These stools are my first disappointment from Overstock. Our bar is tall so we use them at their full extension. That may be the problem; they seem underengineered for the height. They were fine at first, if rather uncomfortable (one tends to slide off and short people cant reach the foot brace.) But after less than six months they began to develop squeaks, squeals, and alarming wobbles that no amount of adjustment can correct. Basically, they are top heavy; the pedestal can't support the weight of the stool and the occupant. They topple. It's too late to return them but maybe this will prevent someone else from making the same mistake