can now enjoy my la-z-boy recliners!
@LordBourbon - You're welcome -- good job!
I replaced the ratchet and pawl on my lazboy following this video. Your instructions and video are so specific and clear I managed without any trouble. Thanks so much - it saved me over $100 to get a repairer to do it.
@TrevorColgan - You're welcome -- good job!
Thank you!
I bought a used la-z boy recliner to replace my other used la-z boy recliner, my "new" one would slide down randomly. thanks to your video I was able to take the parts out of my old one and put it in my "new" one!
also thanks to another one of your videos about having difficulties getting parts, I decided to cannibalise that entire recliner for spare parts.
Thanks for this great video. After getting the pawl and pawl rack shipped from La-Z-Boy I was able to replace the parts this morning and the chair now fully reclines like brand new. The only problem I ran into was that the 3 holes in the pawl rack were not pre-threaded. I had to put the pawl rack in a vice and slowly turn the screws into each hole manually, by hand, to cut threads into them. Then it was much easier to tighten it in place on the chair.
This video was everything I needed! Thank you SO much! After watching this, I figured I needed to order a new assembly. However, I noticed the spring which attaches the pawl to the arm, was missing. I happened to have a small spring from a pack of drum brake hardware which fit. It probably has a bit more tension than the proper spring, but it has completely fixed the collapsing issue. The pawl and rack are in good condition.
On a side note, the bang you mentioned at the end, I thought was a sign of wear. I'm glad to know it's normal. However, since replacing that spring, the bang is gone, and releasing the lever is basically silent.
Thanks again!
Great video. I'm elderly and I'm going to show this to my son and see if he can fix mine for me. I looked at new chairs and most are electric or have the button on the side, meaning you have to be strong to push the foot rest down, which I can not do. I need the handle. Your video seems so well done and explains everything in detail. Hopefully my son can find the time to repair mine. He is great with repairs so I think he can. Thank you so much for the video.
@loopev - You're welcome!
I just replaced my rack and pawl also. Very clear, informative video. Saved me a lot of money.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Fixed mine for free. The furniture store owner gave me the piece no charge.
The only thing I did was slide the wood shims in from the side instead of the ends. I used door shims,worked perfectly
@Jeff Vickers - You're welcome - good job!
Great instructions - clear and easy to follow. I was able to replace the rack and pawl on our recliner based on this walk-through.
Contacted La-z-boy and ordered the parts late on Tuesday, 6 October - just a $14.83 handling charge since the parts are covered by a lifetime warranty. Received the parts on Saturday, 10 October via UPS. Installed on Sunday. Installation went smoothly for the most part. A couple of the screws for the rack were very tight, but they were eventually removed. Installing those screws was again a little challenging as they were quite tight going back in.
The end result was better than expected and the recliner is very quiet again. Very much appreciate the guidance - thank you!
@David Davis - You're welcome -- & congrats on fixing your chair!
I just replaced the ratchet, with a new one, on one of my chairs. The holes in the ratchet were not tapped "No threads" so I had to tap them, 1/4-20 and the bit to remove the bolts is a T-30. Thanks to Recliner Repair Guy for the great videos!!
Thank you so much for this video! My poor wife has a five-gallon bucket holding up the foot of the recliner, and has to crawl out of the chair with great effort when she gets up. With your help I should be able to fix this for her.
BeneBooks Bookkeeping - You're welcome!
I found a La-Z Boy recliner at a garage sale in what looked like brand new condition. It was vintage enough that it was made with a hardwood base instead of the particle board they use now. It looked like it had never been sat upon. The only problem it had was that the ratcheting recline wasn’t working. They wanted ten whole dollars for it. While sitting in my car at the garage sale I did some googling and found this video. Then I went back in and looked at the pawl. The steel tip had fallen off. I checked eBay and found a new part for $45. I told the seller at the garage sale I’d give them five dollars. I brought it home and waited for the pawl. I now have a beautiful and comfortable La-Z Boy in perfect working order for a grand total of $50. Thank you!!!
@marshallgatten6465 - You're welcome -- good job!
