Help with Radian install

[blessings567]

So far I have got one radian to install tight ff using the latch. But I cannot get a good install with the seatbelt. (I need at least one installed with a seat belt). When I get it so I think it is as tight as I can make it if I pull on the seat the whole thing just comes forward. The female end of the buckle is fixed and immovable. Please help.

[snowbird25ca]

nak...

What make/model car & how do your belts lock?

[blessings567]

nak...

What make/model car & how do your belts lock?

2007 Dodge Sprinter
The seat belts are the kind with a sliding latch plate that lock when you pull the seatbelt all the way out and then slowly release them.

The seats do not recline.

[snowbird25ca]

Ok, the first thing I'd try is installing the seat and tightening it up as much as you possibly can. Make sure that you've engaged the locking retractor. Put your knee in the seat and tighten as much slack out of the belt as you can. I find it helps to pull up on the belt right above the buckle to get as much slack out of the lap portion as possible, and then feed as much belt as possible back into the retractor. Check for wiggle room.

Assuming that you have more an inch of wiggle room, release the buckle without letting go of it, carefully feed the belt into the retractor about another 2 clicks or so, then rebuckle the belt. Check for wiggle room again and repeat if necessary. You will find after unbuckling and feeding the belt into the retractor a couple clicks or about 1", that it'll be hard to buckle the belt. Sometimes this becomes a 2 person job - one person to hold the buckle and the other to put their weight into the seat and push the male end of the seat belt into the buckle.

Hopefully this will work for you. The other thing you can try, is using the recline on the radian - not the rf'ing boot, but the base itself can be raised slightly to provide a slight recline when ff'ing. Sometimes this provides a better fit between the vehicle and the car seat.

eta: My other suggestion would be that if you have one seating spot of the van that is narrower than another, to try installing it there. A narrower space between the buckle and the belt might help too.

[CDNTech]

Trudy's tricks should work great... I just wanted to add after looking at the picture provided that I would definitely lower the base on the seat to use the recline feature. That should help quite a bit with the slipping.

[blessings567]

Ok, I am going out to try again in just a minute (as soon as the babies go down for naps). I am not getting enough pressure by putting my knee in the seat. How much pressure can I put in the seats. I seem to get the most force if I sit in the seat and then pull up on the strap. Am I going to break it? I am quite thin and fit (barely) in the seat.

[CDNTech]

You can sit in it if you have to (or kneel with both knees in the seat if that's easier). I am not thin (someday... crazy toxemia in pregnancy took care of the thinness :p), and I put the majority of my weight into the seat... just be careful around the EPS foam.

[blessings567]

After trying everything suggested I got it in better, but not great. With the Latch I got it super tight/solid. With the seatbelt (which I need) It does not wiggle side to side but will move forward/back at least an inch if I pull on the base. I pushed on the seat while someone else buckled the buckle after it was tightened. I don't think it would be possible to tighten it any more. Please help! (I did lower the base.) The seatbelt buckles are fixed and will not change the angle.

[CDNTech]

As long as the movement is less than an inch, you have an acceptable install.

I also want to double check how you are testing for movement.

One hand (generally the weaker one) tugging at the belt path. Give it a good tug, but do not reef on the seat back and forth.

With the smooth bottom of the Radian, combined with what looks like smooth slippery seats on the Sprinter, I'm not surprised if you have a little front to back movement. How is your side to side movement when using the testing methods I described?

[blessings567]

One hand (generally the weaker one) tugging at the belt path. Give it a good tug, but do not reef on the seat back and forth.

With the smooth bottom of the Radian, combined with what looks like smooth slippery seats on the Sprinter, I'm not surprised if you have a little front to back movement. How is your side to side movement when using the testing methods I described?



I am confused about how to test this. Am I pulling on the belt path or on the seat itself, or both?

Also the seat of the Sprinter the patterned part is cloth and the outer part is smooth and slippery.

In either case, the install is still not very tight. I keep trying to push the corner of the base of the radian into the corner of the van's seat to get it tighter, but I'm not sure if this is what I am supposed to be doing or if it is helping.

[CDNTech]

I am confused about how to test this. Am I pulling on the belt path or on the seat itself, or both?

Also the seat of the Sprinter the patterned part is cloth and the outer part is smooth and slippery.

In either case, the install is still not very tight. I keep trying to push the corner of the base of the radian into the corner of the van's seat to get it tighter, but I'm not sure if this is what I am supposed to be doing or if it is helping.

You should be pulling on the seat itself right at the belt path. Use your weaker hand and grab onto the shell of the Radian right at the belt path opening and try to move it by tugging. If it moves less than an inch, you have an acceptable install.

It is okay to have a little space between the back of the Radian and the vehicle seat towards the bottom of the Radian. As long as the majority of it is touching the seatback.

