I finally got my True Fit!

[TechnoGranola]

I had to get a friend coming in from another city to bring it because none of my Zellers have it in stock even though the online store check says that 2 of them do. But, they can't find them anywhere, GRRRR. So, friend brought me one from elsewhere. :)

When I go pick up the kids I'll be trying it in my parents' vehicle and ours. We alredy know the Marathon fits in our vehicle behind the driver's seat (where we want the seat installed), but it was quite upright. I'm a bit worried about the True Fit since it needs a 35° minimum angle. Cross your fingers for me that the True Fit fits behind the driver's seat in our vehicle!

ETA: Updated with after install comments and pics in post #4. A 2nd update in post #36.

[horseymom]

good luck installing it, I would love to see pics. I hope to get one on friday

[Debn31]

Oh, please keep me posted!
We are very likely getting these, as we have had a short strap fiasco with our Radian seats, and no help from SK :(

[TechnoGranola]

Okay, I got and installed it! I tried it in my parents Yaris and our MDX. It fits quite nicely in the Yaris. Tightening is a bit harder than the Marathon, BUT the base is MUCH easier on the Yaris seats than the Marathon is (which kind of distorts the seats funny). And in the same space, the True Fit is actually a tad more reclined than the Marathon.

In the MDX, it's behind the driver's seat right now. Unfortunately, we can't get a 35° angle. :( From our calculations, it is only about 25° right now. ARGH! To get it more reclined I am going to need a noodle and DH has to have his legs surgically shortened his legs if we want to keep it behind the driver's seat. Thus, I have a decision to make. Either go against recommendations and have DD too upright, have DH drive scrunched up, have DH get a leg shortening operation, try the seat in the centre, or last resort behind the passenger seat. I know it will work behind the passenger seat, we just don't want it there as then older DD has to get out into traffic before school and we also won't have access to the 3rd row.

We've got no issues accessing the harness adjuster in either vehicle as both vehicles have contoured seats. It definitely would be harder with a flat seat back. The good thing about the harness adjuster is that you don't have to reach down and grab the very edge to release, you can actually push on the rounded edge at the top to release. This makes it easier to access. And no worries of a child pulling up the release strap and then leaning forward and loosening their harness (I read on another thread that someone had this worry) as the harness will NOT loosen if you use the release strap to pull on the release lever.

DD is on the 2nd slots. They are pretty much even with her shoulders. Her head is basically at the red line which means she needs the upper seat back. Actually she would need it regardless since she is >22 pounds. The adjustable crotch strap is nice, and it can be adjusted with a push of a button (a little finicky but fine once you get the hang of it). DD has it on the small setting right now.

Hmmmm.....I can't think of anything else right now. Any questions??

View from passenger door in MDX
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/d/7/c/64259/preview_img_51900.jpg?rev=0

View from driver's door in MDX
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/d/7/c/64259/preview_img_51920.jpg?rev=0

[horseymom]

oh, I sure hope I can get it behind the drivers side in my explorer! we have no other option really

[CDNTech]

Tell dh to put his seat more upright... that will give him more leg room *and* will be safer for him than being reclined. From the little bit of view I can see of the front seat, it (the front seat) looks a little reclined for a driver to be there. ;)

[TechnoGranola]

Tell dh to put his seat more upright... that will give him more leg room *and* will be safer for him than being reclined. From the little bit of view I can see of the front seat, it (the front seat) looks a little reclined for a driver to be there. ;)Heh-heh, I tried that yesterday asking if there was any way he could sit more upright, and he said "no". LOL I'll take a look again after work, but I don't think it's actually as reclined as it looks (I see why you think so as you can't see the seat bottom, only the seat back), but if there is any room for him to sit straighter I will definitely make him try it! He does have monkey long arms but now that I think about it, he likely could have a tad more bend in them when he drives.

[snowbird25ca]

What was the recline like on the MA in your MDX? Even the MA can't be anymore upright than 30*, and that's really not much different than 35* in terms of space. (No carseat can be more upright than 30* when rf'ing.)

You could try getting in behind the shell of the true fit and pushing it back towards the seat bight and down to get it more reclined when tightening the belt. That would probably do the trick so you didn't need a towel, but I'm not sure how the bit more recline would affect the drivers space. You may end up having to work out a different seating position in your MDX - I'm thinking all the seats you've tried have had this problem to a certain degree IIRC?

Would your older dd be able to crawl out under the TF if it was installed passenger side?