@reclinerrepairguy4155 - The two screws that hold the pawl mechanism in keep getting loose causing the ratchet to slip. Do you have any suggestions to prevent that? I’ve thought about drilling through the wood and using bolts, but there’s VERY little space where the nuts would be and the wooden floor.
@@marshallgatten6465 - The easiest thing to try is to plug (or partially plug) the hole with wood. Then run the screws in by hand until they have a good "bite" or hold. If the first attempt or two only pushes the pieces of wood to the side of the hole, add more as needed. I use slivers or chunks cut off of a hardwood dowel for the plug.
@@reclinerrepairguy4155 Interesting. I’ve done that to fix stripped holes (for door hinges in particular), but it wouldn’t have occurred to me for a hole where the screws are turning themselves loose in a hardwood. I’ll give it a shot!
Thank you for an excellent video on replacing the ratchet/paw parts. One of the easiest to follow video's I have seen in years. The step by step is very clear, clean, and easy to follow. The spacers for the rocker springs is an excellent tip. Wish I have thought of that the first time...
I did not know that the paw had a hardend cap on it. So I removed it and built it up with some 8013 welding rod and the ground it back to angle...Of course here I am a few years down the road with the same problem...Going to track down the parts and do it right this time. Thanks again for the excellent video. Keep up the great work!
@Richard Smith - Thanks for the kind words, you're most welcome!
Thank you for these Lazy Boy Videos. They have helped me get my recliner/rocker back in working order. The videos were very informative and helpful!!!
@charliekirkland9322 - You're welcome -- good job!
Wow! Thanks so much for this video & your knowledge. My 77 year old mom just received those exact two pieces from Lazyboy… you made it look easy, I’m gonna give it a try this weekend… very grateful sir
@Douglas Sullivan - You're welcome and good luck with the repair!
Extremely helpful! Clear and concise demonstration. Thank you!
@Donna Donna - You're welcome!
Thank you for all these instruction so clearly demonstrated! With your help we ordered our replacement parts and did the repair ourselves. I am grateful that my husband’s favorite 14-year old chair operates like new! He has no more sad face....so we are both pleased as punch!
Lauren Smith - You're welcome -- well done! :)
Thanks for making this video. It gave me the confidence to fix my chair. The wear on my pawl was exactly the same as in the video. I couldn’t find parts online so contacted La-Z-Boy and those parts are covered by a lifetime warranty. The parts cost $13 for shipping and it took me less than an hour to fix it. Thanks again!
Matthew Lantz - You're welcome!
YOU ROCK! I had no idea why my wife's La-z-boy kept slipping. It turns out that the "pawl cap" came off. One of the tiny tabs on one side broke off. I would never have been able to figure that out without your video. How did anyone ever figure this stuff out before UA-cam?!?
*REALLY* well done 'how to' - TY for the time & effort to share this. I'm on a tight fixed income & must sleep in my recliner for health reasons, so being able to have my chair fixed for the parts cost is truly fortunate. Again, THANKS !!!
@Gordon Cavis - You're welcome!
Thank you so much for this video. I was able to identify the mystery part I found under my chair ages ago (tip off the pawl), then correctly diagnose the problem and identify problem parts. I was able to get the parts under warranty from lazy boy. Just paid shipping. Finally got it all fixed today flawlessly because I watched your video. Thanks again!
Andrea Smith - That's terrific -- you're welcome!
Currently, $190/hr to repair La Z Boy recliners. Thank you for taking time to share your knowledge with us.
@womanofsamaria - You're welcome! Unfortunately a $190/hr labor rate means "we really don't want to work on your chair unless you throw a lot of money at us!"
Thank you Recliner Repair Guy. Your video was a great help when I replaced the pawl and gear rack. Did it just as you said and it worked perfectly. You obviously know exactly what you are doing. The tips on those shims for the springs shows you have done this a time or two. Thanks again for your help.
@mike bossner - You're welcome -- good job!
Thanks. We bought a nice used recliner and got it home and found this problem with it. Turned out just to be the blade part was worn. I took the old part off our old recliner and put it on the one we bought. Luckily they were a match. Thanks for your videos, they are great.
@David Graham - You're welcome - good job!
