Repairing recliner couch mechanism

[DaveC426913]

TL;DR

Recliner couch got misaligned when it was extended with something underneath. Won't fully open. Have checked all the obvious culprits. A real headscratcher.

Bought this recliner couch DC (During Covid). Left side was opened while the Roomba was underneath and that has caused some misalignment so that now it doesn't open all the way anymore. It doesn't close all the way either, but that's hardly noticeable.

I've finally gotten the courage to flip it on its back and try to fix it. Thing is, I can't find anything amiss.

I've checked every strut against the working side, and none of them are bent or disconnected.
I've checked every pivot point and none of them have popped.
I've checked for adjustment points where a factory mechanical might fine-tune it, but as far as I can tell there are none.
I've checked that the piston is fully retracting and fully extending - both sides are the same.

What I can say is that all the struts seem to be off by an inch or so compared to the working side.
When retracted, the struts are about an inch shy of fully-retracted.
When extended, the struts don't extend enough to push the 2nd foot rest (there are two) out.

I'm stumped.

 

[berkeman]

Fair warning -- this thread could be closed at any time due the the dangers involved...

https://www.mandatory.com/assets/uploads/2020/03/GettyImages-82836884.jpg

 

[hutchphd]

Have you interrogated the Roomba? Sounds like an inside job...can't trust those robots. Resistance is futile

Can you find parts for it online? I find the exploded drawings are often more useful than staring at the couch.
Also I have a La-Z-Boy recliner and their online service were wonderful. The lifetime warranty allowed me to rebuild the entire mechanism for 13.95 shipping fee for a bunch of new parts.
Maybe someone at the factory can point you at the part that usually screws up. My chair has a lever that lifts the feet but also releases "ratchet" when pushed back down. It requires tight tolerance

 

[Baluncore]

I'm stumped.

From here, it looks to me like a two bar hinged linkage near the end footrest, has become inverted and is being pushed upwards, instead of dropping downwards during deployment.

 

[DaveC426913]

Have you interrogated the Roomba? Sounds like an inside job...can't trust those robots. Resistance is futile

You may just have something there.

In unrelated shenanigans, the Roomba (who responds to "Spot" of course)

was sent to do its thing in the bedroom, but has not been seen in two weeks, despite an extensive search.

Can you find parts for it online? I find the exploded drawings are often more useful than staring at the couch.

Yeah. I've been looking. No joy yet. I get all-in-one shots from sales sites but nothing useful.

 

[DaveC426913]

From here, it looks to me like a two bar hinged linkage near the end footrest, has become inverted and is being pushed upwards, instead of dropping downwards during deployment.

Yeah, I thought so too. But really the whole extension mechanism all the way to the back seems to be at-fault.

 

[Tom.G]

A few ideas.

1) As @Baluncore mentioned, the linkage near the end footrest sure looks confused. Try starting with the assembly in the 'closed'/'retracted' position. Then have someone pull strenuously on that last footrest while starting the 'recline' procedure in the normal fashion.

2) I can't tell for sure, but it looks like some of the linkage joints have bolts rather than rivets. If so, try removing one/some of them, then getting the footrest in the correct position and re-assemble.

∞-1) Apply a big hammer!

 

[Baluncore]

Yeah, I thought so too. But really the whole extension mechanism all the way to the back seems to be at-fault.

The mechanism is made from a chain of cross connected links. A force is applied to one end of the chain, that flows out and along the chain until there is a mechanical collision. The chain between the source and the collision will lock solid, but any link beyond the point of collision should have some movement in the hinge pins and further links.

The linkage that controls the far footrest is clearly inverted. I believe that is causing a premature collision during deployment, which limits the total movement. I therefore expect the entire chain to be rigid.

Search the chain again for the actual points of collision.