3051S Jack Knife Removal

[Gumpster808]

Ok,

After a couple hours of searching I haven't been able to find anything on removing the jackknife sofa from our 2014 3051S...

Many listed for the 3011 which are in the slide, etc.

From looking at it there appear to be 4 bolts going through the frame and floor.

Know the couch will need to come apart to get it out but the bolts through the floor are the big question.

We are looking to replace with a couple Euro chairs that have the foot rest that folds down when not being used. That will let us swivel for watching TV inside, etc. and should be way more comfortable than the couch that is in there.

Will most likely use the seat belts installed under the couch to hold the chairs in place while traveling for safety.

Anyone have experience or pics of the removal, etc. or info on where the underside of the bolts go through?

Will most likely either put the bolts back and cover to fill the holes and was even thinking of making a bar going across that could cover front and back base of the new chairs to help hold in place. Using the existing bolts to hold that down.

[Gumpster808]

Really, nobody has removed the jack knife sofa in a 3051?

Will be doing mine next weekend to take the new Euro Chairs on the next trip instead of the uncomfortable couch.

[Gumpster808]

Ok, so no responses but tackled it today:

All in all - just a couple hours to get the couch out - taking time to individually package all the parts / label / take the pics / etc. in case we put it back at some point.

This worked easiest when the sofa was 1/2 way between couch and bed so you can see all the hardware.

The Seat is bolted to the couch frame with four bolts - they are welded so just need to remove the nuts and the washers. These are 1/2 inch - deep socket worked great.



Once those four are removed you can take the seat section off and out of the camper.



The back of the couch comes off the same way - four nuts / washers all same 1/2 inch socket size.

Once that is removed you have the frame and arm sections left.



So now we need to remove the arms / end sections from the frame.

Will need Phillips screwdriver for these. There are five of them that go through the frame into the arm / end section. White plastic spacers between the frame and the end section also. Can see a couple of the screws and the spacer in this pic.



Once those are gone we are just left with the frame and the section held to the sub floor.



To remove the main section of the frame from the portion tied to floor will need 1/2 inch socket and 1/2 inch box wrench since these are bolt and nut both - not welded bolt like those above.

You can see the two bolts in the above pic with the washers going down into the bottom portion.

Once these are removed we just have the portion connected to the subfloor. These are 9/16 and are coarse wood screws to get down into the subfloor.

The subwoofer is also under the couch - there are long screws on each end and one holding the wiring harness in place - we removed this as well since it will be relocated.



Jack Knife gone and cleaning up carpet



Ok, now for the reason we took it out in the first place:



Much more comfortable - came with individual foot rests as well. Rocker / swivel / recline. Searched all around Columbus Ohio since we wanted to make sure they were comfortable before we bought. Ended up finding at Big Lots of all places.

Now if we are watching the TV that is in the cab over portion we can swivel and be comfortable!

Hope this helps someone else...

[wana65stang]

thanks for the detailed account of how to remove, will keep this in mind if I decide to remove mine.Where you able to secure new seats down?

[Gumpster808]

Originally Posted by wana65stang

thanks for the detailed account of how to remove, will keep this in mind if I decide to remove mine.Where you able to secure new seats down?

Have not yet. Planning on setting on side and using the seat belts to keep in place when traveling.

Could use the four spots where the couch was bolted to the floor and make some brackets as well to hold them down.

[huckranch]

Thanks for the info! We have a lot of grandkids that will be camping with us so we won't be taking our couch out but that's a very good tutorial on how to do it. That's the great thing about this forum[emoji1]

[DaGrinch]

Also gives us owners of other models some options as well! While I haven't quite decided if I want to do the recliner mod that some other 3010DS owners have accomplished, this gives me some ideas in itself.
VERY nice mod and GREAT pictures. This needs to be a sticky on the Forester site.

[SharpPI]

Originally Posted by Gumpster808

Ok, so no responses but tackled it today:

All in all - just a couple hours to get the couch out - taking time to individually package all the parts / label / take the pics / etc. in case we put it back at some point.

This worked easiest when the sofa was 1/2 way between couch and bed so you can see all the hardware.

The Seat is bolted to the couch frame with four bolts - they are welded so just need to remove the nuts and the washers. These are 1/2 inch - deep socket worked great.

Attachment 139234

Once those four are removed you can take the seat section off and out of the camper.

Attachment 139237

The back of the couch comes off the same way - four nuts / washers all same 1/2 inch socket size.

Once that is removed you have the frame and arm sections left.

Attachment 139238

So now we need to remove the arms / end sections from the frame.

Will need Phillips screwdriver for these. There are five of them that go through the frame into the arm / end section. White plastic spacers between the frame and the end section also. Can see a couple of the screws and the spacer in this pic.

Attachment 139239

Once those are gone we are just left with the frame and the section held to the sub floor.

Attachment 139240

To remove the main section of the frame from the portion tied to floor will need 1/2 inch socket and 1/2 inch box wrench since these are bolt and nut both - not welded bolt like those above.

You can see the two bolts in the above pic with the washers going down into the bottom portion.

Once these are removed we just have the portion connected to the subfloor. These are 9/16 and are coarse wood screws to get down into the subfloor.

The subwoofer is also under the couch - there are long screws on each end and one holding the wiring harness in place - we removed this as well since it will be relocated.