What a nightmare dealing with the company! I had a wild idea to look for parts on Amazon and found them for a fraction of the cost. The two bolts that fasten the power rod were so tight I couldn't get them out but after an hour I did. Thank you so much for your videos, I saved $1500 doing it myself. Ex/aircraft mechanic.
@Richard Schmohl - You're welcome - good job!
Great instructional video! I ordered the pawl and pawl rack from ebay b/c I couldn't find them on the la-z-boy website. Got the parts today and it's fixed. Thank you!
@chmann7476 - You're welcome -- good job!
Thank you! I moved to a new house and somehow this piece was no longer connected to the seat. Luckily it just needed to be put back in place. Couldn't find it without you.
Alan Stupak - You're welcome!
Thank you for the detailed video. I was able to fix a recliner that didn't lock with the footrest up - discovered that the two screws holding the pawl in place had pulled out of the wood. Good as new now!
@David Donnelly - You're welcome - good job!
Made 5 years ago but still relevant today. Thank you so much. Now I can replace it myself.🤩
@pt6108 - You're welcome!
Thanks for your very clear and thorough demonstrations and useful tips. Much appreciated.
Mish Sparks - You're welcome!
I am a 78 year old woman who uses her Lazy Boy every night to sleep in. Your video is wonderful! I know I'm not up to fixing my recliner, but that's one of the things that needs to be done to it. The other thing is that, as I rock, the chair sort of twists a little bit and starts bumping. It sounds like wood on wood. So I have to stop rocking and put my feet down on the floor while I twist/jerk the chair counterclockwise. It stays for a while, and soon I have to do it again. Repeat as needed!. Do you have a video on fixing that? I'll say what everybody else probably would like to say...I WISH YOU LIVED NEXT DOOR!!! Thank you so much for your video. At least I know what needs to be done to it. God bless you!
@Cookie - It's not unusual for rocker/recliners to have some side-to-side movement. But when parts start rubbing or bumping (& you're not over-rocking), you likely have some loose or damaged parts causing the problem. Have an experienced La-z-boy repair tech check it out. They can also check out your ratcheting recline parts while they're at it.
Awesome video. Explanation clear, step by step how to do myself. Just need the parts, drill, screwdriver and spacers.
You have very good info on all this stuff. You are very good with this. I forgot to put a wood rocker between the springs and upset because I couldn't match the hose with the wood. I then saw your video about how to put a new bottom on The Lazy Boy recliner chair. I saw you left one side of the spring up and then the other side and put a wood there. Thank you so much you are great
@Sean Shay - Thanks -- you're welcome!
Thank you for making these videos im in europe and where i live its hard/impossible to find local knowledge on how these work :) im on my third lazy boy in 20 years due to not knowing how to repair them, even had to order my current recliner from abroad since there is no local retailer anymore.
Your videos helped when i installed the swivel since the instructions werent that great for someone that didnt know the names of the parts that it reffered to especially the spring removal and replacment was helpfull.
SNAiL MAN - You're welcome -- I'm glad the videos helped you out!
I just finished replacing the pawl and pawl rack on my chair. Works again! Your video was very informative. Thank you!
@Jeffrey Schmidt - You're welcome!
Great Video! Simple process once you know it. I ordered the 2 pieces from La-Z-Boy directly. No Charge! Under their warranty, just paid shipping. The only issue was the 3 holes in the new Pawl Rack were NOT tapped as required. It's a 1/4-20 screw. Tapped these and everything went smoothly.
@John Fritz - Those fasteners, as well as some others, are designed to self-tap. That's why I use a ratchet to install them, to apply more pressure.
Thanks for a very informative video. I was able get pawl and pawl rack from the area Lazy Boy outlet. My Lazy Boy was five years old but thankfully these parts have a lifetime warranty. The local furniture store where it was purchased had not advised of the warranty and was going to charge for the parts and labor. With your video I was able to do the repairs and that done the trick. I did observe the hardened metal piece was missing on the original pawl and it had two worn groves in it. Thanks again.
Ron Durand - You're welcome!
Thank you RRG...we thought our new chairs were defective with the loud pop sound releasing the recline mechanism. Good information.
@Soozie Sunshine - You're welcome!
Great job! Thank you for your video's on La-Z-Boy repair of the pawl and pawl ratchet as they really helped me to repair my recliner!
