Who has a Chevy Venturer? I need help!

[Jewels]

Well the title says it all. I need help with a install in a Chevy Venturer.

Someone here posted advice on how to attach the tether in the venturer awhile ago but I can't remember who it was. Could you refresh my memory on how you attached it? I remember that it is a bit trickier.

Also, how does the Radian install in the Venturer? Easy, hard? It could be with LATCH or seatbelt. I'm looking for a seat that would be easy for DH to install himself and i'm deciding between the MA and RN. I would prefer the RN if it is realitively install . . .

[TerisBoys]

What year? I have a 97 Transport which is the Venture clone.

Never had a Radian in it. I've had the MA in both mine (modular seats) and my ex's 05 Montana (captains chair) and it fit well w/ seatbelt. Couldn't get a good install with LATCH, but in hindsight I think I forgot to switch the connectors.

Nauti installs in my van, but is tricky - goes into ex's w/ LATCH like a dream.

[unityco]

My SIL has a Venture. The trick I use to attach the tether is to fold the seat flat forward, hook on the tether, then put it back upright and do the belts (those tether anchors are a PITA!)

I've had our Radian 3rd row driver and 2nd row driver (I think, I'm fuzzy on what side the 2nd row was.) She has bench seating for the 2nd row. One of the stalks is hard, and that's the side I did NOT use. I didn't find either position to be an easy install, but it may have just been inexperience.

HTH! :)

ETA: Her van is pre-LATCH, so the Radian was installed with the seatbelts.

[AllieCanada]

I've installed the Radian FF'ing in the middle row behind the driver in an 8 seater Venture with Latch and it was an easy install. You hook the tether up first like Unityco wrote and you just don't tighten it until you've installed the seat. I never tried the seatbelt install FF'ing but I don't think it would be too difficult. I know that the Radian also fits RF'ing in all 3 seats in the second row with the seatbelt no problem too. HTH :)

[melniemi]

I have a Venture LT, with leather seats, solid bench 3rd row rather than the split bench, and captain's chairs. The advice posted for the TA's didn't work for me because my seats are different - but if you have 3 across the middle row, it should work. For my TA's I have to put the whole hook as flat as possible on the TA and wiggle it around to get it to hook. It doesn't take me nearly as long now, but I have had the van for 4 years! I used to dread taking seats out because of the TA's.

Depending on which model you have, will depend on installs. I couldn't get an acceptable radian install ffing in my third row in any position. Didn't try rfing. The buckle stalks are longer, fixed, and angled forward on the captain's chair - incompatible with the regent sbp and I would imagine a radian w/seatbelt, but didn't try it. I can install a regent sbp in the third row in both outboard positions pretty easily though.

The marathon has been very easy for me to install rfing or ffing. Ffing I need to put the headrest up all the way. The seat still doesn't appear to fit, but after I climb into it to install, it sinks enough into the van seat that it fits fine under the headrest. If you have a bench in the middle row, this is irrelevant. Marathon also fits fine in the third row outboard, but because of the under the latchbar rules for lapbelt only.

If you have more details about your seats in the van, I might have better advice!

Thanks

[Jewels]

If you have more details about your seats in the van, I might have better advice!



Okay, it is a 2004 and there is three across in the middle row. It is BIL van and one of the middle seats has a built in car seat. They are going to be traveling about 14hrs with DH and DS so I think that DS would be more comfortable in his own seat rather then the built in. Is there anywhere that has the measurement of the harness height on the built in seats?

Now i'm not sure if I should send the MA or the RN :confused: Any suggestions?

[An Aurora]

I have a 2001 with modular seating (three buckets in the 2nd row, 2 buckets in the 3rd row). My center seat in the 2nd row has an ALR lap belt and is incompatible with the Radian. The Marathon installs just fine. The tethers are a PITA but it helps if you fold the seat forward, attach the tether, and then flip the seat back like everyone else mentioned. I would not be comfortable with my kid in the built in at all. We have used it once when DD puked in her seat.

[Jewels]

I have a 2001 with modular seating (three buckets in the 2nd row, 2 buckets in the 3rd row). My center seat in the 2nd row has an ALR lap belt and is incompatible with the Radian. The Marathon installs just fine. The tethers are a PITA but it helps if you fold the seat forward, attach the tether, and then flip the seat back like everyone else mentioned. I would not be comfortable with my kid in the built in at all. We have used it once when DD puked in her seat.

Yeah I don't want him in the built-in but BIL insisted that he could just use that. I told him if I had to send a seat with my IL's (they are driving there with IL's and home with BIL) then DH can just move the seat. Plus I informed him DS would be more comfortable in his seat for the head rest and would be higher up since he gets car sick. What is the weight limit on the built-ins?

[An Aurora]

Yeah I don't want him in the built-in but BIL insisted that he could just use that. I told him if I had to send a seat with my IL's (they are driving there with IL's and home with BIL) then DH can just move the seat. Plus I informed him DS would be more comfortable in his seat for the head rest and would be higher up since he gets car sick. What is the weight limit on the built-ins?

It's 40 pounds, but trust me he is not going to be comfortable for a long drive.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j177/an_aurora/Car%20Seats/newcar003.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j177/an_aurora/Car%20Seats/newcar004.jpg

[Jewels]

Thanks for the pics :D

Do you know the harness measurement on it? How does it compare to the top harness slot of the MA and RN. I'm thinking that he might even be too tall for it but i'm not sure. He won't be riding in it, he did once when he was littler for a short trip but definately not for a long trip.

[melniemi]

Looks like Anna has you covered and has the same van as you are looking into. I would take the Marathon, though:p

[An Aurora]

I just measured and it's 16". DD had more room in that than in the MA since the built-in is straight up. For reference, she was just over the 3rd slots in the MA at that point.


On the sticker it says 22-40 pounds and the max height is 40 inches.

[An Aurora]

Looks like Anna has you covered and has the same van as you are looking into. I would take the Marathon, though:p

I had the same problem you do with the fixed buckle stalks, btw. That's why the Radian is a no-go in the 2nd row center.

[melniemi]

Can you get the regent in sbp with those fixed buckle stalks??

I can't:(

[An Aurora]

The center seat belt is too short to even do SBP. I haven't tried the 3rd row, but I really need to since I was planning on moving DD1 to the 3rd row eventually.

[Jewels]

I just measured and it's 16". DD had more room in that than in the MA since the built-in is straight up. For reference, she was just over the 3rd slots in the MA at that point.


On the sticker it says 22-40 pounds and the max height is 40 inches.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

That is great info, just what I was looking for :thumbsup:

[melniemi]

The center seat belt is too short to even do SBP. I haven't tried the 3rd row, but I really need to since I was planning on moving DD1 to the 3rd row eventually.

I had no trouble with sbp in the third row. The buckle stalks back there aren't fixed and angled like the ones on my captain's chairs. I really don't want to put my dd in the third row, but will probably have to after 48#s - if she is in the regent. If the frontier gets marathon harness straps, she might get one of those instead:whistle: