Best convertible seat for center RF install in 95 Explorer

[Unregistered]

I'm so glad I found this forum. My granddaughter is tall, 34 inches at 18 months old. I just bought a Britax Boulevard to use RF in my back center seat but can't get a good install. The base seems to wide to properly fit in the postition and keeps hitting a vinyl piece where the bench seat splits. We've installed it in an outboard positon and it fits fine, I just hate to have her out there when I don't have too. I was wondering if a Radian may fit better. I've read they're narrower but I've also read they're hard to install although this Boulevard had us pulling out our hair today.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[tanyaandallie]

While the center seating position is the safest place for your grandchild to sit, if you cannot get a good install in the center, then the outboard position is perfectly acceptable.

Are you using LATCH or seatbelt in the center? If using LATCH, make sure you vehicle allows the use of LATCH in the center seating position. If it does not, use the seatbelt. If you tried LATCH and it's permitted in your vehicle and you cannot get a good install, you can try the seat belt.

What type of vehicle are you installing in?

ETA - oh JEez. If I read the title I would see that the vehicle is in the title!!!! I've not intalled a Britax seat in this vehicle but will see if someone else has.

[Unregistered]

I wish I had a newer car with a latch system but it'll be a couple years since my husband just got a new car.

Thank you for replying. I think I may have figured out the problem by reading other posts. My rear bench seat is 60/40 folding so there's a hard piece of plastic on the end of the "60" side. I think that's preventing the boulevard from sitting against the back of the seat rear facing in the center position. The radian would probably have the same problem but I may find a local store that sells them just to see since they're narrower.

[Defrost]

My rear bench seat is 60/40 folding so there's a hard piece of plastic on the end of the "60" side. I think that's preventing the boulevard from sitting against the back of the seat rear facing in the center position. The radian would probably have the same problem but I may find a local store that sells them just to see since they're narrower.

What part of the carseat is hitting that piece of plastic? Is it the base or the shell? If it's the base, I don't think a Radian will help - they are about the same width at that point (the Radian has a "boot," a detachable piece of plastic to adjust the recline angle, that is required for RF). It's the Britax's shell that makes it wider.

[horseymom]

I'm intrested to see the repsonces in this thread. I have a 96. I'm wondering how a marathon and frontier fit in it both outboard.

[Unregistered]

It's the front of the base that's hitting the hard piece. When we tighten it, it moves the seat sideways and allows quite a bit of movement in general. Looks like the boulevard will stay outboard. We have a nice tight fit out there and at least it's the boulevard with the side impact protection. I'm glad I got it over the marathon. We had a roundabout but my granddaughter is so tall that we'd have had to turn her forward-facing very soon. I'd rather leave her rear-facing as long as possible.