Regent/Town & Country install questions

[Dliela]

I just bought a 2006 Town & Country yesterday. I'v installed my Evenflo Triumph in the passenger captain chair without any problems.

As I attempted to install my Regent in the 3rd row middle, I discovered a few things and don't know what to do.

1. There are 3 seatbelts in the 3rd row. Since my regent actually takes up all of the center seating area and about 1/2 of the left side, is it okay to use the left shoulder belt locked into the center sealtbelt lock?

2. I noticed that the seatbelts don't lock when you pull them all the way out. DS is 45#, therefore, according to Britax instructions, I must use the seatbelt and rear tether for his seat. Is it okay to use the seatbelts this way? All of my other vehicles have always had the seatbelts lock so I don't know what to do. I read another thread that said the 06 T&C might have locking latchplates. I have no idea what that is. What should I be looking for? Unfortunately, I don't have a manual.

3. If I don't have locking latchplates, should I use a locking clip?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[keri1292]

Not a tech, but here's my take...

1. I wouldn't use a buckle not intended for that seatbelt. :twocents:

2. Your seatbelts have to lock in some fashion. A locking latchplate will keep the lapbelt tight, but the shoulder belt will slide freely. To test, buckle yourself in and pull all the slach through the lapbelt portion by tugging the shoulderbelt. Now try to wiggle it loose. It should stay taut and locked if it's parallel. Some locking latchplates need the male in flipped a half turn to keep the angle right and keep them tight. The will be able to pull out the shoulderbelt even as the lapbelt is locked. The shoulder portion will lock in a collision.

3. Yes, but you do have a way to lock your belts, just have to see which way! :thumbsup:

[Dliela]

If I use the seatbelt intended for that seat, then rear tether will be off to the side, not centered to the seat. Is that okay?

Also, I'm finding that my Regent is wider that the space for that seat. The seatbelt ends up underneath the bar which compromises the install

So basically, what you are saying is that the seatbelt gets clipped in loose without any tightening. My Regent will be loose and can move side to side freely??? This just doesn't seem right. I've read in a million posts and in manuals that the carseats should not wiggle more than an inch and now all of a sudden its acceptable to let it sit freely?

[keri1292]

No, the seat will not move freely. The lapbelt will be locked. You may have to play with the belt to understand it. The lapbelt will be holding your seat tight. The shoulderbelt will move freely. When you buckle the seat in, pull as much of the shoulderbelt through the latchplate as possible. It will stay taut. The holes on either side of the Regent are good for pulling the shoulderbelt thru the plate.

I don't know the T&C well enough to say about the tether, but I know they can be off center, just not grossly off center.

[jdubsm]

I had to use a locking clip in the back row of my van. It's an '03 Caravan and technically it's supposed to have locking latchplates but they didn't hold secure enough. My is outboard and the tether is at a slight angle. It fell within the appropriate degrees allowed by both Dodge and Britax. I can post a picture of the angle of the tether if you're interested.

[crunchierthanthou]

Your van has locking latchplates. A locking clip is not necessary. If it's not holding tight, simply flip the male end 180 degrees. By buckling it backward, you align the belt portions and allow it to funtion correctly.

Unfortunately, the Regent essentially makes that a 5 passenger vehicle. There is only one third row tether anchor and it is only for the center position. You can install the Regent in an outboard position, but then it won't have tether anchor. That's not ideal, but okay for now. It won't work once your child reaches 50 lbs. Britax recommends using the tether at all times, but it is absolutely required over 50 lbs.

Can you put the Regent on one of the second row captain's chairs? That will at least allow you to use the rear seat for more than one passenger.

[kalika44]

I have the same car. We bought it last August with no manual also, LOL! But if you go to the Chrysler website you can download it for free or buy one. For the 3rd row the manual says..."you may install one child restraint at
the center position, or one child restraint at each of the
right and left positions." So I would either move it to a captains chair or move it to the right or left in the 3rd row seat.

We have a regent on the way. Let me know how you end up installing yours!

[Unregistered]

Thanks for all your help. I got a great install.

I installed the Regent in the third row center using the seat belt and tether anchor. The latchplate worked great an I was amazed at how tightly it holds the seat. It doesn't budge. I don't mind that the van is now only a 5 passenger. Its just me, dh and 2 kids. We moved my ds to the 3rd row because putting him in the captains chair caused me and dh to have to hug the streering wheel (ds is big for his age and dh is 6'4" and I'm 5'7") Ds was so scrunched in the captains chair.

We tried putting him on the passenger side captain chair and ran into the same problem. He also kept kicking the back of the seat.

Thanks again!

[valleyfam]

Glad to hear you got it! I just added a post about how moving my son to the third row turned out to be ok. I really didn't want to at first but now I fold down one captain's chair so I can get in and buckle both kids with out getting wet, in bad areas, etc then cut thru the front to my seat. I think he actually likes having more leg room too.