How does the sofa go together?

[adwriter73]

I finally assembled my sofa and put on the new cushions. Looks good, but I think something is wrong. The story: I picked up the frame from another Airstream. It was sort of in pieces, and I tried to figure out if I had everything and how some parts went together. I think I got most of it, but it feels a little unstable. Here are my questions/concerns/issues:

1. If you sit on it, back doesn't feel sturdy. I can almost rock in it. A lot of play. Is that the nature of this thing or does it sound like something is missing?

2. How do the armrests go together? When I lined mine up with the sofa, the metal supports and brackets rub into the fabric. I pulled them slightly forward, but that looks odd -- looks like the arms stick out farther than the sofa.

[Aage]

Not sure this will answer your questions, but here is the diagram for the 1974 version of the "lounge" as AS calls it.

[Condoluminum]

That appears to be "Jacknife" style couch, where links on side of backrest allow it to flip over and end up extending width of bed in front of seat cushion.. If it is, two bolts on each side of backrest through metal links and two bolts to anchor linkage should keep it firm.. If you re-upholstered arm-rests with new foam or padding, rubbing is likely, and they do look awful puffy and wider than normal.. Armrests not very solid structurally, and easier to move them a little away from sides of unit and re-atttach.. If backrest not solid in place, suspect one or more of the bolts in from sides are not anchored in wooden backing... We also lift top padded portions of armrests off before extending sofa back, and then put them back into position...

When we re-did ours, we did all assembly on couch parts firs, and then put armrest units back in place last...

[Splitrock]

This is how mine looked.

[adwriter73]

Originally Posted by Condoluminum

That appears to be "Jacknife" style couch, where links on side of backrest allow it to flip over and end up extending width of bed in front of seat cushion.. If it is, two bolts on each side of backrest through metal links and two bolts to anchor linkage should keep it firm.. If you re-upholstered arm-rests with new foam or padding, rubbing is likely, and they do look awful puffy and wider than normal.. Armrests not very solid structurally, and easier to move them a little away from sides of unit and re-atttach.. If backrest not solid in place, suspect one or more of the bolts in from sides are not anchored in wooden backing... We also lift top padded portions of armrests off before extending sofa back, and then put them back into position...

When we re-did ours, we did all assembly on couch parts firs, and then put armrest units back in place last...

I will check the bolts. At first glance, it doesn't appear that anything is loose or missing. But when you apply weight to the back of the sofa, like when you sit down and lean back, it seems to have more "give" than it should. Feels unstable. It's almost like there should be more bracing. I will take a photo of the back and post it.

[rock60]

a 72 i had had a shelf behind the sofa for back to rest on, like a stop. did it have the shelf.

[kingfisher24]

where would i look for a sofa for a 2008 safarise ?????

[adwriter73]

Originally Posted by rock60

a 72 i had had a shelf behind the sofa for back to rest on, like a stop. did it have the shelf.

That would make sense. I got this out of another Airstream that had been gutted, so I'm not sure about a shelf. I can certainly build one if it is supposed to have that.

[adwriter73]

Here is a snap shot of the back (I just have the sofa in position, not secured to the floor yet).

[azflycaster]

That is not a sofa from that era of Airstream. The sofa in the 70s did not have a back frame at all. You are working with a much different item.

[adwriter73]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

That is not a sofa from that era of Airstream. The sofa in the 70s did not have a back frame at all. You are working with a much different item.

It is supposedly out of an early 80s model.