@David Smith - You're welcome -- good job!
Thank you so much! Fixed my issue of it slipping, the ratchet was all worn down. I really wish LaZBoy would secure that flap with Velcro rather than 50 staples…
@MrTheBigNoze - You're welcome -- good job!
Can you tell me where you got the parts? Thanks!
I called LaZBoy and they sent me the pawl and rack assembly for free, plus $14 shipping. There is a lifetime warranty for the mechanism @@springtheobald7876
@@springtheobald7876 - See this video -----> ua-cam.com/video/5M6d40rxH-s/v-deo.html
I just replaced my rack and pawl. Thanks. Great information.
@rich g - You're welcome!
You are a true gentleman, ordered my new pawl and will complete the repair due to your great video . You offer a great service to us DIY ers .
My first two recliners I kept for 50 plus years before replacing the Pawl sub assembly and the Paul indentured metal mechanism they came in a set and I got them from the local lazy boy dealer where I purchased the two new chairs after fixing the 50-year-old chairs which I gave to habitat for humanity as the two chairs were inspected by them and had many years to go as I kept them in well maintained order including shampooing the cloth every 6 months and I did have the original papers as the original owner to get the free parts with the lifetime warranty on the metal parts. Couple of weeks ago I went back to the lazy boy showroom and the original closed its doors two and a half years ago because the owner retired. Here it is 2021 2 1/2 years for the new chairs and I had to replace the PAWL sub assembly and the indentured metal unit. My experience with the lazy boy's for 53 years has caused me to look at how that assembly is made and the hardened steel portion needs to be electrically welded and not clipped on. When that p a w l assembly is made and it appears that it's been used for at least 50 years a slight re-engineering would cause it to last the life of the chair. However, lazy boy in my opinion based on what I know having fixed several parts on that specific chair the part lasts longer than most people keep the chair. My first two lazy boys are in a new home and those folks tell me the quality of The originals 50 years ago were better and I would agree. Thank you for producing these videos on how to repair a lazy boy and the chair is very easy to repair and replace a part it only took me 20 to 30 minutes as I wanted to be very careful I did not cause any damage to my brand new chairs. Thank you for having a professional video showing customers how to do it yourself and not having to pay someone to do something that anyone with a 8th grade education can do with the proper tools. Your safety comment about hand starting the screws before using the power tool is spot on and anyone doing this kind of work and send themselves to the hospital and have lots of stitches not to exclude the pain and suffering.
Wow, I think this is the problem with my chair. Thank you for the video and now all I need to do is order the parts and find a nice man to fix it for me.
Thanks again for the video. The boys at Lazyboy comped me both parts and I just changed them. Didn’t need to take off the rocker bottom. 70 yr ol lady😃
@mstucker52 - You're welcome - good job!
Great video, I am only a third of the way into it but I’ve already fixed mine. The ratcheting mechanism wasn’t engaging with the piece that is held by my failing wooden frame. Also, the background music is fire.
@Tasty Therrien - Good job!
Thanks for this great step by step video. I’m going to,order replacement parts now.
@billmar426 - You're welcome!
THANK YOU! for posting this video. My recliner was built in 2006 and has the ratcheting feature -- that is currently not holding its place. The ratchet appears to be worn, the pawl appears to be ok - not worn like the one you showed. Anyway, thanks for helping me troubleshoot!
@Ernie Hayden - You're welcome!
Please accept my thanks for you having created & posted this video.
@Gigi Kinney - You're welcome!
I was relaxing in my recliner the other day when my 85 pound German Short Hair decided it was time for cuddles. She jumped up on the foot rest and the chair made a loud pop and the ratchet let loose and the chair dove down. Now I know how to fix it.
This video was really informative and helpful! We were able to diagnose the problem and fix it very quickly thanks to this video! Thank you, Recliner Repair Guy!
@Alan Sutterlin - You're welcome!
You got us through it. Couldn't have done it without you. thank you so very much
c w avt - You're welcome!
Thanks for the video. It was very helpful. I was able to make my old lazyboy work like new. Thanks for your efforts.
@jimmcfadden1438 - You're welcome -- good job!
