Recliner Pads - Interesting Discovery??

[CaptainGizmo]

Well, I think I discovered something odd.

I got a replacement set of pads from Flexsteel for the recliners. My pads looked like the guys at Newmar played hockey with them behind the forklifts!

In addition to that 8 little round buttons, mine had a set of 3 half-round plastic pieces that were held in with 1 screw. I found that these were worn down SO far, that the screws were now at the same level as the plastic...just ready to start scraping my floor.

This is why I ordered another set. The nice lady at Flexsteel wasn’t quite sure about those 3 pieces, so she had to ask someone.

But, I THINK I KNOW WHY she didn’t know about them. I have a very distinct feeling these are ONLY for shipping, and are supposed to be removed before installing the chairs.

Reason being, they are bigger, and the circular base actually rides on those 3 pieces, rather than the 8 small buttons.

So, I removed them and just left the buttons on, and I feel the bases are substantial easier to move and feel nowhere near as “gritty”.

Now, yes, the issue of the FWS trim. Dutch Star Don and I used his tip of 5/8” vinyl tubing around the ring. It worked “ok” for me, but my chairs teeter-tottered when those rings spanned the trim piece. So that was a deal-breaker.

I’m curious how many folks still have these pieces left on without knowing. I’m going to contact Flexsteel to see if, in fact, I am right.

Perhaps one of you already knows!?

[Renipladlo]

Hmmmm, think you got it based on the picture. On our current one, the recliner was bolted to the floor, so when we took it out, those came out. It has a number of little rubber feet, more than 4, so I'm sure they are used to stabilize the chair when on the floor. If you are worried about scratches from those little feet, you can buy little felt stick on over feet (cannot think of the correct word) at home depot, various sizes, clean off the present feet with alcohol to remove dirt and grease, etc. They should stick on fine. I had to use these little things on various cabinet doors, toilet seat so it would not make bang noise when opening too wide.

[TJ]

"Vewy intewesting" as Elmer Fudd would say. I just looked at the bases on our recliners and found the three plastic pads installed...and, worn almost to the point where the mounting screw could scratch the floor. Thanks for the heads up. They will come off!

The 8 smaller buttons feel a bit softer and seem to be designed to keep the base from sliding around as you sit down. We've had a bit of an issue with that and I suspect removing the plastic pads will help in that regard.

TJ

[NWIP]

We don’t have them on ours just the round rubber feet.

[mbrooking]

I'll have to check ours. Seems like I remember the larger "feet". Ours however are Villa, but seem similar. We ended up getting a bath mat about the width of the base and we can slide the recliners in and out without dragging across the FWS rubber trim.

[BBorgo]

Thanks to CaptainGizmo! Read of his discovery this morning, checked this afternoon, 3 plastic pieces in place on each of our recliners, one was just to the "polish the screw head stage". Probably as close to scratching the floor as I want to get....
Thanks for posting, you truly saved me some trouble!

Bob

[10 fan]

Both of mine have the 3 plastic feet. Thanks for the heads up.

[crockdar]

Ours “had” them. Thanks!

[flyboy013]

Originally Posted by CaptainGizmo

I’m curious how many folks still have these pieces left on without knowing. I’m going to contact Flexsteel to see if, in fact, I am right.

My recliners still have them installed. Any word back from Flexsteel?

[bbrewer841]

Tipped our 2 recliner chairs over yesterday and removed the 3 plastic cylinders. Chairs seem easier to move away from wall when needed. Thanks for the heads up! Saved the parts "just in case."

[RetireeKeith]

Captain Gizmo,

Are you sure that you have Flexsteel recliners? I have Lambright recliners in my 2016 Dutch Star and I was not aware that Newmar switched to Flexsteel. I believe that the sofas are Flexsteel but not the recliners. I have the Lambright Elite model but I believe Newmar changed to the Luxe model in 2017 or 2018. The recliner base ring in your photo looks the the base ring I have on my recliners.

Lambright is a small Amish company located about 20 miles from Nappanee. They do not have a website that I know of and you can only contact them by leaving a message on an answering machine due to the Amish avoidance of technology. I visited them to get the stuffing in my recliners adjusted and to get my recliners electrified (highly recommended so you can stop at any incline position). You can see the different Lambright recliner models on the braddandhall.com website.

I originally had the small round button feet (5) on my support ring but they very quickly badly chewed up the rubber strip in the slideout floor joint. Newmar sent me some replacement hard plastic feet that look like fat black cocktail sausages that are hollowed out down the length (to fit around the ring tubing) and which attach with a single screw. They said to install 3 feet equally spaced around the ring. (You need a thread tap to thread the new holes).

These new feet also chewed up the rubber strip until I filled in the sharp edged hole where the screws are countersunk into each plastic foot. I used two part epoxy to fill the screw holes. If the feet need replacing I have several spare sets and the installed feet can easily be broken to remove the epoxy covered screw. Although I did have to replace one of these plastic feet because it split, I have not noticed any wear on the new feet after about 1 1/2 years.

Hope this is useful.

[Ernie.]

Nice catch Captain.

[mbrooking]

Mine are Villa and had 4 of the plastic feet with a semi recessed screw head. I went ahead and removed as there are 8 of the smaller feet.

[TJ]

Removed mine just now and the recliners feel much more secure. Instead of moving back every time I parked myself in the chair, it stayed put. I will watch for damage to the rubber strip, but don't anticipate a problem as I have positioned the rubber buttons to straddle the strip.

If I were ever to use the three larger, hard-plastic pads, I would add some kind of non-skid material to the bottom of them.

TJ