Tri-fold sofa reinstallation

[Mildred]

I've just purchased my first RV, a 2005 Great West Legend Sprinter. The previous owner removed the Tri-fold sofa bed including the floor rails that had been riveted into place. There are two pistons apparently used to flip the latches which keep the sofa from collapsing. I don't have any instructions or pictures to refer to for reinstalling this Tri-fold sofa. Anyone happen to have any ideas, pictures, manual...?

Thank you.

[Davydd]

The tri-fold sofa I had in my 2011 Great West Van rode on side wall rails, not the floor.

[avanti]

Our 2014 has side rails as well. I would be glad to help you with info, but it doesn't sound like there is much overlap in the designs.

FWIW: The two solenoids on ours are merely a safety measure to lock the slide mechanism in case of a crash. It would work fine without them, and I doubt they are really necessary. Don't know if yours are the same or not.

[Mildred]

Yes. Thank you. I have found thru research that Great West switched to side rails in 2008. A much superior system. I'd upgrade if I could. As far as I know Great West has gone out of business. At least I've had no luck w any of their listed numbers.
Thank you for your replies.

[parkgt]

I believe your research is in error. I have a 2007 Legend built in 2006. The sofa rides on rails bolted to to the side walls.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by Mildred

Yes. Thank you. I have found thru research that Great West switched to side rails in 2008. A much superior system. I'd upgrade if I could. As far as I know Great West has gone out of business. At least I've had no luck w any of their listed numbers.
Thank you for your replies.

Great West Vans when yours was built was by the original owner. The owner since 2012 was the one that went out of business and I seriously doubt, even if you could contact them, that they would have the information. I wouldn't waste your time trying. GWVan's literature and owners manuals back then would be no help either. You're best bet is to get together with another owner to figure it out.

I believe if it is a tri-fold sofa it was built on wall side rails as parkgt confirmed because it too is a T1N Sprinter. I don't recall when I was looking at Great West Vans in 2005 that I saw floor rails. When I moved last spring I finally threw out all my B van brochures of that era. I was such a packrat.

[avanti]

Posting a few pics of what you have would help us help.

[parkgt]

Originally Posted by avanti

Posting a few pics of what you have would help us help.

Ask and you shall receive.

See if these help. Let me know if the link doesn't work. Flikr seems to be having problems.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t9o4tmjrt...bRaDSgrwa?dl=0

There should be some obvious holes in the sidewall indicating that rails where installed at one time, if they were.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by parkgt

Ask and you shall receive.

See if these help. Let me know if the link doesn't work. Flikr seems to be having problems.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t9o4tmjrt...bRaDSgrwa?dl=0

There should be some obvious holes in the sidewall indicating that rails where installed at one time, if they were.

Yes, that is exactly the same as my MY2014. I was actually suggesting that Mildred post some pics of what she is working with.

[parkgt]

Sorry Pete, I thought that was directed at me. Oh well maybe she now knows what to look for.

[Mildred]

Thank you everyone for your responses. Hopefully I can get some pictures to load that will show you how my unit needs to be situated on the floor of my van.

[Mildred]

Picture of sofa frame[ATTACH]514A0BBF-.jpg[/ATTACH]

[Mildred]

Pistons. Attach to frame to lift latches so sofa may open. Blue and green wires. Blue wire appears to have been grounded to sofa frame.

[parkgt]

Mildred,

Don't think those with newer than 2005 will be able to help much. Your pictures show something much different than the latter models.

Good luck,

[avanti]

Yeah, it is pretty different. I can see the evolution, though. Those solenoids are the same, though. On the modern ones, they were controlled by big silver limit switches at both ends of the run, which also prevented the motor from running past the limits.

Do you have the floor rails, or will you have to replace them? Does the mechanism ride on wheels, or is there some kind of slide mechanism?

[Mildred]

Thank you for your reply.

Yes I have the floor rails. The rails themselves are ball bearing devices which allow the frame, which has two rolling casters on the front of the sofa, to slide forward.

At this point I'm thinking I need to permenantly bolt the sofa frame to the floor so I can use the three seatbelted seating positions to transport my small grandchildren and then, as I'm the only one sleeping in the van, manually disconnect the 3rd piece of the sofa from the backside and place it in front of the upright sofa to form a double, rather than a King size bed when I want to camp. That way I just do away w the issue of power, movement, slides and pistons. The 3rd piece of the sofa unbolts easily and when I'm not camping in the RV it can be stored in the garage to give me more storage space in the back for the kids sports gear.

I like a challenge, so I'm sure I'll come up with a most versatile way to creatively make the best use of the sofa.

Thank you again, for your reply.

[parkgt]

Hard to offer solid advice without a better understanding of how it all works.

Are you sure you can re-position the rather heavy rear sofa section in the confined space available?

Would it be possible to use just the front two sections? The front piece would only need to slide forward enough to let the middle section hinge down for sleeping.

That would require that the middle section could be securely fastened in the upright position for seat-belted travel.

No matter what configuration you end up using it is important that the attachment to the floor is robust.

[Mildred]

The sofa is light as a feather, frame and all. It's a little awkward carrying and lifting it myself but I've had it in and out of the van twice no problem lifting it and there is 3" to either side of the sofa for manouvering it.

The reason I want only to remove the rear 1/3 of the sofa is bc that's the only piece that isn't attached to the frame itself. As to the robustness of the attachment to the floor, there is 3" angle iron bolted to the floor which then bolts to the slides which then bolts to the sofa frame. It's plenty solid.

[Mildred]

It's this lever that raises and lowers to allow the sofa frame to slide that I can't figure out. I'm thinking perhaps just to drill for a pin to manually lock and unlock the latch.

[parkgt]

Sounds like you have it pretty well figured out. Best wishes for fun times with the grandkids!