I really enjoyed watching your video and was ready to order the parts and do the job myself. I even turned the base of the chair over and looked at the parts. But the more I thought about it the problem with my chair isn't ratcheting. The problem with my chair is when the lever is engaged to raise the footrest sometimes it gets "hung up". By dropping my leg on the footrest a few times it will "release" and the footrest can be raised. It sometimes does the same thing when lowering the footrest. I have noticed, however, that since having turned the base over it seems to be operating very smoothly. (Tempting the Fates!) What I discovered when looking at the pawl and ratchet is the pawl was not in the middle of the rachet but was over to one side of the rachet. Apparently, the pawl was actually falling off one side of the pawl and that was what was causing it to get "hung up." I moved the pawl more to the center of the rachet and at the other end of the pawl where it is attached to the drive rod I moved it over a bit too. From that description can you tell me if you think my actions may have remedied the problem I described? And do you think the adjustment is permanent or if it is going to reoccur? And...am I pushing my luck? LOL! Is there another repair that needs to be done to correct this situation?
And an observation. Commenter Matt Ferguson said he couldn't find this part new anywhere online other than from au. I also found it at the au store. eBay had 4 or 5 used assemblies. By enlarging the pictures it was easy to see that the teeth on some of the rachets were worn but one, in particular, seemed very new looking.
I started out with the dealer here in town but they were very discouraging because my chair is so old. The tag said the expected shipping date was in 1987! They told me that parts prior to 1992 were no longer stocked. But since then I've found on a website that the pawl and rachet will fit any LaZBoy chair regardless of age. But the dealer told me I'd have to contact the manufacturer. I almost gave up. That's when I started searching online.
Thank you for reading this long comment and for any answers you may provide!
PS: I have pictures of the underside of my chair.
@klesmiley - It's not uncommon for the Pawl to not be aligned perfectly with the Pawl Rack. However, if the Pawl is not making contact with both rows of the metal teeth on the rack, that suggests another problem. Have an experienced tech diagnose it for you.
By the way, the 3-Position Footrest mechanism could be contributing to this opening / closing problem as well. And yes, the Pawl & Pawl Rack parts are still available for your chair.
It's important to understand that some dealers will focus primarily on sales, and will not want to help people with parts or repairs. There's not enough profit in it for them. That's why they discouraged you... and misled you. This is not uncommon. To learn more about the ups & downs with trying to get replacement parts & repair service, see this video ---> ua-cam.com/video/w8e6LZMxOvQ/v-deo.html
Also, if you don't purchase mechanism parts directly through La-z-boy or one of their dealers, the parts are not likely to be new, and you may be grossly overpaying for those parts as well.
You are a great teacher!
@byron shore - Thanks!
Bruce Thompson
One thing I didn't see mentioned is that the holes in the rack are not threaded. The bolts that go into the rack thread into the rack itself. That means that the bolts actually have to cut the threads I wound up having to put the rack in my vise to hold it steady, then used my drill on the bolt to cut the threads. Much easier than leaving the assembly on the chair. Also, I found it easier to remove a couple more staples to get the fabric loose rather than cutting the fabric. But the overall instructions were very helpful and some of the little tricks (the wood blocks on the springs) made the job much easier.
This knowledge would have helped me so much in repairing a broken lazy boy i once had. And also in the slow destruction of said recliner to fit it in the garbage over time. Now I'm shopping for a new one. Looks like it will cost at least $1000 to get my butt a new rocker swivel. I could have fixed the old one :(
Side note, the first break was the handle. Went to local dealer and they pulled one out of a box and sent me on my way. One of the extra long ones too. Never asked questions. My chair was like 30 years old. That is service.
Just fixed the ratchet mechanism thanks to this video. Thank you!
@David Parker - You're welcome!
Excellent video. I was able to fix my chair. The two screws holding the pall (not sure of spelling) to the bass were lying on the floor. I think it will need a third screw since the holes may be partially stripped. But the chair is now working and I understand how to fix it. Thank you!
@Michael Paul Gibson - You're welcome!
Have a question about lazy boy chair mine when I recline it my feet are so high in air I can not get out of it. My weight is around 300 bought chair new from lazy boy dealer in Toledo . I cant figure out whats wrong with it. Do you have any Ideas.? Thank you.
