Newell Gurus

Full Version: Couch removal
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
1988 40ft Newell, Coach 163

Advice please....

I need to remove the three cushion, fold down to a bed, couch. Upholstery repair and heater access required.

     Take it out in one piece?
     Is it possible to remove the cushions and upper frame as a unit, leaving the base in place?

     Remove the kick plate and vents and slide to the center isle?

      Huh

Thanks

Tim
if it was like most of that vintage you would partially open up the jacknife couch so you can see underneath the whole thing. the couch frame is screwed to the floor on each of the 4 corners using lag bolts. you might want to have someone holding the couch frame and cushions so it wont close on your head.

sometimes the ductwork hose for the furnace that is usually under the couch runs through the frame of the couch so you would need to disconnect the duct hose. it will just have hose clamps on it.

the laminated base may or may not be screwed to the couch frame. if it is, then remove the screws

then with two people lift the couch frame up and out. it is heavy.

i have done it a number of times on 90-92 year newells

tom
Having had mine in and out a couple of times for floor work and reupholstery.

Remove the drawers.
Remove four lag bolts in the four corners of the steel frame.
If you have two strong men, you can lift it straight up and over the wooden casement that holds the drawers.
If not look on the sides of the casement for attachment screws. Look along the bottom inside the casement for more attachment screws. Get a long extension for your power driver and take the drawer slide attachments loose from the rear wall.

It is NOT possible to remove the upholstery with the couch in place. Best thing I found for removing the ten gazillion hog rings was miniature bolt cutters.

Are you going to do the couch yourself? If so I have some tricks I learned.
(03-05-2017, 07:00 AM)Richard Wrote: [ -> ]Having had mine in and out a couple of times for floor work and reupholstery.

Remove the drawers.
Remove four lag bolts in the four corners of the steel frame.
If you have two strong men, you can lift it straight up and over the wooden casement that holds the drawers.
If not look on the sides of the casement for attachment screws. Look along the bottom inside the casement for more attachment screws. Get a long extension for your power driver and take the drawer slide attachments loose from the rear wall.

It is NOT possible to remove the upholstery with the couch in place. Best thing I found for removing the ten gazillion hog rings was miniature bolt cutters.

Are you going to do the couch yourself? If so I have some tricks I learned.

I'll take those tricks if you don't mind.
I am assuming tricks for reupholstery.

I used a walking foot sewing industrial sewing machine. A home machine will not sew upholstery leather. You can get one from Sailrite for a reasonable cost. It's more than paid for itself since I have done all the upholstery in the coach, and fixed/repaired a lot of the awnings.
Second, I took the time to take apart the old upholstery and use it for patterns. Total waste of time on the disassembly. Use the existing foam and poster board to make the patterns.
Use NEW foam. I didn't and I'm doing it over again.
A band saw or electric knife work well with foam.
I used leather the first time, but I think I'll go Ultraleather this time.
Take care in attaching the seats back to the frame with as little slack as possible, else they become misaligned when you sit on them. I will probably take the time to sew the bottoms to the adjacent bottoms, and the tops to the adjacent tops when I do it again.
Doing the drawers and case takes almost as much time as the cushions.
It takes more leather than you think. I think I used 7 hides to do two couches, and there wasn't much waste.

Take a trip up to Inverness one day, and you can look at the task first hand.
(10-24-2017, 10:20 AM)Richard Wrote: [ -> ]I am assuming tricks for reupholstery.

I used a walking foot sewing industrial sewing machine. A home machine will not sew upholstery leather. You can get one from Sailrite for a reasonable cost. It's more than paid for itself since I have done all the upholstery in the coach, and fixed/repaired a lot of the awnings.
Second, I took the time to take apart the old upholstery and use it for patterns. Total waste of time on the disassembly. Use the existing foam and poster board to make the patterns.
Use NEW foam. I didn't and I'm doing it over again.
A band saw or electric knife work well with foam.
I used leather the first time, but I think I'll go Ultraleather this time.
Take care in attaching the seats back to the frame with as little slack as possible, else they become misaligned when you sit on them. I will probably take the time to sew the bottoms to the adjacent bottoms, and the tops to the adjacent tops when I do it again.
Doing the drawers and case takes almost as much time as the cushions.
It takes more leather than you think. I think I used 7 hides to do two couches, and there wasn't much waste.

Take a trip up to Inverness one day, and you can look at the task first hand.

Yeah, I meant the re-upholstering trick Smile

My wife does that, she re-upholster a lot of old couches and she will start doing that, just wanted to pass along any tip that might be useful to her. 

I'll make sure she uses new foam as I remember in some cases she re-uses the existing foam for some jobs.

I would love to go to Inverness and take a look first hand, maybe during the weekend, I'll let you know.

Thank you!!!
(03-05-2017, 07:00 AM)Richard Wrote: [ -> ]Having had mine in and out a couple of times for floor work and reupholstery.

Remove the drawers.
Remove four lag bolts in the four corners of the steel frame.
If you have two strong men, you can lift it straight up and over the wooden casement that holds the drawers.
If not look on the sides of the casement for attachment screws. Look along the bottom inside the casement for more attachment screws. Get a long extension for your power driver and take the drawer slide attachments loose from the rear wall.

It is NOT possible to remove the upholstery with the couch in place. Best thing I found for removing the ten gazillion hog rings was miniature bolt cutters.

Are you going to do the couch yourself? If so I have some tricks I learned.

Richard, thanks for the tips on couch removal. Any tips or suggestions for dinette and bed removal? I will be at Ernie’s in a week to install wood floors and will need to remove couch, dinette, and bed. Thanks Mike
Remove cushions and open the sliding section. Take out the screws holding th slide mechanism. Thrn tske out all the screws holding the stationary part. I hate typing on the phone.