The La-z-boy Ratcheting Recline Feature

How the La-z-boy Ratcheting Recliner feature works, and how to repair it when it stops working.

[@csly6411]

La-Z-Boy is friendly but they want $150/hr labor. You, my friend, are a treasure! God bless!

[@johnlawrence2928]

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. 😄

[@raydelea5426]

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

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@raydelea5426 - You're welcome -- great post!

[@mikepotter969]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Mike Potter - Good job, Mike. And thanks for the kind words!

[@LordBourbon]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@LordBourbon - You're welcome -- good job!

[@TrevorColgan]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@TrevorColgan - You're welcome -- good job!

[@DavidSmith-vo4ls]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@David Smith - You're welcome -- good job!

[@mikebossner6404]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@mike bossner - You're welcome -- good job!

[@SimplyAndi1]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Andrea Smith - That's terrific -- you're welcome!

[@snapdragon8888]

I just replaced my rack and pawl also. Very clear, informative video. Saved me a lot of money.

[@Walnut500]

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.

[@terb5804]

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!!

[@LaurenSmith-vd7ti]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Lauren Smith - You're welcome -- well done! :)

[@rondurand8403]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Ron Durand - You're welcome!

[@gordoncavis1374]

*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 !!!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Gordon Cavis - You're welcome!

[@GaryA]

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.

[@Tom-ik5sc]

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!

[@MatthewLantz]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Matthew Lantz - You're welcome!

[@douglassullivan3717]

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

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Douglas Sullivan - You're welcome and good luck with the repair!

[@BrandonBlackmoor]

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 KZbin?!?

[@jeffschmidt207]

I just finished replacing the pawl and pawl rack on my chair. Works again! Your video was very informative. Thank you!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Jeffrey Schmidt - You're welcome!

[@davidgraham9590]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@David Graham - You're welcome - good job!

[@seanshay7646]

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

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Sean Shay - Thanks -- you're welcome!

[@alansutterlin3016]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Alan Sutterlin - You're welcome!

[@DavidDavisL]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@David Davis - You're welcome -- & congrats on fixing your chair!

[@Snail3r]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

SNAiL MAN - You're welcome -- I'm glad the videos helped you out!

[@Igotnyowngametoplay]

Please accept my thanks for you having created & posted this video.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Gigi Kinney - You're welcome!

[@mishsparks]

Thanks for your very clear and thorough demonstrations and useful tips. Much appreciated.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Mish Sparks - You're welcome!

[@richardsmith7823]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Richard Smith - Thanks for the kind words, you're most welcome!

[@benebooksbookkeeping1194]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

BeneBooks Bookkeeping - You're welcome!

[@robertchadwick2925]

Thank you so much for sharing your expertise. Your videos guided me through the whole process successfully.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Robert Chadwick -- You're welcome -- and congrats!

[@cwavt8849]

You got us through it. Couldn't have done it without you. thank you so very much

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

c w avt - You're welcome!

[@imperial56]

You do a great job with these videos. Thanks!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

imperial56 - You're welcome!

[@martinmaloney7294]

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 .

[@Alan-qc3dk]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Alan Stupak - You're welcome!

[@RueMontagu]

Extremely helpful! Clear and concise demonstration. Thank you!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Donna Donna - You're welcome!

[@capoeirabrasil]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@David Donnelly - You're welcome - good job!

[@loopev]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@loopev - You're welcome!

[@chmann7476]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@chmann7476 - You're welcome -- good job!

[@jeffvickers9390]

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

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Jeff Vickers - You're welcome - good job!

[@womanofsamaria]

Currently, $190/hr to repair La Z Boy recliners. Thank you for taking time to share your knowledge with us.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@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!"

[@jansinna9221]

Great information and video. I think I can even do it myself once I get the new parts.

[@roseannawilliams9000]

Thank you for these videos. I just fixed my recliner!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Roseanna Williams - Terrific! You're welcome!

[@johnfritz9885]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@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.

[@GraceLikeRainHouse]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Richard Schmohl - You're welcome - good job!

[@davidparker3200]

Just fixed the ratchet mechanism thanks to this video. Thank you!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@David Parker - You're welcome!

[@tastytherrien5106]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Tasty Therrien - Good job!

[@erniehayden]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Ernie Hayden - You're welcome!

[@pt6108]

Made 5 years ago but still relevant today. Thank you so much. Now I can replace it myself.🤩

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@pt6108 - You're welcome!

[@Buzzaard1949]

Thank you. You and your video are very helpful!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Rob G - You're welcome!

[@momster1453]

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! ☺

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@MOMSTER 14 - You're welcome!

[@loveistheanswer7702]

Thank you RRG...we thought our new chairs were defective with the loud pop sound releasing the recline mechanism. Good information.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Soozie Sunshine - You're welcome!

[@mstucker52]

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😃

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@mstucker52 - You're welcome - good job!

[@maestrobamusic]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Michael Paul Gibson - You're welcome!

