Going nuts with Marathon install & tightening straps!

[Momma2PnS]

I have a Marathon in my car - 2004 Honda CR-V w/ cloth interior - and have NO problems. It is installed RF with LATCH and it's a solid install.

We have a Marathon in DH's car - 2001 Volvo X70 w/ leather interior - and we CONSTANTLY have issues. I had a rock solid install in the center, RF, using the seat belt. 2 weeks later the tether strap was super loose and the front of the base was not flush with the seat. Is it the leather that's the problem? I really don't want to have to keep reinstalling it. Plus, I think DH is starting to feel bad because I keep checking his seat.

The other issue is that DH just can't seem to get how to tighten DS's straps enough. I've given him as many tips as I know, but plenty of times I check DS's straps and they seem to loose. I explained the pinch test, he knows where the chest clip should be, he also now knows that it's okay if you have to really PULL on the adjuster strap with both hands. I've also told him that DS will let him know if it's too tight...and chances are it won't be. But he's starting to feel like I just don't trust him. Any magic tips?

Thanks!!!!

[Melizerd]

Actually the PULLing of the harness might be the problem. The Marathon adjuster works like a ratchet so you should pull, release, pull, release to get a snug fit. That should help getting a better fit there and not have you work so hard :D

I don't have leather seats but I have to periodically reinstall my seat because it starts to move a little as it's used. I do it about once a month.

[natysr]

Agreed regarding the harness straps. Definately teach him the pull release, pull release.

I don't have any experience installing a seat in a volvo, but I do have 1 car with cloth seats (honda civic) and one car with leather seats (nissan pathfinder). In the honda, I can get equally good installs with either LATCH or the seatbelt, but I have found that with the leather seats, I get a better install with LATCH than with the seatbelt. I tend to think it is because of the leather.

[keri1292]

We had a slight issue with that when we first installed with our leather seats. I had success with pulling the seat an inch away from the bight (crack where back portion and bottom portion meet up) and applying pressure on the front part of the MA. It installs ridiculously upright. Ds could probably lick the leather! :p BUT, then you had the tether to adjust the recline and BAM! perfect install! HTH. :D

Also, the MA adjust is a rathcheting mechanism. Don't kill yourself pulling on it. :p I think telling Dh that will sink right into his man brain! :thumbsup:

[An Aurora]

We have had the same problem in my mom's Taurus with leather seats. I can get it super tight, and then within hours the tether is loose. I've asekd about it on here before but I don't really think there's much you can do.

As far as tightening, my trick for DH is to have him pull the straps from behind the seat, and then ratchet the strap tight. It seems to work for him ;)

[jessclear]

I am having a similar problem with my DC in the center of my '04 Corolla with cloth seats. I will get it in solid then a day or two later, it is tilting really bad and one side comes off the seat and it moves more than an inch from side to side. I am always re-tightening it. I can't keep it tight and straight for more than a few days at a time, but I don't want to move my DD outboard if all I have to do is check it often. I think that it's either that the middle seat has a slight hump and the seat slides to one side, or my DD kicks so hard when she's mad and wants out that she knocks it out of position. Do any of you have this trouble with cloth seats?