Seat was bought in November 2019, and has just started to sink over time. That already means it has lasted probably 2-3 times longer than I usually expect when I've bought an (admittedly cheaper) chair in the past.
The standard length one was only available from the Portuguese warehouse apparently, which pumped up the price a bit. So I took a chance on the 15mm shorter one which is available and listed on the OCUK store.
As it happens, whether 15mm shorter was standard fitment in 2019, or it was a symptom of the old one failing, I would say the new one has the chair at exactly the same height when at it's highest as the old one did, so that's a result.
I cannot overstate though how much I had to beat the absolute crap out of the old gas lift to get it off! I almost had myself convinced it was one piece with the feet! Removing it from the seat required a pipe wrench as expected - but that had to be properly laid into with a mallet to do the trick. And removing it from the feet - I thought I was going to need a sledgehammer. Eventually moved two units in the garage apart so I could wedge it between to be perfectly stable, and then properly hammered at it. Just as I was thinking it was never going to work, out it popped.
Apparently, 5 and a half years of my fat ass dropping on to it gives a very good pressure fit.
The standard length one was only available from the Portuguese warehouse apparently, which pumped up the price a bit. So I took a chance on the 15mm shorter one which is available and listed on the OCUK store.
As it happens, whether 15mm shorter was standard fitment in 2019, or it was a symptom of the old one failing, I would say the new one has the chair at exactly the same height when at it's highest as the old one did, so that's a result.
I cannot overstate though how much I had to beat the absolute crap out of the old gas lift to get it off! I almost had myself convinced it was one piece with the feet! Removing it from the seat required a pipe wrench as expected - but that had to be properly laid into with a mallet to do the trick. And removing it from the feet - I thought I was going to need a sledgehammer. Eventually moved two units in the garage apart so I could wedge it between to be perfectly stable, and then properly hammered at it. Just as I was thinking it was never going to work, out it popped.
Apparently, 5 and a half years of my fat ass dropping on to it gives a very good pressure fit.