Sofas like a jack knife couch or sofa beds are great additions to RVs. The mobile beds can help you let more people sleep comfortably in your RV when you are out of larger beds. They also do a great job of conserving space and using every square foot of your RV efficiently. Jack knife couches also tend to be a bit more affordable than pull out beds.
Eventually, you may want to remove the jack knife couch in an effort to replace it or to free up additional room for something else. We’ll walk you through how to remove your jack knife couch from your RV.
Removing a jack knife couch is entirely possible to do by yourself. The process involves removing bolts or screws that are fastening the couch down, then taking it out of the RV. Lifting the couch out of the RV also takes some precautions we discuss below.
Where do I start with removing a jack knife couch from my RV?
While many jack knife couches require the same tools to be removed, we suggest you read the instructions for the couch. The instructions could indicate what size of socket you need to remove the bolts from the sofa. Note that in some cases your sofa might have screws and bolts
So you’ll likely need
- A socket wrench with sockets. Bring the whole set if you don’t know what sizes the bolts are. You can also use a wrench of the right size.
- A drill with a socket adapter is also an option and will require less torque from our hands. The drill or screwdriver also comes in very handy if your sofa has screws too.
- Gloves. Removing any furniture is easier in a small space while wearing gloves. You’ll avoid cutting your hand and have some protection against sweating and releasing your grip.
- A second person to help you lift the sofa
So here we go, step by step. Note that some of these instructions might be out of sequence depending on your sofa. We suggest reading the whole set before starting to see what applies to you
- The sofa likely has bolts underneath that fasten the whole unit to the floor. These bolts are hidden underneath the sofa cushion. Your first task is to find the bolts that hold the sofa cushion (the part that folds down into a bed) and remove them.
If you didn’t find the instruction manual, this will be your first attempt at learning what size bolts the sofa uses. Thankfully, most sofas use all one size
- Once you remove the cushion, check to see if you gained access to the bottom of the sofa where you can get to the bolts underneath. Depending on your size and the sofa size, you might be able to stand in the sofa or kneel to reach the bolts. The other method of reaching the bolts under the sofa is from the front, but that’s likely harder.
- When the bolts from underneath have been removed, you are getting there! You can hopefully at this point pull the couch a bit off the wall and see if the sofa is anchored to the wall with bolts. These bolts should be more accessible and easier to remove.
- There might be a seatbelt hidden within your sofa somewhere. Find the bolts or screws and remove those too.
- Your sofa should now be close to ready to move. Check your sofa thoroughly for other removable parts. If your sofa has arms, those might be removable too. Every inch counts when removing furniture from an RV!
The sofa is loose. Now how to remove it from my RV?
So this is the part where space matters. Put some gloves on (gardening or work) so you can get a good grip on the sofa while also protecting your hands from loosing grip due to sweat.
While all RVs are a little different, you are probably going to want to lift the sofa with another person and angle it so one end is higher than the other.
Angling makes the sofa easier to turn when you get to the door. You will definitely need at least two people to lift the sofa out.
One potential way to make things is easier is to see if your RV has a rear hatch. You might end up walking further with the sofa, but if having more space is important to you, definitely check. The other big advantage here is not taking stairs, which is often a challenge while carrying furniture.
Is moving a jack knife sofa easier than removing a sofa bed?
This is tough to answer, but it can be. Jack knife sofas tend to have one pad that is removable. Sofa beds usually have a metal or wood structure inside that folds the sofa mattress out, but adds weight to the overall sofa.
Jack knife sofas are generally lighter than sofa beds as a result. Lighter also means easier to move, for the most part.
One added challenge in some cases is that a jack knife sofa can have an extension for dinette seating. This adds to the length of the sofa though it doesn’t always change the shape.
If you are using the information to choose which kind of furniture to get in the future, consider the weight and how easy the furniture is to take a part. Those are the primary factors in RV furniture.
Conclusion
A little preparation goes a long way in moving your sofa easily and efficiently. Grab the sofa manual if you have one to check bolt sizes and any specifics the manufacturer might have to say.
Protect yourself using gloves, find a partner to help you move, and do your best with angles. Moving furniture doesn’t have to be difficult, and having the extra space or a new sofa can make it totally worth the effort in removing the current one.