You can see the slight space between the vehicle seatback and the back of the Radian in this picture...
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1429/980609960_18f7ed2f97.jpg?v=0

To get a tight install with the Radian, you are wanting to push the seat *down* into the vehicle cushions. Your buckle stalk (female side) looks to be slightly forward of the seat bight which means that you will not get a tight install by pushing the Radian back into the vehicle seat.

There will always be that slack between the back of the Radian and the vehicle seat cushion back because the seatbelt is not right back against the vehicle seat cushion. This is why it's so important to compress the Radian *down* into the vehicle seat cushion to get a tight install.

[blessings567]

I am so discouraged! After fighting with this seat all morning, I just had to take it out and put back the old seats for the time being. I simply can't get it to go in right with the seatbelt.

[sanctareparata]

You sound like you're having the same problems we had with a seatbelt install. Along with what you've already read and done, the only way we could finally get that sucker in tight was to strip the back of the cover off it so we could see what on earth we were doing.

Once we did that and could clearly see the belt path, I noticed the belt was sliding onto the EPS foam during tightening and then when we'd tug to see if it was a tight install, the belt would pop off the foam and slide back into the belt groove (if you take your cover off you'll see what I mean). So I kept the belt positioned in the groove as best as I could while dh tugged out the seatbelt slack bit by bit until the seatbelt was so tight that it crept back up onto the EPS foam and now isn't budging at all.

We wrestled with it for 3 1/2 hours and were ready to send it back, but got the perfect install so instead of returning it, we ordered another one. :)

Hope this helps a bit. Sorry to hear you're frustrated. :(

[snowbird25ca]

You know what might help, is not snugging the back of the base 100% against the vehicle seat, instead if it starts out sitting more like how Jen's picture shows right from the start, and then tightening it down as tight as possible there, that might stop the front to back movement.

I had had a similar problem in my truck in the middle position, but Jen and I managed to get the radian in rock solid. (We played with it at our tech training course one lunch hour. :p ) I have fixed buckle stalks that are metal and probably a medium'ish length stalk.

Go ahead and put all your weight in it. I'm not tiny by any means and crawl right in to my own seats on a regular basis. I only use a knee when installing other people's seats, but for my own it's just easier and quicker to crawl in and tighten the belts that way.

But try starting with the base of the radin an inch or so away from the seat bite and then tighten down the seatbelt with the above tricks from previous posts. That just might fix the problem and be an easy fix.

FWIW, I have the same problem with the MA in the middle seating position of my truck - if I start with the base snug against the back of the seat I get the front to back movement - if I start with it slightly out, then it can be tightened down and gets no front to back wiggle room and maybe 1/8" side to side wiggle room.

[blessings567]

You know what might help, is not snugging the back of the base 100% against the vehicle seat, instead if it starts out sitting more like how Jen's picture shows right from the start, and then tightening it down as tight as possible there, that might stop the front to back movement.

But try starting with the base of the radin an inch or so away from the seat bite and then tighten down the seatbelt with the above tricks from previous posts. That just might fix the problem and be an easy fix.

FWIW, I have the same problem with the MA in the middle seating position of my truck - if I start with the base snug against the back of the seat I get the front to back movement - if I start with it slightly out, then it can be tightened down and gets no front to back wiggle room and maybe 1/8" side to side wiggle room.


Well, I got it in so it won't move, but I'm not sure it is right. I started out quite a bit (maybe 4 to 6 inches) out from the seat bite. Is this ok, or do I need to get it back more?

[snowbird25ca]

Well, I got it in so it won't move, but I'm not sure it is right. I started out quite a bit (maybe 4 to 6 inches) out from the seat bite. Is this ok, or do I need to get it back more?

Where about on the back of the car seat does it start to touch the vehicle seat? I'm having a hard time telling in the picture. If it's starting to touch just above where the ff'ing belt path is, then I'd be ok with it - hopefully some others will weigh in on it too...

I know the base of the radian is kind of scooped right at the bend, so it doesn't sit right against the back of the seat always anyways. So I would judge based on how much of the back of the car seat touches the vehicle seat.

The way you have it right now, you can't move it backwards either, right? If it's good and tight like that and a good 80% of the back of the car seat is touching the vehicle seat, than it sounds fine.

[blessings567]

Where about on the back of the car seat does it start to touch the vehicle seat? I'm having a hard time telling in the picture. If it's starting to touch just above where the ff'ing belt path is, then I'd be ok with it - hopefully some others will weigh in on it too...

I know the base of the radian is kind of scooped right at the bend, so it doesn't sit right against the back of the seat always anyways. So I would judge based on how much of the back of the car seat touches the vehicle seat.