You do a great job with these videos. Thanks!
imperial56 - You're welcome!
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. Your videos guided me through the whole process successfully.
@Robert Chadwick -- You're welcome -- and congrats!
Excellent video. Thanks for taking the time to make this great video. I learned a lot! I thought my chair was just a lemon.
@Richard Venneman - You're welcome!
Thank you for the utube lesson. It made the task easy
Great information and video. I think I can even do it myself once I get the new parts.
Awesome! Just what I needed to know! Had the chair upside down earlier today! Didn’t notice the condition of the bracket bit to the pawl bit (ratcheted?) that it can slip from. Forgotten the right words already! 😽
My ratchet &pawl are still in good shape on this 25 yr old lazy boy ive got, My problem is the major "CLUNK" I get when releasing the pawl as mentioned in your video. Im on a 2nd floor hardfloor & ive had complaints from 1st flr and so what i did was 1: place a rug to help absorb sound. 2: lift up leg pressure as you push the release handle forward ( which is very counterintuitive). Saying this is normal operation to have a clunk sound is not kosher. I would think that the R/D dept @ LB would have an answer for this by now? They must have better designs? thanks for the vids Recliner repair Guy!!!
Thanks a lot for this video!! 😊 Although my recliner's mechanism was not used like the one from your video, I did experience the lock not locking to the furthest point. It would reach it and lock at first, but then, even without moving at all, it would skip down one level suddenly. And it started to do this a couple of days ago, and hasn't stop since. I removed the back, flipped the seat, and examined the mechanism as you have shown, only to find the little hardened metal plate on the floor. the little sort of hooks on the sides that keeps it on are broken, so the plate fell. I wonder if that means that I need to buy a whole new pawl, or if the little plate can be purchased by itself. But anyway, it seems the plate is also important to keep the locks up to the max. On lower levels it seems to stay locked. Thanks again!
@Vincent Allain - The small metal plate is the Pawl Cap. It's made of harder steel & protects the Pawl (black lever) tip -- that rides on the stairs -- from wear. When those come off you should replace the Pawl, as the Pawl Caps are not available separately.
You should also replace the Pawl Rack (metal stairs). It's likely that a couple of the stairs have become worn, causing the lever to slip when it comes to rest on the worn spot.
I received the pawl assy and pawl rack yesterday from La-Z-Boy. Cost $14.00 for handling.
The pawl rack isn't threaded. I didn't feel like going out to buy a tap (didn't know the size anyway) so I carefully made the threads by using the original 3 screws that hold the rack to the board. PITA.
La Z Boy is lazy for not supplying the part threaded like it supposed to be.
But following this video, the chair is like new again.
Thank you so much for taking the time and making such a helpful excellent video.
@BobsGT235 - You're welcome! Actually the Pawl Rack part has never been threaded. The fasteners that secure it in place are self-tapping.
@@reclinerrepairguy4155You have to use a ratchet and the correct size bit. You need the leverage of the ratchet to tighten them. They are tough to tighten, but they will work. I just replaced the pawl and pawl rack today.
OMG! Thank you SO much for this video! I was able to take the pawl from my broken la-z-boy (which was in perfect condition) & replace the grooved pawl on the la-z-boy that I use everyday. It works perfectly now & I couldn't have done it without this video! ☺
@MOMSTER 14 - You're welcome!
Welded hard service rod on the pawl. Works great. Had no idea they had a warranty.
Thank you for these videos. I just fixed my recliner!
Roseanna Williams - Terrific! You're welcome!
Mine LZB is just 4 or 5 years old & it is already slipping. LZB's are what they used to be. My 20+ year old model still works fine.
Excellent tutorial. I think I can fix mine now. Thank you!
@John Duffy - You're welcome!
This video was perfect. It showed us just what to look for. What we found was the pawl and the rack both seemed fine (and maybe we're wrong, we'll use your tutorial to fix them if we are) but what for sure is amiss is there's no spring. And, for the life of me I cannot figure out what spring we need for it. And everywhere I look for parts I'm only seeing the pawl and rack with not spring. I'm sure I'm missing something, but it's making me feel like a real dummy.