[@peterbender8907]

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.

[@kattoneycliffe6715]

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! 😽

[@johnduffy6546]

Excellent tutorial. I think I can fix mine now. Thank you!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@John Duffy - You're welcome!

[@Hooodaddy]

I just replaced my rack and pawl. Thanks. Great information.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@rich g - You're welcome!

[@martinmaloney7294]

Great video , you are my hero!

[@klesmiley]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@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 ---> kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWnIZ3-Qgt2CrLM 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.

[@rvenneman]

Excellent video. Thanks for taking the time to make this great video. I learned a lot! I thought my chair was just a lemon.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Richard Venneman - You're welcome!

[@byronshore3503]

You are a great teacher!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@byron shore - Thanks!

[@vallaindigital]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@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.

[@jimmcfadden1438]

Thanks for the video. It was very helpful. I was able to make my old lazyboy work like new. Thanks for your efforts.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@jimmcfadden1438 - You're welcome -- good job!

[@user-xi8ls5fx1r]

Thank you for the utube lesson. It made the task easy

[@charlessullivan1340]

Excellent how to video

[@ryanramsey9030]

Thank you for being so helpful ☺️

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@ryan ramsey - You're welcome!

[@bigfootmn]

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.

[@TheBirdandEagle]

Great videos. Thank you.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

TheBirdandEagle - You're welcome!

[@gwmattos]

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.

[@pfleeger2010]

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.

[@billmar426]

Thanks for this great step by step video. I’m going to,order replacement parts now.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@billmar426 - You're welcome!

[@MF-kb2nv]

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.

[@pdv9184]

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!!!

[@patriotgrammy8632]

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.

[@jackiegrimsey7888]

I replaced the rack and pawl on both our recliners thanks to you4 KZbin 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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@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 -----> kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKuxYqtrn79gnaM For back-tilt tension adjustment, see ----> kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3i8hGRtnduCsLs

[@darrelwilson7334]

Thank you for your informative videos. My chair started malfunctioning a couple days ago. I found the pawl cap laying on the floor with one of its tabs broken off. My question is, do they sell replacement caps, or do you have to buy the whole assembly? The rest of the parts are undamaged at this time. if I can't buys a new wear cap, I may just silver solder it on to the pawl.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Darrel Wilson - I don't believe the caps are available separately. Those caps are under pressure when the Pawl is engaged in the Pawl Rack and someone is seated in the chair. It's easier to just replace the Pawl. You might also need a new Rack. La-z-boy parts can be obtained from the manufacturer or one of their dealers.

[@bongoscongasantiquecashreg4544]

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?

[@MrTheBigNoze]

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…

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@MrTheBigNoze - You're welcome -- good job!

[@springtheobald7876]

Can you tell me where you got the parts? Thanks!

[@MrTheBigNoze]

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

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@@springtheobald7876 - See this video -----> kzbin.info/www/bejne/a36ZlWdmp917Y9U

[@JW-th2dw]

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?

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@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.

[@budgillett9627]

Welded hard service rod on the pawl. Works great. Had no idea they had a warranty.

[@kennethhurne591]

Great informative video. I bought ours new about 4 months ago and in the last week the rocker stopped locking when the foot rest was raised. Found that the bolt holding the pawl to the base had slipped out. The lock washer just isn't holding it. Is there a better method for this like using a threaded bolt with washers and a lock nut? Wondering what an appropriate size would be. Also noticed mine does not have the retention spring. Could that be the issue?

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Kenneth Hurne - Keep in mind that your chair should still be covered by warranty -- unless you bought it "as-is" -- and that the seller (dealer) is obligated to honor that warranty. There shouldn't be any lock washer, unless they've changed the design on some of their new chairs. Someone may have attempted a repair and failed to do it properly. Not all Pawls come with the extra spring. If your Pawl is engaging and releasing properly everything's fine.

[@rickcarson9423]

Coolio! Thanks Recliner guy!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@rickcarson9423 - You're welcome!

[@BenDover-ez2uv]

Thank you! I have a brown leather La-Z-Boy recliner that will recline but won’t recline all the way. Any ideas?

[@chrisw5948]

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 :(

[@chrisw5948]

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.

[@cookie761]

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!

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@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.

[@cccodfish]

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

[@ciardiellofarms674]

How’d it go .?

[@cccodfish]

@@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.

[@user-rg3fq1jg6n]

Thanks for the excellent instructions! Can it be done without removing the base?

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@0828 0828 - Yes, but it's more difficult to do the repair that way.

[@user-rg3fq1jg6n]

@@reclinerrepairguy4155 Thank you for the quick response!

[@brandonpassey3963]

Thanks so much! I've been looking for help on this particular problem for a long time. Now if my pawl rack is worn out but my pawl is ok except that I don't have that extra spring that connects to the pawl would I want to find the spring first or just try to replace the pawl rack?