[TechnoGranola]

What was the recline like on the MA in your MDX? Even the MA can't be anymore upright than 30*, and that's really not much different than 35* in terms of space. (No carseat can be more upright than 30* when rf'ing.)That's the thing, I *thought* the Marathon fit but was just guessing at the angle. Now that my dad measured the True Fit angle accurately (he has some level that has degrees on it), I actually think the Marathon wouldn't be any better. In fact, it *might* be worse. In the Yaris, with both seats installed in the exact same amount of space, the True Fit is actually a tad more reclined than the Marathon (True Fit at 35° in Yaris whereas Marathon is only at 30°). Of course it would sit on the MDX seats differently, so not sure if it would behave the same.

You could try getting in behind the shell of the true fit and pushing it back towards the seat bight and down to get it more reclined when tightening the belt. That would probably do the trick so you didn't need a towel, but I'm not sure how the bit more recline would affect the drivers space. You may end up having to work out a different seating position in your MDX - I'm thinking all the seats you've tried have had this problem to a certain degree IIRC?I will try this tonight and see if it gets us anywhere. Maybe this and convincing DH to sit more upright might do the trick (I'll cross my fingers that it does!).

Would your older dd be able to crawl out under the TF if it was installed passenger side?I don't think so. She's 11 and about 4'10" so it might be tough fit. BUT, I never actually thought to try this so if we can't get the driver's side to work, then I will definitely get her to try.

[BudgieStew]

Would it be too much trouble to post a picture of it in your parents Yaris?

DH is now considering that as his option for his next car.

[TechnoGranola]

Would it be too much trouble to post a picture of it in your parents Yaris?

DH is now considering that as his option for his next car.And I was going to take a picture yesterday but I was bothering my dad for so much stuff (do you have a level dad? do you have protractor dad? can I have your car keys dad?) that I didn't ask for his camera too! :D

If I have time to put it in their vehicle again while I am fiddling with the install in our vehicle, I will do so. Else I might have to wait until I buy one for them (my dad likes it better than the Marathon in his vehicle so I am getting him one too). And my silly Zellers says they have them in stock, but nobody can find them in the store, so it might be a few days until I get one bought!

Oh, and my dad's Yaris is the sedan, not the hatchback, and they do have different rear seats. My older DD found the hatchback seats to be very uncomfortable which is why my parents went with the sedan.

[BudgieStew]

DH wants the Sedan but I think they only started making them in 06 or at least as far as I can tell and it might be a few thousand higher then what we want to spend for a second car.

Plus they seem to be harder to find.So it just might end up being a HatchBack.
Which is is fine as it only the odd time they we ALL travel in DH car together usually it is just DH and DS, but now with fuel prices rising we may be parking the van more and more.

By chance have you installed a Radian in it? Although yours would be RF and DS is FF so...

[TechnoGranola]

DH wants the Sedan but I think they only started making them in 06 and it might be a few thousand higher then what we want to spend for a second car.The Yaris sedan didn't come to Canada until '07. The 3-door and 5-door hatch models were available in '06.

[TechnoGranola]

By chance have you installed a Radian in it? Although yours would be RF and DS is FF so...I installed a Radian RF and it does NOT work well in the Yaris at all. The passenger has to eat the dash. Similar in our MDX actually, but at least it would work in the centre of the MDX rear seat. It won't even work in the Yaris in the centre because there isn't enough room between the 2 front seats for the Radian to fit (so the centre is the worst as both passenger AND driver seat would have to be way forward). I didn't try it FF as it had to work RF for us, so that was my priority at the time.

[BudgieStew]

The Yaris sedan didn't come to Canada until '07. The 3-door and 5-door hatch models were available in '06.

Ahh I see....so it would be a 5 door hatch. I am doing my searching in French so it gets confusing.

[snowbird25ca]

I don't think so. She's 11 and about 4'10" so it might be tough fit. BUT, I never actually thought to try this so if we can't get the driver's side to work, then I will definitely get her to try.

Is your seat a 60/40 split? I'm not sure if your 11yo is in a booster or not, but with only having one installed seat in the back, it should be easy enough to access the 3rd row once you figure out which position to put the TF in since a booster would be easy enough to move out of the way.

I'm glad to hear you've found a seat that you like and is going to work in both cars. :D

[TechnoGranola]

Is your seat a 60/40 split? I'm not sure if your 11yo is in a booster or not, but with only having one installed seat in the back, it should be easy enough to access the 3rd row once you figure out which position to put the TF in since a booster would be easy enough to move out of the way.It is a 60/40 split. But access to the 3rd row is ONLY on the passenger side, which is why we wanted that seat free. The centre *might* work, as they offset the lower anchors so that the passenger seat doesn't get overtaken by a child restraint and so that it will hopefully still be able to move forward for 3rd row access. The biggest complaint with the centre is from my 11 year old who likes to flip down the centre arm rest and likes to have non obscured access to her heating controls. :) Well, and DH who doesn't want to have to climb in the vehicle to get DD into her seat. But they'll both live with it if that's the place it works the best!

