Help me with my MA please!

[amy919]

Ugh! I am so frustrated! I cannot get the MA installed right in my car. It's rock solid, it's just way too reclined. Teagan's quite happy with it - every time she gets in, she lays her head back and says "ahhh" :rolleyes:. I, however, am NOT happy! The RA was perfect, no problems at all. No matter what we do, we cannot get the seat more upright. It's driving me crazy! What am I missing? I wish I could install it without the recline bar in the reclined position. I'd have no problems getting it upright like that. Help me before I go insane...please!

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa104/amy91975/100_1554.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa104/amy91975/100_1555.jpg

[CaseyRN]

I'm not a tech, but I think if you pull it away from the seat bight a little bit and also push down where the feet are (not her bottom) when installing it will make it more upright. Hopefully someone else will chime in, but that is what I would try.

[amy919]

I'm not a tech, but I think if you pull it away from the seat bight a little bit and also push down where the feet are (not her bottom) when installing it will make it more upright. Hopefully someone else will chime in, but that is what I would try.

I tried that, but it just keeps sliding back into the seat back! I'm ready to throw it in the street and run it over with my car. After I take the cover off, of course.

[crunchierthanthou]

Just looking at the compression marks, it still looks like you're putting most of your pressure toward where her bottom goes. Face the back of your vehicle and put your knee as close to the seat back as you can as you tighten. Also, the tether doesn't have to be so tight that it affects the recline- just taut enough that all the slack is out.

edit- really, it looks okay. Yes, it could be more upright, but it's certainly not over reclined and she's a shorty. She's not going to ramp up enough to come in contact with anything.

[tiggercat]

This is very undignified, but I have a suggestion. I know this goes against the "one hand in the seat" type install I've heard discussed on this board, but it worked for me in a similar situation.

Loosen the latch straps.
Pull the seat away from the seat bight a couple of inches.
keeping the seat in place, straddle the seat facing the front of the vehicle (one leg on each side of the seat).
Pull latch straps tight while rocking side to side.
Extricate yourself, and check for tightness.

Alternatively,
Stand facing the rear of the vehicle
Loosen latch strap
Pull base away from seat bight
Use your arms/shoulders to hold the seat in a fairly upright position while someone else pushed down on the leg area of the seat. While the other person is putting pressure, gently pull the latch straps while rocking side to side. Try to avoid pushing the seat towards the rear of the vehicle while you do this.

The only other thing I can suggest is to perhaps try a seatbelt install and see if that is better?

[snowbird25ca]

edit- really, it looks okay. Yes, it could be more upright, but it's certainly not over reclined and she's a shorty. She's not going to ramp up enough to come in contact with anything.

:yeahthat:

[NZ Child Restraints]

Put the seat back up of the seat where you have the car seat, it is quite back. Then pull the front (leg area) of the seat back a little and push down into the seat where the crotch buckle is.
If the seats are slippery you may need a small non-slip mat so it does not slide towards the seat back.
How tight is tether strap? and can you move the front seat back a little bit more?

[CRS]

A bit unorthodox perhaps but I'd pull the seat back an inch or two from the seat bight, and if you're flexible (like me LOL) I'd put one foot in the bottom of the seat (where kiddos feet/knees would usually rest) and put my weight down on it whilst pulling the latch straps at the same time. If needs must you might even need someone to help you (it's ok to ask for help you know! hehe). You're not over tightening the tether strap either are you?

[amy919]

Does it look unsafe to anyone?

[joolsplus3]

Looks fine to me (I'm agreeing with others who've said that already, BTW), but I'd try all the tricks everyone mentioned...Usually I install mine with the LATCH SO upright that no kid could sit in it, then a little tug on the tether gets it to a nice comfy install (without putting SO much force on the tether it risks breaking the recline mechanism, if that makes sense).

[Melizerd]

It doesn't look too reclined to me either. Maybe bother SPB for his great CAD program for an exact angle on it.

[snowbird25ca]

Does it look unsafe to anyone?

The angle looks 100% safe to me.

My :twocents: even though nobody asked for it...

Sometimes we get so involved trying to get a seat as upright as we possibly can, and it's really not necessary. Some vehicles it can be difficult to get a more upright installation, and if parents are getting the idea that their older rf'ing kiddo isn't safe enough because the seat isn't upright enough, that's a problem. Yes it can be nice to do if a front passenger needs more seating space, the child can tolerate it and the carseat manual allows it - but it's not necessary. As long as the seat isn't over-reclined, it is perfectly safe.

