Want to change the furniture in your RV? Different seating arrangement? It’s certainly possible to rearrange your RV living room to accommodate more seating.
Many RVs come with a sofa bed that is the primary piece of furniture. You can sit on it and sleep on it. But what if it’s old or just not that comfortable? Maybe you want a little more space in your RV instead of the sofa bed.
Removing a sofa bed will often require some tools. Go gather your toolbox and we’ll review some of the things that sofa beds need to be removed easily. Finding your instruction manual might also help to identify which parts of the sofa bed are removable before you begin.
How do I get started on removing the sofa bed from my RV?
The first thing you’ll want to do to prepare yourself is to find your instruction manual. The instruction manual can give some very helpful information about sofa bed removal.
The manual could contain specific instructions on how to remove the bed. These are really helpful for both taking the sofa bed apart and putting it back together later without going by memory.
What will I need?
If you don’t know which size sockets or wrenches you need based on the instruction manual, consider bringing your whole set. The most common size is 13 or 14mm, but your experience could certainly vary.
Sofa beds are meant to be anchored down. The sofa bad is likely fastened to the floor and wall with at least several bolts. You’ll also want a bag or container to put removed bolts in.
You’ll also need a strong set of arms and legs to lift and remove the sofa bed once it’s loose. Consider having at least one other person present to help lift and move the sofa once done.
How to remove bolts for a sofa bed
You’ll probably want to start on the floor. Lift up the front skirts for the sofa bed to see where the bolts are. You might find that removing the cushions and bed gives you far better access to the bolts on the bottom.
While doing this, remove the heel plate from the sofa bed. This will help in moving the sofa later, especially if it’s wide. Every inch counts when moving a sofa! The heel plate is also one of the easiest to remove parts – it’s directly under the front of the sofa and it’s easy to reach.
It’s also worth considering just folding the entire sofa bed out, then removing any pads or mattresses. This will not only help later in making the bed lighter, it provides better overall access.
Let’s start removing bolts! The fastest way to know the bolt size is either seeing if the info is in the manual or by trying sizes.
You might also discover at least semi hidden seatbelts. These might be potentially attached to the wall and are generally attached by a nut on the floor and a bolt in the wall. Remove these completely to keep the sealtbelt from flailing while you move.
Try to fit the sockets over the bolts one by one until you get a nice, tight turnable seal.
Remove the bolts by turning the socket wrench left until it’s loose enough to remove by hand. This will take a few turns at least, though a ratcheting socket wrench can help your wrist and forearm a lot.
There might be a few bolts. Check the wall behind the sofa bed too as it’s likely fastened their as well.
Removing the arms
Once the floor is detached and you can get to the back and move your sofa, it might be a good time to take the arms off.
Taking the arms off has the potential to make your sofa lighter and easier to remove. Though our instructions suggested removing the sofa from the floor first, removing the arms first might also be a practical idea. It’s up to your sofa.
The arms are typically bolted on to a wood or metal frame. Remember where these bolts are because putting the sofa back together can be way easier that way. Consider labeling them or taking a picture.
What else can I remove?
In some cases, the back of the sofa detaches from the base and the arms. This is ideal if you are in a tight situation or want to avoid more heavy lifting.
The bolts on the back should be the same size as the rest of your sofa. Check the back of the sofa to see if there are any bolts, especially toward the bottom, that attach the back to the frame.
Are all the bolts out yet?
You’ve probably learned by now that your sofa bed has lots of bolts. That’s great for safety, especially on the move. Once you’ve removed all the bolts, the sofa should start to be much easier to move without being anchored in.
A stripped down sofa without a mattress, arms, or back should be much easier to lift. You might still need to turn your sofa bed to the side in order to get it out.
Keep those bolts in a safe place, too! You’ll want those for when you use the sofa bed again later, or if you give it away or sell it. Put them in a drawer somewhere or on top of your fridge.
Conclusion
Get your sockets and wrenches ready. Thankfully for your road trips, your sofa bed is quite secure in your RV. This also means that removing it will only a bit of twisting and using some hand tools.
Not bad though if you want to do a bit of rearranging for your living room. A bit different from removing your home sofa which probably isn’t fastened down.
Muscles ready? Get some help lifting it out too. Sofa beds can be a bit heavy, even when the mattress, pads, and arms have been removed. A heavy sofa bed is a sign of a sturdy one though!
