Questions on EFTA install

[cancron]

We recieved DD's new EFTA DLX and installed it yesterday. I have several questions that I could use some help on. DD is 18 months, 31.5" and 24 lbs. We installed rear facing in a 2007 Yukon. Not the easiest install. We felt so dumb - 2 adults just shouldn't have that much trouble. :confused: Here we go with the questions.
1. We installed in the center using the latch system. Is the best placement? We want the safest position, but in the center has created a bad blind spot looking over your right shoulder.
2. The manual tells you and shows you crossing your arms to run the latch straps and the adjuster ending up on the passenger side of the car. When we did that, the adjuster ended up in a position where you could not access it to pull or release - to get it right side up you either have a twist in the strap or run it opposite and the adjuster comes out on the drivers side in the correct position. I hope that makes sense - did we do something wrong?
3. I've seen conflicting advice on tethering this seat. I can't find anything to tether to RF so for now the tether is secured as shown. Any ideas on how it could be tethered in the Yukon?
4. Minor issue here - once secured, it is impossible to reach the recline release so we undid the latch, reclined one notch and then resecured. Is this normal? - the front edge of the seat is really tight against the seat. Also without at least one "degree" of recline, the latch straps covered the knob to tighten her harness.

Whew!!!!! Thanks for taking the time to read such a long post. Sorry to have so many questions, but I just want to make sure DD is safe and I haven't been able to find a tech anywhere near me.
Resa

[Jeanum]

Hi! Congrats on the new EFTA, and kudos for keeping your little one rear facing. :thumbsup:

I have yet to install or play around with an EFTA, but I can help address two of your questions. :) Center is technically considered safest, provided that you can achieve a proper installation using an allowed installation method with less than 1 inch of movement at the child restraint's belt path. I also double checked in the LATCH manual and verified that your Yukon allows center lower LATCH anchor installation because it has a dedicated set of lower LATCH anchors for the center. :thumbsup: If a center installation creates a blind spot to the point that you feel it's a significant hazard, then an outboard installation would be an alternative. One of the advantages of extended rear facing is that it provides an added measure of crash protection for side impacts, and I wouldn't fret tremendously if an outboard installation is necessary.

The EFTA does not top tether rear facing, only forward facing. The EFTA likely has a place to clip the unused top tether onto the seat to keep it from dangling or swinging around and possibly striking your little one.

I'll let someone with actual EFTA experience address the more EFTA specific installation and adjustment questions for you. There are a number of members who own or who have installed the EFTA.

[SusanMae]

1. You have LATCH in the center, so that's fine if it works for you guys. What I mean by that is it's going to be a lot of work to get a child in and out of the middle in a Yukon. You might find it works better for you if she's outboard. Do what works best and don't feel guilty!

2. Sometimes you have to twist the strap that attaches the Lower anchor strap to the seat. Personally I don't really think it matters which side you have the adjustor on...as long as there are no twists in the belt and you can tighten it.

3. You canNOT tether the EFTA RF. The only seats that can be tethered RF are the Radian65/80 and the Britax Convertibles.(I think the TrueFit might have the option as well...but I'm not sure.)

4. I believe the EFTA has only one position you are allowed to use when you have the seat RF. And if I remember correctly it's pretty clearly marked on the seat itself.

Have you seen a tech to see if they can help you?

Susan

[snowbird25ca]

Hi, I have an EFTA and think I can help you with some of the difficulty you're encountering. :)

Have you read through the entire manual from front to back? There's important information about the recline setting of the seat. It has to be in the most reclined position - position 1, when it's installed rf'ing.

I haven't had any difficulty with the LATCH belt & the knobs interfering with each other, so I suspect that the interference is happening because the seat isn't reclined all the way. :thumbsup:

As for the latch belt, you're looking for the belt itself to be laying flat in the belt path, the little narrow belt that is attached to the bigger belt, is only attaching the LATCH belt to the seat, so it's ok if it's twisted. You do want to have the adjuster for the LATCH belt on the passenger side of the vehicle. A tip for tightening it up is to pull it up right towards the belt path. There won't be much of a tail on the LATCH belt so it can make it a little trickier - if you find that the LATCH belt is going slightly sideways through the adjuster, loosen it just slightly to straighten it out, and then try and keep the belts more parallel to each other as you tighten it further.

The others are correct, that the EFTA cannot be tethered when rf'ing. There is a storage spot on the back of the seat - the tether hook hooks right into it. The manual recommends using an elastic to keep the tether strap secured so that there isn't any length loose. :thumbsup:

If after you have the seat in full recline mode the seat is still too upright, you can use a pool noodle to recline it a little bit. IIRC the Yukon has quite a flat backseat, so you probably won't need a noodle. Your dd is old enough now that she doesn't need the full recline, so you can ignore that line level to ground arrow. She can be as upright as 30*, to the maximum of 45* (when line is level to ground it's right around 45*, if you're using the line for comparison make sure you're on flat ground, but at her age she can be more upright and will probably like the view better. :))

Hope that helps some. Here's a picture of the side of my seat, just to give you an idea of how the LATCH belt looks when tightened up. (Another tip for tightening it if you have troubles, is to pull on the belt itself so that you have the slack right above the adjuster, then tighten by tugging on the tail.)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2388329857_2036c6bc82.jpg?v=0