The way you have it right now, you can't move it backwards either, right? If it's good and tight like that and a good 80% of the back of the car seat is touching the vehicle seat, than it sounds fine.

No, it wasn't touching the back of the seat until almost at the top. It was in solid and felt secure at the belt path. I just went out and shoved it and it did go back so that it would touch the back of the seat where the belt path is, but now it is wiggling all over the place.

[CDNTech]

You need at least 80% of the back of the seat touching the back of the vehicle seat. You also need 80% of the base of the seat resting on the vehicle seat bottom.

Are there any techs in your area that you could get some help with this installation?

[blessings567]

I will try and make an appointment with the fire department tomorrow. I did go back out and was able to get the base back so that I think 80% is touching, but the back is not touching until about 6 inches up from the belt path. It is in solid.

[blessings567]

Also, my seat backs curve inward, so the part of the seat where the radian does touch is higher than the back center of the seat, so I am sure that the Radian is not touching in the center of the back.

[lynsgirl]

I will try and make an appointment with the fire department tomorrow. I did go back out and was able to get the base back so that I think 80% is touching, but the back is not touching until about 6 inches up from the belt path. It is in solid.

Not badmouthing the fire department, but it's very possible they will not have even heard of the Radian or if they have, not seen one IRL. Is there a general area of the country (state?) you don't mind sharing online, since many of us know and can recommend great techs all over the US? If you don't feel comfortable sharing that online, it's totally understandable, but wanted to throw that out there as a possibility :).

[snowbird25ca]

Not badmouthing the fire department, but it's very possible they will not have even heard of the Radian or if they have, not seen one IRL. Is there a general area of the country (state?) you don't mind sharing online, since many of us know and can recommend great techs all over the US? If you don't feel comfortable sharing that online, it's totally understandable, but wanted to throw that out there as a possibility :).

Yeah, I'd try and find a tech familiar with the Radian and successfully installing it. I'm 99% sure you can get a good install with the seat belt because you've been so close, it's just so hard to give instructions online and to know exactly what people are trying to describe.

[becca011906]

Are the head rest removeable??? maybe that would help out also??? I also suggest a tech familar with the seat, i had to take a tech class before i could get the seat to be to install well with seat belt in many many cars... but LATCH was easy... it's very discouraging to have such a difficault seat to install, i feel your pain trust me, when i first got it though i took it too a tech who had never seen it and couldn't get a good install at all with seat belt, well i was able to after having it a while and getting more use to it, ect... ok i'm ramleing! LOL

[blessings567]

Yeah, I'd try and find a tech familiar with the Radian and successfully installing it. I'm 99% sure you can get a good install with the seat belt because you've been so close, it's just so hard to give instructions online and to know exactly what people are trying to describe.


Well, I'm not that excited about the fire department either, but I don't know what else to do. Apperently they do have certified techs there. I called safe kids (?) a week or so ago and that is where they recommended that I go. I will try again in the morning for a better install.

[blessings567]

Are the head rest removeable??? maybe that would help out also??? I also suggest a tech familar with the seat, i had to take a tech class before i could get the seat to be to install well with seat belt in many many cars... but LATCH was easy... it's very discouraging to have such a difficault seat to install, i feel your pain trust me, when i first got it though i took it too a tech who had never seen it and couldn't get a good install at all with seat belt, well i was able to after having it a while and getting more use to it, ect... ok i'm ramleing! LOL
I have alread removed the head rest.

[becca011906]

oh sorry, i missed the somwhere... well hopefully they will be able to get it in for ya...

[blessings567]

What about this? I had someone stronger than me push down and I was able to get it tighter, then I just shoved it back after it was buckled to get it to the back. There is no side to side movement, but I can make it go forward and back, but it feels solid and secure.

I have an appointment with a car seat tech at the fire department this afternoon, but she is not familiar with the Radain.

[CDNTech]

What about this? I had someone stronger than me push down and I was able to get it tighter, then I just shoved it back after it was buckled to get it to the back. There is no side to side movement, but I can make it go forward and back, but it feels solid and secure.

I have an appointment with a car seat tech at the fire department this afternoon, but she is not familiar with the Radain.

That looks much better to me. How much forward to back movement is there? If it's less than an inch you are good to go.

Remember, no hercules shoving when testing for movement. ;) One hand tugging AT the belt path on the shell of the carseat.

[blessings567]

That looks much better to me. How much forward to back movement is there? If it's less than an inch you are good to go.

Remember, no hercules shoving when testing for movement. ;) One hand tugging AT the belt path on the shell of the carseat.

Definatly no side to side movement, but I'm not sure about front to back. If I pull at the seat it moves probably 3 inches back and forth, but it only wobbles when I pull it at the belt path. I will be happy for the car seat tech to check it.