[@brandonpassey3963]

Also, where can I find the parts? I've looked on their website and googled it all but I can't seem to find it.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Brandon Passey - Some La-z-boys come with the Pawl spring and some don't. If the spring did not come with your chair, you don't need it. Replace the rack and you'll be back in business.

[@brandonpassey3963]

@@reclinerrepairguy4155 thanks! Now where can I find the parts? I've tried their website. Do I have to go into a store for it?

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

Brandon Passey - You can get La-z-boy parts from the manufacturer, or one of their dealers... basically any retailer that's authorized to sell & service their products.

[@Tracylynn62]

Thank you for this. I love my leather lazy boy and was afraid I was going to have to get rid of it. I found the pawl tip on the floor and didn't know what it was. I'm going to try to reattach it. Is that possible?

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Tracylynn - You can try reattaching the Pawl Cap, but it's not likely to stay on. It's easier to just the replace the Pawl. Also, if your chair is more than a few years old, the Pawl Rack (the metal stairs the Pawl rides on) is likely to have some wear. You can replace that now as well, or wait for it to start slipping when the wear becomes excessive.

[@donnamacrino1976]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Donna Macrino - If you can, email a photo of the spring you're referring to at [e-mail]

[@ASI15236]

Glad I searched and found your set of videos. Lazy Boy has a lifetime warranty, technician install is pay for the visit. Do know if LB will they send out replacement parts? or where can I purchase? Thanks in advance.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Daniel Casciato - La-z-boy parts can be ordered from the manufacturer or one of their dealers. If you have a local dealer, check with them first. They often have common parts in stock.

[@brandisolsonnicolaisen1861]

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.

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@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.

[@brandisolsonnicolaisen1861]

@@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!

[@jeffrx]

perfect video

[@Cco375Ranger]

Great Video, thanks, I am getting my pawl rack tomorrow, my son was sitting in the chair and the metal clip piece broke off the first part you replaced, so that is in good condition but when I looked I noticed the pawl rack part the groves were all worn and looked bad. So I am replacing that and I have 2 new clips for the part that catches. Is there a correct way the clips go onto that piece? Should I see the 2 U hooks that hold it in place or should they face away from me? Thanks

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Cco375Ranger - If the piece you're referring to -- "the metal clip piece" -- is the Pawl cap, I don't recommend reattaching or replacing those. Those are more likely to come loose & fall off again. Replacing the Pawl (lever) with a new one with a factory installed cap is usually a more permanent fix.

[@richardcaula8367]

thanks for the info will do

[@fb510m]

Ah thank you, just the information I was looking for. my recliner with ratcheting foot rest has been ticking me off for a few years. I just decided enough is enough and started to look at the problem, then figured I'd better check KZbin before tearing into it. glad you made this video! both my pawl and rack are worn. not quite as bad as you show here, but bad enough to cause the foot rest not holding it's position. my question is where did you buy the pawl and rack? new subscriber today. Regards! only to know, once I take off that fabric once, I'll poke holes in the fabric where the screw heads are, so if the pawl rack ever needs replaced again the screw heads will be visible and accessible from the front, it's new owner, I'll be gone by then, will not have to take that fabric off. done and doner...

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@PAUL - You can order parts from the manufacturer or one of their dealers. Tip: Dealers should have these 2 parts in-stock.

[@fb510m]

@@reclinerrepairguy4155 Received my replacement parts from LZB directly under warranty. Installed them per the video, foot rest works as good as, or better than new now. Thank you for helping us with all of this!!!!

[@carolmullins5085]

💙🤗💙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.💙🤗💙

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Carol Mullins - You're welcome -- be careful!

[@kuzmicivan]

Is there any chance to show in one of your videos how that ratcheting recline feature works when recliner is up side down, so I could try to ad that feature to reclining mechanism that I produce. I m curious what part actually make rocking stop, and how it happens. I m from Europe, Serbia so I don t really have access to real Lazy boy recliners? There are only cheap copies of lazy boy over here. Thanks anyway, you are doing great job and you make good and useful videos!

[@rochfrechette1468]

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.

[@jschoeller]

Thanks for making this video. The ratcheting mechanism on my chair started failing and I found that the pawl cap had fallen off. However, even when I replaced the pawl cap, the mechanism continued to fail. I don't see excessive wear on the pawl or ratchet assembly, and it feels a bit like the spring holding the pawl in place might not have enough tension anymore. Is this possible, and do you know whether there is a fix short of replacing the entire pawl assembly?

[@reclinerrepairguy4155]

@Jonathan Schoeller - Most likely you'll need to replace both the Pawl & Pawl Rack with new parts. By replacing both parts you are eliminating all the typical reasons for the ratcheting recline to slip: weak Pawl spring (not common), worn Pawl Rack steps (most common), Pawl Cap coming off again (common), etc. And by the way, replacing the Pawl Subassembly is not difficult. There are only 2 screws attaching it to the base. If you don't want to remove the base, you can try removing the Pawl while the base is still attached. It's awkward, but if you're patient, it can be done.