@Brandi S Olson - As mentioned in the video, some chairs have that spring, others do not. Most of the chairs I work on do not.
Remove the chair back & turn the bottom of the chair upside down. Next, open the footrest all the way. Then push down on the rear of the base to engage the Ratcheting Recline feature. You can see the Pawl engaging with the Pawl Rack. If it's slipping -- sliding over a section of the steps -- the Pawl Rack is worn and needs to be replaced.
@@reclinerrepairguy4155 🤔😟 I'm at a loss. The grooves of the rack don't look worn down at all. And the pawl still has the plastic cover and no wear. 🤷🏻♀️ Thank you!
Thank you for being so helpful ☺️
@ryan ramsey - You're welcome!
So glad I found your channel! My old La z Boy rocks back fine and stays engaged but it suddenly won’t go back down when you close the foot rest. It stays engaged. How can I fix that?
@J W - Issues with the 3-Position Footrest can also cause that problem. Remove the back & turn the bottom of the chair over onto the floor. Now you can operate the mechanism & see what's going on.
Can easily be done without removing base. Torx T20 and T25. My paw rack came without the holes being threaded. Had to tap holes to 1/4-20 threads to use original 3 bolts.
@Michael Leeman - Correction: The proper torx sizes are T25 & T30.
I did same. Removed without removing base. Took about 15 minutes total time. I pulled the carpet off one side. Cut it with a razor knife and glued it back down. Also yes T25/T30 as corrected.
@@billuhman Can you help me locate the new ratchet? Have searched the La-z Boy site, is it necessary to request this on the contact us form? Thank You.
I replaced the rack and pawl on both our recliners thanks to you4 UA-cam videos. You are a great teacher. Thank you so much. I hop3 you can now help me with another problem. I am having them recovered by an upholsterer, one has been returned but the back no longer tilts back. It is locked in the upright position. What did the upholsterer do wrong? She doesn’t think she did anything to cause this problem. I hope you can help with an answer to this one.
@Jackie Grimsey - The Seat Swings control the back tilt. She likely reinstalled them incorrectly, or tightened the tension adjustment thumbsrew all the way, which you do not want to do.
For Seat Swings install, see -----> ua-cam.com/video/jzN1x5jZ-gA/v-deo.html
For back-tilt tension adjustment, see ----> ua-cam.com/video/eGYS17hvOzY/v-deo.html
Mine was worn out so I removed the rachet and paul and welded dabs extra metal on using a 110v small mig welder then reground the teeth and the paul so far its working well.
Great video , you are my hero!
💙🤗💙I THINK I could do this myself if I'm able to turn the chair upside down. I know how the back comes off. Thanks a bunch.💙🤗💙
@Carol Mullins - You're welcome -- be careful!
14:03 Thank you. I came here for the "pop." I thought I was breaking my new chair.
La-Z-Boy recliners love them truly the best same with their reclining sofas! High quality that lasts!!! Only issue have a La-Z-Boy reclining sofa on the footrest it doesn't stay in the up position to recline back far enough what is up with it?
Thank you. You and your video are very helpful!
Rob G - You're welcome!
I enjoyed this video. It looked so easy I decided to try it myself. I worked for hours and finally installed a new pawl and rack. Sad to say it didn’t fix the problem. If you rock back and raise the foot rest it slips back. What now?
@TomCole-w5c - Something to check: make sure the Pawl is properly engaging with the Pawl Rack when the Ratcheting Recline is activated.
To see what's happening, remove the chair back & turn the bottom of the chair upside down on the floor. Now you can operate the footrest & ratcheting recline by hand & see what's going on. If you're unable diagnose the issue, contact an experienced repair tech to help you.
Excellent how to video
Merci beaucoup, j'ai changé ces pièces sur mes deux fauteuils. On dirait qu'ils sont neufs. Merci pour le truc des petits morceaux de bois de 1 1/2", que l'on met aux ressorts.
I believe that the only thing that is broken is the retention spring that connects the linkage. But I'm not sure what size spring i need to get. Also the screws connecting the pawl to the base are stripped. Will use larger screws.