Older DD isn't in a booster anymore, she's too tall for the high backs currently available here and with a low back I cannot get the seatbelt to fit properly (it is WAY off her shoulder down really low. I posted pics a couple months ago with the poor fit in a low back). She does pass the 5 step test in this vehicle.

I'm glad to hear you've found a seat that you like and is going to work in both cars. :DMe too! Life will be easier with the same seat in both vehicles. This way when I notice she needs to change strap height, I do it in both places at once. And easier for me to answer my dad's questions when I've got the same seat! The Marathon was a good 2nd option, but it doesn't really fit any better in our vehicle and the base pushes on the Yaris seats like crazy, so the True Fit moved to #1 spot. Now if Zellers would hurry up and find their "in stock" (but not in stock) True Fits, I could buy the 2nd one I need! TRU/BRU said theirs were being shipped from the warehouse on June 10 and will take 7-10 days to get in and they have me on the phone list for when they show up.

[TechnoGranola]

Oh, and here's a pic from the web that show my back seat and you can see how they have the centre lower anchors offset so the seat sits more towards the driver's side

http://us.autos1.yimg.com/img.autos.yahoo.com/izp/acura_mdx_sportpackagewreardvdsystem_2008_interior _rearseat_640x480.jpg

[QuassEE]

{Drool--have I mentioned that I'd like an MDX to replace DH's car?]


-Nicole.

[TechnoGranola]

{Drool--have I mentioned that I'd like an MDX to replace DH's car?]


-Nicole.Does he drive the Tribute you have listed in your sig? If so, let him know that we upgraded from an Escape (virtually the same as the Tribute) and are VERY happy with our MDX (and we really enjoyed the Escape)! Think that will convince him to get one? ;)

[Debn31]

I installed a Radian RF and it does NOT work well in the Yaris at all. The passenger has to eat the dash. Similar in our MDX actually, but at least it would work in the centre of the MDX rear seat. It won't even work in the Yaris in the centre because there isn't enough room between the 2 front seats for the Radian to fit (so the centre is the worst as both passenger AND driver seat would have to be way forward). I didn't try it FF as it had to work RF for us, so that was my priority at the time.

Sounds like our Radian RF in our Corolla - exactly, couldn't fit in the middle either... So, the True Fit is fitting better then? My youngest is FF, but only 25 lb, so I would LOVE to be able to put him RF again (I did until he was 18/19 months and 22 lb, but my knees were sooo sore being pressed against the glove compartment).

We will be looking at getting a mazda 5 late next year, but can't afford to do it this year. If I can have my son sitting RF again, though in the meantime, that'd be great...

Hmmmm...really making me lean towards the True Fit.
Thanks for your pics and info, invaluable to me right now!

[TechnoGranola]

Sounds like our Radian RF in our Corolla - exactly, couldn't fit in the middle either... So, the True Fit is fitting better then? My youngest is FF, but only 25 lb, so I would LOVE to be able to put him RF again (I did until he was 18/19 months and 22 lb, but my knees were sooo sore being pressed against the glove compartment).

We will be looking at getting a mazda 5 late next year, but can't afford to do it this year. If I can have my son sitting RF again, though in the meantime, that'd be great...

Hmmmm...really making me lean towards the True Fit.
Thanks for your pics and info, invaluable to me right now!It's RF behind the passenger seat in the Yaris, there's no way it will work behind the driver's seat as my dad is just too tall for it to fit at the proper angle. The Marathon didn't work behind the driver's seat either. The passenger seat is actually just a couple clicks forward, it gives the passenger plenty of room and keeps them a decent distance from the air bag. I'll try and gets pics in the Yaris soon as they might be helpful for you as well BudgieStew. The nice thing about the Yaris is that once the True Fit is installed, it naturally sits at a 35° angle! So, perfect for toddlers, pre-schoolers! I'd actually say that the True Fit fits nicer in the Yaris than in the MDX...my dad kept bugging me that if I wouldn't a bought a vehicle with those "comfortable, fancy seats" that I'd have an easier time making a car seat fit! :p

[QuassEE]

Think that will convince him to get one? ;)

There's no convincing needed! I was debating between the MDX and the XC90 but the MDX spoils you a little more. The problem isn't the convincing, since I do the car buying, but rather the issue of us just having paid cash for our Odyssey, ouch! :) Two new cars in the same year isn't going to happen in this house, not until we win the Lotto..or perhaps if we stop feeding our boys!

-Nicole.

[jubgulia]

[QUOTE=Debn31;463637]Sounds like our Radian RF in our Corolla - exactly, couldn't fit in the middle either... So, the True Fit is fitting better then?QUOTE]

Here are some pics of two RF True Fits in a Corolla: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jubgulia/

[mommycat]

I am having a mommy moment after a long day of staying home with 2 boys - are you allowed to brace the True Fit? Or do you need to leave room? This will make a difference when I try playing with it in my Civic again on the weekend.

