Snugride driving me crazy!

[Momma2PnS]

I love our Graco Snugride most of the time, but I hate the way the base installs in my husband's car!! He has a 2001 Volvo xc70 with leather seats. It has LATCH, but I seem to get a better install with the seatbelts. I finally got good at installing our older son's Marathon, but the baby's SR is another story.

Once I finally beat the base into submission and get a tight install, it only lasts a fews. Eventually I go out to check my husband's car and the base will be tilted to one side and too loose. It's driving me crazy. I can't check it everyday and my husband is the worst about installing/checking/maintaining car seat stuff. I worry that the base is loosening up and off center more than I know! We even had a tech come out and look at it and even she said I probably just need to keep checking and redoing. Ugh. Isn't there another way?!

I'm so frustrated and worried that I'm pushing DH to move the baby into the Marathon and get the older one a new Regent. But he wants us to get as much life out of each seat as we can. I would love some advice here...or at least someone who maybe has the same issue with the SR.

For what it's worth, I can get a solid install in my 2004 CR-V that lasts forever. :thumbsup:

Thanks!

[crunchierthanthou]

It's the locking shoulder retractor that is giving you problems. It ratchets tighter and lifts the base off the vehicle seat. It is a common complaint with infant seats and rear facing convertibles.

If you can get an acceptable install with LATCH, that's probably your easiest solution.

You could use a locking clip in place of locking the retractor.

I've found that I can get an good install with a l/s belt if I lock the retractor as the very last step. Get the lap portion as tight as you can- that's the part that's holding the carseat in place anyway. Once you have an acceptable install (less than 1" of movement in any direction at the beltpath), lock the shoulder belt. Allow it to retract naturally without forcing any additional webbing into the retractor. It may still ratchet tighter over time and cause some tilting, but it's a pretty quick fix to unlatch the seatbelt and reset the ALR.

[Momma2PnS]

Any advice on how to best use the locking clip? I've never had to use one before.

And I think I've tried LATCH in his car before, but it didn't work well due to the curves in his seat. But will try again. We joke that they are made for butts not car seats. :D

[crunchierthanthou]

Here's a good site with pictures and instructions for using a locking clip.

http://www.carseatsite.com/lockingclips.htm

Two general rules that you want to keep in mind are that the locking clip needs to be within 1" of the latchplate and that it shouldn't be pushing up against the shell at all.

I think you're onto something about the seats being good for butts. We sometimes run into problems with forward of the bight seatbelts- which are great for adults, but not so much for carseats. Did you extend the adjustable foot on the front of the SR base? That can help get a tight install on sculpted seats.

[snowbird25ca]

Here's a good site with pictures and instructions for using a locking clip.

http://www.carseatsite.com/lockingclips.htm

Two general rules that you want to keep in mind are that the locking clip needs to be within 1" of the latchplate and that it shouldn't be pushing up against the shell at all.


I believe the Snugride manual says within 1/2" of the latchplate. :thumbsup:

[brightredmtn]

Once you install with the locking clip it will be perfect. I too thought the SnugRide was the poorest designed seat ever after a CHP tech installed mine with the locking shoulder retractor. At one point I found the base at a 45 degree angle in DH's car! Once another tech (who knew better what he was doing) installed it with the locking clip it was a huge aha moment for me.

For me getting the seat belt to be the right length with the locking clip was a lot of trial end error. It takes me a while but now I actually sort of like locking clips. I find that there are fewer variables with them.

[joolsplus3]

I'd roll up a handtowel in the shape of a burrito and put it under the foot of the Snugride (extended or retracted, it doesn't matter, what ever gets the level right), and use LATCH. Sometimes that slippery snugride foot causes all the problems, and putting a towel under it cures all ills.