Table leg replacement

[Dave R]

Hey there folks- we have a wobbly table issue. It uses the single chrome leg with the crimped ends. Quick and easy to take in and out and get out of the way...BUT, like I said it's wobbly- not good. I tend to think it's just a lazy (lousy) design? I saw other styles that I want to try and figure I have at least a couple of options: replace just the leg with one of an equal diameter that's not crimped at the ends hoping it fits in snugly and that just solves the wobble issue. Or replace the whole system (mounts and the leg) so I'm certain to get a package that's designed all in one.

I'm not too concerned with the floor mount if I get one that's not perfectly flush. It's not in a traffic area. But I'm hoping it installs easily enough into the existing hole.

Anyone have experience with these or any useful tips for avoiding unforseen problems?

Thanks for your help!
Dave

[mloganusda]

Just a thought, could you not take a pair of pliers an bend the crimped end out somewhat to stop wobbly? Or saw off the crimped end so the tube is straight? Wrap something rubber around the crimped end to take up the slack? On my rv the tube had a plastic cap on both ends and never wobbled.

[avanti]

Just buy a new one. Everything imaginable is readily available.

Random example:
https://www.amazon.com/Manufacturers.../dp/B07VQ9DBBJ

[Dave R]

It'll probably end up just requiring a new one, but it seems worth a try at snugging up the existing one up, as suggested. This would avoid potential new screw holes, etc. Or worse discovering what's there won't allow an easy installation of anything new. Currently the only thing that shows on the floor is the carpet and the hole you insert the leg into. If I go with the new set up, I'll go with something very similar or just like what you suggested.

Maybe I'm overthinking it and a new one will install just peachy the first time. Haha, dream on, right?

Thanks for the good suggestions!



Dave

[GeorgeRa]

Replacing the leg with the same new one is perhaps not the best solution; it will fail as the old one did. I don’t think that making a lasting precise cone by folding a steel tube is a good technique. So, you can keep the floor mount but replace a leg with a better one.

1. Fill the bottom of the old leg with epoxy resin. Measure the dimension of the floor mount: cone angle and diameter. Give the drawing to a machine shop to turn the leg to mate perfectly to the floor mount.

2. Or get an aluminum tubing with thick wall and ask a machine shop to make a new one.

[mloganusda]

If you look at the replacement setup (second suggestion= New), you see a plastic cup covering both ends of the tube. Same as what I suggested in first answer.

[engnrsrule]

Your might try and exhaust pipe expander to push the crimp back to a snugger fit.
RARELEMON Small Tail Pipe Expander Exhaust / Muffler 1-1/8"-1-3/4" Hand Tool Expander New https://a.co/d/cnAOeLt

[Mtsailor]

I apologize if this is a duplicate post. I had a computer glitch just as I was posting.

It is a rather funky design, but I was able to tighten mine successfully. It will probably loosen up again eventually, but we leave it up all the time, and so far it has held up well.

The post and socket need to have exactly equal taper to prevent wobble. The crimp on the outer ends reduces the diameter to match the smaller diameter of the socket, but that crimped end can collapse a bit over time. If you look carefully while wobbling the post, you will probably see that the post is tight at the point where it enters the socket (uncrimped) and that it must therefore be the crimped end moving. If you use a pair of pliers (spanning a fold of the crimp) and squeeze, it will straighten the crimp slightly thereby expanding the small end of the taper. do this all the way around. Not too much. If you expand it too much, it will be tight at the crimped end before it enters the socket far enough to reach the full uncrimped diameter for it to be tight there. In that case, you will now be able to see movement at the uncrimped end where tube just enters the socket. In that case, you need to re-shrink the small end. If it isn't too far off, you can just press hard into the socket while wobbling it a bit to collapse the crimps again. Or use needle nose pliers on the flats of the crimps to make the crimps deeper again to re-shrink the small end. It is easier to go slowly and not expand it too much in the first place. I left mine just a tiny bit too tight on the crimp end, so I have to give a pretty good push to compress the smaller end to make a perfect fit at both ends of the socket.

A thick wall tube with a machined taper would certainly be better because the taper would never change, but the taper would have to be a PERFECT match to the socket, so they would probably need to be bought as a set.

[Dave R]

Everyone had some great suggestions and well thought-out solutions to my issue. I just ended up purchasing a new leg that comes with the table base and floor base. Easy to install and although it's not "perfectly" solid, I've come to realize a single leg will just have some play. But it's much better. The real test will come when my "table mate" sits down for lunch or whatever.

Thanks again for all your feedback. Picture included.
Dave