[TechnoGranola]

I am having a mommy moment after a long day of staying home with 2 boys - are you allowed to brace the True Fit? Or do you need to leave room? This will make a difference when I try playing with it in my Civic again on the weekend.The manual doesn't actually say yay or nay. It says that if the restraint touches the seat, preventing you from getting the proper angle, then you should remove the upper seatback. Of course, my DD is too big to remove the upper seatback, so that isn't an option for me. But, nowhere do they state that there MUST be room between the restraint and the vehicle seat or that it must not touch at all.

[Debn31]

[QUOTE=Debn31;463637]Sounds like our Radian RF in our Corolla - exactly, couldn't fit in the middle either... So, the True Fit is fitting better then?QUOTE]

Here are some pics of two RF True Fits in a Corolla: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jubgulia/

Awesome, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks much better than the RF Radian did....
Looks like you didn't have to have the seat much forward at all, am I right?

[hipmaman]

[QUOTE=jubgulia;463775]

Awesome, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks much better than the RF Radian did....
Looks like you didn't have to have the seat much forward at all, am I right?

So here is the question that I ponder...

The manual was written before TF says it's okay not to have 45 degree when rf, right? So, this is the exact 'warning' about rf TF touching the front vehicle seat:

The True Fit, in a Rear Facing installation was desgined with a removable upper seatback to allow for a proper installation when the upper seatback comes in contact with the front seat. If the upper seatback comes in contact with the front seat and prevents a 45 degree installation, remove the upper seatback and install the True Fit at 45 degrees per the instructions in this seaction...

What does that statement mean to you? That it's okay to touch the front vehicle seat or not, especially now that we know we don't have to have 45 degree installation?

Confusing...

[Debn31]

Hmmmmm..yes, that IS confusing.

[Debn31]

I'm thinking so long as it's still 35 degree angle, but touching, then that's okay?

Since it seems to be saying that if it the front seat prevented the 45 degree angle, that it was a problem, and it HAD to be 45 degree angle...

SO, if it still had had to be at a 45 degree angle, but you could do it and it was touching, THAT was okay/??????

Shrug....I don't know!
Not sure if what I said even made sense! ;)

[mommycat]

Does someone want to contact First Years/Compass and ask for clarification? I think it's beyond my capacity to commit to do this after the day I had.

[hipmaman]

I still have to compose my email/note of things to ask Compass. This adds to the list then. But this is what I'm think (aloud)...

It's okay to touch at 45 degree because that would prevent the seat from over rotate in the event of a collision. But it should not be okay to touch (or braced) if less than 45 degree since it is not a carseat that can be rf-tethered.

Hmmm, I'm tired and might not make sense.

[snowbird25ca]

My understanding is that the wording is just intended to say that if the front seat is in the way of you getting a sufficient recline, then remove the headrest. With a more upright install, if the 2 seats are gently touching - ie one isn't pushed into the other, then I think it's fine.

The only seat that has ever not allowed touching is evenflo infant carriers, and I would assume the is due to needing clearance for the handle to be put down. So I'd have no problem with the front seat touching the back of the true fit provided that it wasn't wedged in, and that the front seat wasn't trying to lift the back of the true fit off the vehicle seat. In other words, if you're able to simulate rebound with the way the 2 touch, then you're fine. :thumbsup:

[jubgulia]

Yeah, the front seats are not too forward. My 6' husband can sit comfortably driver side. Passenger side is comfortable, just had to put it one more notch upright. I have them touching because that's just how it worked out, put the front seats forward, installed, and then put the front seats back. I talked to Learning Curve once and they said it was fine to have them (older kids) reclined to the angle that the car would allow.

[TechnoGranola]

My understanding is that the wording is just intended to say that if the front seat is in the way of you getting a sufficient recline, then remove the headrest. With a more upright install, if the 2 seats are gently touching - ie one isn't pushed into the other, then I think it's fine.I agree with this.

[TechnoGranola]

2 updates actually!

we got it installed with more of a recline! and DH adjusted how he sits so his seat fits in front without ramming into it. He's going to try out the new seating position for the next couple of days.
I phoned my Zellers and hounded them to find the ones their computer says are in stock and they found ONE and so I went and bought it so we now have one for my parents vehicle and ours! Woohoo!


Now that I have one for both vehicles, I can take pictures of it in the Yaris soon. I got my dad to take some pics of the Marathon in the Yaris before it gets returned, but he hasn't had a chance to get them to me yet. I also took new pics with the slightly greater recline in the MDX, but it was dark out so I can't level the photos since I only see black out the window. LOL I'll take new ones in the daylight tomorrow.