@Donna Macrino - If you can, email a photo of the spring you're referring to at pete@reclinerrepairguy.com
I got the change from right to left handed rocker recliner handle done.. PIA. I Ordered parts from layzboy they said I would need. Ended up none were needed except the drive shaft (the handle bolts to it) for left use. And even in that it was the one for the right side so none of the parts were used. I figured out by measuring were to drill for reversing the shaft for left hand use. The handle had to be made to fit the new angle. I didn't have time to try to reorder the right shaft as it took many weeks of phone calls to get them to ship it and get the order right. I lost out on $48 and they wouldn't take the parts back. I am a 2nd gen upholster of 45 yrs now and have lost respect for layzboy. As you know they've cut back of quality as well on their frames,etc. Mine is a 2018 Rocker Recliner. Astor model in Leather.
imperial56
Jim - Unfortunately, messed up part orders are nothing new in the furniture business. I order directly from the manufacturer whenever possible. That way, if I don't get the correct parts (thru no fault of my own), they will (usually) make good on the part order and send the correct parts at no additional cost. As you pointed out,, however, that does take more time.
I'm curious, did you order thru a dealer or directly from La-z-boy?
@@reclinerrepairguy4155 Layzboy direct. customer care center. jerks.
Thanks. I have to change the handle from right to left. I have parts from lay z boy. Wish me luck. Recliner bought this fall of 2018. Rocker recliner
How’d it go .?
@@ciardiellofarms674 Ordered parts from layzboy they said I would need. Ended up none were needed except the drive shaft (the handle bolts to it) for left use. And even in that it was the one for the right side so none of the parts were used. I figured out by measuring were to drill for reversing the shaft for left hand use. The handle had to be made to fit the new angle. I didn't have time to try to reorder the right shaft as it took many weeks of phone calls to get them to ship it and get the order right. I lost out on $48 and they wouldn't take the parts back. I am a 2nd gen upholster of 45 yrs now and have lost respect for layzboy. As you know they've cut back of quality as well on their frames,etc. Mine is a 2018 Rocker Recliner. Astor model in Leather.
I have a LazyBoy 3-position with the plastic position clips like you show in your video. The problem I have is it won't stay/lock in the full open/up position 95% of the time. The other position are fine.
@Dan Harvey - Remove the clips and inspect them for damage. If there are any gouges or other damage on either clip replace both of them. If they are both ok, have a repair tech check out your recliner to determine what's causing the problem.
@@reclinerrepairguy4155 Thank you. I'll check that out.
Thank you for this lesson so much and I don’t think mine is repairable because the connection from the handle to the leg support is broken and it is stuck in the lock position so yea.. thank you for this
ratcheting works on mine, but back continually falls back until you are laying down. This has happened since day one. LB changed out mechanism once but it continues. I have tightened friction washers as tight as they will go. the metal band under the washers has bent in half. Once in full back position I can hardly get out of chair. I have screwed wooden stops to prevent it from going back so far, but shouldn't have to do that on a 2000 dollar chair. any thoughts.
bbirder - I have seen a case (many years ago) where a man would topple over backward whenever he reclined his Lane recliner. I inspected the chair and found nothing wrong. I sat down and reclined it myself, with no problems.
As it turned out, the gentleman had an unusual body type. He stood about 6' 3-4" and carried most of his weight in his torso. As I recall, he had a medium build and was not obese. However, his legs were extremely thin. So, when he'd recline, most of his weight was pushing against the back. Without enough weight in his legs to counterbalance that force (weight) against the back, the chair would simply fall over backward.
This was a rare case where his body type would not allow the chair to operate properly when he used it. Don't know if this might apply in your situation, but it is one example of how a user can have consistent problems when there is nothing mechanically wrong with the recliner. The design simply does not work with his body type.
That's why it's always a good idea to try out those recliners before you buy!
those spacers are no joke
Do you have a video of how to fix a lob-sided foot rest on a recliner that ratchets out. The right side is lower than the left side and looks goofy. Otherwise everything else works great. if you have a video could I please get the link to it? Thanks for making these videos
@garysmith9767 - Sounds like one of your Leg Extension scissors is bent, loose or broken. If one is damaged, I recommend installing a new set & replacing both.