Not all kids automatically want to be more upright, and it's not necessary to just automatically get a seat as upright as possible... I hate that we sometimes make parents feel like they have to get the seat more upright in order to keep older rf'ing kids happy. My kids have always been happier with somewhere between a newborn recline and being super upright...

Anyways, all that to say, the seat is safe the way it is and I wouldn't focus on trying to get it more upright because there's really no *need* to. If you feel like messing around and playing with it, have fun, ;) but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the angle it's installed at right now.

BTW, seats that are over-reclined are usually pretty easy to recognize and this installation definitely doesn't fit into that category. The angle your seat is installed at is perfectly fine. If the angle isn't causing a problem with your ds's comfort (ie fussing because he's used to being more upright or something like that,) and you have no need to get it more upright other than "that's the way it should be for an older child," I'd not even bother trying.

[joolsplus3]

<nod> <clap>

:)

[ThreeBeans]

It's definitely not *too* reclined :thumbsup:

[amy919]

The angle looks 100% safe to me.

My :twocents: even though nobody asked for it...

Sometimes we get so involved trying to get a seat as upright as we possibly can, and it's really not necessary. Some vehicles it can be difficult to get a more upright installation, and if parents are getting the idea that their older rf'ing kiddo isn't safe enough because the seat isn't upright enough, that's a problem. Yes it can be nice to do if a front passenger needs more seating space, the child can tolerate it and the carseat manual allows it - but it's not necessary. As long as the seat isn't over-reclined, it is perfectly safe.

Not all kids automatically want to be more upright, and it's not necessary to just automatically get a seat as upright as possible... I hate that we sometimes make parents feel like they have to get the seat more upright in order to keep older rf'ing kids happy. My kids have always been happier with somewhere between a newborn recline and being super upright...

Anyways, all that to say, the seat is safe the way it is and I wouldn't focus on trying to get it more upright because there's really no *need* to. If you feel like messing around and playing with it, have fun, ;) but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the angle it's installed at right now.

BTW, seats that are over-reclined are usually pretty easy to recognize and this installation definitely doesn't fit into that category. The angle your seat is installed at is perfectly fine. If the angle isn't causing a problem with your ds's comfort (ie fussing because he's used to being more upright or something like that,) and you have no need to get it more upright other than "that's the way it should be for an older child," I'd not even bother trying.

Were you lurking in chat last night? Because we had this very discussion :p. I think I was so used to the RA being more upright that the MA bothered me. Tea hated being reclined in the RA, which is why we installed it upright (with NO problems, mind you!), but for some reason, is perfectly happy more reclined in the MA. I guess she just "outgrew" her need to be upright or something :rolleyes:.

In any event, I was really only concerned that it was too reclined and unsafe because of that. I completely and totally agree with everything you said :thumbsup:.

[snowbird25ca]

Were you lurking in chat last night? Because we had this very discussion :p. I think I was so used to the RA being more upright that the MA bothered me. Tea hated being reclined in the RA, which is why we installed it upright (with NO problems, mind you!), but for some reason, is perfectly happy more reclined in the MA. I guess she just "outgrew" her need to be upright or something :rolleyes:.

In any event, I was really only concerned that it was too reclined and unsafe because of that. I completely and totally agree with everything you said :thumbsup:.

LOL, that's too funny. Nope, wasn't in chat last night... haven't actually been in in awhile. I've been playing scrabulous (scrabble,) on facebook. :thumbsup:

[Splash79]

Just had to say, I LOVE how the regent and marathon match :love:

[Laurenc0101]

I am not a tech, but I just saw this thread as the pic made me curious about the actual seat of the car. The seat appears to be reclined a bit in your pic. The seats in my SUV will recline a bit too, but I find that when I try to install my MA that if the seat is reclined, my MA base will slip into the seat more than if my seat is more upright. Does that make sense? So I was just curious if the seat being reclined effects how upright the seat can be installed or is that just a fluke thing with my vehicle?

Not all kids automatically want to be more upright, and it's not necessary to just automatically get a seat as upright as possible... My kids have always been happier with somewhere between a newborn recline and being super upright...


I have to say I agree! Brayden doesn't like to be in a newborn recline, but prefers a bit of a recline over being upright. He still sleeps quite a bit on trips too, so being a bit reclined helps keep his head from flopping when we take off from a red light too.