Attachment 139242

Jack Knife gone and cleaning up carpet

Attachment 139243

Ok, now for the reason we took it out in the first place:

Attachment 139247

Much more comfortable - came with individual foot rests as well. Rocker / swivel / recline. Searched all around Columbus Ohio since we wanted to make sure they were comfortable before we bought. Ended up finding at Big Lots of all places.

Now if we are watching the TV that is in the cab over portion we can swivel and be comfortable!

Hope this helps someone else...

Looks great .... enjoy

[RamblerGuy]

Since the chair bases are round tubing, you might find some conduit straps that match the tubing diameter and lag bolt the straps to the floor. You could paint the straps so they don't show.

[Gumpster808]

Originally Posted by RamblerGuy

Since the chair bases are round tubing, you might find some conduit straps that match the tubing diameter and lag bolt the straps to the floor. You could paint the straps so they don't show.

Yep. Thinking about that since I have the two lag bolt holes on either end where the jack knife frame was anchored.

Traveled about 80 miles to where we are for the week today and other than rocking now and then they didn't move.

Have the seat belts there too and may try to use them to hold in place for traveling.

[Total Loss]

There you go.
Excellent tutorial.
I also did one for the dinette removal and replacement with Euro recliners.
I call it the "Lounge" now.
Nice job.

(I use the rearward seat belt anchor and seat belt to hold the rearward seat in place while travelling. The front one is pushed up against the bulkhead. Don't want to have a frontal collision and survive only to be knocked on the head by a flying chair.)

[BobCats]

Originally Posted by Gumpster808

Yep. Thinking about that since I have the two lag bolt holes on either end where the jack knife frame was anchored.

Traveled about 80 miles to where we are for the week today and other than rocking now and then they didn't move.

Have the seat belts there too and may try to use them to hold in place for traveling.

I have found hold down clamps to secure the euro chairs in RV. It's possible to use the bolts/holes in the floor. Search the "swivel recliners" in this link.
http://www.braddandhall.com/productc...?idCategory=58

[JimOneil43]

Originally Posted by Gumpster808

Ok,

After a couple hours of searching I haven't been able to find anything on removing the jackknife sofa from our 2014 3051S...

Many listed for the 3011 which are in the slide, etc.

From looking at it there appear to be 4 bolts going through the frame and floor.

Know the couch will need to come apart to get it out but the bolts through the floor are the big question.

We are looking to replace with a couple Euro chairs that have the foot rest that folds down when not being used. That will let us swivel for watching TV inside, etc. and should be way more comfortable than the couch that is in there.

Will most likely use the seat belts installed under the couch to hold the chairs in place while traveling for safety.

Anyone have experience or pics of the removal, etc. or info on where the underside of the bolts go through?

Will most likely either put the bolts back and cover to fill the holes and was even thinking of making a bar going across that could cover front and back base of the new chairs to help hold in place. Using the existing bolts to hold that down.

We have a 2017 Forester 3051S and I wanted to order it from the factory with recliners instead of the very uncomfortable jacknife sofa. Forest river puts them in as an option on other models, but when I tried to get them in the 3051S, I was frustrated as they kept telling me that they were working on it, but for some reason, it never happened. I thought it would be pretty simple since they would be mounted on a solid floor and not in a slide, like some of the other models that they are an option in. Anyway, I have been wanting to install recliners/theater seating in our 3051S for some time and your step-by-step tutorial will really help me when I can convince my wife to let me spend the money. Thanks, Gumpster for the great info.

[Gumpster808]

Glad to be of help. Thought about the theater seats as well but with the placement of the television up above on drivers side would have had to sit funny to see. The ones we put in work well from comfort / seeing tv / etc. have found the way to set them when traveling so they don't rock and swivel around.

Price was pretty good at big lots too. Made it an easy choice for both of us when we found and sat in them.

[JimOneil43]

Originally Posted by Gumpster808

Glad to be of help. Thought about the theater seats as well but with the placement of the television up above on drivers side would have had to sit funny to see. The ones we put in work well from comfort / seeing tv / etc. have found the way to set them when traveling so they don't rock and swivel around.

Price was pretty good at big lots too. Made it an easy choice for both of us when we found and sat in them.

Yeah, we had a different TV bracket installed that pivots out farther back, so we can see it better from the sofa, and recliner seats, especially if they swivel, would make it even better. If I was to install recliners, I think I could just attach them to the floor with the same lag screws that held the sofa in place. What do you think?

[Gumpster808]

Yep that should work. I thought about some strapping across front and back to use the lag screws and hole to secure in place. Of course we move them around depending on what we are doing so ours just secured with the seat belts until we gat where we are going.

Problem we had was finding something narrow enough so we could swivel both without running into each other.

[dmnsen]

Where did you relocate the sub woofer?

[Gumpster808]

Put it up behind passenger seat for now. Looking for a different one that may be easier to hide actually.

Will do another update when we find the one we want and where / how we install.

[jasonhgoldberg]

Gumpster808 when reclined how much room between footrest and dinette? My folks have a 3051S and hate the couch and miss their recliners, been wanting do this to theirs.

[Gumpster808]

Jason, will be heading out on a two week trip shortly. Will post some pictures with the foot stools we have (for the chairs we got) they are actually separate pieces and rock with you if rocking the chair.

There are some with integrated foot rests but we went with what we could find and try locally instead of the online route.

The times we've had it out since we couldn't be happier with them. We agree with your folks and if watching the tv you can actually turn and sit properly and still see it.