One of my sofa's metal legs now has a loose screw such that I can't screw it in properly to the sofa. Possibly broken as a result of moving. Is there any way to fix it or at least a band-aid solution that will fix it until I can get a new one?
Here is a gif demonstrating the problem. The screw is supposed to stay still so that it can screw into the sofa. I cannot remove the screw from the leg, although I don't know if that would be helpful. That cap is also welded on to the leg. Unfortunately if I try to screw it in like normal it doesn't catch on the threads. I've tried to use a small crescent wrench to screw it in while holding the leg, but it hasn't worked so far. There should be a nut to hold the screw in place, maybe it fell out because I don't hear it bouncing around in the leg. Not sure what I would do with it if I found it though.
I don't have access to a lot of tools or materials right now, so hopefully there is a simple fix. Unfortunately I also got rid of the extra legs the sofa came with, which in retrospect was a dumb move.
Thanks!
Straight Drive Extension
Wobble Drive Extension
Best Answer
Perhaps the screw was welded to the cap on the inside, and that weld broke.
A quick-and-dirty fix: put a thin nut on the screw, and tighten it while holding the end of the screw so that the threads are not damaged (e.g. with a rubber band around it held with pliers). Place a large washer, the same thickness as the nut, around the nut, to bear the weight of the table more evenly, preventing wobble.
Of course, the nut (and washer) make that leg a trifle longer. On carpet, this might not be an issue, but on a hard surface, put washers of the same size on the remaining legs to equalize height.